COURSE INFORMATION AND SYLLABUS
English 2B: Argumentative Writing and Critical Thinking Through Literature
Dr. J. EichnerLynch
Section:
, Thursday 12:10-4
Office Hours: W 8-9 am; Th 7:30-9 am; F 7:30-9 am; Tuesdays online 6-7 pm
College Skills Center hours: W 9-1; Th 9-12
4 units/Letter Grade
“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” Lincoln Steffans
Texts: Schilb and Clifford, Arguing About Literature
Course Reader (available in bookstore) required for second class session
Hwang, M. Butterfly
Stevenson, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Norton Critical Edition only)
Hacker and Sommers, Rules for Writers
You are required to purchase or rent all texts for this class. No computer readers
(Kindle, etc.) are allowed in this class.
Extra Credit:
There will be only one way for you to earn extra credit this semester. By week two (next
class), if you show me in class that you have the Clifford and Schilb text, the Course Reader,
Hwang, Stevenson and Hacker, you will receive an “A” for extra credit. By week two, if you
show me you have the Clifford and Schilb text, the Course Reader, and the Stevenson text,
you will receive a “B” for extra credit. By week two, if you show me you have the Clifford
and Schilb text and the Course Reader only, you will receive a “C” for extra credit. Note:
You must still purchase all of the texts for the class. This extra credit may not be used to
replace the grade for work you have not completed.
Course Description:
This course offers instruction in analytical, critical, and argumentative writing, critical
thinking, research strategies, information literacy, and proper documentation through the
study of literary works from major genres, while developing students’ close reading skills
and promoting an appreciation for the aesthetic qualities of literature. Not repeatable.
Prerequisites:
Successful completion of English 1A with a grade of “C” or better.
Course Objectives:
At the completion of the course the student will be able to:
1) Critically read, analyze, compare, and evaluate complex literary texts.
2) Demonstrate understanding of formal and informal fallacies in language and thought.
3) Identify a text’s premises and assumptions in various social, historical, cultural, psychological, or aesthetic
contexts.
4) Analyze and employ logical and structural methods such as inductive and deductive reasoning, cause and
effect, and logos, ethos, and pathos.
5) Compose thesis-driven arguments to suit a variety of rhetorical situations, including interpretation,
evaluation, and analysis, supporting them with a variety of appropriate textual evidence and examples and
demonstrating appropriate academic discourse and the conventions of literary analysis.
6) Find, analyze, interpret and evaluate primary and secondary sources, incorporating them into written work
and using appropriate documentation format without plagiarism.
7) Use style, diction, and tone appropriate to the academic community and the purpose of the specific writing
task; proofread and edit essays for presentation so they exhibit no disruptive errors in English grammar,
usage, or punctuation.
8) Identify key elements of major genres in order to analyze and interpret texts.
9) Define common literary terms and apply these to analysis of specific texts.
Writing Assignments:
There is a writing requirement of 6,000 formal words, which are made up of in-class and out-ofclass essays, a research paper, journal entries, and a mid-term exam. All essays, journal entries
and study questions must be properly formatted and carefully proofread before they will receive
a grade. Any paper that does not meet these minimum standards will be returned to you for
correction before it is graded. The English Department’s grading standards can be found in the
Course Reader.
All formal essays will receive two grades—one for form and one for content—each of
which is equally weighed for the essay grade. All graded assignments will count toward the
final grade in the course.
Relative weight in determining the final grade:
Essay #1 (900 words/3 pages)—in-class
Essay #2 (1,500 words/5 pages)
Essay #3 (Research Paper: 1,800 words/6 pages)
Essay #4 (900 words/3 pages)—in-class
Journal Portfolio
Mid-term exam
Study Guide Questions
10%
20%
30%
10%
10%
10%
10%
Journal Portfolio:
You are required to come to class with having completed the the assigned journal entry at
home, which you will read aloud to the class. You will keep this typed entry in a binder,
and will submit all of them for one grade at the end of the semester (the last day of class).
Each entry in your portfolio will answer the question asked in the syllabus due dates in 300
words (approximately 1 full page), double spaced, in formal diction and presentation.
Paper Format:
All written work for this course is considered formal writing, and so will conform to its rules. I
expect your work to reflect the finest writing that you can do, with proper grammar and careful
proofreading, as well as the elimination of informal tone and slang expressions.
According to MLA standards, all study questions and out-of-class essays must be typewritten,
double-spaced, with 12-point font and approximately 1” margins. Format your paper according
to the instructions and the example shown in your grammar text. Do not double the doublespacing between paragraphs, and be sure that you use the entire page for typing. Be sure to
number your pages. Also, be sure to cite your sources properly according to MLA standards,
and prepare a Works Cited page for all essays (review your 1A notes and materials, and use your
grammar text for preparation of the Works Cited page). Staple your paper together; do not use
paper clips or plastic report covers. You must also attach your working Outline (complete with
Thesis Statement and all Topic Sentences) from which you developed your drafts and final
essay. For full credit for your in-class and out-of-class essays, you must turn in the
following, stapled: Final Essay with your Works Cited (both prepared according to MLA
standards) and your typed complete working outline.
Late Essays:
It is in your best interest to keep up with the assignments, as our schedule is rigorous. I
encourage you to remain current with the class work (written and unwritten) and essays. For
each week an essay is late, the grade will be lowered by one full grade (A becomes B, B
becomes C). If you are struggling to complete an essay, please feel free to seek my assistance in
lab or office hours. No essay will be accepted after the last class meeting.
If you miss the mid-term, you must arrange to meet with me during office or skills center hours
within two weeks in order to make it up. If you do not make it up within those two weeks, you
will receive an “F” for that assignment.
Draft essays will not be graded, and only essays that are prepared properly, are proofread
and follow the basic argument structure that you learned in English 1A, complete with
proper MLA works cited and working outline, will receive a grade. The writing standards
for academic arguments, “Writing an Argument Essay,” will be reviewed early in the semester.
This should serve as a refresher of the principles of expository writing you learned in English
1A. I am happy to work with you on any and all parts of the process of writing your paper, so
be sure to come often to meet with me one-on-one. I do not review drafts via computer, via
email, or in writing instead of meeting together—writing assistance is most effective when you
and I sit down together. So please plan to make time for this opportunity in your schedule.
No essay or other work will be accepted after the last class meeting.
Revisions:
Since writing fully considered drafts is an important part of learning how to write critically and
effectively, you are encouraged to take advantage of my liberal late paper policy to gain
assistance from me as you write your prep papers and essays. However, you are allowed to revise
one out-of-class essay that has earned a “C” grade or lower. The revision will receive a grade
that averages the original grade with the revision grade. The final day for submission of your
revision is the last class meeting. Please feel free to meet with me as much as you like while
working on your revision, since close collaboration between the two of us usually will result in
less grief and pain for you, as well as more successful essays.
The final day for submission of your revision is the last class meeting. Please feel free to meet
with me as much as you like while working on your revision.
Study Questions:
You are assigned study questions for the play we’ll read, included in the Course Reader. You
are required to compose and type your answers to these questions, which will be due on the
first day we begin discussion of each of the works (or when the homework is actually due).
Since these are formal responses, each response must be written with formal diction, with your
thoughtful analysis and interpretation presented in complete sentences. While many of the
questions will require more complex—and often longer—responses, each answer must be at
least one-hundred (100) words/1/2 page long. No study questions or homework assignments
will be accepted for credit after the beginning of that class session for which they are due.
Attendance and Participation:
Writing is a skill that is learned through active, on-going participation, effort, and instruction.
To receive full benefit of your effort and to receive full credit for English 2B, you must attend
class regularly. Since this class meets only once per week, two absences or habitual tardiness
may cause the student to be dropped from the class. You may not make up any in-class work
that you miss, but you will be responsible for any and all assignments made in your absence. If
you miss class, I will expect you to contact another student in the class to find out what we
covered; I will not re-lecture and re-create the class dynamic for you at some later date.
Before contacting another student or me to ask a question, be sure to check your syllabus
and your Course Reader: there is much valuable information contained in them that may
answer your question.
I will expect active participation in discussion from each member of the class, at each class
session. This means, first of all, preparing carefully, noting issues in the day’s reading that
seems to you particularly worth talking about, passages that seem especially important or
problematic, etc. It also means listening and responding thoughtfully to each other in class.
Good class discussion doesn’t usually happen automatically; it depends on everyone’s
willingness to cultivate the skills required. Plan on practicing this important skill a lot this
semester, for it will be a necessary part of your learning.
In addition, I encourage you to locate study partners for this class. These are other students in
the class with whom you meet outside of class hours to work together gathering ideas, creating
drafts, analyzing the readings, studying for tests. Students who take advantage of this
opportunity have greater chances of success and find themselves more comfortable and
confident. In addition, these study partners will be able to catch you up with materials you
missed if you are unable to come to a class session.
I begin class on time, every session, and I do not enjoy students who arrive late or who leave
early. I keep track of the minutes you are late and this will accumulate and count towards your
absence tally. It is your responsibility at the end of that particular class session to come to me
and be sure that I have updated my roster to show your late presence; if my records show you
absent it will remain so unless you notify me that day. After that day, I will not change my
records or roster.
Standards for Participation:
When you come to class, I expect you to be prepared to join in class discussion with thoughtful,
meaningful contributions. To help you prepare for these class discussions, write things down
while you are actually in the process of reading. For example, you might want to write down:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
passages, quotations, turns of phrase that appeal to you;
questions you wish you could ask the author;
problems you have in understanding a difficult passage;
questions or ideas you would like to discuss with me or with other members of the
class;
what you are thinking about as you read a given passage (what personal memories,
analogies, etc. the text evokes);
connections you see between this text and other materials we have considered in this
class, or between this text and materials you have studied in other classes; and
critical opinions (what you think of the writer or the text).
Deportment:
Plagiarism in any form will result in an “F” for the assignment. The Contra Costa College has
defined plagiarism specifically, and you can find that explanation in your Course Reader. At my
discretion, a student who displays discourteous behavior (activity or discussion not pertinent to
the topic at hand) or disruptive behavior will be asked to leave and may be subject to permanent
dismissal from the class.
You will not be allowed to use cell phones, computers, or any other technological device in
this class. Please turn off all technological devices before class begins and remove them
from your desk.
You are required to purchase or rent ALL texts for this course in time for our discussion and
use of those texts: the Course Reader, the novel, the play, the textbook and the grammar text
(if you no longer have your grammar text from 1A). If for any reason you are unable to
purchase these textbooks at the beginning of the semester, you may Xerox the pages I’ve
assigned and you may bring them to class. You may not use phone or computer photos of
these pages in class. You are required to come to every class session with your Course Reader,
and the other texts as assigned.
Email:
You are welcome to email me with questions about your papers, as well as to ask me to review
your draft thesis statements and/or topic sentences. Because of the nature of the writing process,
I am unable to review drafts over email; however, I am happy to review your drafts with you in
office or lab hours.
When you choose to email me or any of your professors, please take care to write your email in a
respectful tone and manner: include your complete name in the body of the email (email
addresses are often idiosyncratic), begin with a salutation to your professor (Hello Dr. E is fine),
write in complete and grammatically correct sentences, and be sure to include which class you
are in (English 1A, English 2B, English 1C, etc.).
Student Learning Outcomes:
1)
Students will be able to read critically and analyze complex literary texts
representing the four major literary forms—novels, short stories, poetry, and
drama—using key elements of those genres to analyze and interpret texts.
2)
Students will demonstrate in their writing and analysis the advanced critical
thinking skills of induction, deduction, and recognition of logical fallacies.
3)
Students will demonstrate advanced essay writing skills that emphasize
argumentation an analysis, using appropriate documentation of primary and
secondary sources.
Syllabus Due Dates
The following readings and assignments are due on the day indicated. Unless otherwise
indicated, the readings are located in Arguing About Literature. Note the following
acronyms: CR (Course Reader), DJMH (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde)
1/15 Introduction to Critical Thinking and Literature
1/22 Seminar Rules (CR
College Skills Center, Essay Grading Standards, Plagiarism Policy (CR
“The Reading Process” (70-89)
“The Elements of Short Fiction” (127-136)
Explication (Formalism) (CR
Joyce, “Araby” (CR
Journal #1: How does the first paragraph of this story
establish a feeling, a tone, a pattern that is played out in the remainder
of the story? (300 word response)(Reader Response)
1/29 “The Writing Process (89-121)
“Writing An Argument Essay—Review of 1A” (CR
“Those Mysterious and Clearly Picky English Teachers” (CR
Complete worksheets—Preparation for in-class essay #1 (CR
2/5
In-Class Essay #1 (3 pages, 900 words)
2/12 Inductive and Deductive Reasoning (CR
Doyle, “A Scandal in Bohemia” (CR
Caprettini, “Ethics, Logic and the Mask” (CR
Nabokov, “Signs and Symbols” (CR
Journal #2: How does the language of the story present us with the
boy’s perception of the world around him? Give examples from the story. (300
word response)(Structuralism)
2/19 Ethos, Pathos, Logos (CR
Logical Fallacies (CR
“The Elements of Poetry” (148-154)
Hayden “Those Winter Sundays” (318)
Olds, “I Go Back to May, 1937” (CR
Giovanni, “
Oliver, “The Journey” (CR
Song, “
Jin “The Past” (CR
Journal #3: Choose one of today’s poems: How does the language
display ethos, pathos, and/or logos in that poem? (300
word response)
2/26 Mid-Term: “Writing An Argument Essay”
Topic: Is This Love?
Carver, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” (411-421)
Journal #4: What do we expect people to talk about when they
talk about love? In what ways does this story intersect with or
deny that imaginary conversation? (300 word response) (Deconstruction)
3/5
“The Elements of Drama” (168-176)
Hwang, M. Butterfly
Journal #5: How do Gallimard’s beliefs about what it means to be a Western
man inform his treatment of Song? (Post-Colonial Criticism)
Study Guide Due (CR
3/12 Film: M. Butterfly
3/19 Planning Workshop--Essay #2
3/26 Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper” (778-792)
Cultural Contexts (792-804)
Journal #6: After reading the articles in “cultural contexts,” discuss
how the work reflects the period in which it was written. (300 word
response)(Historical/New Historicism)
Essay #2 Due
4/2
4/9
Spring Break
Re-Read Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper” (778-792)
“Contemporary Schools of Criticism (1095-1099)
“Critical Theories and Methodologies” (CR
Sample research papers using critical methodologies (208-230)
Journal #7: How is the life of the female character portrayed in this work?
Does she accept or reject her role as a female? (Gender Criticism)
4/16 Stevenson, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Journal #8: What signs do you see that Dr. Jekyll is repressing feelings and
desires? Locate specific examples in the text. (Psychological Criticism)
4/23 “Literary Contexts: Doubles, Devils and Monsters” (DJMH)
“Scientific Contexts: Concepts of the Divided Self” (DJMH)
“Scientific Concepts of the Divided Self” (DJMH)
“Sociohistorical Concepts: Political Disunity and Moral Conformity” (DJMH)
Journal #9: Choose one of these sections and discuss how it might
inform your interpretation of DJMH.
4/30 Brantlinger, “An Unconscious Allegory about the Masses and Mass Literacy”
(DJMH)
Linehan, “Sex, Secrecy and Self-Alienation in Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and
Mr. Hyde” (DJMH)
Journal #10: Choose one of these articles and first, summarize the article
in a paragraph of 100 words. Then, write a 200 word paragraph
discussing the effectiveness and ineffectiveness of the author’s
argument. (Note: this is not asking whether or not you agree with the
author’s premise; rather, it is asking you to evaluate the strength of the
argument itself)
5/7
Research Study Group Workshops
5/14 Research Paper Due (Essay #3)
Journal Portfolio Due
Final in-class essay (Essay #4)