American Literature 230

2006 FALL SEMESTER

Course Syllabus

Course Description:

This course will survey selected American authors representing the major periods, schools, and traditions in American literary history. We will cover texts from the eras before European colonization in the 1600s up through contemporary times. Our reading selections are taken from multiple genres (nonfiction, fiction, poetry, drama) and will be race- and gender-inclusive. Some attention will also be paid to the historical/cultural contexts of the literary periods.

Required Texts:

• The Norton Anthology of American Literature, shorter 6th ed.
• Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye.
• Some online texts and hand-outs (see Reading Schedule).

Grading:

• 3 essay exams (20% each)
• 2 papers (20% each). See Paper Assignments (online).

NOTE: All major assignments must be completed to pass the course.

Late Papers/Exams Policy:

Late papers will be graded down one letter grade for each day they are late.

Missed exams must be made up just as soon as possible. See me immediately when you return to class.

Extra Credit:

Extra credit (added on to your final grade) can be earned by completing one or more of the mini-assignments listed on the reading schedule and/or by attending the visiting writer events sponsored by the English Department. Up to 5 points (1 pt. per event/assignment) may be earned, with 5 points equaling a half-letter grade. The reports are due the week following the scheduled date of the event.

• Mini-assignment Reports: Write a 250-word paragraph summarizing the information you read or, for artwork, describing the images viewed. Then write a second 250-word paragraph relating that material to something we studied in class. You may also include a personal response in the second paragraph.
  
  
• Visiting writer Reports: Fill out the online Cultural Events Report Form.

Aside from grades, I urge all students to expand their knowledge and understanding of literature and its cultural contexts by sampling many or all of the approved activities.

NOTE: The reports must be sufficiently detailed and thoughtful to merit the extra credit.

Class Participation:

A successful class depends on your participation--your observations and questions and willingness to explore new ideas in relation to the assigned readings. Therefore, it is crucial that you keep up with the reading assignments. When you get in there and respond to what you have read, literature comes alive.

Attendance:

Attendance is required. Everyone has four pre-excused absences to cover official school business or those difficult times in life that interfere with class attendance, so you do not need to clear absences with me. However, it is a good idea to check with me (or a classmate) to make sure an assignment was not changed while you were gone.

Students who miss more than four classes may be dropped from the roster for "excessive absences."

Plagiarism Policy:

Academic honesty is expected of all students. I support the stated policies of the University and the English Department on penalties for plagiarism. Passing off anyone else's work (whether your roommate's or a published article) as your own may result in an F for that paper or an F for the course--or worse for the most egregious cases.

NOTE: I am always willing to help students who are making good faith efforts to do their own work.

Class Web Pages:

The class syllabus and research/writing assignments can be accessed online in the following ways:

• Nichols Home Page:
  http://members.cox.net/academia/nichols.html--scroll down to the link for our class. You can also "search" for my home page on the PSU page by typing in "Nichols Home Page."
  
  
• American Literature Syllabus:
  http://members.cox.net/academia/ALsyll.html--click on the links in the right-hand column of this page to access the daily "Reading Schedule" and other class pages. Click the BACK BUTTON (upper left corner) one or more times to return to your starting page.

The assumption is that the online assignments will be done in the Computer Classroom downstairs (Grubbs Hall 101) or elsewhere on campus, although you can probably do some of the assignments on your personal computer if you wish.

Some of the links on my web pages go to other pages I have created; you can recognize my pages by checking at the top or the bottom of the page for my email address. Other links go to pages created by other people. If their links do not work or their pages have been removed, there is nothing I can do about it (unfortunately), but check with me. Sometimes we can find an alternate address to use.

Go to: Reading Schedule

Return to: Nichols Home Page