ENGL 1102-L2F, L2B, LXB, LXF: English Composition II
T.TR
Spring 2012
Professor: Stacey Carter Morin
E-mail: Please use Course Den mail
Office: Pafford 313
Office Hours: T,TR 8:30-9:15, 2:00-3:15; M 8:30-9:45, 1:15-2:30, or by appointment ( I will
also be in the Writing Center on Mondays from 10:00-1:00, but you must go through the Writing
Center if you wish to see me during that time)
 Course Description:
A course which serves both as a continuation of ENGL 1101 and an introduction to the study of
literature focusing on skills required for reading, interpreting, and writing analytical essays about
literature in at least three genres (I.e., fiction, drama, poetry). In writing, students must
demonstrate competency in both explication of literary texts and research-based interpretation.
 Course Objectives:
 To extend the skills of expository writing and critical thinking established in English 1101.
 To read, understand, and interpret fiction, drama, and poetry and write analytically about
them.
 To understand literary principles and use basic terms important to critical writing and
reading.
 To construct essays using textual evidence from both primary and secondary sources.
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Required Texts:
Maimon, Elaine P, et. al. A Writer's Resource.
Yang, Gene Luan. American Born Chinese (ISBN: 0312384483)
Packer, Z.Z. Drinking Coffee Elsewhere (ISBN: 978-1-57322-378-2)
Films: Gran Torino (2008); Babel (2006)
NOTE: You will be expected to have watched these films prior to our discussion of them in
class—there will be NO excuses for failing to do so. I would suggest you purchase these
films, so you will be able to watch them more than once. Good film analyses demand close
attention to detail that can be overlooked with just one film viewing.
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Major Assignments and Grading Procedures:
Essay #1--(3-4 typed pages) 20%
Essay #2--(3-4 typed pages) 25%
Essay #3--(5-6 typed pages) 30%
Class Participation/Quizzes/Writing Activities/Reading Annotations/Group Work 10%
In-Class Responses (2-3 handwritten pages) 15%
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YOU MUST MAKE A GRADE OF “C” OR HIGHER IN THIS COURSE IN ORDER TO
EXIT ENGL 1102!! NOTE: Your grade will be based strictly on your performance in
this class--you decide your fate. If making a “C” or lower in this class will affect your
ability to keep HOPE or any other scholarship, take this class seriously and work hard
from the first day of class to earn the grade you need. Go to the Writing Center or come
see me about problems you’re having during the semester. If you wait until the end of
the semester to come to me with concerns about your status in the class and how that
will affect your financial aid, I will not be sympathetic!!
 Essay Grading
A.
Each out-of-class essay will be graded according to the out-of-class essay grading
rubric found on the English department website
(http://www.westga.edu/~engdept/writing/index.htm) and will receive a letter and
numerical grade. The
numerical grade will be used when calculating your overall average at the end of
the semester.
A+=98
B+=88
C+=78
D+=68
F+=58
B.
A=95
B=85
C=75
D=65
F=55
A-= 92
B-=82
C-=72
D-=62
F-=52
Your in-class essay will be graded according to the recommended in-class
grading scale found on the English department website
(http://www.westga.edu/~engdept/writing/index.htm) and will count 15% of your
overall grade. In order to incorporate your in-class writing grades into your
overall grade for the class, in-class writing grade (0-4) will be accompanied by a
traditional grade as follows:
0 = 55
0/1=60
1 = 65
1/2= 70
2 = 75
2/3= 80
3 = 85
3/4=90
4 = 95
NOTE: You will be given the option to retake this in-class during the final
exam period. If your second attempt is higher than your first, the higher grade will replace
the original. You will also need a large Blue Book for each in-class essay.
C.
Essay Format:
All drafts and essays MUST BE typed, stapled and prepared according to MLA
format. In accordance with MLA format, all essays should be double-spaced and
typed using 12 point, Times New Roman font. Proper MLA format can also be
found in Tab 6 of A Writer’s Resource. Ten points will be deducted if you do not
use MLA format. NOTE: Save your work in a secondary location {i.e, your
hard drive, a thumb drive} in case you have technical problems. I will not
accept late work due to computer problems.
D.
Revisions:
You will also have the option to revise Essay #1 if it is a “C” or lower paper. If
you revise your paper, staple the original graded draft to
the back of your revision. This will allow me to see the changes you’ve made--I
will not grade a revision without the original graded draft.
Your final grade for a revised writing assignment will be determined as follows:
65 Final draft
+75 Revised draft
140/2
70 Final grade
If you make a conscious attempt to improve your final draft, it is impossible to
make a grade on your revised draft that is lower than your original
final draft. However, you can make a lower grade on your revision if you are not
attentive to evaluation comments.
 Reading Quizzes/Daily Responses & Activities/Group Work:
In this class I will assign a variety of in-class writing and critical reading activities ranging from
brief responses to group work, which will make up your daily participation grade. The phrase
“daily participation” implies 1) that you are present in class and 2) that you actively participate in
and contribute to the class, so logically if you miss a quiz or in-class writing assignment because
you are tardy or absent, you will NOT be allowed to make up the assignment. However, if you
have to miss a class when an activity is assigned, don’t fret!! I will drop one low daily grade at
the end of the semester.
You will also be required to annotate each text assigned. An annotation is a reading
comprehension activity in which you actively engage with a text by underlining, highlighting,
and writing observations and questions in the margins of the text. To annotate the texts assigned,
you will simply write any comments or questions directly on the text as you’re reading it. If the
text assigned is an additional reading posted on webct, you must print the text, annotate it, and
bring it to class on the day of discussion. If you are annotating a film, you will need to take
detailed notes denoting significant filmic elements. These annotations will not only aid in your
understanding of the texts but will also serve as a form of prewriting for essays. I will
periodically check your annotations for daily grades.
Before each writing workshop, you will be expected to submit portions of your essay (see the
tentative schedule) on Course Den by 5:00 pm the previous class day. Submissions must be
copied and pasted into the submission box. Any submissions posted after the 5:00 pm deadline
will NOT be accepted. Be aware that Course Den is routinely down for scheduled maintenance
every other Friday from10:00 pm-8:00 am Saturday morning, so don’t assume Course Den is
down for the entire weekend if you cannot submit your assignment during this time. If, however,
Course Den is down due to technical problems, you may send submissions to my campus email:
scarter@westga.edu
 Late Work Policy for Essays:
All rough drafts and final drafts are due at the beginning of class; therefore, bring them to class
already printed and stapled. All papers turned in after class has dismissed will be penalized ten
points, and ten points will also be deducted each day thereafter they are late. If you have a
planned absence on the day a paper is due, you MUST make arrangements to turn your paper in
prior to your absence. Any essays submitted a week late will not receive a grade! NOTE: To
avoid confusion and potential emailing problems, I will not grade emailed papers—you must
turn in a hard copy. If, however, you turn in an essay outside of class and I am not in my
office when you turn it in, you should email a copy of your paper just to document the time
and date you turned your paper in. Otherwise I will assume the paper is late and will deduct
points. Also, if you have an emergency and cannot come to class the day a paper is due, you
must email me a copy of your finished paper to document its completion AND turn in a hard
copy of the paper upon your return to class.
Also, if you miss a quiz or in-class writing assignment because you are tardy or absent—as with
the attendance policy, no distinctions will be made between excused and unexcused absences—
you will NOT be allowed to make up the assignment you missed. However, I will drop one low
daily grade at the end of the semester.
 Attendance Requirements:
Students may be administratively withdrawn from class based on the following attendance
policy. Since our class meets two times a week, you are allowed THREE absences. Upon the
FOURTH absence, I can administratively withdraw you from the class. Be aware that no
distinction exists between excused and unexcused absences. In addition, you should be aware
that if the withdrawal date falls before March 2, you will receive a “W.” If the withdrawal date
falls after March 2, you will receive a “WF.”
 Disruptive Behavior:
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.
 Emailing and MY UWG
In accordance with campus policy, all emails sent to me must be through your UWG account.
Any emails sent to me using another server (i.e, yahoo, bellsouth, juno, hotmail, etc.) are not
considered legitimate university correspondences and will be replied to with the message:
“Please resend this message using your UWG email account.” Sorry if this sounds harsh, but
I’m just the messenger! Since our class uses Course Den, please email, any questions or paper
concerns to me through Course Den mail. You will receive a speedier response if you do so.
 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.
 The Writing Center:
Location: TLC 1201
Phone: 678-839-6513
Website: Writing@westga.edu
Email: http://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)
 Creative Writing Consultations
 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.
 Plagiarism & Excessive Collaboration Policy:
Plagiarism & Academic Dishonesty
The Department of English and Philosophy defines plagiarism as taking personal credit
for the words and ideas of others as they are presented in electronic, print, and verbal
sources. The Department expects that students will accurately credit sources in all
assignments. An equally dishonest practice is fabricating sources or facts; it is another
form of misrepresenting the truth. Plagiarism is grounds for failing the course. Any
student turning in plagiarized material in this class will receive an F for the course.
See also, excessive collaboration.
The University policies for handling Academic Dishonesty are found in the following
documents:
The Faculty Handbook, sections 207 and 208.0401
http://www.westga.edu/~vpaa/handrev/
Student Uncatalog: "Rights and Responsibilities"; Appendix J.
http://www.westga.edu/handbook/
Excessive Collaboration
By the end of the term in both ENGL 1101 and 1102, students should demonstrate the
ability to produce independent writing (writing without collaborative assistance of peers,
writing tutors, or professionals in the field) that shows an acceptable level of competence.
Although classroom activities and out-of-class assignments may highlight collaborative
learning and collaborative research, excessive collaboration (collaboration that results in
the loss of a student's voice/style and original claims to course-related work) is
considered another form of academic dishonesty and therefore will not be permitted.
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.
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 Disability Pledge
I pledge to do my best to work with the University to provide all students with equal access to
my classes and materials, regardless of special needs, temporary or permanent disability, special
needs related to pregnancy, etc. If you have any special learning needs, particularly (but not
limited to) needs defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and require specific
accommodations, please do not hesitate to make these known to me, either yourself or through
Disability Services in 272 Parker Hall at (770) 839-6428. Students with documented special
needs may expect accommodation in relation to classroom accessibility, modification of testing,
special test administration, etc. This is not only my personal commitment: it is your right, and it
is the law! For more information, please contact Disability Services at the State University of
West Georgia.
Tentative Class Schedule
“Tentative” means portions of the class schedule (I.e., assigned readings, assignments, due
dates) are subject to change! I would advise that you not print out a copy of the syllabus
because I may occasionally change readings and assignments depending on how much we
cover during class. Although I will alert you of changes in class, you are ultimately
responsible for periodically checking the syllabus for any modifications, particularly if you
have been absent. NOTE: All readings and assignments are due on the day they are posted
on the syllabus.
Cultural Difference and Identity
JANUARY
T
10
Class Introduction; Plagiarism Review; Course theme: Cultural difference
and conceptions of self—“Mr. Z”; Annotating a text
TR
12
Plagiarism quiz; Graphic Novels (See Notes on Course Den); American
Born Chinese (Read and annotate prior to coming to class)
T
17
American Born Chinese (cont.); Assign Essay 1 (3-4 typed pages—20%)
TR
19
American Born Chinese (cont.)
T
24
Writing Workshop for Essay #1; Thesis Workshop for Essay #1; Post a
revised thesis and introduction for Essay #1 on
Course Den by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, January 25th
TR
26
Writing Workshop (cont.)—Thesis and Introduction; The MEAL Plan
T
31
Film as a Medium; Film Terms (See Notes on Course Den)
FEBRUARY
TR
2
Film terms (cont.); Film Terms Quiz; Watch and annotate Gran Torino
prior to coming to class; Beginning to Watch and Write about Film (see
notes on Course Den)
T
7
25%)
Essay #1 due; Gran Torino (cont.); Assign Essay #2 (3-4 typed pages—
TR
9
Gran Torino (cont.); From Notes to Film Essay; Film Research Sources;
Sample student paper ; Thesis Workshop—Developing
a working thesis for Essay #2; Post a revised thesis/introduction and
first body paragraph on Course Den by 5:00 pm on Monday, February 13th.
T
14
Writing Workshop for Essay #2: Organization and Transition, Punctuation
and Grammar Review
TR
16
Babel (2006)—Watch and annotate this film prior to coming to class!
T
21
Babel (cont.)
TR
23
In-class Essay (15%)—NOTE: You will need to bring a large Blue
Book with you to class;
T
28
MARCH
Elements of poetry
TR
1
Revision of Essay #1 due; Elements of poetry (cont.); figurative
language quiz; NOTE: Last day to withdraw with a grade of W is March 2nd
T
6
Essay #2 due; Langston Hughes, “Ballad of the Landlord”; Hughes,
“Harlem”; Hughes, “Let America Be America Again” (on Course Den—print, annotate, and
bring to class); Assign Essay #3 (5-6 typed pages—30%)
TR
8
T.S. Eliot, “The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock (on Course Den—print,
annotate, and bring to class)
T
13
Rita Dove, “Daystar”; Taslima Nasrin, “Things Cheaply Had” (on Course
Den—print, annotate, and bring to class)
TR
15
Reading Fiction; Kate Chopin, “The Story of an Hour” (on Course Den—
print, annotate, and bring to class)
T
20
No class—Spring Break!
TR
22
No class—Spring Break!
T
class)
27
Jamaica Kincaid, “Girl” (on Course Den—print, annotate, and bring to
TR
29
Z.Z. Packer, “Brownies” (1-31)
APRIL
T
3
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, “Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter” (on Course
Den—print, annotate, and bring to class); Post a Thesis for Essay #3 on Course Den by
5:00pm on Wednesday, April 4th.
TR
5
Essay #3 Thesis Workshop; Writing a Research paper; Blending
Quotations; Documenting
Sources; Parenthetical citations; Works Cited Citations
T
10
Quotations and Citations (cont.); Post a thesis/intro and a body
paragraph with at least ONE secondary source
quotation or paraphrase by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, April 11th.
TR
12
Writing Workshop—Body Paragraphs
T
17
Draft of Research paper due (Bring a typed and printed version to
class); peer-editing (Print the peer-editing sheet on Course Den and bring it to class);
Developing Effective Conclusions
TR
19
Essay #4 due—Turn essay in to my office (Pafford 313) by 5:00 pm.
NOTE: Be sure to attach your peer edited rough draft, any additional peer commentary,
and copies of sources to your final draft.
T
24 ENGL 1102-LXB, L2B--Optional In-class Essay Retake (11:00-1:30 pm)
TR 26 ENGL 1102-L2F, LXF--Optional In-class Essay Retake (8:00-10:30 am)
I should have Essay #4 graded the day before you are scheduled to take the
in-class essay retake. Be checking Course Den for grades. Be sure to factor
your final grade (See the link to “How to factor your final grade “ on Course
Den) to see if taking the in-class retake will benefit your grade.