OFFICE HOURS: 11:30-12:20 or by appointment  NOTE: Please read this syllabus very carefully and ask questions about any item that is unclear to you. This syllabus is an agreement that defines our mutual expectations and responsibilities as instructors and students in this course.  

Course Texts

Required:

For Book Groups

1. Alvarez, Julia. In the Time of Butterflies. 
2. Carver, Raymond. Where I'm Calling From.
3. Dangarembga, Tsitsi. Nervous Conditions.
4. Obrien, Tim. Things They Carried.
5. Welch, James. Fools Crow.

Course Outcomes

Students will be challenged to:

Responsibility Outcomes

A critical step in becoming a truly educated individual is that of taking responsibility for one's own learning. The following outcomes address this step:

Class Procedures and Requirements

    1.   Readings and Reading Journal

A reading journal related to each week's assignments is required.  See Readings.

    2.  On-line Seminars

Once a week, all students are required to participate in a small group seminar typically mid-week. This will take place with the Norton Connect software. What this means is that you will need to be available  for discussion on Wednesdays.  Our seminars focus on the week's readings and lectures, so it is imperative to attend well-prepared. Read assignments carefully, marking important or difficult passages, and take notes in the margin; write down questions you have. Active participation is required and evaluated.  

    3.  Seminar  Papers

In addition to participating in the seminar discussion, you must bring a completed seminar paper. A seminar paper is a 300-500 word analytical response to a topic question designed by the instructors. It must be submitted according to manuscript form --first page without a title page. Use your handbook to help with formatting.

    4.  Research Essays

Academic writing most often requires research.  Therefore many papers will require using either the text and/or outside sources; all students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of basic research and documentation skills.  Three longer papers will require this type of research.  All papers should use MLA documentation form.

    5.  Discussion Board

Each week students are expected to respond to the week's rhetorical handout and question.

    6.  Web Portfolio

At the end of class, each student will have been expected to compile a list of links, a review and an in-depth research project on the author of choice.

    7.  Assessment Activities

In addition to writing assignments and class discussion, there will be several quizzes, both announced and unannounced, class activities, and self-evaluation opportunities. These cannot be made-up except as noted below. Each assignment will be worth a certain number of points, and the total points for the quarter will be the basis for your final grade. These points will be converted to percentages and ultimately decimal grades based on the Community Colleges of Spokane's grading scale (see catalog).  Students should keep a record of grades and all of your work in a portfolio. This portfolio will be the basis for at least one self-assessment assignment.

Participation and Attendance

1. Participation and good attendance are essential to any literature or composition class.  Meeting deadlines and attendance at the class meetings are mandatory. 
2. Late Work and Withdrawals -- To receive credit for a seminar paper, please turn it in at the time and date specified on the calendar.  Students cannot attend their seminar if they do not have their seminar papers completed.  

Seminar papers will not be accepted late; however, to allow for the unexpected, you may turn in one seminar paper late without excuse or penalty if you submit it within one week of its due date. To do this, you must attach your Official Free Assignment Submission Form to the late assignment. No late assignments can be accepted without this form. If you submit all seminar papers on time (in other words, if you do not use your late-paper option), I will change your lowest seminar paper grade to full points.

There is NO late paper option for the research essays. You will know their due dates well in advance and, therefore, should be able to plan for the unexpected. You should be aware that I do not give "Z" grades. If you stop attending the class, or you decide to stop attending school altogether, please withdraw officially. If you are ill and cannot come to campus, SCC can assist you in such a situation.

Grading

Accessing your grades - To encourage you to take ownership of your progress in class, we will use web grading. You can access your grades at

-- https://secure.scc.spokane.edu/vgb/

Your user name is the first initial of your first name combined with your last name. For example, mine would be jstrever. Your password is the last four numbers of your student i.d.

Grades are updated each Monday and Tuesday. It is your responsibility to check your own progress.

If you have questions or concerns about a particular grade, please use the comment feature in the gradebook to notify me of the concern.  Also, please notify me within one week of the publication of the grade, so that we can stay current. We will not go back further than that, so please stay on task.