Ocean County College
Professor's Syllabus
Prof. Jayanti Tamm
ENGL 152-08
Catalog Description: ENGL 152 introduces students to the study of fiction, poetry, and drama, and requires
written assignments (totaling 3500 words, minimum), which continue the practice of writing skills developed in
ENGL 151, including research writing. With ENGL 151, this course fulfills the 6-credit graduation requirement
in English Communication. Prerequisite: ENGL 151.
Semester: Spring 2012 Monday, Thursday 9:30-10:45
Office Location: Russell 128
Phone Number: (732) 255-0400 X4314
E-Mail Address: jtamm@ocean.edu or jayanti_tamm@occ.mailcruiser.com
Office Hours: 11:00-12:00 Monday
Other Meeting Times: To arrange a meeting with your instructor in addition to the regularly scheduled office
hours, please contact your instructor directly or contact the Department of English.
Required Text: DiYanni. Literature: Approaches to Fiction, Poetry and Drama. 2nd Ed. McGraw Hill
YOU MUST BRING YOUR TEXT BOOK WITH YOU TO CLASS.
Course Learning Outcomes/Objectives:
In ENGL 152, students will achieve the following course learning objectives:
 Read a selection of short fiction, poetry and drama
 Use basic literary techniques to interpret literary form, content, theme, and style
 Develop reading, listening, and speaking skills
 Develop standards for the appreciation of literary texts and recognize literature as an enrichment of
experience
 Develop an adequate critical vocabulary with which to discuss and write about literature
 Apply a variety of analytic approaches to literary interpretation
 Cultivate a multicultural and gender awareness of literature
 Implement the writing skills mastered in ENGL 151
General Education Goals Addressed in the Course: ENGL 152 addresses these OCC General Education goals:
 Goal 2 —To develop the ability to communicate effectively through reading, listening, speaking and
writing
 Goal 6 —To develop an understanding of the aesthetic and intellectual experience of literature and the
arts and appreciate creative expression
1
Course Standards:
The overall grade will be broken down as follows:






Quizzes—10%
Reading Journal/Writings—10 %
Essays—40%
Final Research Paper—25%
Leading Class Discussion—5%
Participation and Attendance—10%
At the middle of the semester, ALL students will have an individual conference and receive their current grade
average.
QUIZZES (10%): Quizzes on the readings will be given at the beginning of the class period. NO QUIZ CAN
BE MADE UP.
READING JOURNAL (10%): Students are required to keep a journal in which to discuss the texts read for
class. Every class will include a journal writing session. The writings should focus on literary aspects of the
texts, not plot summary. Students should attempt to step beyond comments such as "I like the poem because"
and "This story reminds me of the time I. . ." Remember that the exercise is to practice the art of analyzing
literature. All entries must be kept together. At the end of the semester, the entire journal will receive a grade.
ESSAYS (30%): There will be three essays due based on texts read in class. These essays will be a close
examination of the text. The goal of these papers is to come up with an interpretation of some aspect of the text
in thoughtful and polished essays. Students must quote specific lines from the text to illustrate the interpretation.
The papers must be written using proper MLA form. You will have the option of revising these essays for a
higher grade by handing them in at the end of the semester with the original graded version along with your
substantial revision. This is your option.
FINAL LITERARY ANALYSIS RESEARCH PAPER (25%): This final paper will be a seven to nine page
literary interpretive analysis paper using literary criticism about a text read in class. The topic for the final paper
must be approved by the Professor.
PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE (20%): This is not a lecture course. Students are required to be
active participants in the class. If a student is a non-participating member of the group, the student will miss the
experience of the verbal aspect of this course; the student will miss information, clarification and the joy of
debate about the shared experience. There are rewards for students who get involved in discussions; do not
lessen the reward by ignoring this critical aspect of this class. Students are expected to attend every class.
Excessive absence (more than three) will lead to a lowered grade and possible withdrawal the course.
LEADING CLASS DISCUSSION (5%): All students will be required to partner with other students to lead a
class discussion on a particular literary work. The group will be responsible for introducing the text, creating a
journal entry question and generating general discussion about the literary work. Students are free to create
handouts, audiovisual materials, PowerPoint demonstrations, or additional appropriate material. The research
and study done for leading the class, may be a useful starting point for the final paper.
EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES: Fear not. There will be several creative opportunities to receive extra
credit during the semester for those who are interested.
2
PLAGARISM: Plagiarism is defined as the presentation of ideas and words of another as one’s own. This
includes any information taken from any website as well as information taken from printed texts. Obviously, it
also includes using a part or the whole of a work written by another student—or anyone else. It is an unethical
and immoral offense; it will not be tolerated in this course. Any student who plagiarizes will automatically fail
the course and be sent to the Dean’s Office for further disciplinary actions.
ASSIGNMENTS: If class is cancelled due to weather or illness, assignments will be posted on Ocean Cruiser.
All assignments must be turned in the day they are due. It is the student’s responsibility to foresee the
possibility of computer problems and formulate a plan before disaster strikes. Printers magically know when a
paper is due and tend to break down accordingly. Print in advance of any deadline. Any assignment submitted
after the date will automatically lose 5 points for every day it is late. Work received more than one week after a
due date will no longer be accepted, and a zero will be given as the grade. If a student misses class, they are still
responsible for the homework from the class they missed.
FORMATTING: Make sure that every work you do in this class includes your name, date, essay #or
assignment, course section #, and instructor name. Papers must be double-spaced and typed. The type size
should be 12 point and the font style should be Times New Roman. Margins must be set at one inch. Final
drafts should look professional--here is a sample:
Juan Student
College Writing II
Essay 1, Final Draft
January 29, 2011
Professor Tamm
Minimalism in Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral”
(Note that your title is centered, but not in bold, underlined or italicized. First, last, and all major words in title
are capitalized.)
CRITERIA FOR RESPONSE TO PAPERS: You will be evaluated by the following criteria. These evaluations
are meant to help you figure out what areas of writing you are strongest in, and what areas you most need to
work on in future essays.
Focus: Your focusing point (main point, central question, or thesis) guides both writer and
readers. This focusing point should be reflected in each of the paragraphs in your essay.
Development: A strong essay is rich with example, evidence, substantiation and discussion. In a
strong essay, a writer develops--substantiates, explains, illustrates--all of his/her points.
Organization: A well-organized essay is an essay your readers can follow clearly and logically.
An organized paper provides readers with introductions, clear paragraphs, transitional cues, and
conclusions.
Analysis: Also referred to as reflection or critical thinking, analysis is when a writer examines
and explains events, beliefs or experiences that have been discussed. Analysis is evident when a
writer connects one individual experience with a larger phenomenon; or when a specific quality
is generalized or theorized about. Analysis is asking, and addressing, questions. Analysis is
discussion.
Revision: Papers will be evaluated on the progress you have made within this essay--drafting,
and editing.
3
Mechanics/Proofreading: Grammar and usage. Specific, recurrent problems will be highlighted.
Proofreading errors are errors in spelling, capitalization, typos, missing words, etc--that is, errors
writers should be able to catch through careful re-reading.
Statement of Plagiarism: Plagiarism is defined as “the taking and passing off as one’s own ideas, writings, etc.,
of another” (Webster’s New World Dictionary). Plagiarism means the use of another's words as if they were
your own, and the unacknowledged incorporation of those words in one's own work offered for credit. Honesty
is expected of you. It is expected that the work you hand in will always be your own, and that you will never
copy sentences, phrases, paragraphs or whole essays from any other person's work, for that is plagiarism.
Plagiarism is dishonest, and against both College policy and my own. If you are ever unclear about how to cite
another person or author's ideas, come see me or consult your handbook. It's important to understand that
plagiarism is a big deal in this college and in my class. Don't make this mistake. Students who plagiarize will
immediately fail the course and be referred to the Dean of Student's office for disciplinary sanctions.
Statement about Civility: Please do not text or use your phone during class. See www.ocean.edu/civility.htm
Campus resources and services: Tutoring is available in the Writing Center. In addition, Student Success
Seminars are scheduled each week and are posted on the college website under “Campus Resources and
Services
Statement of Accommodation: If there is any student in this class who has special needs because of learning
disabilities or other kinds of disabilities, please feel free to come and discuss this with me or a staff member in
the Center for Academic Excellence.
Disclaimer: Individual faculty members may make reasonable changes to this course outline exclusive of
course requirements, course calendar, and grading procedures.
All individuals should not assume that anything received, sent, or stored in this course or in any course is
private. Students’ written work, assignments, and test results may be used anonymously for college assessment
purposes. Course content, support materials, and communications (including chats, discussions, emails, and
any other forms of communication) may be used for quality assurance purposes by authorized college
administrators.
Course Outline (please note these dates and projects are subject to change)
Jan 23: What is literature and why study it?
Jan 26: Introduction to Literary Language: How to Discuss Literature. Introduction to Literary Criticism:
Reader-Response, Formalist, Historical, Biographical, Psychological, Gender
HW – Updike 32; Point of View 77-79
Jan 30: Discussion of point of view and “A&P” by John Updike
HW – O’Connor 186; 66-67; 85-86; 90-91;
4
Feb 2: Setting, Language and Style, Theme, Irony & Symbol, Symbolism and “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
by Flannery O’Connor
HW – Faulkner 79; 49-51; 59-62
Feb 6: Plot and Structure, Character and “A Rose for Emily “ by William Faulkner
HW – Lahiri 243; Kincaid 270
Feb 9: “Hell-Heaven” by Jhumpa Lahiri; “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid
HW- Carver 313; 111-127
Feb 13: “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver; Writing about Fiction
HW – Chopin 38
Feb 16: Discussion of writing about fiction and using secondary sources; using MLA; and “The Hour” by Kate
Chopin
HW- Review stories for Essay 1
Feb 20: COLLEGE CLOSED
Feb 23: Essay 1 written in class
HW- 495-509
Feb 27: Introduction to Poetry: How to Read a Poem
HW – 510-523
Mar 1: Discuss poems in ‘Voice: Speaker and Tone’ and ‘Diction
HW – 524-536
Mar 5: Discuss poems in ‘Imagery’ and ‘Figures of Speech’
HW – 564-573
Mar 8: Discuss poems in ‘Structure: Closed Form and Open Form’ and ‘Theme’
HW – 575-591; 621 and all color plates with poems and paintings
Mar 12: COLLEGE CLOSED – Enjoy Spring Break
Mar 15: COLLEGE CLOSED – Enjoy Spring Break
Mar 19: Discuss poems and paintings; discuss writing about poetry and secondary sources
HW- review poems
Mar 22: Spoken Word Poetry
HW: review poems
Mar 26: In-class essay poetry
Mar 29: Individual Conferences
HW: 912-934
Apr 2: Individual Conferences
HW: 912-934
5
Apr 5: Introduction to Drama
HW: 1291-1318
Apr 9: A Raisin in the Sun Act I
HW: 1318-end of play
Apr 12: A Raisin in the Sun Act II & III
Apr 16: Act out scenes from play and watch version of play
HW: 1519-1545
Apr 19: Discussion of Final Project
HW- 1418-1425
Apr 23: Tender Offer by Wendy Wasserstein
Apr 26: In-class essay Drama
Apr 30: Writing with secondary sources in literary research and MLA
May 3: Assistance with Final project
May 7: Final Project, Portfolio, and Journal Due
May 10: Individual Conferences
Important Notes
Ocean Cruiser is the official email communication for students at OCC
(firstname_lastname@occ.mailcruiser.com)
Failure to pay for this course may result in your being dropped for non-payment.
6
Statement of Agreement
I, ____________________, have read the syllabus for Professor Tamm’s English 152 class. I understand and
agree to comply with the rules set forth in the syllabus. I fully realize that I am responsible for any and all
consequences of not adhering to the set policies for this course.
signed ______________________________
date _______________
7