Syllabus (PDF)
This is a HASSD -CI course. Like other communications-intensive courses in the humanities, arts, and social sciences, it allows students to produce 20 pages of polished writing with careful attention to revision. It also offers substantial opportunities for oral expression, through presentations of written work, student-led discussion, and class participation. The class has a low enrollment that ensures maximum attention to student writing and opportunity for oral expression, and a writing fellow/tutor is available for consultation on drafts and revisions.
Baym, Nina, et al, eds. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Shorter 5th ed. New York: Norton, 1999.
Morrison, Toni. Jazz. New York: Plume, 1998.
Attendance and Participation (20 %)
This is a discussion course where your attendance and participation in class are vital to your success and that of the group. Bring your text to class and be prepared to read aloud, debate vigorously, listen, and enjoy. If you must miss class, please notify me beforehand of the fact by phone, email, or in person; you are responsible for the information you missed. Any absence deducts a percentage point from your final grade: two latenesses count as one absence. Repeated absences will lead to a formal warning and can affect your grade and status in the class. If you have a conflict, like a recitation, lab, sports commitment, or job that meets during this class, you should not take the course.
This grade is based on classroom attendance and participation; on participation in an online discussion forum (two weekly postings and at least one weekly response); and on brief inclass reports to open discussion (each student will be responsible for one discussion opening).
Written Work (80 %)
Essays and Revisions: You are required to write four essays and one revision. You may also revise other essays, if you choose. Each essay and revision will receive a separate grade. Your grade will represent an average of the four best pieces of work (20% each).
Essays and revisions are due at the beginning of class on the day assigned. In a course that depends so much on timing (i.e. getting the papers in, getting back comments in time to revise before the next essay is due), it is better to hand in something less than perfect than to delay. All revisions should include a brief statement summarizing the process of revision.
Essays must be typed or word-processed, double-spaced, and adequately margined, should include a title, and need to observe the conventions of grammar and spelling.
Plagiarism attacks the freedom and integrity of thought. Especially in a class that will depend to some extent on online research, you must know what constitutes plagiarism and avoid it. The Literature Department has formulated this statement and policy for all plagiarism cases:
Plagiarism- use of another's intellectual work without acknowledgement- is a serious offense. It is the policy of the Literature Faculty that students who plagiarize will receive an F in the subject, and that the instructor will forward the case to the Committee on Discipline. Full acknowledgement for all information obtained from sources outside the classroom must be clearly stated in all written work submitted. All ideas, arguments, and direct phrasings taken from someone else's work must be identified and properly footnoted. Quotations from other sources must be clearly marked as distinct from the student's own work.
MIT's academic honesty policy can be found at the following link:
http://web.mit.edu/policies/10.0.html
Students meet regularly (before each written assignment is due) with the course tutor to go over drafts and revisions. These meetings are required, and attendance will be taken. Meetings will take place at a regular time. Come prepared with notes, outlines, or drafts to discuss.