EH 241

British Literature I

Instructor’s Contact Information

Name: Adam Crowley

Phone: 992-1980

E-mail: Crowleya@husson.edu

Blog: britishliteratureone.wordpress.com

 Office: 219 Meeting House

Office Hours: MWF 2-4; TR, 10-12. Also by Appt.

Catalog Description:

This course provides a study of canonical authors and works of the British Isles from medieval times to the modern era.

Specific Description:

This course is intended to introduce students to canonical European authors whose works reflected – and in some cases even instigated – major social and cultural changes within the British Isles and, later, the British Empire from the Medieval to Victorian eras. Students will engage actively texts and authors with a series of critical enterprises, which culminate in a final project that demonstrates firm familiarity with this general literary period.

Time: Tuesday and Thursday 02:00 PM 03:15 PM

Location: Peabody 226

Required Texts:

 Bunyan, John                          The Pilgrim’s Progress          

More  , Thomas                        The Utopia

Chaucer, Geoffrey                  Selected Canterbury Tales

Defoe, Daniel                          Robinson Crusoe

Shelly, Mary                            Frankenstein

Bronte, Charlotte                    Jane Eyre

Required Technology:

  • FirstClass email account.

  • I will only respond to e-mails that are written in a professional manner.

Other required materials:

  • A Three-ring binder. Bring this to class each day.

  • A notebook in which you will keep your in-class journal entries. Bring this to class each day with a blue or black pen along with your copy of the book.

Attendance Policy (derived from pg 27 in the Catalog):

  • Every student is expected to attend all scheduled class sessions, including final exams.  There are no excused absences. For a MWF class, you can miss four classes. The fifth absence is an automatic X grade.

  • Two tardy arrivals will count as one absence. As a rule of thumb, get to class 5 minutes early.

  • Please note:  Absences do not constitute a withdrawal.  Students formally withdraw from classes only by submitting a Course Withdrawal Form available from the Registrar’s Office or in the Registrar Conference in First Class.

Cell Phone and Lap Top and Ipad Policy:

  •  All cell phones must be turned off (NOT on vibrate or any other “stealth” feature. O-f-f. ) and be placed on the desk and not be tampered with during the class. Failure to adhere to this policy will result in your dismissal for the day, and you will be recorded as absent for that class.

  • Electronic devices of any sort — computers and the like — are only to be in class and turned on when I indicate.  They will not be present in this class.

 Professional Appearance:

  • No hats or coats will be worn in class

  • No hoodies are to be worn in class

  • You are to come to class dressed professionally at least once a week. Dress as you would for a job interview.

  • Soda and food is not allowed in class. Eat before you get here.

Your compliance with these standards will go towards your engagement grade.

Snow Days and Sick Days:

  • Class will be canceled if the university is closed or I am otherwise prevented from attending.  If class is canceled because I cannot be here, you will be notified through your first class e-mail.

Turning in Work:

  • Papers are due in person at the beginning of class on the day specified.  They must meet all the requirements listed on the writing prompt, including those of length and format. All papers must be accompanied by previous drafts.

  • There is no “late work” in this class because work that is not turned in on time will not be accepted. If you are absent, it is still your responsibility to e-mail me the required work.

Grading:

Journal/ Reading Quizzes                               10%

Individual Presentation                                   10%

Group Presentation                                         10%

Short Paper                                                     20%

Midterm                                                          10%

Long Paper                                                      30%

Final Examination                                           10%

 

Brief description of graded activities:

Journal/Quizzes:

We will be journaling every day in this class, and missed journal assignments cannot be made up. Entries will generally be on the topic of the reading that was assigned for our meeting. While I do not believe in trick questions, you can expect to be asked specific questions about the text. You will be “on call” to demonstrate a basic understanding of the material at all times.

Individual Presentations:

During our second week of classes, we will all be signing up for our individual presentations for the semester. These presentations will be 10 minutes long, and will occur throughout the semester. You will be presenting to the class on a particular aspect of a story or poem that interests you.  As part of your presentation, you will be facilitating classroom discussion. Specific instructions on the exact specifications for these presentations will be delivered to you shortly.

Group Activities:

During our third week of classes, we will all be signing up for our group presentations for the semester. These presentations will be 20 minutes long, and will occur throughout the semester. In groups of four, you will be presenting to the class on important historical and cultural information that you believe contextualizes a specific book or books that we will be reading this semester.

Short Research Paper:

Your short research paper will be 4-5 pages in length. It will offer a literary argument on one of the texts we have read by mid-semester. The paper will need to follow MLA conventions, and have at least four scholarly secondary sources.

Midterm:

The midterm examination will be an essay exam that asks you for meaningful reflections on specific texts that we will have read by the middle of the semester.

Long Research Paper:

This paper will build on your short research paper. It will propose a mature literary argument capable of sustaining the critical scrutiny of your peers. The length will be 7-8 pages, and you will need to use 8-10 secondary sources.

Final Exam:

The final examination will be an essay exam that will ask you to write detailed answers to questions that are focused on the materials we have covered since the midterm.

Grading Policies

·         All assignments will be graded on a standard letter-grade scale.

·         Late assignments will be downgraded one letter-grade per day late [including weekends].

·         Once assignments are handed back to students, no further late assignments will be accepted.

·         The student must complete all assignments to pass the course.

·         All papers must be typed.

·         An act of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will result in an F for the course grade.

·         Students MUST contact the instructor prior to the due date of an assignment if they have any problems with the assignment.

Accommodation Plans:

  • Husson University makes every attempt to reasonably accommodate those who request accommodations and provide evidence of a disability.  Such efforts accord with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. In order to request disability-related services at Husson students must self-identify to Dean Wilson-Barker, and provide appropriate and up-to-date documentation to verify their disability or special needs.  After the accommodations have been approved by Dean Wilson-Barker, in order to obtain them, the student must notify the instructor by providing the accommodation plan. Depending upon the nature of the request, the instructor may then coordinate with Dean Wilson-Barker to fulfill the plan.  If you have any questions regarding reasonable accommodations or need to request disability-related services, please contact Dean Wilson-Barker in the Dean of Students Office in Peabody Hall room 208, or call (207) 992-1934, or e-mail wilsonbarkers@husson.edu.

Academic Honesty:

  • Students and faculty in colleges and universities seek new knowledge and insights. There is so much to learn and know that we must build on the work of each other.  Academic integrity is essential to that building process.  We rely on each other, therefore, to specify what we know, how we know it, or where we found it.  Underlying this reliance is an obligation to be honest, forthright, and civil in all dealings with fellow student, staff, and faculty.  Behavior inconsistent with these obligations in the context of this course will not be tolerated.

  • Cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, collusion, and assaultive, demeaning or disruptive behavior are all examples of behavior that fall below the norms of academic integrity.  A student who engages in any such behavior will be immediately dismissed with a failing grade from the course. Such behavior will also result in additional penalties, including suspension or dismissal from the student’s program, School, or the University.

  • If I determine that a violation of academic integrity has occurred, I will record the finding in a report and meet with the student to discuss the findings and proposed sanctions.  The student may appeal the findings to the Dean of Science and Humanities within 10 business days of the scheduled meeting with the instructor.  Uncontested sanctions or those supported by the Dean will become a matter of record on the student’s file and be retained for the duration of the student’s attendance at Husson

 Written Work Preparation:

Students’ papers should meet the following guidelines:

  • ALL work should be typed

  • Font size should be 12

  • Margins should be 1” (do not justify the right margin)Text should all be double spaced

  • First page should include students’ name and assignment identification

  •  Citations to material must be in MLA Style

Grading System:

The system of evaluating a student’s achievement at Husson is by letter grade with the following percentage equivalents:

A                     95-100             [this means outstanding]

A-                    90-94

B+                   87-89

B                     83-86               [this means exceptional]

B-                    80-82

C+                   77-79

C                     73-76               [this means normal!]

C-                    70-72

D+                   67-69

D                     63-66

D-                    60-62

F                      Below 60

Other grades you may encounter include:

E          Exited without withdrawing (student disappeared from class during first four weeks of semester)

WW     Withdrew before midterm (no grade is given)

WP      Withdrew Passing

WF      Withdrew Failing

X         Credit Denied for Excessive Absences

WA     Administrative Withdrawal

I           Incomplete

Q         Audit

This course will draw on much that you have learned in General Education courses.  Specifically, you will, among other things, be asked to do the following:

  • read materials with comprehension,

  • write clearly

  • cite sources in accord with the MLA-style sheet,

  • document all uses of material you did not invent yourself,

  • present material orally so that it is clear and comprehensible,

  • contribute to small-group and team work projects,

  • think critically about all material received or presented through methods including historical and analytic,

  • employ evidence-based reasoning,

  • carry out studies in accord with generally accepted scientific or social-scientific methods,

  • demonstrate an understanding of the psychology of audiences for your work,

  • employ quantitative methods when appropriate (mathematical and statistical),

  • demonstrate an understanding of cultures other than your own and a sensitivity to the views of people different from you, and at all times behave like the professional you aspire to be.

FERPA:

  • Your academic work and integrity is protected under law by FERPA. As a result, I can and will ONLY discuss your work and progression in private with you, and will not discuss any of your relevant academic information without anyone else other than university officials, unless you get a FERPA waver for the person or persons you want me to talk to. This is to protect your privacy. If you have further questions on this matter, please do not hesitate to ask.