SPRING 2016
ENGL2370: Introduction to Fiction
27481 (MWF 8-8:50 Irby 201)
Instructor:
Deb Moore, Irby 428
501-450-3499
Hours: MWF 9-11
dmoore@uca.edu
Course Focus:
In this class, we will read, discuss, and write about fiction in a
way that considers its formal elements (character, plot, setting,
themes, and narrative style) as well as its contexts and value
(social, historical, aesthetic). We will build our base of
knowledge collectively, through discussion, in both large and
small groups. Because our discussion will sometimes address
complex and potentially sensitive subjects that may be personal
to some of us, it’s important to come to the conversation with an
open mind, a willingness to listen and consider alternative points
of view, and respect for one another, the authors, and the
characters represented in the works.
Class meetings will consist of brief lecture, full-class and smallgroup discussion, and various other activities (presentations, inclass writings, slide shows, video and audio recordings).
Catalog Entry:
“Satisfies the humanities requirement in the general education
program. Students will learn to read stories and short novels
carefully and analytically and be encouraged to see the way
stories both reflect and enhance our understanding of life.
Lecture, discussion, writing. Prerequisite: None. Fall, spring.”
Works
Young Goodman Brown
The Very Old Man with
Enormous Wings
Woman Hollering Creek
A Rose for Emily
The Ones Who Walk Away
From Omelas
Puppy
The Things They Carried
The Red Convertible
Sweat
Them Old Cowboy Songs
Travis, B.
Brokeback Mountain
Diary of an Interesting Year
The Handmaid's Tale
Required Text:
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The Story and Its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction. 9th ed., by Anne Charters (2015).
ISBN 978-1-4576-6461-8.
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (1998). ISBN 978-038549081
Readings:
Class discussion is an important part of this course. Please read and be prepared to discuss the
material on the day that it is due. Bring the text of that day’s reading with you to each class.
Supplemental readings provided by the instructor via Engrade. You must be able to access Engrade
to receive these and other important course materials.
Students will receive a paper copy of the syllabus and the course outline, but all other handouts will
be posted on Engrade. The syllabus and course outline may change; the version appearing online
supersedes all others.
Please make yourself familiar with the syllabus, which contains everything you need to know to be
successful in this class:
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It details what you will be learning and when it will be covered.
It makes clear what is expected of you as a student.
It allows you to know what to expect of your instructor.
It outlines the organization of the course and when assignments are due.
It explains how grading will be accomplished.
It states the attendance requirements.
Coursework:
Coursework consists of daily work as assigned, a position paper, a short story review, two tests, and
a final exam. There are 1000 total possible points in the class:
Daily Work (combined)
Position Paper
Short Story Review
Exam one
Exam two
Final Exam
This syllabus may change.
250 points
150 points
150 points
150 points
150 points
150 points
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One Writing Center tutoring session is required for the Position Paper and Short Story Review
assignments. You may use your tutoring session at any point during the drafting and revising process
(brainstorming, revision, or editing) and as many times as you wish. There are a limited number of
appointment slots, though, so please plan ahead and make your appointments early. To make an
appointment, submit a paper for online tutoring, or to find out about drop-in hours, visit
http://uca.edu/writingcenter/home. The Academic Success Center is also available to help you with
all aspects of college work: http://uca.edu/success.
DAILY WORK may or may not be graded. Combined, daily work is worth 250 points and
consists of the following:
Combined
Daily Work
Responses 150
Quizzes
50
Daily Work 50
250
Reader Responses: Please write 750-word response to the prompt given
in the course outline for selected readings. See Appendix B for specific
instructions. The lowest score will be dropped. 10 points each.
Reading Quizzes: Quizzes are administered at the beginning of class and
cannot be made up if you are tardy or absent. At the end of the semester,
two random quizzes will be chosen from these for inclusion in the total grade.
25 points each.
In-Class or Exploratory Writing and Activities: Writing or working alone
or in a group in response to a prompt about the reading assignment. This
work cannot be made up if you are tardy or absent. Point values vary to total
50 points.
POSITION PAPER: Write a 750-word (minimum) paper responding to a prompt. This
assignment is worth 150 points and is due at the beginning of class on Friday, April 1. See
Appendix C for specific instructions.
CRITICAL REVIEW: Write a 750-word (minimum) review of one of the short stories from the
text. Due dates assigned according to last name. See Appendix D for specific instructions.
150 points.
EXAMS: There will be two exams (February 26 and March 18) and a
comprehensive final. Each exam is worth 150 points. These exams will
cover readings, discussions, films, and lectures. On each exam, you may
be asked to identify and write substantially about quotations from the
works and respond briefly to short answer questions. There is no “study
guide,” but we will review material in class prior to each test. Missed
exams cannot be rescheduled; students who present proper
documentation for missed exams may take a comprehensive makeup
exam during the final week of the course.
Grading
900-1000 = A
800-890 = B
700-790 = C
600-690 = D
590 & below = F
Workload:
It is generally accepted that students will need at least 2 hours of course preparation outside of class
for every credit hour taken. For a three-hour course such as this one, you should plan to spend a
minimum of six additional hours each week outside of class reading, thinking, and writing.
Assessment:
To discuss a grade, please meet with me in person during office hours. Although you may use email
to make an appointment to speak with me, let us not discuss grades using this platform.
This syllabus may change.
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The objective in this course is to master the material. Although grades are meant to represent your
level of achievement in that goal, the grade itself is not the objective. Therefore, there are no extra
credit opportunities.
Writing assignments will be graded using the following standards, bearing in mind that other factors—
such as failure to follow instructions or formatting guidelines, lack of revision, or missing due dates—
may also affect your grade:
A/Excellent: Shows originality of thought in stating and developing a central controlling idea. Its
ideas are clear, logical, and thought-provoking; it contains all the positive qualities of good writing
listed below:
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Concentration on a main purpose, with thorough development and firm support of evidence
using concrete detail and specific examples.
Careful construction and organization.
Careful choice of effective words and phrases.
B/Superior: Has a clearly stated central purpose, logically and adequately developed. Its ideas are
clear because it contains some of the qualities of good writing described under A above. It is relatively
free of errors in the use of English. Although indicating technical competence, the B paper lacks the
originality of thought and style which characterizes the A essay.
C/Average: Has a central idea stated and organized clearly enough to convey its purpose to the
reader; it avoids serious errors in the use of English. It may, in fact, have few correction marks on it,
but it lacks adequate and strong use of supporting details as well as the vigor of thought and
expression which would entitle it to an above-average rating.
D/Unsatisfactory: Indicates below-average achievement in expressing ideas correctly and
effectively. Most D papers fail to present a clear central idea and or to develop it adequately.
Typically, they will contain numerous serious errors in the use of English. With a clearly stated central
idea, fuller development, and more careful proofreading, many D papers might be worth at least a C
grade.
F/Failing: Is the result of poor writing, which usually includes one or more of the following problems:
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Failure to state and develop a thesis or to use some equivalent organization appropriate to
the topic;
A lack of unity, coherence, and development within the individual paragraphs or the paper as
a whole;
A mass of vague generalizations that essentially restate the thesis without offering specific
details as support;
Little or no relation to the assignment;
Inadequate length;
Frequent misspelling of words;
Sentence-structure errors (fragments/run-ons);
Lack of agreement between subject and verb or pronoun and antecedent;
Lack of clear pronoun-antecedent reference;
Verb form errors (including tense, voice, and mood).
Papers that are plagiarized—in whole or in part—will earn a Failing grade.
This syllabus may change.
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Attendance:
Punctual class attendance is mandatory. In addition to contributing to understanding, in-class
discussion, quizzes, and other activities constitute a portion of your grade and cannot be made up if
missed.
If it is absolutely necessary to miss class in order to keep an outside appointment, please schedule
that appointment during someone else’s class. In the event of unavoidable absence, check with
another class member to find out what you missed before returning to class. Missing class is no
excuse for missing an assignment.
Check with a classmate to see what you missed BEFORE returning to class.
There are no “excused” or “unexcused” absences in this class. You may miss no more than a total
of six class meetings. Students who miss more than that, and/or miss a week's worth of classes
consecutively without contacting the instructor may be dropped for non-attendance and assigned a
WF, WP, or W grade as appropriate. Any combination of three late arrivals or early departures will
count as one absence. Arriving more than 15 minutes late or leaving more than 15 minutes early will
constitute an absence.
I call roll every day. If you arrive to class late, I may have already counted you as absent. Please get
with me immediately after class is over to make sure that you get credit for having been in class. Do
not do this via email. The roll book is the official record of attendance.
EASTER EGG: Write down a question about this syllabus and bring it with you to the second
class meeting. This is a graded assignment and will not be accepted after the second class
meeting.
If you expect to miss class for university-sponsored events (choir, band, orchestra, debate, sports),
please speak with me about it at the beginning of the semester. In addition, I ask that you:
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Be sure I receive written official notification from your coach, director, or sponsor;
Submit an email reminder to me immediately before each absence;
Turn in assignments that come due during your absence on or before the due date;
Check with another student to see what you’ve missed before returning;
Recognize the importance of being in class when you aren't traveling.
Student athletes: remind your instructor (via email) before each sponsored absence.
Late Work:
Assignments are due at the beginning of class. Late assignments, if accepted, receive a whole letter
grade reduction per calendar day.
Conduct:
Research shows that students who text and hang out on social media during class are less likely to
remember details about lectures and more likely to earn a lower grade than students who pay
This syllabus may change.
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attention. Do not use your phones during class; silence your phone and put it away. I will ask you to
leave if you are unwilling to comply with this request.
Students who exhibit behavior that interferes with my ability to conduct the class and foster student
learning, or who exhibit behavior so outrageous as to severely impede the conduct of the class will
be asked to leave and/or dropped with a WF grade.
If you are asked for any reason to leave class, you must meet with me in my office before you will
be allowed to return.
Laptops/Tablets:
Students who take notes during lectures score higher than those who don’t, but recent studies have
shown that taking notes by laptop results in shallower processing and decreased ability to answer
questions about ideas, thoughts, and concepts. For this reason, I ask that you take notes in longhand
for this class. If you feel that your learning will be hampered by not having access to your laptop for
note-taking or other legitimate purposes, please speak to me outside of class.
Please take notes in longhand, rather than on your laptop or tablet.
UCA Policies:
Please take the time to familiarize yourself with all the academic policies in the Student Handbook.
If you are a new student, you can pick up a copy at 210 Student Health Center. A PDF version is
available at http://uca.edu/student/files/2014/09/Student-Handbook-2014-2015.pdf
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY STATEMENT: The University of Central Arkansas affirms its
commitment to academic integrity and expects all members of the university community to
accept shared responsibility for maintaining academic integrity. Students in this course are
subject to the provisions of the university's Academic Integrity Policy, approved by the Board
of Trustees as Board Policy No. 709 on February 10, 2010, and published in the Student
Handbook. Penalties for academic misconduct in this course may include a failing grade on
an assignment, a failing grade in the course, or any other course-related sanction the
instructor determines to be appropriate. Continued enrollment in this course affirms a
student's acceptance of this university policy.
In this class, any student who turns in an assignment that includes a passage that has been
either written for him or her by someone else for pay or as a favor or passages copied from
a print or electronic source written by another author (even if some of the words have been
changed), will immediately be dropped from the course and will receive a WF grade.
Any student who turns in a paper that has borrowed from other sources and fails to give
complete and unambiguous credit to every source (e.g. quotation marks, in-text citations, or
missing or incomplete bibliography), will receive a grade of 0 (zero) on that paper.
COUNSELING: All students are entitled to free, confidential, professional counseling. Please
contact the University Counseling Center at 450-3138. They are located in the Student Health
Center, suite 327.
DISABILITY POLICY: The University of Central Arkansas adheres to the requirements of
the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you need an accommodation under this act due to a
disability, contact the UCA Office of Disability Services at 450-3613.
This syllabus may change.
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EMERGENCY PROCEDURES: An Emergency Procedures Summary (EPS) for the building
in which this class is held will be discussed during the first week of this course. EPS
documents for most buildings on campus are available at http://uca.edu.mysafety/bep. Every
student should be familiar with emergency procedures for any campus building in which he
or she spends time for classes or other purposes.
EVALUATIONS: Student evaluations of a course and its professor are a crucial element in
helping faculty achieve excellence in the classroom and the institution in demonstrating that
students are gaining knowledge. Students may evaluate courses they are taking starting on
the Monday of the twelfth week of instruction through the end of finals week by logging in to
myUCA and clicking on the Evals button on the top right.
HARASSMENT POLICY: Harassment by any faculty member, staff member, or student is a
violation of both law and University policy and will not be tolerated. Please read the
appropriate pages of your Student Handbook for the policies, definition, and procedures
concerning harassment. If you have questions or concerns, please contact me or the chair of
the department. Individuals who believe they have been subjected to harassment should
report the incident promptly to their academic dean or to a departmental chair or directly to
the university’s Affirmative Action officer, legal counsel or assistant vice president for human
resources
Title IX Disclosure: If a student discloses an act of sexual harassment,
discrimination, assault, or other sexual misconduct to a faculty member (as it relates
to “student-on-student” or “employee-on-student”), the faculty member cannot
maintain complete confidentiality and is required to report the act and may be required
to reveal the names of the parties involved. Any allegations made by a student may
or may not trigger an investigation. Each situation differs and the obligation to conduct
an investigation will depend on those specific set of circumstances.
The
determination to conduct an investigation will be made by the Title IX Coordinator.
For further information, please visit: https://uca.edu/titleix. *Disclosure of sexual
misconduct by a third party who is not a student and/or employee is also required if
the misconduct occurs when the third party is a participant in a university-sponsored
program, event, or activity.
This syllabus may change.
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Appendix A: Course Outline
Date
Day
Discussion
What’s Due (at the beginning of class)
Jan 8
F
Class Overview:
Introduction to the Course
Thinking about Fiction
Jan 11
M
Q&A: The Syllabus
Writing Expectations for This
Class
Reader Responses
The Position Paper
Critical Review
The Writing Center
Read the syllabus.
Jan 13
W
“Young Goodman Brown”
Read Nathaniel Hawthorn’s “Young Goodman
Brown” pp 578-587
READER RESPONSE PROMPT:
According to literary critic Leo B. Levy, “there is
A dreadful irony in the manner in which Faith
greets Brown on his return to the village, as if she
had not been present in the forest and had played
no part in the terrible events that take place there.
She is as she was at the beginning—except that
it is impossible for Brown to see her as she was.
The meaning of the story arises from this
discrepancy.” What does he mean? What is the
meaning of the story? How does Faith’s treatment
of Goodman Brown help you to understand the
story’s meaning?
Jan 15
F
Read textbook pp 1667-1675
Read textbook pp 1692-1701
Jan 18
Jan 20
M
W
Reading Short Stories
A Brief History of the Short
Story
Dr. Martin Luther King Day
Writing About Short Stories
Jan 22
F
Part I. Theme and the
Elements of Fiction
The Element of Setting
Jan 25
M
Magical Realism
This syllabus may change.
Class does not meet.
Read textbook pp 1702-1727
Read Anne Lamott’s “Shitty First Drafts” (Engrade)
Read “The Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by
Gabriel Garcia Marquez, pp 520-525
READER RESPONSE PROMPT:
Explain Father Gonzaga’s approach to the angel.
What implications — about the angel and about
the church — may be derived from his failure to
communicate with him effectively?
Read “Leaf Storm,” Kirkus Reviews (Engrade)
Read textbook, pp 1627-1630
Read Luis Leal’s “Magical Realism in Spanish
American Literature” pp 1637-1638
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The Element of Character
Jan 27
W
Jan 29
F
Feb 1
M
Feb 3
Feb 5
W
F
Continued
Elements of Style & Tone
Feb 8
M
Continued
Feb 10
W
The Element Point of View
Feb 12
Feb 15
F
M
Feb 17
W
Continued
The Element of Plot
Read Sandra Cisneros, “Woman Hollering Creek”
(PDF available on Engrade)
Read William Faulkner’s, “A Rose for Emily” pp
453-460
READER RESPONSE PROMPT:
Emily is called “a fallen monument” and “a
tradition.” Explain.
Read "The Ghostly Voice Of Gossip In Faulkner's
‘A Rose for Emily,’” Thomas Klein, Explicator
(Engrade)
Read Ursela K. Le Guin’s, “The Ones Who Walk
Away from Omelas” pp 813-818
READER RESPONSE PROMPT:
Discuss the major themes of the story. Explain
your reasoning.
Read Ursela K. Le Guin’s “The Scapegoat in
Omelas” pp 1462-1463
Read Le Guin’s, “The Kind of Fiction Most
Characteristic of Our Times” pp 1641-1642
Read “Through Ecofeminist Eyes: Le Guin's ‘The
Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,’” by Barbara
Bennett, English Journal (Engrade)
Read “Puppy” by George Saunders (PDF available
on Engrade)
READER RESPONSE PROMPT:
“Puppy” presents two mothers taking very
different approaches to child care. Is one
inherently better than the other? Explain.
Read “Rays of Hope: ‘Tenth of December’ by
George Sanders” by Gregory Cowles, The New
York Times (Engrade)
Continued
Part II. Reading Thematically: Read Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried” pp
WAR
990-1003
READER RESPONSE PROMPT:
“A true war story is never moral.
How does O’Brien use small details to illuminate
It does not instruct, nor
the “whole picture”? What is that whole picture?
encourage virtue, nor suggest
Read “Review of The Things They Carried,” Ted
models of proper human
Gioia, The New Canon (Engrade)
behavior, nor restrain men from
Short Story Reviews accepted for students with
doing the things men have
last names A-L through Feb 29.
always done.”
--Tim O’Brien
Continued
This syllabus may change.
Page 9
Read Louise Erdrich’s “The Red Convertible” pp
445-452
READER RESPONSE PROMPT:
Where do Lyman and Henry speak directly to
each other in this story? Where do they speak
indirectly? How do they communicate without
speech? Describe how Erdrich presents the
moments of emotion in this story.
Read “All American,” by Liesl Schillinger, The New
York Times (Engrade)
Feb 19
F
Continued
Feb 22
M
Feb 24
Feb 26
W
F
LOVE
Read textbook, page 593
"Love never dies a natural
Read Zora Neale Hurston’s “Sweat” pp 602-610
death. It dies because we don't READER RESPONSE PROMPT:
know how to replenish its
Discuss this story’s central theme of women's
source. It dies of blindness and
work, its power, and cost. What does the title of
errors and betrayals. It dies of
the story signify about the importance of labor to
illness and wounds; it dies of
this story? What does Delia's work mean to her?
weariness, of witherings, of
tarnishings."
— Anaïs Nin
Continued
EXAM 1
EXAM 1
Feb 29
M
Mar 2
Mar 4
Mar 7
W
F
M
Mar 9
W
Mar 11
Mar 14
F
M
Continued
Mar 16
Mar 18
W
F
Continued
THE WEST
Read “Them Old Cowboy Songs” by Annie Proulx
“There is a belief that pioneers (PDF available on Engrade)
came into the country,
Read “True Grit,” by Ron Carlson, The New York
homesteaded, lived tough,
Times (Engrade)
raised a shoeless brood and
founded ranch dynasties. Some Short Story Review Final Due date for students
with last names A-L.
did. But many more had short
runs and were quickly forgotten.
--Annie Proulx
Continued
Continued
Continued
Read Maile Meloy’s “Travis, B.” (PDF available on
Engrade)
Read “Irrational Behavior” by Curtis Sittenfeld, The
New York Times (Engrade)
Continued
Read “Brokeback Mountain” by Annie Proulx (PDF
available on Engrade)
READER RESPONSE PROMPT:
What do Jack and Ennis consider to be the
measure of a man? Why? Explain why you
agree or disagree.
Read “Don’t Fence me in” by Richard Eder, The
New YorkTimes (Engrade)
This syllabus may change.
EXAM 2
EXAM 2
Page 10
Mar 21
M
Spring Break
No Class
Mar 23
Mar 25
W
F
Spring Break
Spring Break
No Class
No Class
Mar 28
M
THE FUTURE
Read Helen Simpson’s “Diary of an Interesting
“When did the future switch from Year” (PDF available on Engrade)
being a promise to being a
READER RESPONSE PROMPT:
threat?”
Why did the author choose an epistolary form for
― Chuck Palahniuk,
this work? In what ways does this form add to or
Invisible Monsters
detract from the work?
Read Christopher Tayler’s “In-Flight Entertainment
by Helen Simpson,” The Guardian (Engrade)
Short Story Reviews accepted for students with
last names M-Z through April 11.
March 30
April 1
W
F
Continued
Continued
April 4
M
Continued
April 6
April 8
W
F
Continued
Continued
April 11
M
Continued
The Handmaids’ Tale, Chapters 23-29
Short Story Review Final Due date for students
with last names M-Z.
W
F
M
W
F
W
Continued
Continued
TBA
TBA
Reading Day
Final Exam
The Handmaids’ Tale, Chapters 30-38
The Handmaids’ Tale, Chapters 39-Historical Notes
TBA
TBA
No Class
8-10am
(http://uca.edu/registrar/final-exam-schedule/)
April 13
April 15
April 18
April 20
April 22
April 27
This syllabus may change.
Position Paper Due Date. No foolin’.
The Handmaids’ Tale, Chapters 1-8
READER RESPONSE PROMPT:
In Chapter 1, Atwood makes a reference to a
“palimpsest.” A palimpsest is a parchment
that has been scraped almost clean so that a
medieval scribe may reuse it, but some traces
of the former ink remain and visible beneath
the new ink. How is Gilead a palimpsest?
The Handmaids’ Tale, Chapters 9-17
The Handmaids’ Tale, Chapters 18-22
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Appendix B: Reader Responses
For selected readings, please write a 750-word response (approximately 2.5 double-spaced pages)
to the prompt given in the course outline. Each Reader Response is worth 10 points and is due at
the beginning of class on the day the reading is due. Because the objective of this assignment is to
prepare you to participate in class discussion, you must be in class on the date the reading is due to
receive credit. The lowest scoring Reader Response will be dropped.
All responses should be in MLA Format:
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Typed in Times New Roman 12-point font
Be double-spaced, on an 8.5 x 11 inch sheet, with margins of one inch or less
Be free of errors (use spell and grammar check; proofread and edit carefully)
Measure one full page, minimum
Have a proper heading (your name, THE TIME AND DAY of the course, my name, the due
date, and a title)
Begin each reader response with a one-line synopsis of the material: “Oedipus Rex tells the story of
Oedipus, a man who becomes the king of Thebes, whilst in the process unwittingly fulfilling a
prophecy that he would kill his father Laius and marry his mother Jocasta.” Don’t further summarize
the material.
Reader Responses are meant to deepen your understanding, encourage you to make connections,
and enable you to discuss the text in class. You will receive credit only if the response meets the
above technical requirements, fulfills the given assignment, and if you are in class on the day the
assignment is discussed. Late submissions, those that consist solely of plot summary, or those that
are inadequate in length will receive a 0 grade.
I recommend the following for assistance with MLA Formatting:
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The UCA Writing Center
o Thompson 109
o Summer Hours: Monday-Friday: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
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The OWL at Purdue: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
This syllabus may change.
Page 12
Appendix C: Position Paper
In 750 words (approximately 2.5 double-spaced pages) and using MLA format, write an essay that
responds to the following:
How does the author use the element of _____________ to establish the theme of the
story?
Select one of the stories we are reading this semester. After you’ve chosen the story you want to
analyze, spend time thinking about what you understand to be the theme of the story. Then,
determine which particular element of fiction you want to focus on as your “way in” to analyzing the
theme of the story. The elements of fiction you have to choose from are:
Plot/Narrative Structure
Setting
Character
Style and Symbol
Point of View
So, you might end up writing about how symbolism develops the theme in “Them Old Cowboy
Songs,” or how the narrative structure develops the theme in “A Rose for Emily” – perhaps you’ll
determine that to discuss the theme in “Brokeback Mountain,” you need to do a detailed character
analysis of Ennis. These are just examples, of course, but they should show you that you can use
any of the above elements of fiction as a lens to help you illustrate how the author you’ve chosen
has developed a particular theme.
The Position Paper essay must measure exactly 750 words (not including the header). Please be
sure that your essay contains a thesis and that everything in the paper “supports” that thesis. Avoid
plot summary. Title your essay.
This is not a research paper; do not use outside sources in your analysis.
Assume that you are writing for an audience of readers like yourself: that is, those who have read
the work, share your knowledge (and sense of humor), and want to know how you view the material.
Use, then, an accessible, natural language—one that is neither too elevated (avoid jargon and
academic formality, use the first person if appropriate, introduce relevant current or personal
material), nor too informal (avoid slang; be clear and direct).
In offering your own reading of the material, you must explain by showing how you derived it from
passages in the text. Quotations judiciously chosen will support and amplify your point, but they
require interpretation. Quote what you need (remember to close your quotation with quotation marks,
give the page reference in parentheses, and then give the closing punctuation), and explain its
relevance to the main point you're making.
Please remember to use present tense. The events you're writing about took place in the past, but
the act of reading and talking about them takes place in the present.
This assignment is worth 150 points. Papers will be graded on the quality of the ideas and argument,
the clarity of the writing, the effectiveness of the organization, and the understanding of concepts
from the course. Grading standards for written assignments are included in the syllabus.
This syllabus may change.
Page 13
You will receive credit only if the essay meets the above technical requirements, fulfills the given
assignment, and is properly submitted by the due date. Late submissions, those that consist solely
of plot summary, or those of inadequate length will not be graded.
A UCA Writing Center tutoring session (Thompson 109) is required for this assignment. To make an
appointment, submit a paper for online tutoring, or to find out about drop-in hours, visit
http://uca.edu/writingcenter/home. The Academic Success Center is also available to help you with
all aspects of college work: http://uca.edu/success.
Due Date is April 1 at the beginning of class. Do not email Position Papers.
This syllabus may change.
Page 14
Appendix D: Critical Review
In 750 words and using MLA format, write a review of a short story from the textbook that you read
on your own. Do not review a work we’ve studied as a class.
Include the author’s full name & the complete title of the work, along with a clear explanation of the
author’s thesis. Conclude with your evaluation. Focus on the story, rather than your own personal
reactions; avoid statements that are your personal reactions to the story. Model your review on the
examples we read in class. If you have never before written a book review, please refer to the
directions at the OWL at Purdue: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/
resource/704/1.
This assignment is worth 150 points. Papers will be graded on the quality of the ideas and argument,
the clarity of the writing, the effectiveness of the organization, and the understanding of concepts
from the course. Grading standards for written assignments are included in the syllabus.
You will receive credit only if the review meets the above technical requirements, fulfills the given
assignment, and is properly submitted by the due date. Late submissions, those that consist solely
of plot summary, or those that are inadequate in length will not be graded.
A UCA Writing Center tutoring session (Thompson 109) is required for this assignment. To make an
appointment, submit a paper for online tutoring, or to find out about drop-in hours, visit
http://uca.edu/writingcenter/home. The Academic Success Center is also available to help you with
all aspects of college work: http://uca.edu/success.
Due Dates:
Students with last names beginning with the letters A-L:
Submit any time between the beginning of class on February 15 and the beginning
of class on February 29. Papers will not be accepted for grading after this date. Do
not email your submission.
Students with last names beginning with the letters M-Z:
Submit any time between the beginning of class on March 28 and the beginning of
class on April 11. Papers will not be accepted for grading after this date. Do not
email your submission.
This syllabus may change.
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