Following the recent 5-year review of the English Department's 18 Liberal Studies Area
IV classes, the UPC requested that we make several changes in our course syllabi. These
revisions are necessary if we wish to secure re-approval of these 18 courses (see list
below).
Syllabi need to include the following:
a. mandated language for university policies as well as the Liberal Studies
and Gordon Rule descriptors
b. outcomes
c. shared assignment for X and Y designated classes
d. shared grading rubric
All syllabi for every Liberal Studies Area IV courses must adhere to these changes.
The following list provides information concerning the requirements for 1) Liberal
Studies Area IV Courses, 2) Gordon Rule Courses, 3) Y (Diversity) Courses, and 4) X
(Multi-Cultural) Courses. Note: Some courses fall into two or three of the categories.
1) Liberal Studies Area IV Courses
AML 2010 American Authors to 1875
AML 2600y Intro to Af-Am Lit
AML 3041 American Authors since 1875
AML 3311 Major Figures in American Lit
AML 3630y Latino/a Lit in English
AML 3682y American Multi-Ethnic Lit
ENG 3310 Film Genres
ENG 3600 Hollywood Cinema
ENL 2012 British Authors: Beginnings to 1790
ENL 2022 British Authors: Early Romantics to the Present
ENL 3334 Intro to Shakespeare
LIT 2010 Intro to Fiction
LIT 2020 Intro to the Short Story
LIT 2030 Intro to Poetry
LIT 2081 Contemporary Lit
LIT 2230x Intro to Global Lit in English
LIT 3043 Modern Drama
LIT 3383y Women in Lit
All courses listed above must include the following seven elements. Syllabi need to
include the following policy statements using the language mandated by the UPC and/or
Faculty Senate. Note: The UPC is extremely attentive to the presence/absence of these
policy statements.
1. Liberal Studies Descriptor
The Liberal Studies Program at Florida State University has been designed to provide a
perspective on the qualities, accomplishments, and aspirations of human beings, the past
and present civilizations we have created, and the natural and technological world we
inhabit. This course has been approved as meeting the requirements for Liberal Studies
Area IV, Humanities and Fine Arts, and in combination with your other Liberal
Studies courses, provides an important foundation for your lifelong quest for knowledge.
2. Attendance
Excused absences include documented illness, deaths in the family and other documented
crises, call to active military duty or jury duty, religious holy days, and official University
activities. These absences will be accommodated in a way that does not arbitrarily
penalize students who have a valid excuse. Consideration will also be given to students
whose dependent children experience serious illness.
3. Academic Honor Policy
The Florida State University Academic Honor Policy outlines the University’s
expectations for the integrity of students’ academic work, the procedures for resolving
alleged violations of those expectations, and the rights and responsibilities of students
and faculty members throughout the process. Students are responsible for reading the
Academic Honor Policy and for living up to their pledge to “. . . be honest and truthful
and . . . [to] strive for personal and institutional integrity at Florida State University.”
(Florida State University Academic Honor Policy, found at
http://dof.fsu.edu/honorpolicy.htm.)
4. American With Disabilities Act
Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should: (1) register with and
provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center; and (2) bring a letter to
the instructor indicating the need for accommodation and what type. This should be done
during the first week of class.
This syllabus and other class materials are available in alternative format upon request.
For more information about services available to FSU students with disabilities, contact
the: Student Disability Resource Center 874 Traditions Way 108 Student Services
Building Florida State University Tallahassee, FL 32306-4167 (850) 644-9566 (voice)
(850) 644-8504 (TDD) sdrc@admin.fsu.edu http://www.disabilitycenter.fsu.edu/
5. Syllabus Change Policy
“Except for changes that substantially affect implementation of the evaluation (grading)
statement, this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance
notice.”
6. Outcomes
Syllabi must include stated outcomes. Sample Outcomes for Gordon Rule, X, and Y
courses are provided below.
7. Shared Grading Rubric
All Liberal Studies Area IV courses must include a grading rubric in the syllabus.
2) Gordon Rule Courses
AML 2010 American Authors to 1875
AML 2600y Intro to Af-Am Lit
AML 3041 American Authors since 1875
AML 3311 Major Figures in American Lit
AML 3630y Latino/a Lit in English
AML 3682y American Multi-Ethnic Lit
ENG 3600 Hollywood Cinema
ENL 2012 British Authors: Beginnings to 1790
ENL 2022 British Authors: Early Romantics to the Present
ENL 3334 Intro to Shakespeare
LIT 2010 Intro to Fiction
LIT 2020 Intro to the Short Story
LIT 2030 Intro to Poetry
LIT 2081 Contemporary Lit
LIT 2230x Intro to Global Lit in English
LIT 3043 Modern Drama
LIT 3383y Women in Lit
In addition to the elements above, Gordon Rule Courses must include the following
four elements:
1) Gordon Rule Descriptor
In order to fulfill FSU’s Gordon Rule “W” Designation (writing) credit, the student must
earn a “C-” or better in the course, and in order to receive a “C-” or better in the course,
the student must earn at least a “C-” on the required writing assignments for the course. If
the student does not earn a “C-” or better on the required writing assignments for the
course, the student will not earn an overall grade of “C-” or better in the course, no matter
how well the student performs in the remaining portion of the course.
2) Gordon Rule Objective
For Gordon Rule classes, one objective must specify "satisfactory writing as a
measurable learning outcome."
3) Gordon Rule Feedback
In addition, syllabi for Gordon Rule classes must describe "ways in which students will
receive feedback on their writing in order to improve their performance in subsequent
assignments."
Sample Outcomes and Feedback Statement for Gordon Rule Classes:
1. Students will be able to identify major movements in American literature between
1875 to the present, including literary texts and authors appropriate to each
movement. (Content outcome will change depending on course.)
2. Students will be able to generate an interpretation of a work of literature.
3. Students will be able to write a critical response to a work of literature without the
aid of outside sources.
4. Students will be able to write a critical essay about literature, one that
incorporates and cites appropriate scholarly sources.
Feedback designed to foster students’ writing proficiency will be provided.
4) Shared Grading Rubric
While all Liberal Studies Area IV courses must include a grading rubric in the syllabus,
Gordon Rule, X, and Y courses must use the following shared rubric.
CRITERIA
THESIS and CONTENT (Development)
The essay has a thesis—a single, central point that is interesting, original, striking and
substantial. The central idea is developed in the essay through well-chosen, appropriate,
concrete details that show originality and freshness. Author shows rather than merely tells.
Generalizations and assertions are defended. Arguments are logical.
ORGANIZATION
The essay is organized and well structured (there is a beginning, a body, and a
conclusion). The essay exhibits a clear strategy for persuasion and development. The
organization works with the thesis so that the thesis and the organization serve the purpose
of the essay. Essay does not digress from central point. Transitions help the paper flow
smoothly. Introductory paragraph(s) is (are) interesting and appropriate. Concluding
paragraph is clear and convincing.
PARAGRAPHS
Paragraphs are organized, unified and coherent. Each supporting paragraph has a controlling
idea. In supporting paragraphs, topic idea helps further the thesis.
STYLE
Sentences are well constructed. Writer avoids modifier problems. Sentences show variety
of pattern and are rhetorically effective. The essay is written in a style and tone appropriate
to the audience, topic and purpose. Words are appropriate and well chosen. Writer avoids
jargon and sexist language.
GRAMMAR, SPELLING, MECHANICS
Writer avoids errors in grammar, spelling, and mechanics.
3) List of Y (Diversity) Courses
AML 2600y Intro to Af-Am Lit
AML 3630y Latino/a Lit in English
AML 3682y American Multi-Ethnic Lit
LIT 3383y Women in Lit
In addition to the elements above, Y course must include two additional elements.
Note: All Y courses are also Gordon Rule Courses.
1) Diversity Objective
For Y designated courses, syllabi must include an objective addressing diversity as
appropriate.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Sample Outcomes for Y (diversity in Western Experience) courses:
Students will be able to identify issues of issues of race, class, gender and
sexuality as they are presented and represented in assigned literary texts.
Students will be able to generate an interpretation of a work of literature,
integrating in that interpretation, where appropriate, issues of issues of race, class,
gender and sexuality
Students will be able to situate issues of race, class, gender and sexuality within
the cultural and historical contexts of the assigned materials.
Students will be able to write a critical essay focusing on issues of race, class,
gender and sexuality as they are presented and represented in assigned materials.
2) Shared Assignment
All Y designated classes must include a shared assignment and must be graded by a
shared grading rubric. Because Gordon Rule syllabi must also include a grading rubric,
we have developed one rubric applicable to these three situations. That rubric must be
included in each course syllabus.
Shared Assignment: Write a short (1000-1200 word) critical essay, sans outside
sources, addressing issues of diversity. Since this class fulfills a Gordon Rule credit,
your essay will be graded on the quality of both ideas and writing.
Sample Prompt:
Select two of the assigned texts. Focus on the similarities and differences between the
texts in terms of their treatment of issues of class, gender, race, and sexuality. Develop a
specific argument about those similarities/differences, and then persuade your reader of
the validity of your argument through the use of convincing textual evidence. This paper
should be a critical analysis of the text, not a statement of opinion.
Y courses are required to use the stipulated shared grading rubric (above) to assess
the shared assignment.
4) List of X (Multi-Cultural) Courses
LIT 2230x Intro to Global Lit in English
In addition to the elements above (except requirements for Y Courses), X courses
must include two additional elements. Note: All X courses are also Gordon Rule
Courses.
1) Multicultural Objective
For X designated courses, syllabi must include an objective addressing cultural variation
as appropriate.
Sample Outcomes for X (Cross-cultural Studies) courses:
1. Students will be able to identify differences among cultures through engagement
with assigned literary texts.
2. Students will be able to generate an interpretation of a work of literature, focusing
particularly on cultural variation as represented and presented within and across
assigned materials.
3. Students will be able to situate issues of multiculturalism within material and
historical contexts appropriate to the assigned materials.
4. Students will be able to write a critical essay focusing on cultural difference as it
is presented and represented in assigned materials.
5. Students will be able to write a critical essay about cultural diversity in a work of
literature, incorporating and citing scholarly sources.
2) Shared Assignment
All X designated classes must include a shared assignment and must be graded by a
shared grading rubric. Because Gordon Rule syllabi must also include a grading rubric,
we have developed one rubric applicable to these three situations. That rubric must be
included in each course syllabus.
Shared Assignment: Write a short (1000-1200 word) critical essay, sans outside
sources, addressing issues of cultural variation. Since this class fulfills a Gordon Rule
credit, your essay will be graded on the quality of both ideas and writing.
Sample Prompt:
Given that we are reading English-language literature from countries that were former
British or French colonies, we have an opportunity to experience through fictional worlds
different cultural traditions, especially as those traditions negotiate with the traditions of
the colonizer’s culture. Please select one of the assigned texts and explore the nature of
this negotiation. Develop a specific argument about the dynamic of negotiation, and then
persuade your reader of the validity of your argument through the use of convincing
textual evidence. This paper should be a critical analysis of the text, not a statement of
opinion.
X courses are required to use the stipulated shared grading rubric (above) to assess
the shared assignment.