English 47 Syllabus, in general, specifics may change each semester
June Gillam, Ph. D.
jgillam@deltacollege.edu
Textbook(s)
Required: THE NEW OXFORD ANNOTATED BIBLE, Augmented Third
Edition, College Edition -- Michael D. Coogan Ed.
Oxford University Press, 2007
Required: THE BIBLE AS LITERATURE: AN INTRODUCTION, 5TH
ED. -- Gabel, Wheeler, York, and Citino
Oxford University Press, 2006
Eng. 47 Assignments by
Schedule of DUE DATES for fall 2009
BUT
***Due Dates will change each semester
Below is a tentative schedule of the due dates (ALL DUE DATES ARE ON
WEDNESDAYS EXCEPT FOR ONE PART OF UNIT 5). The work that is
due FOLLOWS the due date in the listing below. Get your work posted
WELL before these dates, if you want to earn significant points towards your
course grade.
Starting with UNIT 2, we will follow the pattern of due dates set out in UNIT
2, below. Starting with Unit 2, there are three Discussion Topics in each
unit, one topic DUE per week; each student needs to post a minimum of three
posts each week, for a total of 9 posts per unit, minimum.
Remember, it is helpful for the whole class if you come in and post your
work early, far before the due dates, in order to get the discussion moving
and so that others will have something to reflect on, as well. We all can give
much more feedback to those who post early.
Make your response posts substantive! When you post, don't just agree or
disagree with other students but rather give your reasoning, cite your sources,
and offer your insights into the discussion topics. Asking thoughtful
questions can be productive. Humor and differing viewpoints are encouraged
as long as you keep a respectful tone towards others.
UNIT 1-- Getting Started --TO LET ME KNOW YOU ARE "PRESENT,"
POST A SHORT "HELLO" NOTE IN THE 24/7OfficeHours link, 5 links
below this Syllabus link. If you do not post here by midnight Thursday in
first week of class, you will be dropped as a NoShow to make room for
others on the Wait List.
Due Wed, AUG 26:
* UNIT 1 Discussion, Social and Cultural Location major posting
Due Wed, SEPT 2:
* Unit 1, Discussion responses to two classmates’ major postings in
Unit 1
* U1, Quiz on text readings
* U1, Project, Non-biblical Reading Choices
UNIT 2--Short Stories
* Due Wed, SEPT 9, Unit 2, 3 Discussion Postings in Topic 1 following
the directions in the Discussion link.
* Due Wed, SEPT 16, U2, 3 Discussion Postings in Topic 2 following the
directions in the Discussion link.
* Due Wed, SEPT 23, U2, 3 Discussion Postings in Topic 3 following the
directions in the Discussion link.
* Due Wed, SEPT 23, U2 Quiz on Book of Ruth
* Due Wed, SEPT 23, U2 Project, Character and Point of View Analysis
UNIT 3--Long Narrative
* Due Wed, SEPT 30, 3 Discussion Postings in Topic 1, following the
directions in the Discussion link.
* Due Wed, OCT 7, 3 Discussion Postings in Topic 2, following the
directions in the Discussion link.
* Due Wed, OCT 14, 3 Discussion Postings in Topic 3, following the
directions in the Discussion link.
* Due Wed, OCT 14, Quiz on Book of Job
* Due Wed, OCT 14, Project-- Plot Analysis
UNIT 4--Poetry
* Due Wed, OCT 21, 3 Discussion Postings in Topic 1, following the
directions in the Discussion link.
* Due Wed, OCT 28, 3 Discussion Postings in Topic 2, following the
directions in the Discussion link. ALSO, YOUR INTENTION REQUESTS
(DIBS) MUST BE POSTED INTO THE PROJECTS LINK BY THIS
DATE.
* Due Wed, NOV 4, 3 Discussion Postings in Topic 3, following the
directions in the Discussion link.
* Due Wed, NOV 4, Unit 4 Quiz
* Due Wed, NOV 4, Project--one (1) from the two (2) choices in the Unit
4 Projects link.
UNIT 5--Gospels
* Due Wed, NOV 11, 3 Discussion Postings in Topic 1, following the
directions in the Discussion link.
* Due Wed, NOV 18, 3 Discussion Postings to Topic 2, following the
directions in the Discussion link. ALSO, SMALL GROUP PROJECT
WORK IS DUE BY NOV 18 OR 20 at the latest, TO GIVE TIME FOR
INSTRUCTOR TO CREATE COMPILATION FOR “OurAnalyses” that
students read and reflect on for ReaderResponse Individual part of Unit 5
project.
* Due Wed, NOV 25, 3 Discussion Postings to Topic 3, following the
directions in the Discussion link.
* Due Wed, NOV 25, Quiz on Book of Mark
* Due Wed, NOV 25, Project, Student's Individual Reader Response to
Analysis of Jesus’ Hero’s Journey
UNIT 6--Letters
* Due Wed, DEC 2, 3 Discussion Postings to Topic 1, following the
directions in the Discussion link.
* Due Wed, DEC 9, 3 Discussion Postings to Topic 2, following the
directions in the Discussion link.
* Due Wed, DEC 16, 3 Discussion Postings to Topic 3, following the
directions in the Discussion link.
* Due Wed, DEC 16, Quiz on Book of Philemon
* Due Wed, DEC 16, Final Projects, letters to two authors (to Paul and to
the author of your non-biblical book of choice).
Course Policies and Procedures
All work is due on Wednesdays. Late work earns zero (0) points.
Other policies include a requirement to be respectful and polite in comments
to classmates and instructor. This is not a religion or theology class, so
postings should not be proselytizing, faith sharing, or preaching in any way.
Any students having problems in this area will be contacted by email or
phone by the instructor to talk it over. If inappropriate postings continue,
students will be dropped from the class.
There is to be no plagiarism in works posted as your own writing and ideas.
If you use others' words and ideas, be certain to give them credit--exact
quotes need to be put into quotation marks ("yadda yadda," according to John
Doe) but paraphrases or summaries also need to give credit to their sources.
Do your best to learn how to cite from the Bible, following the instructor's
examples in the lectures, and other postings.
Most Units will be "open" to students at least three weeks before the due
date(s); some parts of the Unit may be due earlier than the final due date.
To stay current, students should plan to read discussion posts and make at
least three postings each week in a discussion Topic, so that we don't all end
up posting on the last day, procrastination being the fact of life that it is.
Students who post early will get responses from the instructor and others,
which can be very helpful in doing the work, while those who post late will
most likely not get responses from classmates nor the instructors.
Grading Policy
EVALUATION: The student will be evaluated by quizzes, discussion
participation, projects, and a final project, which will require the student to
demonstrate critical thinking through writing. Students will have just one
hour to take each quiz, so doing the reading BEFORE attempting the quiz is
recommended.
Work must be in before the due date noted in the Assignments Schedule
section of this Syllabus, below, if students are striving for maximum points.
Late work earns zero points (0). Something is due each Wednesday of the
course, noted specfically on the Assignments Schedule.
Grading Criteria
Below are the maximum points available in the course; the total maximum is
1500 points. To earn maximum points, students need to contribute wellthought-out and developed responses to assignments.
Participation in all six Unit Discussions (100 points maximum each
unit; in Unit 1, post Social location and responses to 2 or 3 classmates;
600 from Unit 2 on, there are three Topics in each unit Discussion; three
posts to each of the three Topics for nine (9) total minimum posts per
unit)
650
Completion of all six Unit Projects (last one is 150 points; others 100
each)
250 Perfect score on all six Unit Quizzes (25-50 points maximum each)
A 90%
B 80%
C 70%
D 60%
F 59% and lower
General Grading Criteria
for all Projects in English 47
In percentage
of maximum
points:
90% and up
~~demonstrates a high degree of competence, is a joy to read.
* demonstrates rich understanding of the assignment directions and
lecture/discussion/example materials
* demonstrates facility with Standard Written English in order to
communicate meaning clearly
80% and up
~~demonstrates clear competence, is easy to read.
* demonstrates partial understanding of the assignment directions and
lecture/discussion/example materials
* demonstrates competence with Standard Written English,
communicates meaning well
70% and up
~~demonstrates average competence, but puzzling to read in parts.
* demonstrates minimal understanding of the assignment directions and
lecture/discussion/example materials
* demonstrates some difficulty with Standard Written English, shows
unclear meaning in places
60% and up
~~demonstrates some competence, but is hard to make meaningful.
* demonstrates confusion about the assignment directions and
lecture/discussion/example materials
* contains frequent sentence and word errors, displays puzzling meaning
59% or lower
~~demonstrates basic incompetence in reading and writing skills.
* misrepresents the ideas and directions of the assignment and
lecture/discussion/example materials
* contains serious, frequent, and distracting errors in sentences and words,
not meaningful
Course Outline
I. General Overview (see CourseReadings link for specific assignments)
A. Terminology and Approaches
B. Multicultural Context
C. History of English Translations
D. Creating Respectful Online Community
II. Short Stories (Character and point of view)
A. Genesis
1. Creation, Adam and Eve
2. Sibling Rivalry--Murder, Cain and Abel
3. Flood, Noah
4. Tower of Babel, Diverse Languages
B. Two Judges
1. Deborah
2. Sampson
C. Book of Ruth
D. Book of Esther
F. Reluctant Prophet, Jonah
III. Long Narratives (plot elements)
A. Drama of Job
B. Patriarchs and Matriarchs
C. King David
IV. Poetry
A. Song of Solomon
B. Proverbs
V. Gospels
A. Birth Stories
B. Doings/Sayings/Passion/Resurrection of Jesus
VI. Letters
A. 1 Corinthians
B. Philemon
Catalog Statement
This course is designed as a study of the types and characteristics of literature
in the Authorized King James Version of the Bible. Emphasis is placed on
those literary qualities that account for the Bible's unique influence on
Western literature.
General Goals: Upon successful completion of this course, the student will
be able to:
1. Examine and analyze biblical literature from various perspectives.
2. Examine and analyze non-biblical literature for connections to biblical
literature.
3. Demonstrate understanding of and appreciation for the English Bible as
an anthology of literary forms of pervasive influence in Western literature.
Specific Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course, the student
will be able to:
1. Demonstrate understanding of biblical literary forms and strategies.
2. Compare and contrast biblical literature to
related contemporary literature and
demonstrate how one informs the other.