KEISER UNIVERSITY
Course Control Document
 American Literature
 AML1000
 Residential / Online
DELIVERY FORMAT:
 None
PREREQUISITES:
 3.0 semester credit hours
CREDIT HOURS:
 48
CONTACT HOURS:
 48
LECTURE HOURS:
 The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Shorter 8th edition
TEXTBOOK TITLE:
 W.W. Norton
PUBLISHER’S NAME:
 Nina Baym, ed.
AUTHOR’S NAME:
 9780393930573
ISBN:
Gregory Ruppert
INSTRUCTOR:
gruppert @keiseruniversity.edu
Keiser Receptionist: 941-907-3900
course website: http://gruppertclass.wordpress.com/
Office hours:1:00 – 3:00 pm M. T. Th. and by appointment
 Earned doctorate or master’s degree in literature or a master’s degree with
INSTRUCTOR
18 graduate credit hours in subject taught.
QUALIFICATIONS:
 This is a Gordon Rule course requiring a minimum of 4000 written words.
GORDON RULE:
Students enrolled in AA, BA or BS programs must earn a grade of “C” or
higher to receive credit
Explores select American authors and literary texts. Topics include historical
COURSE
background, social forces, literary genres and elements.
DESCRIPTION:
 Why study literature
COURSE TOPICS:
 Elements of literature
 Literary genres
 Survey of American authors
 American literary movements and periods
COURSE OBJECTIVES:  Upon completion of this course, students are able to:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of American authors and works through
the twentieth century.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the major literary periods and genres
in American literature within social and historical contexts.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the elements of poetry, drama, and
fiction.
4. Evidence interpretive and critical thinking skills through oral and
written literary analyses.
COURSE TITLE:
COURSE NUMBER:
Method of Course Delivery: The subject matter in this course is presented in various forms which may include
lectures, class discussion, demonstrations, collaborative activities, computer assignments, student projects and
presentations, on-line research, guest speakers and field trips.
Course Evaluation Strategies (Methodologies)
20%
55%
20%
5%
100%
Student performance is evaluated as follows:
Examination(s), Midterm
Assignments (quizzes, writing assignments, discussions, standing assignments, presentations)
Final examination/project
Post-test
Final score
Grade Breakdown
Standing Assignments 9*4% and Poetry 1*4%
Final Exam 10% and Book Review 10%
Reading Tests 2*5%
Midterm 1*10%
Class participation and discussion
Post Test 1*5%
Oral Presentation 1*5%
Total
40 points
20 points
10 points
10 points
10 points
5 points
5 points
100 points
Grading Scale
A grade is determined using the following grading scale
90-100 %
A
80-89.99 %
B
70-79.99 %
C
65-69.99 %
D
Less than 65 %
F
Standing Assignments: These reading responses are the class homework and consist of a few questions,
juxtapositions, and a paragraph response. A handout explaining the assignment and giving and example is
available on day 1 and on the course website. We will also do one standing assignment that will instead focus
on composing poetry. All standing assignments must be completed by the end of the term, but standing
assignments must be typed and be on a poem, play, story, or essay (not history sections or author biography)
that we have not yet discussed in class.
Midterm and Final exam: Both the midterm and final will test your knowledge of American Literary
History, Literature Terminology, and your ability to write literary analysis.
Novel Review: You will be reading an American Novel (there will be a selection to choose between)
throughout the semester. You will need to write a novel review of 500 words or more. You will also need to
present your novel review to the class in an oral report of 3 - 5 minutes. A handout explaining the assignment
and giving an example will be available in class and on the course website.
Attendance Policy
Class attendance is important to your classmates, especially during group workshops and classroom
discussion. It is vital to achieve a good grade; in fact, it is part of your overall grade for professionalism.
Each student receives 100 points for activities done in class; each student loses 10 points from the final
grade for each excused or unexcused absence. To retain these points, it is imperative that you call the
Keiser receptionist if there is going to be a problem in attending a class session, or circumstances
force you to arrive late or leave early. Please leave a message as to the reason for your arriving late or
missing class with the receptionist. The number is listed at the top of this syllabus. Please note that in the
student handbook, if you have three full days of excused or unexcused absences (12 hours), you may not
be able to take the final.
Dress code
Keiser University requires business casual dress. This means shirt and tie are required for men. For
women there is to "be no exposed bellies or cleavage" (Faculty Memo 3). Jeans and flip flops are not
allowed.
Food and Drink
No food is allowed in the classroom. Drinks are only allowed in your bag or securely on the floor. You
will be given breaks during the course period.
Acceptable Classroom Behavior
Students are expected to behave professionally. You're expected to be able to monitor your own
behaviour (hmm has anyone guessed yet that I do a lot of British lit?) and no one will be looking over
your shoulder to make sure you keep up with class. I will warn you if you are having any trouble with
absences or lateness, but it is your responsibility to be in on time, prepared, and ready for class. I'm
happy to schedule extra office hours for people working on papers, but don't try to do this the last
minute. Procrastination is not an excuse for anything, though it is understandable. If something does
come up though that will impact your ability to be in class or to turn in assignments let me know as soon
as possible, as I am generally sympathetic and willing to work with you.
It is required and indeed expected that students will treat each other with respect and
professionalism during class discussions. If you disagree with someone don't attack them but explain
why you disagree. If you catch a classmate, or perhaps more likely me, making a mistake be nice about
how you point it out. If you cannot do this you will be asked to leave and be considered absent.
Again along the lines of common sense, if you need to use the restroom please just make sure to leave
and return quietly. We will have two scheduled breaks during the class period.
Please turn off all cell phones, pagers, and other electronic devices before class begins. We will be using
computers frequently within the course, but there will be times I ask you to turn your monitors off. Also
do not do schoolwork for other classes or visit non-course related websites during this class or you will
be considered absent.
Calendar – AML 100
Readings in The Norton Anthology: American Literature are due before the class in which they are noted. For
example, you should read pages 157-169, 326-332, and http://www.bartleby.com/96/164.html before Tuesday’s
class on November 26th.
Monday, 11/25, 2013
 Pre-Test
 Syllabus
 American Literature to 1700 pp. 3-19
 “The Iroquois Creation Story” pp. 20-23
 Pima Stories
 John Smith, from New England’s Trials pp. 69-72
 Introduction of standing assignment
 “Conversations with My Father”
 Introduction of classic or contemporary American Novel Assignment -- www.pbs.org/wnet/americannovel
 Book Review Guide
Tuesday, 11/26, 2013
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Why Read Literature (Importance of Literature.doc)
American Literature from 1700-1820 pp. 157-169
American History Timeline
Thomas Paine “Introduction” and “From III: Thoughts on the Present State of American Affairs” pp. 323 –
331 (activity)
 Sarah Wentworth Morton “The African Chief” http://www.bartleby.com/96/164.html
 Book Review Guide
 Arthur Miller pp. 2416-2418; and The Crucible
Thursday, 11/28, 201
 Thanksgiving – No Class
Monday, 12/2, 2013
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American Literature from 1820-1865 pp. 445-466
The Elements of Fiction (Plot, Character, Point of View)
Edgar Allan Poe pp. 683-687 (activity)
“The Tell-Tale Heart” pp. 714-718
“The Black Cat” pp. 718-724
“The Raven pp. 688-691
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow pp. 656-658
“A Slave’s Dream” pp. 659-660
http://www.yourenglishclass.com/the-simpsons-raven/
Practice Reading test
You should complete 1-2 standing assignments by today
Tuesday, 12/3, 2013
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Arthur Miller pp. 2416-2418; video The Crucible
Henry David Thoreau pp. 839-842
Reading Test 1
Emily Dickinson pp. 1189-1193
Emily Dickinson Poems 236,359, 372, 479, 1096 (Using the top number)
The Elements of Fiction (Figurative Language, Rhyme, and Meter)
The Crucible historical inaccuracies
Nathaniel Hawthorne pp. 603-606
“Young Goodman Brown,” pp. 619-628 (activity)
You should complete 3 standing assignments by today
Thursday, 12/5, 2013
 American Literature 1865-1914 pp. 1265-1281
 Kate Chopin pp. 1604-1605
 “Desiree’s Baby” pp. 1605-1609
 Charlotte Perkins Gilman pp. 1668-1669
 “The Yellow Wallpaper” pp. 1169-1681
 Mark Twain “The War Prayer” handout and on e-companion
 The Elements of Fiction (Setting, Symbol, Theme)
 Continue reading chosen American novel.
 Midterm review
 You should complete 4 standing assignments by today
Monday, 12/9, 2013
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American Literature 1914-1945 pp. 1837-1856: Introduction to modernism
Robert Frost pp. 1911-1912 and Mending Wall, The Road Not Taken, and Desert Places
William Carlos Williams pp. 1961-1963 and The Widow's Lament in Springtime and This is Just to Say
e.e. cummings pp. 2135-2136 and “next to of course god america i and O sweet spontaneous
MIDTERM EXAM
You should complete 5 standing assignments by today
Tuesday, 12/10, 2013
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Susan Glaspell “Trifles” pp. 1927-1936
T.S. Elliot “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” pp. 2006-2008
William Faulkner “Barn Burning” pp. 2188-2199
Drama Terminology
You should complete 7-8 standing assignments by today
Thursday, 12/12, 2013
F. Scott Fitzgerald pp. 2147-2149
Video: The Great Gatsby
Ernest Hemingway pp. 2203-2205
“The Snows of Kilimanjaro” pp. 2205-2221
 Langston Hughes pp. 2221-2222 and I, Too and Note on Commercial Theater
 Richard Wright pp. 2244-2245
 “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” pp. 2245-2271
 Extra credit assignments presented
 You should complete 6-7 standing assignments by today
Monday, 12/16, 2013
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American literature since 1945 pp. 2255-2271; Introduction to postmodernism
Theodore Roethke pp. 2272-2273 and Cuttings (later), My Papa’s Waltz, and The Waking
Flannery O’Connor pp. 2523-252537
“Good Country People” pp. 2569-2583
Sylvia Plath pp. 2600-2602 and Daddy and Child
Anne Sexton’s poem “Sylvia’s Death” pp. 2559-2560
Further discussion of themes in The Great Gatsby
Reading Test 2
You should complete 8-9 standing assignments by today
Tuesday, 12/17, 2013
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Toni Morrison pp. 2585-2587
“Recitatif” pp. 2587-2600
Alice Walker pp. 2714-2715
“Everyday Use” pp. 2715-2721
Gwendolyn Brooks pp. 2496 (We Real Cool)
Lucille Clifton pp. 2664- 2665 (the Mississippi river empties into the gulf)
by Li Young Lee pp. 2798-2801 (Persimmons and Eating Together)
Early Novel Review Oral Presentations for 1 point extra credit
Final Review
You should complete 9 standing assignments and your poetry assignment by today
Thursday, 12/19, 2013
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Post Test
Final Exam
Novel Reviews Oral Presentations cont.
Novel Reviews due
KEISER UNIVERSITY
Course Control Document – Evidence of Understanding
Course: AML1000 American Literature
By signing below I affirm that I have received, read and understand the information
provided in the above course control document; and the grade which I must achieve to
pass the course.
Print Name: ____________________________________________
Signature: _____________________________________________
Date: __________________________________________________
Instructor: _____________________________________________