|
Eng. 261 Syllabus continued
Timeline for Assessments
Assignment Due Date Points/Value
Grading scale: 1000-970 A+ 970-930 A 920-900 A- 870-890 B+ 860-830 B 820-800 B- 770-790 C+ 740-760 C 700-730 C- 650-690 D 0-650 F
Textbook and required materials
Mary K. DeShazer, The Longman Anthology of Women’s Literature. New York: Longman, 2001. Linda Hogan, Solar Storms. New York: Scribner, paperback, 1995. E-Reserve Readings
Assignments and Evaluation Methods:
In class exercises. 5 unannounced in-class exercises will be assigned to assess your progress in learning.
Reading Journal. Students will be required to write a minimum of 40 pages of analysis of the assigned readings during the semester. This page count assumes 3 typed double spaced pages per week for 13 1/2 weeks on standard size paper (8 1/2 x 11), considering about 250 words per page. If you prefer to hand write your journal, that’s fine, but figure out the average number of words per page in your writing and turn in the equivalent of 40 pages). I will collect the reading journal in September and December, giving comments designed to help students improve critical reading and writing skills.
Your journal should include at least 1-2 sentences on each of the assigned readings, including an entry for each short story, poem, essay, or play listed as required reading. I will expect longer, more comprehensive entries for the novels and longer works. Students may include personal reflections related to themes discussed in class or in the readings. The objective of this journal is to ensure that you read all the assigned material thoughtfully and practice good analytical writing skills and self-reflection. My evaluation will be focused primarily on assessing the specifics and accuracy of your comments on the required readings. Please write in complete sentences. You may not include drafts of assigned papers or class notes on lectures and class discussions as part of this 40 page assignment. Keep class notes in a separate part of your notebook; they will not count as part of your journal’s page count.
Paper 1 (10%): 1-2 page autobiographical essay describing one specific episode in your life that illustrates one factor that defined your gender identity at the time or now. Identify one event in your life that led you to a deeper understanding of what it meant to be a “woman” or “man,” describe it specifically, and tell how one of the following forces shaped you through family interactions, religion, class/ economic factors, “race,” sexuality, politics, or geographical location. (Note: “society” is not included). Begin your essay by specifically describing your experience and then outline how and what your learned about your “gender lesson.” Write as specifically as possible in describing the autobiographical event and show how it led you to draw conclusions about your proper gender role. (SLO 2, 3, 4, 6, 8; and writing skills: 1, 6, narrative design; using specifics)
Paper 2 (10 %): Write a 2-3 page analytical paper, carefully written and revised, exploring how gender and/ or sexuality has been represented in the past or in a different cultural context, as determined by the author’s or character’s nationality, historical context, class, culture, or political identity. Specifics about the assignment description, grading guidelines and suggested paper topics will be provided. I will give you detailed written commentary on the content of your argument and writing style. (SLO 2, 3, 4, 6, 8; writing skills 2, 3, 4, 5)
Paper 3 (20 %): This assignment involves writing a 3-4 page analytical comparison. I will ask you to write an in-depth comparison that illustrates how gender and/or sexuality are represented as shaped by ethnicity, class, or “race” in some aspect of one or more of the assigned texts by an Afro-American, Native American, or Asian-American writer on our syllabus. (SLO 1, 2, 7, 8; writing skills 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
Prelim. Exam (10%): The test will include short answer type questions (1-2 sentences) and longer responses. It is designed for you to show your comprehension of basic themes and concepts in the assigned readings. (SLO 1-8; writing skills 1-6)
Final Exam (10%): The final exam will be a comprehensive essay or creative exercise. (SLO 1-8; writing skills 1-6).
|