Partial Snapshot Fall 2003 English 402 Class

THE TERM PAPER
There will be one semester paper on an aspect of short fiction. The 15-25 page paper (with documentation) will follow the standard format as established for English majors by the MLA style sheet. The paper will deal with literary analysis; biography and plot analysis may be used only as adjunct to literary interpretation.
Here are the relevant dates:
Class #5, Sep 9: Discussion of the Idea Proposal. The IP is a one-page description of your idea and plan of action (i.e., a proposal).
Class #7, Sep 16: Your Idea Proposal is due. Here's how you do it:

• browse through your text, looking for a writer whose writing attracts you; then, select a literary critical approach to use to write your paper; IF YOU NEED HELP UNDERSTANDING YOUR APPROACH, PLEASE SEE ME OR EMAIL ME! I CAN HELP YOU! I WILL HELP YOU!
  
• select one author's non-class work that appears in the texts (i.e., it's in your books, but not on our syllabus);
  
• read the introductory notes to your author, then read the work; next, choose a critical approach;
• now, think about what one major point about or derived from the work you will cover in your paper;
• next, think about three or four ideas you may have about that major point, based on the critical approach;
• finally, in one or two paragraphs, name and describe the critical approach you will use, name your author and work and tell me about your major theme and its three or four points.

e402/IP/Lname Fname

("Lname" = your last name; "Fname" = your first name. If I were sending an IP, my subject line would look like this: e402/IP/Worley, Lloyd )

These paragraphs will be your Idea Proposal (see below);
I will read your Idea Proposal and comment on it, then I will return it to you via eMail by hitting my "return" key; print out the approved IP; DON'T LOSE YOUR IDEA PROPOSAL! The Idea Proposal is not graded, but it is essential, since you will turn in the printout with your completed paper (a paper without an Idea Proposal attached is not accepted).

IMPORTANT: send your IP to me at this address: Prof@ProfW.com
DO NOT send your IP to the class list -- unless you want all your classmates to receive your IP.
Class # 17, Oct 21: The first draft of the paper is due. Your FD consists of two parts, an introduction and an outline. These are submitted on paper, not electronically. Here's how you do it.

• Read your outline, then your work, keeping in mind the critical approach you will be using, then decide how each of your three major ideas about your selected work fit.
  
• Using those three major ideas, assemble an outline of your proposed paper (your outline will consist entirely of your own major and minor ideas...no data yet).
  
• Now, to find the data for your ideas, go to the library and find at least one article in one scholarly journal that discusses and expands just one of your ideas as you presented them in the outline. This is a print articles, not an internet site. Note: the journal article does not have to relate directly to your author or work; a collateral article that helps you in your ideas will do the job.
  
• Do the same using an internet site.
• Using some information from your articles and using your own ideas, write an introduction for your paper in which you present the work from the angle as described in your Idea Proposal. Remember, the articles you use must appear in your Works Cited page.

PROBLEM: "I can't find any articles on my author's work." Well, sometimes that happens. If this happens to you, SEE ME, IN PERSON, RIGHT AWAY. Don't wait. Don't stall. Don't be "creative" with the paper. Don't email me about it ... come to see me in person right away.

• discuss your first draft with others; it is OK to talk with others about your paper, and it is OK to exchange ideas and to take suggestions; this is not plagiarism; you can even "footnote" a friend as a source of an idea;
• write your first draft; the first draft will have these parts:
  • your introduction of one or two pages (I want to see your writing)
    
  • the outline
    
  • a Works Cited page which lists the article you will use
    
  • an identification of your critical method.

BE SURE TO USE THE MLA FORMAT FOR YOUR DOCUMENTATION!

QUESTION: You mean that my first draft consists of an introduction, an outline, an identification of my critical method, and a works cited page? That's it?
ANSWER: Yes. That's it.

Class #25, Nov 18: Your final draft is due at the beginning of class.
Format for Final Draft:

• Title Page. Any style which gives paper title, your name, my name, class title, semester.
  
• Body of text, with pages numbered.
  
• Reference list. You must use documentation, following the standard MLA requirements for a documented paper written from sources. There is a link for MLA Format guidance on the ProfW home page.
• How many different sources should you have? I recommend approximately one per two pages. For a 15 page paper, there would be approximately six or seven different sources. NOT MORE THAN HALF OF YOUR SOURCES MAY BE FROM INTERNET SITES.
• signed Idea Proposal.
  
• signed first page of your first draft. ATTACH ONLY THE FIRST PAGE! DO NOT ATTACHED THE ENTIRE FIRST DRAFT!
  
• Staple in the upper left-hand corner. DO NOT PUT THE PAPER IN A COVER OF ANY KIND! DO NOT USE A PAPER CLIP!

Late papers cannot be accepted. If your paper is late, click HERE.

The TESTS
There are two major tests--a mid-term and a final during Finals Week. The tests will follow the "multiple choice" format. You will need to know

• authors
• time periods
• literary summaries
• literary analyses regarding form, function, and content.

Learn these terms on your own -- don't wait for class discussion or, worse, a pop quiz.

GRADING
In general, I use the grading procedure as outlined by the Department of English at UNC. Grading procedures are available in the Department of English. Additionally, every assignment and test is graded with the course objectives in view, my question being: is this student progressing toward the achievement of the objects of English 365, as listed above? I keep cumulative grades, with 89.5-100=A, 79.5-89=B, etc. I use a computer gradebook.

Your semester grade will be derived from...

• class quizzes = 10% of your semester grade;
  
• your term paper = 35% of your semester grade;
  
• your mid-term = 20% of your semester grade; and...
  
• your final = 35% of your semester grade.

ABSENCES
I take attendance regularly. Generally, if you are absent on the day something is due or for a discussion session on something in your textbook, you lose the points for that day. Lost points can't be made up. Missed quizzes can't be made up. The points are gone.

Please note: If you are ill (sore throat, cough) and obviously infectious, please stay home! Get better and don't spread what you've got! Believe me, I'll understand when you tell me. I'll help you catch up when you return, we'll figure out something for missed quizzes, and your grateful classmates will fill you in on missed class notes.

If you have been absent, please offer me an explanation when you return. Don't penalize yourself for something legitimate. The definition of "just cause" includes such things as personal and family illness (see above) and sponsored school activity. Visiting relatives or friends, birthday celebrations, early exit for holidays, and so forth likely will not qualify as "just cause." Don't tell me before an absence that you will be absent - see me after the absence (this does not apply to official UNC athletic absences, in which case you will have an official absence sheet for me).

I require that first drafts written outside class be word processed. Final drafts of anything must be word processed so that you can send to me your file as an attachment to email.¹
Of course, material written in class is handwritten.

PLAGIARISM AND STATEMENT OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Plagiarism is the presenting of someone else's work, whether in whole or in part, verbatim or paraphrased, as your own. Documentation of sources prevents this problem. Otherwise, plagiarism is theft of intellectual property and is considered by the academic community as a serious offense. I will use your electronic file to check for plagiarism. The penalty for plagiarism will be an F in the course, with the case being submitted to UNC's Chief Disciplinary Officer for further action.
Cheating on an exam or quiz is also a serious offense. The penalty for cheating will be an F in the course, with the case being submitted to UNC's Chief Disciplinary Officer for further action.

STATEMENT CONCERNING DISABILITY ACCESS
I support and cooperate with UNC's Disability Access Center. The following statement is issued from the Disability Access Center:

Students with disabilities who believe they may need accommodations in this class/program are encouraged to contact the Disability Access Center (970-351-2289) as soon as possible to better ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.

For further information, contact:

The Semester's Work

²And remember: backup, backup, backup! If you don't make both a backup file and a backup hard copy, your computer is certain to derail your paper five minutes before it is due! Papers that are late because of a computer snafu are, nevertheless, late. PLEASE! Back up your file.