Journal Entries - 10% Final Exam 20 % Note: In order to pass this course, you must achieve an accumulated average of C- on all in-class writing. Note:

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1 Course Content English 1127 Essay Writing and Short Prose Erin Robb () Office: A206 Voice Mail: Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1 2:20 PM and by appointment This course examines the principles of essay composition by exploring a variety of short stories and some non-fiction writings. Through close reading of the stories, you will develop better analytical skills and learn how to organize these literary insights into a well-supported and well-argued essay. Through analysis of non-fiction essays, you will have a better understanding about how to write one. This course is appropriate for all students who would like to improve their reading comprehension, writing abilities, and critical thinking skills three fundamental skills necessary for academic success in all faculties at any post-secondary institution. Learning Outcomes Upon successful completion of English 1127, you will be able to write clear and correct sentences and paragraphs analyze short fiction think critically and creatively demonstrate knowledge of essay structure, style, and organization draft, revise, format, and document the academic essay Required Texts Headrick, Paul. A Method for Writing Essays about Literature. Toronto: Nelson, English 1127 Courseware Package (bright yellow cover, available in Langara Bookstore) Methods of Delivery This course will use a variety of methods, including lectures, interactive PowerPoint presentations, class discussion, YouTube clips, group work, and tutorials. Assignments The mark distribution for the course is as follows: Argument Essay (in class) 15 % Comparison Essay (home) 20 % Literary Insight Midterm (in class) 15 % Research Paper (home) 20 %

2 Journal Entries - 10% Final Exam 20 % Note: In order to pass this course, you must achieve an accumulated average of C- on all in-class writing. Note: In order to pass this course, you must also complete all assignments. Note: After five hours of missed class, you will lose 0.5% for each subsequent hour missed, no matter the reason, so use your freebie five hours for emergencies only! Elements that are evaluated in all ENGL 1127 writing: Grading Mechanics (grammar, punctuation, spelling) Content (insight, analysis, accuracy) Style (clarity, unity, focus, persuasion) Organization (sentence, paragraph, essay structure) Format (neatness, thoroughness, consistency) All assignments will receive a letter grade only. If you are interested in calculating an exact grade, you can use the table below, which shows the numerical grade equivalents and descriptions. Grading Information Letter Grade Percentage Equivalent Description A % Outstanding A % Fantastic A % Excellent B % Very Good B % Good B % Pretty Good C % Acceptable C % Below Average C % Poor D % Very Poor F 0 49 % Unacceptable My Policies for English Attendance: You are expected to attend every class on time and to be prepared to participate in discussion. Remember to complete the day s homework and reading before coming to class, and to bring the appropriate text(s) with you. If you do miss a class, you are responsible for collecting any notes and handouts from a classmate. (Please do not me about missed work!) After five hours of

3 missed class, you will lose 0.5% for each subsequent hour missed, no matter the reason, so use your freebie five hours for emergencies only! 2. Handouts: Each student is entitled to ONE handout. If you are absent for a class, you can collect your handout from me the next time you are in class or arrange to have a friend get the handout for you. Be advised that if you lose a handout, it is your responsibility to copy it from a friend; I will not be providing you with an extra one. 3. Missed in-class assignments: If you miss an assignment in class, you can make it up provided you have a legitimate excuse and documented proof (like a signed doctor s note). 4. Late paper policy: In fairness to students who work hard to meet deadlines, late papers will be penalized 5% per day (including weekend days). Assignments will not be accepted after marked papers have been returned to the class. 5. Notetaking: Taking notes is a learning activity that helps you organize and retain information. You are expected to take notes during lectures, class discussions, and PowerPoint presentations. Please note that you will not have access to the PowerPoint slides after viewing them in class. 6. Courtesy: You are expected to act professionally and courteously towards your instructor and your classmates. Turn off your cell phone/ipod before class begins, avoid talking during inappropriate times, and do not ever, ever sleep during class. 7. Tutor Policy: You are not permitted to use tutors to edit, rewrite, or significantly revise your work. Work that is substantially improved by a tutor is considered plagiarized and is subject to the plagiarism penalties (see below). A reputable tutor will teach you how to identify your own errors and will help your improve your own work. 8. Plagiarism: Penalties for plagiarism are severe. For a first offense, a grade of zero will be given with a note to the Dean, and, if there is a second offense, an F in the course will be given and a note will be sent to the Dean. English 1127 Essay Assignments Journal Entries 10% Throughout the course, you will be required to respond to a variety of homework questions and critical articles. This journal assignment has you keep all of your responses to these questions in a journal folder that you will hand in regularly. Not all work will be graded, but a good portion of it will be marked, making up 10% of your overall grade. Argument Essay (in class) 15% Length: three hand-written, double-spaced pages

4 Time: 2 hours Topic: You will be asked to choose one topic (from a list of three or four) and write an argument essay based on that topic using one of the first four stories covered in class. Special Notes: You are allowed a copy of the story during the in-class assignment and are encouraged to use a few direct quotes from the story to support your ideas. No other resources or notes are permitted at your desk. Evaluation Criteria: Aside from the Grading Guidelines (as outlined in this syllabus), you will need to have a clear thesis that has an insightful (and not obvious) argument, focused ideas that support your thesis, and specific evidence from the story (quotation or reference) that back up your ideas. Comparison Essay (take home) 20% Length: minimum of three typed, double-spaced pages with the following guidelines: Format: Please ensure your essay adheres to the following format: One-inch margins 12-pt. font size Times New Roman font style Double-spaced No title page Your full name in the header (click View, then Header and footer in Word) Page number in the footer A catchy title for your essay, centred at the top of the first page NO extra spaces between paragraphs NOTE: failure to write three FULL pages will result in a reduced grade. Please try not to go beyond four pages. Topic: choose any two stories* covered on the syllabus and narrow your topic to compare one common element found in each story. NOTE: You are not permitted to write on the first four stories discussed on the course. Special Notes: your comparison essay is to be a close textual reading of two stories. In other words, the only resource you will need for this paper is your own literary insight. DO NOT consult any outside source (including but not limited to Wikipedia or other online sources, journals, books, etc.). Consulting other sources will be considered cheating for this assignment and will result in a failing grade. I am only interested in reading about what YOU have to say. Evaluation Criteria: Review the Grading Guidelines for essays found near the beginning of the syllabus.

5 Research Paper (take home) 20% Length: at least four FULL, typed, double-spaced pages; no more than six. See format guidelines below: Format: Ensure your paper includes the following elements: Title page with the paper s name, your name, the due date, the instructor s name, the class name, and the college name (this does not count as one page!) Page numbers in the footer; page 1 is not the title page! Your first initial and last name in the header 12-pt., Times New Roman font Double-spaced with NO extra spaces between paragraphs One-inch margins all around Stapled in the top left corner (no paper clips or duo-tangs, please) NOTE: failure to write three FULL pages will result in a reduced grade. Please try not to go beyond four pages. Topic: TBA Referencing Style: You are expected to use the MLA style guidelines. Be sure to include BOTH intext citations AND a Works Cited list. Also, ensure you use quotation marks when you copy directly from a source. Remember, though, that direct quotations, paraphrases, and summaries MUST have citations after them. Sources: you need to use AT LEAST six sources. At least two sources MUST be from different kinds of sources. For example, if you use just six sources for your research, five can be from the Langara library online databases, and one could be from a printed book. English 1127 Syllabus Note: this syllabus is a guideline and will likely change during the term. Important: Please have the stories we are studying each week read BEFORE Monday s class, and bring the story to class. All readings marked handout will be provided by me. Week 1: May 9 12 Isak Dinesen, The Blue Eyes (handout) Writing Essays text: Chapter 1, Audience and the Literary Analysis Essay Writing About Fiction (pp courseware) Week 2: May Writing Essays text: Chapter 2, Analytical Paragraphs

6 Writing Essays text: Chapter 3, Theme Edgar Allan Poe, The Tell Tale Heart (pp courseware) Week 3: May Monday: HOLIDAY! Writing Essays text: Charlotte Perkins Gilman, The Yellow Wallpaper (pp ) Writing Essays text: Chapter 4, Argument Structure Writing Essays text: parts of Chapter 5, Types of Literary Analysis Essays (Passage Analysis, pp , 76 77, 82) Week 4: May 30 June 2 Raymond Carver, Cathedral (pp courseware) Wednesday, June 1: IN CLASS ARGUMENT ESSAY (15%) Week 5: June 6 9 Writing Essays text: parts of Chapter 5, Types of Literary Analysis Essays (Comparison Essays, pp , ) John Updike, A&P (pp courseware) Week 6: June Joyce Carol Oates, Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? (pp courseware) Week 7: June Kate Chopin, The Story of an Hour (pp courseware) Wednesday, June 22: IN CLASS PASSAGE ANALYSIS (15%) Week 8: June Writing Essays text: parts of Chapter 5, Types of Literary Analysis Essays (Research Essays, pp , 78 80) Week 9: July 4 7 Monday, July 4: COMPARISON ESSAY DUE (20%) August Strindberg, The Stronger (handout) Week 10: July Gabriel Garcia Marquez, A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings (pp coureseware) Week 11: July Office hours for research paper Week 12: July 25 28

7 Haruki Murakami, The Seventh Man (pp ) Week 13: August 1 4 Monday: HOLIDAY! Wednesday, August 3: RESEARCH PAPER DUE (20%) Week 14: August 8 Office hours