FRENCH 201 (Schedule # 21597) – FALL 2015
Department of European Studies
Instructor: James L. Schorr
Office Hours Times TTh 8:30-9:20; T 300T/TH 11:00-12:15
3:50 AND BY APPOINTMENT
AH 4176
(594-5671; jschorr@mail.sdsu.edu)
Office: Storm Hall 224C
French 201 is taught entirely in French. This course focuses on developing reading competency
in French at the intermediate level. As the semester progresses, you’ll learn how to read with
increasing facility, going beyond a basic comprehension of plot to achieve a more refined
understanding of central themes, character development, and the use of language and style. This
rewarding process will be furthered through other elements such as grammar exercises,
composition, listening comprehension and discussion. Diversité, a collection of short stories by
authors from a variety of French-speaking countries, (including, of course, France), celebrates
the cultural diversity of the French-speaking world. We will examine the ways in which
familiarity with different cultures enhances our understanding of our own culture/s and of themes
common to humanity. You’ll leave this course not only more literate in French, but also more
culturally literate.
Goals and Outcomes
1) The primary goal of French 201 is developing reading proficiency in French at the
intermediate level. You will improve your mastery of reading strategies and acquire new
vocabulary and structures. You will demonstrate your reading proficiency through classroom
discussions and written exams. In addition to developing your reading proficiency, French 201
also gives you opportunities to develop your writing proficiency, as well as your speaking
proficiency and your listening comprehension, a necessary component in speaking.
2) You’ll also be able to make comparisons between your culture/s and French and Francophone
cultures. You will analyze differences between your culture/s and a Francophone culture.
3) You’ll also begin to acquire a general knowledge of the diversity of French and Francophone
nations, languages, and cultures. You’ll identify major geographic regions where French is
spoken; describe differences between Francophone nations; discuss a Francophone nation.
4) Finally, you will begin to acquire a general knowledge of the Francophone literature by
learning about some major authors, texts, and literary movements.
Prerequisites
French 100B or three years of high school French. Native speakers of French will not receive
credit for this course. French majors, minors and IB majors should enroll in French 210
concurrently. French 201 satisfies the foreign language graduation requirement. Please note:
Students who do not attend the first and second-class sessions or do not meet the prerequisites
MAY BE DROPPED. To reenroll, you must receive an add code form the instructor and reenroll
in the course before the add deadline.
Required Course Materials
Gaasch & Budig-Markin. Diversité, 2nd ed. Houghton-Mifflin, 2000. [Recommended: Le Micro
Robert and/or Collins' French/English dictionary.]
Grading
You are expected to complete all reading assignments before class and be prepared to discuss
them. The written work will include mini-compositions as well as grammar and comprehension
exercises/quizzes. Tests include frequent pop quizzes and 4 one-hour exams.
Participation, quizzes, and "devoirs"
4 Mini-compositions
4 exams (@ 15%)
20%
20%
60%
NOTE: NO MAKE-UP QUIZZES OR EXAMINATIONS WILL BE GIVEN.
Please be courteous to your classmates and your instructor during the class time by SILENCING
all electronic devices before entering the class, and keeping them off your desk (& not using
them) during class time. Keeps phone, etc. stowed in bag, NOT on desk.
Grades are defined as follows:
A/AOutstanding achievement; available only for the highest accomplishment.
B+/B/BPraiseworthy performance; above average.
C+
Slightly above average.
C
Average; awarded for satisfactory performance; the most common
undergraduate grade.
CSlightly below average.
D+/D/DMinimally passing; less than the typical undergraduate
achievement.
F
Failing.
INC
Incomplete Authorized: used only when the instructor concludes that a
small, identifiable portion of course requirements cannot be met within the academic term for
unforeseen, but valid reasons. University Senate Policy allows one calendar year to remove an
Incomplete grade. A grade of "INC" may not be assigned to permit a student to avoid an
undesirable grade.
WU
Incomplete Unauthorized: a student who is officially registered for the
course but who has never attended or who has stopped attending after satisfactorily completing a
portion of the course will receive a grade of "WU." A "WU" counts as an "F" for grade-point
averages, but may be removed by repeating the course. Students who are failing the course and
who stop attending will receive an "F."
CR/NC
Credit/No Credit: Subject to the requirements of their major and the
conditions set forth in the General Catalog, students may register for courses on a credit/no credit
basis before the deadline. Work equivalent to C or above will result in a grade of CR; work
equivalent to C- or below will result in NC.
Last day to adjust your schedule: LAST DAY TO DROP – September 4; LAST DAY TO
ADD, CHANGE grading basis - September 4 at 6pm. Secure Course Forgiveness
form/withdrawal form from the Office of the Registrar, SS-1641.
Students who do not attend the first class session and the beginning of the second MAY BE
DROPPED FROM THAT COURSE BY THE INSTRUCTOR within the first 12 days of the
semester. Students who do not meet prerequisite requirements can also be dropped within the
first 12 days. Any student dropped by the instructor during this period will be notified of the
action by e-mail. It is the student’s responsibility to keep a current e-mail address on file through
the e-services WebPortal at www.sdsu.edu/e-services. To reenroll, you must receive an add
code form the instructor and reenroll in the course within the first 15 days of the semester.
NOT ALL INSTRUCTORS WILL DROP STUDENTS WHO MISS THE FIRST TWO
SESSIONS. You are responsible for all courses on your schedule. You should check your online
schedule regularly and take necessary action to add or drop during the first 15 days of the
semester.
Accommodations
The learning environment should be accessible to all. SDSU provides reasonable
accommodations in the following situations:
Disability: If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for
this class, it is your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473. To
avoid any delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student Disability
Services as soon as possible. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive, and that
accommodations based upon disability cannot be provided until you have presented your
instructor with an accommodation letter from Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is
appreciated.
Religion: By the end of the second week of classes, students should notify the instructors of
affected courses of planned absences for religious observances.
Official university activities (e.g., Athletics): Within the first two weeks of classes, a student who
expects to be part of an official university event or activity shall notify the instructors of affected
courses. At that time, the student shall request accommodation for any missed examinations or
other assignments. If scheduling changes occur, the student shall immediately notify the
instructors.
Academic Honesty
The University adheres to a strict policy regarding cheating and plagiarism. These activities will
not be tolerated in this class. Become familiar with the policy
(http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/conduct1.html). Any cheating or plagiarism will result in failing this
class and a disciplinary review by Student Affairs.
Examples of Plagiarism include but are not limited to:
Using sources verbatim or paraphrasing without giving proper attribution (this can include
phrases, sentences, paragraphs and/or pages of work)
Copying and pasting work from an online or offline source directly and calling it your own
Using information you find from an online or offline source without giving the author credit
Replacing words or phrases from another source and inserting your own words or phrases
Submitting a piece of work you did for one class to another class
If you have questions on what is plagiarism, please consult the policy
(http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/conduct1.html) and this helpful guide from the Library:
(http://infodome.sdsu.edu/infolit/exploratorium/Standard_5/plagiarism.pdf)
Cheating and Plagiarism
Cheating and plagiarism are serious offenses. You are plagiarizing or cheating if you:
for written work, copy down or cut anything from a book, article or website and add or paste it
into your paper without using quotation marks and providing the full reference for the quotation,
including page number
for written work, summarize / paraphrase in your own words ideas you got from a book, article,
or the web without providing the full reference for the source, including page number
for an oral presentation, copy down or cut anything from a book, article, or website and present it
orally as if it were your own words. You must summarize and paraphrase in your own words,
and bring a list of references in case the professor asks to see it
use visuals or graphs you got from a book, article, or website without providing the full reference
for the picture or table
recycle a paper you wrote for another class
turn in the same (or a very similar paper) for two classes
purchase or otherwise obtain a paper and turn it in as your own work
copy off of a classmate
use technology or smuggle in documents to obtain or check information in an exam situation
In a research paper, it is always better to include too many references than not enough. When in
doubt, always err on the side of caution. If you have too many references it might make your
professor smile; if you don’t have enough you might be suspected of plagiarism.
In foreign language study, cheating also includes the following:
Doing your written homework and then having a third party correct it, or having someone else
write your homework for you and turning that in for credit
Doing assignments with another student and turning in the same or almost the same work.
(Unless you are specifically directed to work in pairs on in groups, college-level work is always
expected to be solely your own.)
Using an automated translation engine to translate your homework
Using an available translation of a text on which to base your own translation and turning that in
for credit.
What IS acceptable includes the following:
Asking your professor for help.
Brainstorming answers and/or ideas with another student; then, each student writes up the
homework separately and turns in his or her own work.
Doing your written homework and/or translation and then having a third party circle your
mistakes; you then do the corrections on your own and turn in your own work.
If you have any question or uncertainty about what is or is not cheating, it is your responsibility
to ask your instructor.
TAKE THE TUTORIAL: Test your knowledge of what constitutes plagiarism through a tutorial
offered by the SDSU Library. To access the tutorial go to:
http://library.sdsu.edu/guides/tutorial.php?id=28
Consequences of cheating and plagiarism
SDSU instructors are mandated to report all instances of cheating and plagiarism to the Center
for Student Rights and Responsibility. Consequences are at the instructor’s and the Center for
Student Rights and Responsibility’s discretion. They may include any of the following: failing
the assignment, failing the class, warning, probation, suspension, or expulsion.
For more detailed information, read the chapter on plagiarism in the MLA Handbook for Writers
of Research Papers (6th edition, 2003), visit the following website
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml and talk to your professors before
turning in your paper or doing your oral presentation.
The University of Indiana also has very helpful writing hints for students, including some on
how to cite sources. Please visit http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets.shtml for more
information.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
August
25
Introduction (v-xii). "Une lettre," (2-5)
27
"Une lettre," (5-9); Petite composition sur place: A, p. 9.
September
1
"Bonjour, Maman! ...," (10-17); révision – les hypothèses
3
"Bonjour, Maman! ...," (18-23); Mini-Comp 1: A, p. 23
*
LAST DAY TO DROP, ADD, CHANGE grade basis
- September 4
*
8
"L'ombre et l'absent," (24-29); révision: passé simple – 207-08
10
"L'ombre et l'absent," (29-31); devoir A, B p. 30. révision – p. 32-33
15
EXAMEN I
17
"Pour empêcher un mariage," (35-43) 3 days instead of 2?
22
"Pour empêcher un mariage," (43-48); devoir p. 43 et A p. 46
24
"Le temps ne passe pas," (49-55)
29
"Le temps ne passe pas," (56-62); Mini-Comp 2: p. 62 #2 (100 mots)
October
1
"La Montagne de feu," (63-71) révision – la négation
6
"La Montagne de feu," (71-76); révision – p. 77
8
EXAMEN II
13
"Le cauchemar," (79-89) devoir A. p. 87
15
"Pur polyester," (90-97, l. 148) révision – les verbes pronominaux
20
"Pur polyester," (97-100);
22
"La Noire de ...," (101-105) Mini-Comp 3 p.121 #4 (100-150 mots)
27
"La Noire de ...," (105-114)
29
"La Noire de ...," (114-120); révision : p. 121
November
3
EXAMEN III
5
"La fièvre," (123-133) révision – le subjonctif
10
"La fièvre," (134-139)
12
"Amertume," (173-79)
17
"Amertume," (179-81)
19
"Les triangles de Chloé," (182-86)
24
"Les triangles de Chloé," (186-89); devoir Questions p. 188-89
26
THANKSGIVING (no class)
December
1
"Il n'y a pas d'exil," (190-99)
3
"Il n'y a pas d'exil," (199-205)
8
Mini-comp 4 – Composition sur Place – p. 205 B (175-200 mots)
10
Révision, p. 206
EXAMEN IV December 15 (Tuesday) 10:30-12:30