Instructor: Cathlena Martin
Email: cathlena@ufl.edu
Section: 1830
Office: 5th floor Rolfs or image lab
Office Hours: Wednesday, period 7 or by appointment
Mailbox: 4301 Turlington
Classroom: FLI-111 period 6 MWF
Class website: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/cmartin

Class Gradebook: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/~cmartin/gradebook/

Class listserve email: f03-1830@clas.ufl.edu

To sign up on the listserve, email f03-1830-request@clas.ufl.edu. Be sure and type "subscribe" in the body of the email text to sign up.

This course is a survey of English literature from the Romantic period to the present day, and, as such, we will be reading and writing about a great variety of works in order to get a sense of the development of English literature in this time span. Since literature reveals the workings of culture, we shall endeavor to create an ongoing conversation on the nature of those workings as we piece together the conversation in which the work itself participates. To this end, I have incorporated many of the Longman Anthology’s “Perspectives” sections into the course (see the course schedule below), which feature a number of authors writing on a particular issue or in response to a specific work.

Also, because this survey of British Literature follows the rise of Children’s Literature, we will be incorporating various children’s texts into the class as well. These texts will go from the beginning of modern children’s literature, through the golden age of children’s literature in Britain, and into the postmodern writings in which we question intended audience. These readings will facilitate discussion about the views of childhood within each historical period. As we progress through adult literature, we will also watch the progression of children’s literature, sometimes not being able to see a distinction as lines are blurred and boundaries are crossed.

The goal of this course is encourage an understanding of each individual work with the larger context of English literature and, by doing so, learn how to read poetry, drama, and fiction critically. In order to communicate these interpretations, we will also focus on how to write about literature. Thus the goal in this endeavor is to construct essays that write about these genres in a thoughtful, convincing, and effective manner.

Achievement of Course Objectives:

Classroom explanations and discussions will guide you through the reading and writing assignments. You will also receive help in one-on-one conferences and peer editing sessions. Because this class fulfils the Gordon Rule, you will be asked to write a minimum of 6000 words over the course of the semester. You will also need to do the following:

Keep up with reading and writing assignments. Because this is a survey class, there is an immense amount of reading. I repeat, keep up with the reading.

The following books are available at Georings Bookstore :

· Damrosch, David et. al. The Longman Anthology of British Literature. Vol. II. 2nd Edition.
· Russell, David L. Literature for Children: A Short Introduction
· Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein; or a Modern Prometheus.

The Allan Moore graphic novel is availible at Florida Bookstore Volume II on 34th Street.
· Moore, Allan. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Vol I. DC Comics.

The following books will be availible at Goerings, but you may buy them anywhere you like:

Carter, Angela. Burning Your Boats: The Collected Short Stories (ISBN 0140255281)
Dickens, Charles. Hard Times.

Do all assignments before a class session begins (by class, you should have read the text selections listed on the syllabus for that day).

Participate in class discussions and editing sessions. Bring texts to class and take notes.


Grade Breakdown:

Class Policies and Requirements:
Attendance:
Because class attendance is critical to your understanding of class material, you are allowed only three unexcused absences over the course of the semester. After three unexcused absences, your final grade average will be dropped a letter grade for every day missed. An absence due to illness or family crisis may be excused if properly documented to my satisfaction. In addition, if you participate in a university-sponsored event (music, theater, field trip, or athletics), you must provide me with documentation from an appropriate authority. Whether or not an absence is excused, you are responsible for contacting a classmate or me to find out what material you missed and any work that was assigned. If work is due in class on the day of the absences, the work is due in my mailbox by 4pm that day.
Tardies (arriving late in class or departing class early) are not acceptable because it is disruptive, and, beyond any excused tardies, class participation grade and overall grade will be affected (3 tardies = 1 absence).

Class Participation:
In addition to attending class, you are also expected to contribute class discussions and participate in workshop sessions with your peers. Learning is not a solitary process, but one that necessarily involves others and I thus consider class participation a very important part of achieving this class’s goals.

Quizzes:
If I think that the class is not doing the reading assignments, I will begin giving quizzes at the beginning of every class. If you are reading the texts as we progress though the semester, you should do fine.

Exams:
We will have one exam for two periods of literature (Romantic and Victorian) that we are covering in this course. The exam will include a take-home essay portion (see below) and an in-class portion. The in-class part of the exam will be made up of quotation identifications and short answer questions from the period being studied.
The third and final exam will have the usual identifications and short answers, but the essay for this exam will be cumulative and will be more of a final paper than an essay. You will choose your own topic for the final paper.

Essays:
For the essay portion of the exam, I will give out three essay questions or prompts from which you may choose your topic. Before the first exam we will go over some sample questions so that you have an idea of what they will be like and what I will be expecting. If you look at the schedule, below you will notice that each exam falls on a Monday. I will give out the questions that Friday and the essay will due on the following Monday of the exam. Each essay will be no less that 1,200 words (around 5 pages).

Format:
All work is due at the beginning of class on the day it is due. All major essays should be typed on only one side of 8 ½” x 11” white paper, MLA format, stapled, and be in Times New Roman 12 point font. On days when drafts are due (workshop days), you must bring two copies of your paper to class. These copies should be clean, typed papers (the same format as the final draft) and already well edited by you. This will only apply to your final paper. I will not accept any papers that are not in this format.

Journals: You will keep a reading journal for the entire semester. For each class period that you have assigned reading (almost everyday) you will write a one page response journal on the reading. If we are reading more that one work, you may select the work you choose to write on. The journal will help you study for the exams, be a resource for future classes, and give you a jumping off point for class discussion. Journals are to be typed in MLA format and printed out for everyclass period. They should be in Times New Roman 12 point font and have an MLA works cited line as the paper's heading.


Listserv Participation:
At the beginning of the term, I will set up a class email listerv. Each student must email at least six original responses to an upcoming reading assignment and six responses to others’ responses. While these posts need not be polished pieces of writing, I do expect a certain amount critical thought. The idea here is raise issues about a particular reading or group of readings for the class to think about before we discuss. Responses will be graded out of ten, with a ten being equivalent to a check for completion. Each post will be no less than 200 words. You may duplicate work from your journal and post it on the listserve.

University and Departmental Policies

Gordon Rule:
All work must be completed for a grade since the work assigned fulfills the Gordon Rule, which stipulates that students are to write a minimum of 6000 words that receive feedback, are graded, and give experience in various types of writing important in disciplines, workplace, and civic areas.

Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is the unacknowledged borrowing of someone else’s work and is a serious offense with serious consequences. Plagiarism will result in a failing grade on the paper in question and can possibly result in a failure for the course. Please consult the University of Florida’s Honor Code for a thorough description (www.dso.ufl.edu/stg/code_of_conduct.html).
Academic honesty requires that all work presented in this class be the student’s own work. Evidence of collusion (working with another student or tutor) or plagiarism (use of another’s ideas, data and statement without acknowledgment and/or extensive use of another’s ideas, data and statements with only minimal acknowledgment) will lead to the procedures set up by the university for academic dishonesty in the Honor Court. There is a clear distinction between learning new ideas and presenting them as facts or as answers, and presenting them as one’s own idea. Unless the work assigned is specifically designed to be completed in groups, all work must be individual.

UF Computer and Software Requirement:
The following is the official UF policy on the student computer requirement:
Access to and on-going use of a computer will be required for all students to complete their degree programs successfully. Effective with the Summer B 1998 term, the University of Florida expects each student entering the junior year, as well as each student new to the university, to acquire computer hardware and software appropriate to his or her degree program. Competency in the basic use of a computer is a requirement for graduation. Class assignments may require use of a computer, academic advising and registration can be done by computer, and official university correspondence is often sent via e-mail.
While the university offers limited access to computers through its computer labs, most students will be expected to purchase or lease a computer that is capable of dial-up or network connection to the Internet, graphical access to the World Wide Web, and productivity functions such as word processing and spreadsheet calculation.
Refer to the UF Computer and Software Requirement page for any questions (http://www.circa.ufl.edu/computers/) as well as the CLAS computer policy (http://www.clas.ufl.edu/clasnet/student-computers/).

Classroom Dynamics:
Because class participation relies heavily on individuals feeling comfortable expressing their opinions, you must always show respect for the diversity of opinions expressed in this class. You must also demonstrate respect for gender, racial, class, and ethnic differences among your colleagues and instructor.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when requesting accommodation.

Challenging a Grade:
Any complaints about separate assignments should be addressed to me and not to the English Department. If you have any complaints on the final grade, you may see me or email me. If you find that you still have complaints after our meeting, you may express your complaints on a form in the English Department Office (4012 Turlington). The form and accompanying course material will be given to the Director of Writing Program Administration for further action. A review committee may decide to raise, lower, or keep the originally assigned grade. This decision is final. The material submitted will remain on file in the English Department Office.

Overview of Assignments:
These assignments are due in class on the dates indicated. There will be NO LATE assignments accepted. Also, there will be additional assignments and materials not indicated on this sheet (I will announce them in class), and both this schedule and individual assignments are subject to change. All readings are in the Longman anthology unless otherwise noted. (see schedule)