Course
Texas A&M - Central Texas
ENGL 510-110
Studies in American Literature
“Living On and In Borders”
Fall 2014
ONLINE
Instructor
Dr. Geoffrey Stacks
gstacks@ct.tamus.edu
The best way to get in touch with me is to use the "Messages" tool. You can
also email me (gstacks@tamuct.edu).
Course Description
ENGK 510 is a graduate course that will focus on a specific set of texts from
American literature. The texts we read in this course are grouped
chronologically (they range from the 1970s to the 1990s), but they represent a
much broader range of style, genre, and voice. The theme for this class is
“Living On and In Borders,” and therefore the texts I chose represent borders
of various kinds: borders of language, sexuality, genre, culture, and ethnicity.
We will investigate the different ways these authors and texts explore what it
means to be in-between, which always struck me as a particularly American
situation.
Course Objectives
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To introduce students to a range of important works of American
literature.
To introduce a theme or question relevant to American literature,
especially the theme of borders.
To help students develop critical and analytical skills in their analysis of
various kinds of literary texts.
To help students learn how to find, use, and analyze secondary sources
(i.e., scholarly works about literature).
To help students develop their skills as writers and creators of
arguments.
Required Texts
The following books are required for this class. Please purchase them as soon
as possible.
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Tracks by Louise Erdrich (1988)
ISBN: 978-0-06-097245-5
http://amzn.com/0060972459
M Butterfly by David Henry Hwang (1988)
http://amzn.com/0822207125
(Since this play can be hard to find by itself, I will scan it in and make it
available on Blackboard. So you don’t need to buy it.)
The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie
(1993)
http://amzn.com/0802121993
The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood among Ghosts by Maxine
Hong Kingston (1975)
http://amzn.com/0679721886
Woman Hollering Creek by Sandra Cisneros (1991)
http://amzn.com/0679738568
Course Requirements/Suggestions
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Throughout the semester, please check our course on Blackboard
often. There, you will find the schedule, the readings, the discussions,
and the assignments.
Before you turn any writing in to me, please take a few minutes and
carefully read “Handouts about Writing and Picky Stuff” (which you’ll find
under the “Handouts” menu item on Blackboard.) This contains all the
guidelines and rules that I care about for writing in this class.
This class is writing and reading intensive. Please read the assigned
material carefully and closely. And, as always, feel free to let me know if
you have any questions.
The best way to email me (and/or your fellow students) is to use the
“Messages” tool on Blackboard.
Please write all of your assignments on Microsoft Word (or compatible
software). Then attach the file to a message you send me using
Blackboard “Messages.” Please do not send “.pdf” files or “.pages” files.
I will then type comments into your assignment and send it back to you
using Blackboard Messages.
Grade
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Exercises (40%)
I use the term “exercises” to cover a wide variety of smaller
assignments. We will do many “exercises” throughout the semester.
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These will range from short papers (usually shorter than two pages) to
online posts in a discussion board. The grades for all of your exercises
will be averaged for this grade. For example, if we have 10 exercises
throughout the semester, then each exercise will be worth 4%.
Unit 1 Paper (15%)
Unit 2 Paper (15%)
These Unit Papers will be around 4-5 pages long and will engage the
texts we’ve read in each unit. They will present an argument or analysis
of those texts and will serve as practice for your final paper
Final Paper (30%)
This will be the culmination of our work in the semester. It will be a
longer paper (12-15 pages) that uses sources and presents a specific
and well supported argument.
Grading Standards and Expectations
Along with the students’ adherence to the assigned prompt and engagement
with course concepts and themes, the essays assigned in this course will be
assessed and graded by the following standards:
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C indicates a satisfactory performance. A C paper demonstrates
positive qualities and avoids serious errors. The positive qualities
include the presentation of a central idea that is adequately developed
and competently organized. The errors to be avoided include serious
flaws in the construction of paragraphs and sentences, in the selection
of appropriate words, and in the use of conventional written
English. The style of the writing is generally clear.
The B paper surpasses the C paper by demonstrating a higher level of
effectiveness in the organization and development of a central
idea. The B paper shows greater complexity of thought and
development, while sustaining clarity in expression. It has few or none
of the common errors in the use of conventional written English. The
style of the writing is generally fluent and polished.
The A paper is outstanding work. It is clearly a superior performance
according to the criteria of clarity of expression and logical development
of a central idea. It shows originality of thought and imaginative
competence in the development of the material. It engages and holds
the reader’s attention and invites rereading. The style of the writing is
consistently fluent, polished, and distinctive.
D indicates an unsatisfactory performance. A D paper is flawed by any
one or several of the following: weakness in establishing or developing
a central idea; serious errors in sentence or paragraph construction;
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serious errors in grammar, spelling, or the mechanics of written
expression.
F indicates an unacceptable performance. An F paper is flawed by one
or more of the following: failure to follow the assigned topic; failure to
conceive, state, or develop a central idea; serious repeated errors in
sentence construction or paragraph development; serious repeated
errors in grammar, spelling, or the mechanics of written expression.
Technology Requirements
For this course, you will need reliable and frequent access to a computer and
to the Internet.
Blackboard supports the most common operating systems. For technological
or computer issues, students should contact the TAMU-CT Blackboard
Support Services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:
Support Portal: http://www.ct.tamus.edu/bbsupport
Online chat (through the support portal at: http://www.ct.tamus.edu/bbsupport)
Phone: (855)-661-7965
Note: Technology issues are not an excuse for missing a course requirement.
Please make sure your computer is configured correctly and address issues
well in advance of deadlines.
Course Calendar
Please see the “Schedule” link on Blackboard for a detailed schedule of
assignments and due dates.
THIS SYLLABUS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT THE DESCRETION OF THE
INSTRUCTOR
Late-work/Make-up Policy
Late work WILL NOT exist in this course. Assignments that fail to be
submitted in the prescribed manner by the time specified when the
assignment is given will not be accepted. There are no exceptions to this
policy.
Drop Policy
If you discover that you need to drop this class, you must go to the Records
Office and ask for the necessary paperwork. Professors cannot drop
students; this is always the responsibility of the student. The record’s office
will provide a deadline for which the form must be returned, completed and
signed. Return the signed form to the records office, wait 24 hours, go into
Duck Trax and confirm that you are no longer enrolled. If you are still enrolled,
FOLLOW-UP with the records office immediately. You are to attend class until
the procedure is complete to avoid penalty for absence. Should you miss the
deadline or fail to follow the procedure, you will receive an F in the course.
Academic Integrity
Texas A&M University - Central Texas expects all students to maintain high
standards of personal and scholarly conduct. Students guilty of academic
dishonestly are subject to disciplinary action. Academic dishonesty includes,
but is not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work,
plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials. The faculty
member is responsible for initiating action for each case of academic
dishonestly. More information can be found at
www.tamuct.org/studentconduct.
Depending on the severity of a student’s act of academic dishonesty, a
student found to have committed any of the above infractions will receive
nothing less than a zero on the assignment on which the infraction occurred
and nothing more than expulsion from the university. A minor infraction
includes but is not limited to improper citations or allusions to a source never
cited. A major infraction includes but is not limited to the undocumented lifting
of a phrase from a source that finds its inspiration some place other than the
student.
Disability Support Services
If you have or believe you have a disability, may wish to self-identify. You can
do so by providing documentation to the Academic Support Programs
Coordinator. Students are encouraged to seek information about
accommodations to help assure success in this class. Please contact Ryan
Thompson at (254) 519-5796 or Main Building Room 114. Additional
information can be found at www.TAMUCT.org/StudentAffairs.