ENGLISH 1102
Mr. Richardson
210B Gamble Hall
921-2393
E-mail: richared@mail.armstrong.edu
Office Hours:

Texts: Legacies: Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Nonfiction, 3rd edition

Objectives: This course will help you improve your composition skills and deepen your understanding and enjoyment of literature. Through lectures, class discussions, and writing, you will explore topics that connect you to universal ideas and experiences. In your writing, you will demonstrate your ability to analyze and interpret works of literature.

To successfully meet these objectives, you will need to
*read and re-read each assigned work,
*be involved in class discussions,
*show mastery of the covered works and topics on quizzes and tests,
*compose essays that reflect the qualities of insightful analysis and good writing,
*use a variety of research methods to explore a topic for one of your essay assignments.

Evaluation: Your course grade will be determined in this way:

Quizzes and participation 20%
Fiction Essay 15%
Poetry Essay 10%
Research Essay 15%
2 Exams 40%

I use the traditional grading scale: 90 to 100 = A, 80 to 89 = B, 70 to 79 = C, 60 to 69 = D, below 60 = F.

Quizzes are generally given before our discussion of an assigned work. They are designed to test familiarity, not deep understanding. Exams, however, will be thorough and will require a keen understanding of the assigned works.

In each critical essay, you will interpret one of the works by developing a thesis with analysis and explanation. You will be required to integrate quotes effectively and use correct documentation.

For the research essay, you will use a variety of sources to produce a work that demonstrates your ability to analyze and synthesize information. You will compose an essay that shows your ability to distill this information into a clear, organized, intelligent, interesting document. There
will be a library session to help you with your research project. All essays should be written with a computer.

Participation: I expect you to be willing to explore with me and your classmates your reactions to and thoughts about the literature that we read. I'm quite aware, however, that class participation is not simply talking-it is also your attentive listening to and involvement with me and your classmates.

Attendance: You should not miss class unless it is absolutely necessary. Good attendance is essential for a passing grade. If it is necessary for you to miss more than 5 classes, you will be withdrawn from the course (with a W before midterm, with a WF after midterm). You should also be on time for each class. If you come in after I have called the roll, you should come up to me after class and I will mark you tardy (otherwise, you will have used one of your absences). But I will only do this 3 times-after that, if you are tardy, you will have used one of your absences.

Should you need to absent, you will still be responsible for any material discussed and assignments given in class that day. Make-ups for missed exams are given only in cases of certified illness or hardship. There are no make-ups for missed quizzes.

Late Papers: Essays (including drafts for in-class workshops) are due at the beginning of the period of the assigned date. Essays turned in late will receive a 10 point deduction-an additional 10 point deduction will be added for each day that they are late.

Honor Code: This course operates on the University Honor Code, which is printed in the appendix of the current AASU Catalog. You are responsible for knowing it.

I will be giving you a special hand-out on plagiarism. Plagiarism or cheating of any type will result in an automatic F for the course, suspension from the course, and documentation placed in your permanent file. You may also receive addition penalties, namely, suspension from or expulsion from the university.

Disabilities: "Under the American with Disabilities Act, AASU provides appropriate, reasonable accommodations to students with documented disabilities. Students must provide adequate documentation to the Office of Disability Services, and show their Advocacy Letter from that office to each professor to receive accommodations. The Office of Disability Services is located in Student Affairs in MCC."

Last Words: I'll do what I can to make this course an interesting and rewarding experience for you. But the course is demanding-so work hard! If you have any problems in the course, don't waste time worrying or complaining. Come see me.

English 1102
Richardson
Readings/General Outline

Introduction
Elements of fiction and vocabulary
Practice Regents' Essay

Part I: The Heroic Journey
Readings: A&P 78
Stolen Party 83
Barn Burning 87
A Good Man is Hard to Find 110
Cathedral 120
Looking for a Lost Dog 340
The Heroic Journey 349
The Attic 66
Oranges 51
Fern Hill 173
This is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona 450

Film
Writing About Literature Guidelines
Essay I: Fiction
Peer Readings of Essay Drafts
Test I Date:

Part II: Haunted Houses
Readings: Fitting Ends 467
I Stand Here Ironing 415
Fiesta 1980 420
Sonny's Blues 430
Hamlet 178
Scar 458
Girl 497
The Boy 498
Persimmons 490
The Sign in My Father's Hands 494

Film
Small Group Assignment-Preparation and Oral Presentation
Essay II: Poetry
Peer Readings
Essay III: Research assigned

Library Session
Test II Date:

Part III: Selections from Gender and Sexuality and Sites of Conflict
Readings: Hills Like White Elephants 703
Yellow Woman 734
Shiloh 741
The Bath 803
In the End, We Are All Light 805
Osso Buco 812
LVII 835

The Apology: Letters from a Terrorist 989
War 1001
How to Tell a True War Story 1022
The Colonel 987
Facing It 1061

Wrap-Up
Peer Readings of Research Essay Drafts
Several poems by Mary Oliver
Submit Research Essays
Course Evaluations
Last Class: April 30

Notes
Specific dates for completing the reading and writing assignments will be given in class.

I will make adjustments to the schedule and reading list as needed.

I will bring to class hand-outs for additional reading (primarily poems).

Parts I and II will be longer and more in-depth than Part III. There is no test at the end of Part III and there is no cumulative final exam.

Note: A grade of C or higher in English 1101 is required to enter English 1102.