English 1B-53036
Introduction to the Study of Literature
Spring 2009

T*TH 11:-00-12:15 (POR 2)

Instructor:  Ms. C. Karle
Office:  A-Annex #4
Office #:  559-638-3641 ext. 3421
E-mail: carey.karle@reedleycollege.edu	
Office Hours
Monday 10:00-12:00
Tuesday – No Office Hours 
Wednesday 10:00-12:00
Thursday – No Office Hours
Friday 9:00-10:00

As Arranged	

Course Description:
English 1B is a literature survey and composition course that is designed to follow English 1A. Students will be introduced to four major literary genres: short story, novel, poetry, and drama. It is a three unit course, which is fully transferable to University of California and California State University and most other public and private four-year colleges and universities.  The purpose of this course is to assist you in development of critical thinking, reading and writing skills through experience with literature, including fiction, poetry, plays, and criticism.

Students are required to read approximately 100 pages per week and to write papers related to the reading assignments. Students should plan to spend 6-9 hours a week outside of class reading, writing and discussing the literature for the class. 

Course Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
•	Demonstrate critical thinking and literary skills with literature through a variety of linked reading, writing, and discussion activities.
•	Demonstrate connections between literary works of the same or different genres.
•	Make connections between the situations of literature and his/her experience.

Required Texts:
Janet E. Gardner, Beverly Lawn, Jack Ridl, and Peter Schakel ed. Literature:  A Portable Anthology.  2nd ed.  Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009.
Twain, Mark.  The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.  Mineola: Dover Publications, Inc., 1998.

Required Course Work:
Class Participation 							Required
Quizzes								10%
In Class/Timed Writing-Reading Reflections, Etc.			10%
Essays									60%
Final Essay – Literary Criticism/Research				20%

Class participation is defined as reading the class assignments; joining in the exchange of opinions in group and whole class discussion; starting appropriate new items for discussion; and perhaps most important of all, asking questions.

When figuring your final Quiz grade, I will drop the two lowest grades and average the remaining scores.  A missed quiz is equal to a zero, and no make-ups are allowed.
Essays will focus on literature topics and the novel.  
I do not accept late work, nor do I allow for make up work.  This means you need to be in class and do the work as assigned.  

There will be at least two opportunities for extra credit this semester.  They will be announced by week three.

Grading Scale:
	90-100 %  =  A
	80-  89%   =  B
	70-  79%   =  C
	60-  69%   =  D
	  0-  59%   =  F

Plagiarism and Cheating:
If it is discovered that you have cheated or plagiarized on an assignment, you will receive a failing grade on that assignment and perhaps a failing grade in the class.  Plagiarism of the final essay for the semester will result in a failing grade in the class.  

Plagiarism means to pass off the work of others as your own. Plagiarism is dishonest and represents an attempt to obtain the benefits of a college degree without doing the work.  For more information about plagiarism and cheating, refer to the spring 2009 schedule of classes.

Attendance Policy:
•	Roll is taken every day within the first five minutes of class. 

•	I do not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences.  

•	It is your responsibility to stay informed concerning any changes of assignment due dates, readings, etc…  This means that being absent is not an excuse for not knowing what is happening in class.  Always come to class prepared—even after an absence.

•	All appointments, interviews, meetings with counselors should be scheduled outside of class time.  If you work, inform your employer of your class schedule.

•	I consider an unprepared student as absent.

•	If you have four absences by the end of the ninth week, you will be dropped from the course at the instructor’s discretion. 

Essential Information:
•	This is a three unit class.  The average amount of homework for a unit hour is two-three hours.  This means that the time needed to complete assignments outside of class is about six to nine (6-9) hours per week.  

•	It is your responsibility to stay informed concerning any changes of assignment due dates, readings, etc…  

•	It is the student's responsibility to officially withdraw from this and/or any course.  Failure to do so may result in an "F" grade being awarded.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
If you have a verified need for an academic accommodation or materials in alternate media (i.e.., Braille, large print, electronic tex, etc.) per the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, please contact me as soon as possible. 

Helpful Hints:
•	Always keep a copy of each of your papers.  This protects you if the instructor should happen to lose one of your papers.  You should be saving your work on your hard drive and backing up your work to CD, USB, or other storage device.

•	Keep track of your work.  You should save all of your work until the end of the semester so you can double check the grade recorded by the instructor.  

•	Should you discover that you are unable to regularly attend class (online) for whatever reason, it is imperative that you discuss this with the instructor as soon as possible.  Telling the instructor of work schedule changes, illness, family emergencies, etc. after missing several days/weeks is unacceptable.

Paper Policy

•	All papers must be revised and typed in accordance with MLA guidelines.  All work leading to your final paper must be kept—for example, all prewriting, rough drafts, peer responses, and any other work produced.  There are no exceptions to this policy.  Papers that do not follow MLA guidelines will not be read.  

•	Word Processing Formats:  The most common word processing format is Microsoft Word. If you use another word processing program or Office 2007, you will need to find out how to save your work in Rich Text Format (RTF).  Guidelines for how to save in RTF are found under the Course Documents tab of the classroom Blackboard.  Please do not use Microsoft Works or any other program that does not allow for easy conversion.  I do not have Office 2007, so I will not be able to open any essay written using Office 2007 unless the essay is saved in Rich Text Format.

•	If you do not turn in an essay on time, you can turn it in up to one week after the due date.  After this one-week “grace” period, you can not turn in the essay.  However, any essay turned in during this grace period will be read and docked one full letter grade.

•	Essays will be turned in both electronically (through TURNITIN on Blackboard) and as a hardcopy.  Guidelines for turning in essays through TURNITIN on Blackboard can be found on Blackboard by clicking on the TURNITIN tab.  

•	Should I discover while reading your essay that you have not run spell check or sufficiently proofread and edited your work, I will discontinue reading and return the essay to you.  You will then have until the following week to revise the paper (the return date will be clearly marked for you).  The highest grade such a "returned" paper can receive is a "C".

•	You will be required to share some of your essays in progress for peer review.  

•	With all our writing assignments, process will be focused upon as well as final product.   

ATTENTION:  Failure to turn in the first essay will result in being dropped from the class.

Important Dates:
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday			Monday, January 19, 2009
Last day to drop a full-term class for refund		Sunday, January 25, 2009
Last day to drop a class to avoid a “W”		Friday, January 30, 2009
Lincoln Day Holiday					Friday, February 13, 2009
President’s Day Holiday				Monday, February 16, 2009
Last day to change to/from a CR/NC credit basis	Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Last day to drop a class				Friday, March 13, 2009
Spring Recess						Monday-Friday, April 6-10, 2009
Finals Week						Monday-Friday, May 18-22, 2009

Final
Tuesday, May 19th 
11:00-12:50

This time/day will not be changed to accommodate holiday or travel arrangements or employment schedules.
Do not arrange travel during finals week.