Course Policies

Participation:  Participation is more than showing up. It’s being prepared for class and ready to work.  And then actually doing the assigned work.  So come to class prepared to discuss various aspects of the fiction we are reading. I will keep track of your participation and likely “cold call” on you silent, moody, or “multitasking” types.  Please resist the urge to Facebook or twitter or tumblr or text your friends or do whatever it is you do when you’re bored with what you’re *supposed* to be doing. I reserve the right to count you absent if you are not actively participating in class work.

Attendance: The English Department’s policy that students must attend at least 75% of their classes to receive credit for the course.  Consequently, accumulating more than 10 absences is grounds for failing this course (i.e., upon the ^11th absence, you will FAIL the course). If you arrive unprepared, it is the same as not coming to class and I will count you absent. Arriving late is DIS-RUPT-IVE, but I understand that sometimes, it just happens. But if it becomes a problem, I’ll start counting you absent.

Missing Class:  Missing class does not preclude you from being responsible for completing any and all work for that day in class.  If you miss class 1) check with a classmate to see what you missed 2) contact me to see what arrangements can be made up (not all assignments can be made up—in some cases missing class will mean missing points for quizzes, daily work, etc. unless you have a valid excuse).  In most cases, I will work with you to make up missed work.  If you are missing class for a religious holiday or for a sanctioned University event, contact me IN ADVANCE and I will work with you to ensure you have equal opportunity to receive full credit for missed in-class work.

Due Dates: All assignments are due at the beginning of class.  All late work will receive a FAILING GRADE.  That said, I will almost always work with you if you need to arrange an alternate due date so long as you contact me in advance (at least 24 hours).  Generally, there is no good excuse for not contacting me in advance about a due date. Computer malfunctions are not valid excuses for submitting late assignments. Always make sure you have plenty of time to print your documents before class and make sure that you back up your work frequently.  Whenever possible, just be honest with me about your situation and I’ll do my best to accommodate your needs.

Grading: For all formal essays, I’ll be using the following rubric:

A: An “A” paper has a well-focused, imaginative analytical purpose richly supported with effective textual support whether primary (from the fiction itself) or secondary (supported by scholarship). Quotations and paraphrases are introduced with panache and smoothly integrated into the flow and syntax of prose with no significant errors in documentation. An “A” paper has an argument with a clear thesis that is sophisticated, interesting, and evolving (and may even be original); full and rich discussion of links between evidence and claims (e.g. the implications of imagery or connotations of language); different kinds of evidence interwoven to support claims; no significant redundancies, digressions or irrelevancies; strong and clear logical relationships among subtopics. And finally, an “A” paper has almost no significant errors in syntax, punctuation, etc.; style and diction are appropriate to a literary analysis as well as precise and at times eloquent and sophisticated. All materials correctly cited in text and in works cited.

B: A “B” paper has a well-focused analysis that does not rely on summary or paraphrase; discussion remains within scope of the text; focus is on literary structures and issues (language, rhetoric, narrative, genre, etc.).  A “B” paper has good use of quotations and paraphrases, which are sufficiently introduced and integrated into text (with appropriate signal-phrases and background information). There may be some errors in documentation, but not so as to impede comprehension.  A “B” paper has an argument with a clear thesis that is interesting; adequate commentary clarifying or explicating the relationship between evidence and claim (e.g. discussion of tone, imagery, etc.); there may be minor redundancies, digressions or irrelevancies but not so as to impede comprehension or persuasiveness; logical relationship between subtopics may be reasonable but somewhat underdeveloped. And finally, a “B” paper has few errors in syntax, punctuation, etc.; style and diction are appropriate to a literary analysis. Materials cited in text and in works with only few errors.

C: A “C” paper’s analytical purpose is less focused, with more summary or paraphrase than analysis; premises for argument may be drawn from beyond the scope of the text and predominate over textual evidence. A “C” paper uses some quotations and paraphrases, but not always introduced with sufficient background information or signal-phrases. There may be some errors in documentation. Argument has a thesis, but thesis may be vague. Some commentary provided, but evidence is not always clearly or fully linked to thesis; or the link is ambiguous or the explication is underdeveloped or there may redundancies, digressions or irrelevances that may impede comprehension or persuasiveness; or there may be some problems with the logical relationship of subtopics. And finally, a “C” paper has some errors in syntax, punctuation, etc.; style and diction are sometimes inappropriate (use of colloquialisms) to a literary analysis. Materials cited in text and in works but with some errors.

D: A “D” paper’s analytical purpose is unfocused with little significant analysis, or mostly plot summary; premises for argument drawn entirely from beyond the scope of text. A “D” paper uses some quotations, but paraphrase and quotations are not clearly introduced and/or not integrated within text. There are a significant number of documentation errors, which impede comprehension. A “D” paper’s argument has an underdeveloped thesis that is vague or mostly summary.  Some explanatory commentary provided but evidence not always clearly or fully linked to claims; or links may be ambiguous and/or explication is underdeveloped; there may be significant redundancies that impede comprehension or persuasiveness of argument; argument has problems with logical relationship to subtopics. A “D” paper has numerous errors in syntax, punctuation so as to impede understanding; style and diction are inappropriate (use of colloquialisms) to a literary analysis. All materials correctly cited in text and in works cited. Materials cited in text and in works but with major errors.

F: An “F” paper has no analytical purpose. It is most likely all plot summary, no analysis; or argument based entirely on premises drawn from outside the text. Or paper may be plagiarized. An “F” paper has little or no quoted textual evidence and/or no attempt at integration. Serious documentation errors. An “F” paper’s argument has no thesis (thesis is merely plot summary or points out the obvious) and there is little or no links between evidence and claims; there are major redundancies, digressions or irrelevancies or subtopics are unrelated. And finally, an “F”  paper has errors too numerous to count; style and diction inappropriate for literary analysis. Materials cited in text and in works cited but with major errors. Or the paper is plagiarized.

Your final grade will be based on the following breakdown:

I will calculate your final grade according to the following scale:

93.0-100%      A          78.0-79.9%    C+
90.0-92.9%    A-         73.0-77.9%     C
88.0-89.9%    B+        70.0-72.9%    C-
83.0-87.9%     B          60.0-69.9%    D
80.0-82.9%     B-        0.00-62.9%    F

Computers: This is the new age and computers are just part of it. Feel free to use your laptops to take notes, look up important facts about our texts or follow-up on a research interest for any particular work we’re currently reading.  In other words, feel free to use the computer interactively to participate in class discussion.  But please, please, please, don’t use your laptops to casually surf the web, check Facebook, do other work, or otherwise dillydally or distract yourself from participating in my class. This class is only 50 minutes long, so I expect your full attention for those 50 minutes.  If I find you misusing your computer, I may call you out on it (which can be embarrassing); I may ask you to close your laptop and use a notebook for the rest of the class (or semester if it becomes a perennial problem): so don’t do it!

Sakai: Sakai is a web-based instructional environment that we’ll be using on a limited basis.  Primarily, I’ll use this platform to post your grades so that you know your standing in the class grade-wise.  You can access sakai here:  https://www.unc.edu/sakai/

You can access sakai using your university ONYEN and password.

Blogging: Some of our assignments will be submitted online rather than in paper format. For these assignments you will be posting your projects to this website.

Conferences: You are welcome and encouraged to come and see me any time during my office hours, or by appointment.

Plagiarism: The Instrument of Student Judicial Governance defines plagiarism as “the intentional representation of another’s words, thoughts, or ideas as one’s own” (4). I support the University’s policy on plagiarism.  I will not hesitate to report plagiarism to the Honor Court; if you are found guilty, you will face one semester suspension and will fail the course. See me if you have questions or doubts about what constitutes plagiarism.  Remember that all drafts and non-graded work are also subject to this policy (in addition to all graded materials).

Academic Etiquette: In addition to participating in all class activities (which include class discussions, group activities, impromptu presentations, etc.), I expect all students to refrain from non-productive activities during class time, such as IM-ing or emailing, carrying on extraneous conversations, or doing work for other classes.  Further, students will show respect for the course, the instructor, themselves, their classmates, and opinions that may differ from their own in deference to the educational atmosphere. If you fail to maintain appropriate academic etiquette relations with your class-mates or instructors, I may ask you to leave the class and if I do, you will be counted absent for that day, and you will not be able to make up any work you missed for that day.  If your behavior is in violation of the school Honor Code, I will contact the Dean of Students regarding the incident and you may be subject to further reprimand. In other words: BE KIND!

Honor Code: The students of The University of North Carolina have a long, proud tradition of honorable conduct, and I expect all students in this class to continue that tradition. Cheating, plagiarism, or other acts of academic misconduct will result in prosecution from the UNC Student Court, who may censure, suspend, or expel a guilty student. Because this course chiefly involves composition, be especially aware of the definition of plagiarism as explained in The Student Guide to English 100, 101 & 102. For more information, see the UNC Honor Code: http://honor.unc.edu/

Email:  You must use and check your UNC email—all other email addresses may have problems. Check your email early and often. It may have important announcements concerning assignments or class location changes. Failing to check your email is not an excuse for missing class announcements or assignments. If you think you are not getting emails, please contact ITS immediately to fix the problem.

Students with Disabilities: Any student in this course who has a disability that prevents the fullest expression of his or her abilities should contact me as soon as possible so that we can discuss class requirements and recommendations necessary to ensure full participation. Please see UNC’s Disability Services for more information: http://disabilityservices.unc.edu/

The Writing Center: The UNC Writing Center offers free tutoring services for students. You may visit the writing center to ask for help with a specific paper, whether you are concerned with developing ideas and content, organizing your assignment, or working on style issues. For more information visit http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/