Introduction to Literature:
Social Justice

• We will read literature of various types, all bearing on the theme of social justice (see below). The course has three purposes: (1) to increase your social awareness, (2) to help you learn to read better, and (3) to help you learn to discuss literature intelligently. The principal method of teaching will be small-group discussion, guided by study questions and follwed daily by an informal oral report from each discussion group. There will be a midterm examination and a comprehensive final examination. Daily preparation for the class meetings will figure prominently in your grade. An average of two hours of homework is expected for each hour of classroom instruction for every course in the university.

• As a General Education course in the Artistic and Literary domain, English 1590 aims to fulfill especially the following General Education goals (there is no "intensive" component for this course):
1. To help you learn to write effectively [This goal will be addressed by weekly homework assignments and in-class writing about assigned readings. The companion goal, speaking effectively, is not stressed, but you will be expected to participate in both small- and large-group discussions, which, it is hoped, will provide useful experience in communicating orally with your peers. Written communication, on the other hand, including essay-style exams, will account for a significant portion of your grade.]
4. To understand the personal and social importance of ethical reflection and moral reasoning [This goal is made explicit by the subtitle of the course, "Social Justice." Frankenstein examines justice principally on the private, personal level but also touches on institutional justice (legal and religious) and justice in the abstract. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn examines the institution of slavery, and The Lady of the Camellias invites questions about the difference, if any, between morality and social justice.  The course examines some of the causes of this phenomenon. Writing assignments are designed to acquaint you with how writers seek to awaken in their readers admiration of right action and aversion to selfishness, self-righteousness, bigotry, and the arrogant abuse of power.]
8. To grasp and appreciate artistic expression in multiple forms and contexts. [This is a particularly important goal in my efforts as teacher; I am very interested in demonstrating aesthetic principles which are shared by various genres and media.]
9. To understand the relationships between physical, mental, and emotional well-being and the quality of life of the individual, the family and the community. Students recognize the interdependent nature of the individual, family, and society in shaping human behavior and determining quality of life. They understand that mental, physical and emotional well-being are interconnected, make informed decisions about life-style choice, and apply this knowledge to their own well-being and that of others.

 

Course Requirements

1. Homework Time: Two hours of preparation (reading, writing, thinking) will be expected for each class hour. This is a reading course, and reading well means REreading, which will be time-consuming.
2. Kinds of Graded Work: There will be a midterm examination, a final examination, homework/classwork exercises, and daily quizzes on the readings. A journal (optional) may replace the quiz grade, but if you keep a journal, you must keep it for the whole term, not just for a day or two when you are absent.
3. Examinations will require essay answers and will test both your acquaintance with the assigned works and your understanding of them. Grammar, spelling, and punctuation count on examinations.
4. Class participation is a component of the final grade. Attendance is not required in itself, but to participate you must be present. Please arrive on time. If you happen to be absent on a day when there is a quiz or in-class writing, you may not make up the material.
5. Make-ups: A test may be made up upon sufficient cause if arrangements are made beforehand. Quizzes cannot be made up. Journals are collected once a week—only on the day specified. If you miss a scheduled submission date for the journal, you do not receive credit for that week, but your work for that week need not be considered entirely wasted; it can amplify your submission for the next week.
6. Due-Dates: Assignments are due at the beginning of the class meeting on the due-date. Homework assignments are to be kept current; late homework will not be accepted. In emergencies, homework may be submitted via e-mail.
7. Proficiency in English: According to the YSU Bulletin (the "catalogue"), lack of proficiency in English is grounds for lowering a student's grade in any course in the university
8. Students with Disabilities: In accordance with university procedure, if you have a documented disability and require accommodations to obtain equal access in this course, please contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Disability Services at the beginning of the semester or when given an assignment for which an accommodation is required. Students with disabilities must verify their eligibility through the Office of Disability Services (941-3370) intake procedure.

Paper Format

Papers are to be written on YSU theme paper (available at the check-out counter of the Bookstore) or typed or word-processed on heavy bond with one-inch margins on all four edges. Number all pages in the upper right-hand corner, using Arabic numerals (normal numbers), without punctuation. Give every essay a title. If you use a word-processor, please employ ordinary word-wrap, NOT the even ("justified") right margin. Always proofread papers ALOUD before turning them in. In emergencies, essays may be submitted via e-mail.

Grading

Choose percentages within the ranges shown, and fill out both this portion of the syllabus and the lower duplicate, which I will cut off and retain. Check the addition; the percentages should add up to 100%. If you do not return a copy of this sheet, the following formula will be used: Examinations 45%; Class Participation, In-Class Writing, & Homework 25%, Preparation 30%.
____ % Examinations (40%-65%) This component consists of the midterm examination (1/3) and the final examination (2/3).
____ % Class Participation, In-Class Writing, and Homework (5%-30%)
30 % Preparation: This component is measured by daily quizzes (memory questions) or, optionally, by a reading journal recording your reactions to the readings (not mere memory work). The lower score will be ignored.

Grades on quizzes and journals are derived thus: Of the total possible number of points,
75%-100% =A; 65%-74% =B; 50%-64% =C; 40%-49% =D

Grades on in-class writing and homework are determined by the raw point score so that there is no penalty for poor performance on an exercise that is not to your liking. There will be sufficient exercises to allow all diligent students to earn the grades they desire provided that they possess skills of some description.
45 points and up =A; 35-44 =B; 25-34 =C; 15-24 =D

All writing except quizzes (which are very brief and not expected to be polished) will be graded on
 

Students will decide how they want to weight the various components of the course grade. They choose percentages within the ranges shown, and fill out both this portion of the syllabus and the lower duplicate, which I will cut off and retain. Check the addition; the percentages should add up to 100%.

____ % Examinations (40%-65%) This component consists of the midterm examination (1/3) and the final examination (2/3).
____ % Class Participation, In-Class Writing, and Homework (5%-30%)
30 % Preparation: This component is measured by daily quizzes (memory questions) or, optionally, by a reading journal recording your reactions to the readings (not mere memory work). The lower score will be ignored.

If a student does not return a copy of this sheet, the following formula will be used:

Examinations 45%; Class Participation, In-Class Writing, & Homework 25%, Preparation 30%.

The grade of "Incomplete" is not awarded unless the student requests it and the reasons appear justifiable and beyond the student's control.  If not completed within one year, it converts to F.