ENGLISH 1102
INSTRUCTOR MATTHEW SHERLING: MSHERLIN@WESTGA.EDU
OFFICE 310 / OFFICE HOURS: W – 4-7, TR – 11-12, 3:30-4:30
The course serves as a continuation of English 1101 and as an introduction to a
more sophisticated study of argument and textual analysis, focusing on the
composition of increasingly complex analytical essays about written and visual
texts. Students must demonstrate advanced competency in critical analysis and
interpretation of texts.
Required Texts:
American Beauty (film)
Sula by Toni Morrison
"Cathedral" by
Raymond Carver (short story)
Course Requirements:
Students should attend every class and should plan to read all assigned material.
In regard to the quizzes, students must maintain a passing grade of 65% or higher
to pass the course. You must engage in class discussion and in-class assignments,
as well as receive C's on two of the three major out-of-class writing assignments
to pass. If you do not plan to or cannot keep up with the reading, you will need to
consider dropping the class. Be sure to bring the text under discussion to every
class.
Final Grade:
Essays (70%); Quizzes (15%); Short Writing Assignments and Participation (15%)—
group work, rough draft workshops, contributions to discussion, bringing required
text to class, etc. Please Note: I am always willing to meet during office hours or
upon appointment to discuss your work and your experience in the course.
Research: Students can choose two out of their three main essays for which to
perform research.
Quizzes: A quiz will be given directly after any reading homework.
Reading Assignments: The schedule is subject to adjustment, so if you miss class,
you are responsible for asking me about what you’ve missed or looking at the
online schedule for any updates.
General Learning Outcomes:
- To develop reading, understanding, and interpreting of a broad range of written
and visual texts from a variety of genres, including but not limited to nonfiction,
fiction, poetry, drama, and film.
- To extend the skills of analytical writing, critical thinking, and argumentative
interpretation of meaning established in English 1101.
- To enhance the understanding of literary principles and the use of basic terms
important to critical writing and reading.
- To construct essays using textual evidence from both primary and secondary
sources.
Attendance Policy:
- If you miss more than 4 days, you automatically fail the course.
- Also, if you miss class unexcused, you cannot make up quizzes.
Specific Learning Outcomes:
- Develop an understanding of genre and the role of genre in textual analysis.
- Understand connections between primary and secondary sources and how those
connections affect and generate intertextuality.
- Demonstrate the ability to connect primary and secondary sources in a logical,
persuasive, and correct way.
- Expand the length and complexity in the writing and thinking process.
Essay Level
Continuation of the learning objectives of ENGL 1101, that is, creation of clear
theses, effective introductions and conclusions, and logical, persuasive patterns
of essay organization. Additional requirements include the ability to develop a
logical argument advancing a particular explication or interpretation of a literary
text, focusing on the ways in which the incorporation of secondary materials
enhances argument.
Continuation of the paragraph development skills required in ENGL 1101.
Additionally be able to manage quotations from primary and secondary texts as a
means for developing paragraphs, neither letting the quotations dominate the
paragraphs inappropriately nor under-explaining the quotations once used.
Continuation of ENGL 1101, consistent evidence of sentence variety and control of
syntax to achieve clarity. Consistent use of apt and varied diction. Additionally
be able to use quotations in sentences while maintaining grammatical correctness
and competent punctuation.
Demonstrate a command of mechanics, grammar, and usage conventions of Standard
Edited English as required in ENGL 1101.
Use the MLA style for documenting sources.
Technological Objective
Demonstrate the ability to use word processing and to find and evaluate electronic
resources.
Disruptive Behavior Policy (see below for FYW policy)
Students may be dismissed from any class meeting at which they exhibit behavior
that disrupts the learning environment of others. Such behavior includes – but is
not limited to – arriving late for class, allowing cell phones to ring, speaking
disrespectfully to the instructor and/or to other students, checking email or
surfing the web, and using personal audio or visual devices. Each dismissal of this
kind will count as an absence and will be applied toward the attendance policy
above. (Department Policy)
Department Paperless Policy
As of Fall 2006, the English Department implemented a “paperless” policy in its
classrooms. Therefore, all materials (handouts, assignment sheets, notes, etc.)
will be made available online. Students may print these necessary course documents,
including the syllabus, on their home computers.
Late Add, Late Drop, and Reinstatement periods are no longer available. Students
who wish to add or drop courses must do so during the scheduled Add and Drop
periods. There is no Reinstatement period for students whose schedules are dropped.
After the Drop period date, there is NO adding or reinstatement of classes and NO
dropping classes with a refund.
Late Work or Extension Policy
Work can be turned in late; however, for each day late the grade will drop a third
of a letter grade.
Role of the Writing Center
The role of the Writing Center is to offer consultation in which tutors question,
respond to, offer choices, and encourage revision in student essays. Tutors do not
evaluate or prescribe solutions to problematic areas in student essays, and tutors
are specifically trained to avoid appropriating the student's work. For more
information, visit the Writing Center online at http://www.westga.edu/~writing.
Writing Center Statement (see below for revised statement)
TLC 1201
678-839-6513
Writing@westga.edu
www.westga.edu/~writing
The University Writing Center works with students and other members of the UWG
community to improve writing skills.
What We Do:
 Discuss ideas, read drafts, and work through revisions of essays; we do not
proofread
 Regents’ Test Preparation (both the reading and essay sections)
 MLA, APA, Chicago/Turabian, and other citation formats
Policies:
 Please make appointments in advance. We accept walk-ins, but we cannot
guarantee that a tutor will be available.
 If you cannot keep your appointment, you must call or email us 24 hours in
advance to cancel. If you do not notify us 24 hours in advance, you will be
counted as a No Show.
 Please arrive at your appointment on time. If you are 10 minutes late or
more, you will be counted as a No Show and will not be able to have your
appointment.
 If you have 3 No Shows in one semester, you will not be able to have any more
appointments for that semester.
Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 10:00am-7:00pm
Thursday 10:00am-3:00pm
Friday 10:00am-12:00pm
Americans with Disabilities Act
:
Students with a documented disability may work with UWG Disability Services to
receive essential
services specific to their disability. All entitlements to accommodations are
based on documentation and
USG Board of Regents standards. If you need course adaptations or accommodations
because of a
disability or chronic illness, or if you need to make special arrangements in case
the building must be
evacuated, please notify your instructor in writing by the end of the second full
week of class and
include a copy of your Student Accommodations Report (SAR), which is available
only from Disability
Services. Students are entitled to accommodations if they deliver the SAR to the
instructor no later than
the end of the second full week of class.
UWG Email Policy
University of West Georgia students are provided a MyUWG e-mail account. The
University considers
this account to be an official means of communication between the University and
the student. The
purpose of the official use of the student e-mail account is to provide an
effective means of
communicating important university related information to UWG students in a timely
manner. It is the
student’s responsibility to check his or her email.
Credit Hour Policy
The University of West Georgia grants one semester hour of credit for work
equivalent to a minimum of
one hour (50 minutes) of in-class or other direct faculty instruction AND two
hours of student work
outside of class per week for approximately fifteen weeks. For each course, the
course syllabus will
document the amount of in-class (or other direct faculty instruction) and out-ofclass work required to
earn the credit hour(s) assigned to the course. Out-of-class work will include all
forms of credit-bearing
activity, including but not limited to assignments, readings, observations, and
musical practice. Where
available, the university grants academic credit for students who verify via
competency-based testing, that they have accomplished the learning outcomes
associated with a course that would normally meet
the requirements outlined above (e.g. AP credit, CLEP, and departmental exams).
University of West Georgia Honor Code
At the University of West Georgia, we believe that academic and personal integrity
are based upon
honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. Students at West Georgia
assume responsibility for
upholding the honor code. West Georgia students pledge to refrain from engaging in
acts that do not
maintain academic and personal integrity. These include, but are not limited to,
plagiarism, cheating,
fabrication, aid of academic dishonesty, lying, bribery or threats, and stealing.
The University of West Georgia maintains and monitors a confidential Academic
Dishonesty Tracking
System. This database collects and reports patterns of repeated student violations
across all the
Colleges, the Ingram Library, and the School of Nursing.
Additionally, you are responsible for safeguarding your computer account. Your
account and network
connection are for your individual use. A computer account is to be used only by
the person to whom it
has been issued. You are responsible for all actions originating through your
account or network
connection. You must not impersonate others or misrepresent or conceal your
identity in electronic
messages and actions.
Revision Policy
The revision process will be emphasized in this course, where revised work will
serve to push students further into articulating their ideas. If revised work is
turned in on time, the initial grade will be averaged with the grade of the
revision.
Make-Up Work
No quizzes can be retaken (unless otherwise instructed). Also, the final test, in
the form of an in-class writing, must be taken on the assigned day of the final.
Recycled papers
Students will not be allowed to turn in work written for other courses.
*
M 6/2 Introductions
- In-class diagnostic essay: 4 paragraphs - Intro, 2 bodies, & conclusion re:
this prompt:
"Construct a thesis-based argument, supported by concrete
evidence & analysis,
around how the Internet has significantly impacted one or
more of these in our
culture: self-identity, communication/our relationship with
language, intimacy,
motivation, fantasy, desire, consumerism, art" (45+
minutes)
- Discuss American Culture, Consumerism, Advertising, Technology
- Discuss Essay structure, Thesis, Claims, Research, & Grammar
- Introduce the concept of “textual phenomena”
W 6/4 Watch American Beauty (please take notes)
HW: Make a list of dominant themes
M 6/9
Discuss the film & dominant themes
Discuss prompts & iceberg diagram/"significance"
Choose prompt & begin brainstorming
Introduce "Hero's Adventure"/Joseph Campbell quotations
HW: Write 5 claims/topic sentences
W 6/11
Discuss/proofread claims
Peer revision
Discuss triple I model
Discuss Outlines
Watch any necessary scenes / have script open
In-class: begin exploring textual evidence & interpretation
HW: write an outline for your American Beauty essay
M 6/16
Discuss outline
Show sample essay on American Beauty - discuss how it operates
Peer review (accompanied by one-by-one questions)
Opportunity to ask any questions about essay
In-class: work on essay
HW: Continue working on essay, print out & read "Cathedral"
W 6/18
Bring in printed-out "Cathedral"
Quiz & Discussion of scenes
Make a list of dominant themes
Any parallels/overlaps with American Beauty?
HW: finish essay on American Beauty
M 6/23
Turn in essay
Watch The Power of Myth Part 1: "The Hero's Adventure" (take notes)
Quiz
Discuss video/dominant themes
Discuss "Cathedral" prompts
HW: Write 5 claims
W 6/25
Discussions of claims/one-by-one instructional questions
In-class: make outline
Homework: Continue working on essay, read chapters 1 - 3 in Sula
M 6/30
Quiz & discussion on Sula
Chart themes
In-class: work on quotations/textual evidence/interpretation - emphasize
ARGUMENT/ANALYSIS / discourage mere SUMMARY
HW: continue working on essay, read chapters 4 - 6
W 7/2
Quiz & Discussion
Chart Themes
In-class: ask any questions about essay
HW: finish rough draft of second essay, read chapters 7 - 9
M 7/7
Quiz & Discussion
Peer review of rough drafts
HW: Finish essay
W 7/9
Turn in second essay
Leave early, after discussing the specific struggles/challenges
HW: Finish Sula
M 7/14
Quiz & Discussion
Talk about themes, hero's adventure, etc.
Discuss frustrations, resonances from the text
Discuss any overlaps
Discuss prompts
HW: Write 5 claims
W 7/17
Grammar, Essay Structure Discussion
Argument over Summary
Reminder of Triple-I
Technical Errors
In-class - mountain of notes
HW: Make outline
M 7/21
Last day of normal class
Discuss outlines
Peer review
In-class: sharpen/push analysis/essay
HW: Finish essays
W 7/23
Turn in essay/class presentations