SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY 1818 Advanced College Credit Program

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1 Instructor: Mr. Doug Jameson SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY 1818 Advanced College Credit Program ENG x190 Advanced Strategies of Rhetoric and Research ENG x202 Introduction to Literary Studies Hazelwood West High School AP Senior English Course Syllabus Fall 2010 / Spring 2011 Contact Information: Voic ext djameson@hazelwoodschools.org (Primary) djameson@slu.edu Web: (High Schools -> West -> Mr. Jameson) Course Description: This year-long, honors course is a thematic, cross-cultural approach to world literature. It is designed to be a college/university-level course and will provide you with the intellectual rigor consistent with typical undergraduate English literature and composition courses. Emphasis is on the development of the skills of analytical reading, critical thinking, and research methodology. This course fosters the experience of reading, analyzing, and enjoying literary texts. It will introduce you to methods of analyzing literature and to the basic concepts and terminology of literary criticism. It also offers you the opportunity to improve your speaking, writing, and research skills. We will study the more complex structures of language with respect to their logical and persuasive possibilities and work to help you integrate your own reasoned opinions with the fruits of reading and research in order to produce coherent, persuasive essays. Reading and writing emphasis will be analytical and critical in nature. Reading materials will come from various genres and periods, concentrating on works of recognized literary merit. Writing assignments will focus on the process of composing written discourse, both formal and informal, for academic, professional, and public audiences. Significant attention will be given to generating, shaping, and editing the written word in its preliminary stages. We will focus on methods of research, invention, organization, audience analysis, and style as you integrate your personal experiences with the academic knowledge gained throughout a college curriculum. The use of MLA (Modern Language Association) formatting is emphasized. Over the course of the semester, you should become increasingly aware of the decisions you must make in order to communicate effectively in specific rhetorical situations, and of the complex nature of the writing process. Effective writing emerges out of consistent practice, multiple drafts, and careful

2 editing. Without developing these intellectual habits, you cannot expect to communicate effectively in writing. There are two options for earning college credit via this course: 1) Six hours of 1818 credit from Saint Louis University may be available (three each semester) pending the successful completion of both semesters and tuition payment (Course information can be found at the top of the syllabus). 2) At least three hours may be earned by scoring a 3, 4, or 5 on the AP English Literature and Composition exam in May. No matter which option you choose, you MUST contact your potential colleges/universities and verify what types of credit they will accept. Course Expectations: All rules and procedures found in the school behavior guide should be followed, of course. In addition, I expect that you attend class every day on time, complete assignments on time, and are always prepared, attentive, and willing to participate. In order for this class to function smoothly and for you to benefit the most, you will need to be an active participant in discussions, complete reading assignments carefully and on time, and actively work to critique and revise your writing. Major writing assignments can be turned in by hand during class or via by midnight on the due date. However, I am not responsible for lost s. If you have any doubts, it would behoove you to double check that my address is correct, verify that the is in your sent items, ask for a delivery/read receipt (if your program has this capability), and/or bring a copy to our next class meeting. I want you to leave this course having grown as a writer, reader, and thinker. I also expect that if you are having difficulties on any level, you seek my assistance either through a conference, , or chat after class. Course Content: The thematic organization of this course allows for the addition and subtraction of texts as the year progresses. Our year consists of 9-week quarters; you should expect to never be without a reading assignment or an essay due date. Reading Assignments: The reading materials covered in this course will build upon reading done in previous courses. You will read works from around the world written between the sixteenth and twenty-first centuries. While covering a wide range of genres and periods, you will most importantly focus on becoming intimately familiar with a few works. In addition, you will read a variety of non-fiction essays as well as peer writing samples. While these will cover a wide range of topics, you will most importantly focus on becoming intimately familiar with compositional style and purpose.

3 If you are unaccustomed to literature and composition courses you will need to make sure you plan carefully for the amount of reading and writing required in this course. The works you will read and create require careful, deliberate attention. Please consider obtaining a personal copy of the various novels, plays, epics, poems, and short fiction used in the course so that you may actively make notes as you read. You may purchase new or used copies from a local bookstore or an online retailer. Please review the syllabus and take into consideration the dates these books will be needed in class to avoid ordering / shipping delays. Books may also be checked out from the English Department or from the school/local library. Some works may even be available online. Text Information: Supplementary Texts: Faigley, Lester. Writing: A Guide for College and Beyond. New York: Longman, Munger, David. 80 Readings for Composition. 2 nd Ed. New York: Longman, Shea, Renée H., Lawrence Scanlon, and Robin Dissin Aufses. The Language of Composition. Boston: Bedford, Preliminary list of novels, plays and anthologized material: Beowulf. Don Quixote. Miguel De Cervantes. Fast Food Nation. Eric Schlosser. Haroun and the Sea of Stories. Salman Rushdie. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 8 th edition. New York: Longman, Love Medicine. Louise Erdrich. Macbeth. Shakespeare. A Modest Proposal. Jonathan Swift. Oedipus Rex. Sophocles [available in Literature] One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Things Fall Apart. Chinua Achebe. Short fiction and essays as selected. Poetry as selected. Modern novels as selected. = Books which it would behoove you to own. Performance Assignments Further instructions and expectations for writing assignments will be given as the course progresses, but the assignments will focus on the critical analysis of literature and include expository, analytical, and argumentative essays. The goal of this course is to help you develop stylistic maturity and to increase your ability to explain clearly, convincingly, and even elegantly, what you understand about literary works and the world around you. In writing, you will also work to use well-chosen, specific textual references to support your specific interpretations and arguments.

4 In writing critically about a work of literature, you will be asked to analyze and interpret aspects of language, structure and style, explain judgments of the work s artistry and explore its social/historical context. Writing assignments will focus on organization, audience, purpose, and style. They will also involve careful attention to editing and revision, so that you may become conscious of your diction, syntax, organization, attention to detail and effective use of rhetoric. Expect the writing you produce in this course to reinforce your reading as the two are closely interconnected. Your out-of-class writing will need to be typed using appropriate MLA formatting. This will make proofreading, peer editing, and revisions of your paper easier to accomplish. You may get some class time in the Writing Lab, however, time in the Writing Lab during scheduled class hours is not guaranteed and, therefore, you should be prepared to type before or after school, or at home. Assignments: Reflective reader-response journal writing you complete here will most often be self-guided, informal and exploratory. Typically you will respond in the journal after each reading assignment. Consider the journal a place to discover your thoughts and feelings about the literature; a place where you may analyze and evaluate elements of language and style, but might also talk through character actions, personal experiences and connections to other literature you ve read. Many of the strongest ideas and conclusions used in your essays may come from the observations and inferences you make in this journal. This year we will be using a class NING for our journaling and extended discussions. You will want to sign up on ASAP! Students who prefer the tried-andtrue method of journaling by hand in a notebook certainly may choose that option instead, but will still need to sign up for the Ning in order to access class documents, receive occasional updates, and participate in extended discussions. In-class writing this will include responses to cuttings (passages from a novel or poem) covering literary elements (syntax, diction, imagery, tone ), responses to essays or articles, free-writing, quick reflections in preparation for discussion, and timed essays based on various prompts in order to provide you with the experience needed to learn how to write effectively under time constraints. You should be prepared to share some of these pieces with the class. Major essays typically words (3-5 pages) in length, but one of these papers will be a formal research paper. Here you will be asked to either write to explain or write to evaluate. We will discuss a variety of critical approaches used when analyzing literature. In these essays you will develop a thesis or an argument to present an interpretation or analysis in response to the literature using clear, coherent, and persuasive language. Some of these essays will involve research beyond the primary works. Exams exams on literature may consist of passage-identification questions, multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, and essay questions similar to what students would see on the AP exam. Oral presentations you will be asked to present your observations, inferences, analyses and criticisms in both formal and informal situations. You will be expected to participate in Socratic Seminar discussions of the literature, and you may be asked to facilitate said discussions on occasion. Being able to communicate effectively both orally and in writing is crucial.

5 Portfolio during the course of the semester you will need to maintain a portfolio of your writing. This artifact will be collected and reviewed as an exam grade at the end of each semester with the key focus being on your self-awareness of strengths, weaknesses, and growth as a writer. Major Essays and Assessments: Please note: Daily work completed during this class will need to be included in the final portfolios, but may not be individually graded. As it is a college-level course, grades will be based on a few exams and the major assignments outlined below. That does not mean the daily work and smaller writing assignments are not significant. They are meant to develop analytical thinking skills, improve compositional skills, and guide students towards success on the major assessments. It is expected that each student will take ownership of his learning and complete all assigned work. Failure to complete these smaller assignments may not seem to impact the overall grade; however that choice WILL hinder a student s ability for success in this course and may lead to mandatory conferences with the instructor. Upon completing each of the following assignments, you will be asked to write a process essay in which you reflect upon the steps involved in completing the assignment. You will need to trace the process you used from start to finish, discuss any problems you encountered and how/if you solved them, and determine what worked well and what you might do differently. These essays will help you focus on your writing process and help you strategize methods for success on future assignments. Assignment One Due September 6 th (Essay) / September 6 th -10 th (Presentation) For this assignment, you will write a word reflection on the mythologies that are a part of your life. You will want to examine your personal experiences, but you may also want to research the mythologies that guided your cultural ancestors. The successful reflection will engage readers and allow them to see these mythologies through your eyes, but more important, by thinking about your reflections, readers often find out something about themselves (Faigley 52). The information contained in your reflection may come from different sources your own experiences, interviews, recognized authorities, surveys, experiments and may take on different forms visuals and written texts. You may choose to use visual information to help convey information so long as those visuals do not overwhelm the essay, and they make sense in relation to your topic and the context of your report. You will also make a 2-3 minute oral presentation to the class in which you share your findings. Your presentation must make use of visuals these may be incorporated into a PowerPoint, pamphlet, advertisement, or other type of display as long as they convey additional meaning to the presentation and do not distract from your purpose. If you do not create your own original images for the presentation, stock photos are available at sites such as *Please note the terms of use for these stock images. Assignment Two October 18 th For this assignment, you will write a word literary analysis of Salman Rushdie s Haroun and the Sea of Stories in which you will need to write an arguable thesis that connects

6 one or more literary elements characters, setting, language, metaphors, and so on to the overall theme. In preparation for this essay, you will want to examine the characterization (including major and minor characters), consider the point of view, language, style, and tone of the story, and identify the central theme (the particular message Rushdie conveys). Do the elements Rushdie uses help him achieve his goal? Additional research is not necessary, but you may find it beneficial. Make sure to provide specific evidence from the novel and any other sources. Assignment Three November 24 th For this assignment, you will write a word literary analysis of Louise Erdrich s Love Medicine in which you will need to write an arguable thesis that connects one or more literary elements characters, setting, language, metaphors, and so on to the overall theme. In preparation for this essay, you will want to examine the characterization (including major and minor characters), consider the point of view, language, structure, style, and tone of the story, and identify the central theme (the particular message Erdrich conveys). Make sure to provide specific evidence from the novel and any other sources. Assignment Four Due January 24 th For this assignment, you will observe people in a public setting you frequent and write a detailed field observation ( words) that includes concrete details and quotations from people at your site. You will need to plan to spend at least three hours a week for two weeks at your site and gather the equivalent of at least ten pages of notes per week. Listen and observe carefully so you can gather direct quotations and specific details. Focus attention on each individual s various daily conflicts with society. Include analysis of what constitutes normal and abnormal behavior for the chosen setting and discuss what happens when the norm is violated. Make your paper interesting to readers by showing them something about the setting they didn t already know, or had never noticed. Assignment Five Due April 4 th For this assignment, you will write a word literary analysis of Shakespeare s Macbeth in which you will need to write an arguable thesis that connects one or more literary elements characters, setting, language, metaphors, and so on to the overall theme. In preparation for this essay, you will want to examine the characterization (including major and minor characters), consider the point of view, language, structure, style, and tone of the story, and identify the central theme (the particular message Shakespeare conveys). Make sure to provide specific evidence from the play and any other sources. Assignment Six Due May 12 th Research Project: You will choose a work of literature from the AP list that you believe is a highly influential work of its time. You will then research its historical reception, the evolution of thought about said work, and its impact on both the societal and literary worlds. While your mission is initially that of research, the overarching point is to create a persuasive work that asserts why your selection is highly influential. Possible structure: Section I Background. In this section, you will examine the target audience for your work. Be sure to include any important historical events that may have shaped the work. Section II Reception History. Trace the critical responses to the work from its inception onward. Explore any divergent thought and posit why those differences may have occurred, be

7 they as a result of opposing schools of thought or as a result of the natural progression of history. Section III The Influence. This is your persuasive argument. Be sure to draw upon the information you gathered in the first two sections. In addition, you should employ rhetorical argument, devices, etc. This essay must quote extensively from additional resources for support. You may choose to use visual information to help convey your solution so long as those visuals do not overwhelm the essay and they make sense in relation to the context of your topic. Final Portfolios Due December 16 th & May 20 th You will need to maintain a portfolio of your work in the course. It is mandatory that you include rough and final drafts of the major assignments, but you should include your response journal, in-class writings, and any other relevant samples of writing as well. For the final portfolio each semester, you will choose one piece of writing from the semester to revise. Revisions must be clearly documented using Microsoft Word s Track Changes functionality or by hand with a pen and highlighter. The purpose of the portfolio is to compile a representation of your ability and growth as a writer. You may find that you ve made great strides in composing the written word, or you may struggle to find areas of growth. The key is to closely examine and reflect upon where you were and where you are. Thus, when you submit your portfolio for review, you will need to include a short (500 words or less) process essay/cover letter that calls the readers attention to what you believe are the strengths of the portfolio, provides reflections on yourself as a writer, and discusses the learning that is demonstrated by the whole collection. Please avoid summarizing the assignments and focus on reflective analysis of your experiences and development. If you feel it would benefit the portfolio, you may also choose to include pieces written prior to this semester. Reading and Writing Schedule All dates are subject to revision due to unforeseen circumstances or course needs. First Semester: Major writing assignments are listed within each unit; however, there will be various opportunities for writing, editing, and revising that are not specifically referenced here. Within the block schedule, classes will work as follows in order to foster a college-like atmosphere of being in class for three hours each week in a three credit hour course: M/W/F classes: Will begin or end with ~30 minutes of independent work time. This time should be used for tasks students will be required to complete outside of class in college (i.e. teacher conferences, independent reading, peer-editing & revision, group work). Students MUST dedicate this time to work required for THIS course. The remaining hour each day will be spent on the coursework noted in the syllabus. T/Th classes: Will utilize the entire 90 minutes for class activities/discussions as per syllabus. Week 1 [August 16 th 20 th ] AP Common Assessment #1 Introductions, review of course syllabus, and expectations.

8 Composition: Reflections Discuss general information about composition and the writing process. Discuss Assignment One o Ch. 7: Reflecting (Faigley) o Ch 6: Writing Effectively (Faigley) o Ch 5: Writing in College o Examine sample reflections; This I Believe Literature: Beginnings, Myths, and Heroes Discuss Ch. 24 Myth and Narrative (Literature) o What are the origins of literature? o What is the definition of mythology, what are its origins, and what impact has it had/does it have on human life? o Why is it important to study and understand myths from cultures around the world? Week 2[August 21 st 27 th ] Discuss APCA#1 and initial reactions to the process of responding to a timed essay prompt. Composition: Reflections Begin an ongoing discussion of techniques needed to clearly convey analysis and demonstrate stylistic maturity through a response. Discuss: o An Introduction to Rhetoric (Shea) o Become a critical reader (13) o Read actively (16) o Respond as a reader (20) o Ch. 19: Exploring in the Field (Faigley) Literature: Beginnings, Myths, and Heroes Mythology / Oral Tradition Exploration o How are myths, fables, fairy tales, folk tales, and legends different? How are they similar? o What are archetypes and why are they significant to literature? Week 3 [August 30 th September 3 rd ] Composition: Reflections In-class expository writing in response to study of myths/mythology. Discuss presentation techniques and guidelines. Ch 4: Returning and Revising (Faigley) Literature: Beginnings, Myths, and Heroes Continue Mythology discussion o How has Joseph Campbell shaped understanding of mythology, religion, modern mythologies and pop culture? o How do allusions and archetypes shape our understanding of literature and life? Discuss, Metamorphoses (Ovid); Nothing Gold Can Stay (Frost); Bavarian Gentians (Lawrence); The World is Too Much with Us (Wordsworth); Cinderella (Sexton) Week 4 [September 6 th 10 th ] Composition: Reflections Assignment One Due (9/6) Assignment One Presentations

9 Week 5 [September 13 th 17 th ] Discuss: o AP Handouts and Terms; o Writing with Chunks, o Ch 10 Analyzing Texts (Faigley). Literature: Beginnings, Myths, and Heroes Discuss the Hero Cycle. Essential questions: o What are the origins of literature? o What are the origins of the hero? o To what extent do heroes reflect the culture s mores? Discuss selected passages from The Epic of Gilgamesh. Discuss Beowulf. Week 6 [September 20 th 24 th ] In-Class analysis of Beowulf Discuss: o The Perfect Paragraph (Safire) o How to Write with Style (Vonnegut). o Ch 3: Planning a Journey (Faigley). Literature: Beginnings, Myths, and Heroes Discuss Beowulf. Week 7 [September 27 th October 1 st ] Discuss citing sources using MLA formatting. Briefly discuss other formatting styles. Discuss Assignment Two Literature: Beginnings, Myths, and Heroes Discuss Haroun and the Sea of Stories. o How does Rushdie treat the classical elements of storytelling, mythology and the hero story in his contemporary novel? o In what ways does Haroun fit the mold of the traditional hero? Does he follow the mythological hero cycle? How? In what ways is he unique? Week 8 [October 4 th 8 th ] AP Common Assessment #2 In-Class literary analysis Literature: Beginnings, Myths, and Heroes Discuss Haroun (Rushdie) o What allusions to classical stories does he include? What impact do these allusions have on the story? o How does this novel work on multiple levels to convey/criticize mores of the culture in which it was created? o What are the major themes of the novel?

10 Week 9 [October 11 th 15 th ] Discuss APCA#2 Assignment Two drafting and revision Literature: Beginnings, Myths, and Heroes Discuss Haroun (Rushdie) [if needed] Discuss The Tunnel (Lessing) o How can the mythological hero cycle be applied to Lessing s main character? Week 10 [October 18 th 22 nd ] Assignment Two due (10/18). Literature: Beginnings, Myths, and Heroes Selected short stories or poems TBD. Week 11 [October 25 th 29 th ] Literature: Decisions Discuss Greasy Lake (Boyle) o Why is the inner conflict of making decisions such an important theme in literature? o What are some of the different types of decisions man makes and what impact do they have on individual, societal, and global levels? o How do the pressures of relationships impact decisions? Week 12 [November 1 st 5 th ] Discuss Assignment Three Literature: Decisions Discuss Love Medicine o What impact does the chronology of the novel have on the reader? o How effective is the use of multiple narrators? Week 13 [November 8 th 12 th ] In-Class AP-style writing prompts Literature: Decisions Discuss Love Medicine o What are some of the different types of decisions the characters make and what impact do they have on individual, societal, and global levels? o How do the pressures of relationships impact decisions?

11 Week 14 [November 15 th 19 th ] In-Class AP-style writing prompts Literature: Decisions Discuss Love Medicine o How does Erdrich use symbols throughout the novel? o What other literary devices does she utilize? How effective are they? o What are the themes of the novel and how do they shape the story? Week 15 [November 22 nd 26 th ] AP Common Assessment #3 Assignment Three Due (11/24) Literature: Decisions Discuss Love Medicine Love Medicine Exam Week 16 [November 29 th December 3 rd ] Review APCA#3: Writing workshop / essay scoring activity to determine what makes a strong literary analysis essay. We will examine several past prompts and corresponding sample student responses, point out wellconstructed thesis statements, support, transitions and details, and determine ways of improving weaker sample essays. Literature: Decisions Selected short stories or poems TBD. Week 17 [December 6 th 10 th ] Composition: Revision; Portfolios Discuss portfolios and Appendix B: Creating Portfolios (Faigley), sample process essays/cover letters. Peer review of revisions, cover letters, etc. Revision work. Literature: Decisions Selected short stories or poems TBD. Week 18+ [December 13 th 21 st ] Composition: Revision; Portfolios Final Portfolio due (12/16). Review for exam. Discuss Ch 8: Observing (Faigley) and Assignment Four. Exams AP Common Assessment #4. Course evaluation. Literature: Decisions Selected short stories or poems TBD.

12 Second Semester: Over winter break, students will make observations for Assignment Four. Upon returning to class, students will begin work on the observation essay and reflect upon the observational experience. Week 1 [January 5 th 7 th ] Composition: Observing Literature: The Individual and Society Discuss A & P (Updike) o How does the individual shape society? o How is the individual shaped by society? Week 2 [January 10 th 14 th ] Composition: Observing Literature: The Individual and Society Discuss satire and A Modest Proposal (Swift). o In what ways do authors use fiction as a means of commenting on society and history? Week 3 [January 17 th 21 st ] Composition: Observing Assignment Four drafting, review and revision. In-Class AP prompts Literature: The Individual and Society Read and discuss: o Harrison Bergeron (Vonnegut) o What elements of society act against an individual s search for and understanding of self? Week 4 [January 24 th 28 th ] Composition: Observing Assignment Four Due (1/24). Writing Lab Assignment Five Exploration Day. Literature: The Individual and Society Discuss: o The Second Coming (Yeats) o Heart of Darkness (Conrad) cutting Week 5 [January 31 st February 4 th ] In-class writing: Literary analysis of TFA cutting. Literature: The Individual and Society Discuss TFA

13 o o o Is Achebe successful in communicating an alternative to the dominant Western account of missionaries in Africa? Is Okonkwo a hero? Is he a tragic hero? Is Things Fall Apart a tragedy of both the individual and society? Week 6 [February 7 th 11 th ] AP Common Assessment #5 Literature: The Individual and Society Discuss TFA Week 7 [February 14 th 18 th ] Review APCA#5. Literature: The Individual and Society / Tragic Downfalls Discuss TFA TFA Exam Week 8 [February 21 st 25 th ] In-class literary analysis Discuss Assignment Six MLA Research Paper Review. Discuss credible sources, Ch 13: Arguing for a Position (Faigley). Literature: Tragic Downfalls Discuss: o Ozymandias o Ulysses o On the Vanity of Earthly Greatness o Oedipus Rex (Sophocles) o What is the definition of a tragedy? o What makes a protagonist a tragic hero? o What devices does Sophocles use to shape our judgment of Oedipus? Week 9 [February 28 th March 4 th ] Writers Week! Week 10 [March 7 th 11 th ] In-class literary analysis Discuss Assignment Five Continue work on Assignment Six Literature: Tragic Downfalls Discuss Macbeth (Shakespeare) o How is Macbeth a tragic hero? o How does the play act as a tragedy on multiple levels (moral, familial, social, military, political)? o How does Shakespeare s play fit Aristotle s definition of tragedy? o What techniques does Shakespeare use to shape the audience s understanding of characters and theme?

14 Week 11 [March 21 st 25 th ] AP Common Assessment #6 In-class literary analysis Continue work on Assignment Five/Six Literature: Tragic Downfalls Discuss Macbeth (Shakespeare) Week 12 [March 28 th April 1 st ] In-class literary analysis Continue work on Assignment Five/Six Literature: Tragic Downfalls Discuss Macbeth (Shakespeare) Macbeth Exam Week 13 [April 4 th 8 th ]: Research / Literary Analysis Assignment Five Due (4/4) In-class literary analysis Continue work on Assignment Six Literature: The Search for Truth Selected short stories or poems TBD. IMC Research Week 14 [April 11 th 15 th ] In-class literary analysis Continue work on Assignment Six Literature: The Search for Truth Selected short stories or poems TBD. Week 15 [April 18 th 22 nd ] Continue work on Assignment Six AP Common Assessment #7 (Full Practice Exam) Literature: The Search for Truth Selected short stories or poems TBD. Week 16 [April 25 th 29 th ] Continue work on Assignment Six Review Practice AP Exam (APCA #7) Literature: The Search for Truth Selected short stories or poems TBD.

15 Week 17 [May 2 nd 6 th ] Continue work on Assignment Six Literature: The Search for Truth Selected short stories or poems TBD. Week 18 [May 9 th 13 th ] Work on final revisions and portfolio. Literature: The Search for Truth Assignment Six Due (5/12). Week 19+ [May 16 th June 1 st ] Grading: Final Portfolio Due (5/20) Dependent on seniors last day and impact of snow days. Final exam-ap Common Assessment #8. Course evaluation. Feedback: Your major essays will be returned in as timely a fashion as possible. At times you may be asked to submit a rough draft for editing and comments before turning in a polished final draft, other times you may submit only a final draft. Either way, your paper will be returned with reader response comments about the strengths of your argument, organization, purpose, audience, goals, diction, syntax and use of textual support (especially making sure not to simply dump quotes for the sake of having quotes). Consistent, repetitive errors will form the basis for writing instruction as the needs of the class dictate. Essays, especially particularly strong essays, may be used (anonymously and with author permission) as sample papers for discussion. Scoring Guides: Major essays will be scored according to a 9-point AP scale specific to the assignment. Other assignments, in-class writing and extended essays may be scored using a 6-trait scoring guide or an additional analytic grid. The writing portfolio will be the basis of your final course grade and will be graded using the 6-point portfolio scoring guide. General examples of these scoring guides are included at the end of this syllabus. Overall Grading: Your course grade will be based on the following: Learning activities: 30% Pre-writing assignments In-class writing (non-exam) Response Journal (submitted with portfolio) Quizzes Participation Oral Presentations Performance activities: 70% Literature Exams Major Assessments Final Portfolios

16 Plagiarism: The grading scale is as follows: A B C D F 0-59 If you turn in work that is not your own you will receive a zero. A copy of the C.S. Department policy is available on my Hazelwood School District Website. Saint Louis University policies are available online at

17 Literary Analysis Scoring Guide 9-8 With apt and specific references to the story, these well-organized and well-written essays clearly analyze how uses literary techniques to. The best of these essays will acknowledge the complexity of this. While not without flaws, these papers will demonstrate an understanding of the text as well as consistent control over the elements of effective composition. These writers read with perception and express their ideas with clarity and skill. 7-6 These papers also analyze how uses literary techniques to, but they are less incisive, developed, or aptly supported than papers in the highest ranges. They deal accurately with technique as the means by which a writer, but they are less effective or less thorough in their analysis than are the 9-8 essays. These essays demonstrate the writer's ability to express ideas clearly, but they do so with less maturity and precision than the best papers. Generally, 7 papers present a more developed analysis and a more consistent command of the elements of effective composition than do essays scored 6. 5 These essays are superficial. They respond to the assignment without important errors in composition, but they may miss the complexity of 's use of literary techniques and offer a perfunctory analysis of how those techniques are used to. Often, the analysis is vague, mechanical, or overly generalized. While the writing is adequate to convey the writer's thoughts, these essays are typically pedestrian, not as well conceived, organized, or developed as upper-half papers. Usually, they reveal simplistic thinking and/or immature writing. 4-3 These lower-half papers reflect an incomplete understanding of the (story, passage, essay, poem, etc.) and fail to respond adequately to the question. The discussion of how uses literary techniques to may be inaccurate or unclear, misguided or undeveloped; these papers may paraphrase rather than analyze. The analysis of technique will likely be meager and unconvincing. Generally, the writing demonstrates weak control of such elements as diction, organization, syntax, or grammar. These essays typically contain recurrent stylistic flaws and/or misreadings and lack of persuasive evidence from the text. 2-1 These essays compound the weaknesses of the papers in the 4-3 range. They seriously misunderstand the or fail to respond to the question. Frequently, they are unacceptably brief. Often poorly written on several counts, they may contain many distracting errors in grammar and mechanics. Although some attempt may have been made to answer the question, the writer's views typically are presented with little clarity, organization, coherence, or supporting evidence. Essays that are especially inexact, vacuous, and/or mechanically unsound should be scored 1. 0 This is a response with no more than a reference to the task or no response at all.

18 Portfolio Scoring Guide Upper-range portfolios demonstrate a degree of proficiency at organizing, developing, and conveying in standard written English the writer's ideas to an appropriate audience; the portfolio provides evidence of a suitable degree of writing selfawareness. A 6 portfolio demonstrates exceptional writing competence but may exhibit minor lapses in one of the items below. A portfolio in this category: shows clarity, depth, and complexity of thought explains or illustrates key ideas clearly with a good deal of elaboration and specificity shows syntactic variety and demonstrates a sophisticated command of language appropriate to the audience is generally free from errors in mechanics, usage, and sentence structure A 5 portfolio demonstrates strong writing competence but may have minor lapses which are not serious enough to confuse the reader. A portfolio in this category: shows clarity of thought, with some depth or complexity is overall well organized and developed with a moderate amount of elaboration and specificity shows some syntactic variety and displays a strong command of language appropriate to the audience is generally free from errors in mechanics, usage, and sentence structure A 4 portfolio demonstrates adequate writing competence but may contain more frequent lapses than the 5 or 6 portfolio. A portfolio in this category: shows clarity of thought but may show less evidence of depth or complexity explains or illustrates key ideas with some elaboration and specificity is generally unified, organized, and coherent, generally supporting ideas with reasons and examples shows adequate command of language usually appropriate to the audience may have some errors, but generally demonstrates control of mechanics, usage, and sentence structure Lower-range--or developing--portfolios demonstrate a degree of difficulty at organizing, developing, or conveying in standard written English the writer's ideas to an appropriate audience. Category 2 or 3 portfolios that demonstrate STRONG writing self-awareness may be scored one point higher.

19 Thesis The essay contains a clear, arguable claim that is sustained throughout the piece. The thesis has enough substance to be developed throughout the essay. Writing Assessment The essay contains a claim, though it may be difficult to pinpoint its location in the text and a particular passage may stray from that stance. The thesis may be simplistic or obvious enough that it cannot develop throughout the essay but proves the same point repeatedly. The essay lacks a single identifiable claim (it may make none or several that don t cohere) or makes a claim that does not become the focus of the piece. Clear, logical organization The organization fully supports the reader s understanding of the argument s logic most essays will typically move from introduction to support to conclusion, although other strategies could work well too. Transitions between paragraphs give readers cues about the structure of the argument. Paragraphs each focus on one central concept and are structured in a way that is clear and compliments the content. With some exceptions, the organization aids the reader s understanding of the argument s logic. Transitions between paragraphs cue readers into the structure of the argument but may not always do so consistently or clearly. A few paragraphs may not always address one central concept or may be structured in a way that does not compliment the content or seems jumbled. The organization does not aid the reader s understanding of the argument s logic. Transitions between paragraphs may be missing or vague. Some paragraphs may jump between central concepts or may not contain a central concept. Evidence that supports the thesis The essay presents persuasive evidence to support all of the main points of the argument and makes clear to the reader how the evidence supports the argument rather than leaving the reader to draw conclusions. The essay presents sufficient evidence to support some of the main points of the argument though may not always explain how the evidence supports the argument. The essay seldom presents evidence to support its main points. When it does, it leaves readers to draw conclusions about the evidence. Clear sentences that use grammar and punctuation correctly The essay is easy to read; the reader can understand sentences clearly when reading at normal pace and does not have to reread any passages. There are no problems or a few isolated problems with grammar and punctuation. The essay is easy to read in some places, but some problems cause the reader to slow down or reread in others. Recurring problems with grammar and punctuation exist and may occasionally impede the reader s understanding. The essay is difficult to read in many places. Recurring problems with grammar and punctuation interfere with the reader s ability to understand the argument. Writing style and logic designed to appeal to the stated audience Through its style and logical appeals, the essay responds effectively to its audience s interests and rhetorical situation. Through its style and logical appeals, the essay responds effectively to its audience s interests and rhetorical situation in some places. The style and logical appeals of the essay seldom show an awareness of its audience. The essay may use a more standard academic style or a style more akin to spoken language. Comments: