Writing L(esbian) G(ay) B(isexual) T(ransgendered) Lives

This is themed course which provides students with the opportunity to critically consider other writings—and their own—in the context of gender, genre, and culture. This class is targeted towards people who first and foremost wish to improve their writing and critical thinking skills and who wish to do so by exploring a theme that provokes strong reactions in classrooms, places of worship, political arenas, and general public discourse. We will generally focus on LGBT lives in the “modern” (post-1900s) United States.

Academic Foundations (What’s this class about?)

The English department’s goals for English 101 are available for your review at http://www.southernct.edu/projects/ composition/101goals. In essence, you are required to compose 25-30 pages of “polished,” research-based analysis, with writing projects that are a minimum of 1250 words to a maximum of 3750 words.[*] You are also required to read 100-300 pages of non-fiction prose and have several short (1-2 page) writing assignments “designed to elicit connections between readings[,] to illustrate understanding of the material that goes beyond summary and into analysis[,] and to demonstrate the ability to question and challenge texts within a personal or situational framework.” Above all, you are expected to think and write. This is not a class about summary or regurgitation, but one that requires active thinking, questioning, and a committed investment of time and dedication. Though the work may be at times difficult, I believe that the rewards are worthwhile.

A note about my teaching methods. I fervently believe that the best form of education is one of self-discovery; therefore, my role is that of guide, not taskmaster. When it comes to the realm of ideas, there are very few situations in which I will say that something is “right” or “incorrect.” These are terms I usually reserve for documentation, grammar, formatting, and similar forms and structures that have defined rules as to usage and applications. Rather than pass judgment on an interpretation, an analysis, or an essay topic, I will usually ask questions so that you may consider your ideas from another perspective and therefore evaluate for yourself.

Syllabus: This syllabus defines the mutual expectations and requirements for this class. Just as I am expected to fulfill my part of this agreement (as to my office hours, grading procedures, and class scheduling), you are expected to fulfill your parts of this agreement (by being prepared for class, submitting work according to the guidelines listed herein, and the like). Each student is responsible for reviewing this syllabus and making sure that its terms are understood. If circumstances require changes to this agreement, the class will be notified both during one class session and via email.

Prerequisites: Course work in 101 assumes that you are building upon a foundation set in college-level English classes. It is expected that you are familiar with MLA citation and general grammatical terms and usage. To be a student in English 101, it is REQUIRED that you a) have taken and PASSED English 100 (if you’re a transfer, you will have taken the approved equivalent at another university or college), b) were placed in 101 without a pre-requisite due to your score on the composition placement exam, or c) were placed in 101 from 98 via portfolio. If none of these apply to you, you are in the wrong class.

Special Needs: As a student with a disability, before you may receive accommodations in this class, you will need to make an appointment with the Disability Resource Center in EN B 222. To speak with me about accommodations, or other concerns, such as medical emergencies or arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment as soon as possible.

Multilingual: Multilingual students are encouraged to check out Part 11 (“For Multilingual Writers”) of SMH. Additional resources are available, both online and offline.

Grading: The grading structure of this class is designed to emphasize improvement. If you revise an essay, you will earn the revised grade (whether it is higher or lower than the original). We will develop the grading criteria for the essays. In accordance with the university guidelines, grades represent the following evaluations (with +/- further defining the spectrum):

C:     Average work. Fulfills minimum requirements for assignment.

B:     Work well done. Demonstrates effort and careful consideration. An effective analysis. Few grammatical errors.

A:     Outstanding work. Well-argued and analyzed. Carefully considered and drafted.  Few (if any) errors in grammar. Vocabulary is rich and precise.

D:     Poor work. Grammatical, organizational, and content errors. Incomplete analysis.

R:     Work must be revised in order to earn credit.

F:      Unacceptable or non-existent work.

Attendance: Attendance implies that you are physically and intellectually present for the class session. Lateness (except in special situations) will count as a partial absence. You will be required to sign in each class session. In accordance with the English department policy, you are allowed two undocumented absences without grade penalty. Six absences or more will result in a failing grade for the course. Attendance is calculated from the date that the course begins—regardless of when you add or begin to attend the course. Please contact me should there be a special situation (such as an extended illness, hardship, or emergency) so that we can best resolve matters.

Academic Honesty: Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are serious offenses. Dishonesty in written work will result in a grade of F in the course. In addition, dishonesty is adequate cause for disciplinary action by the Office of the Dean of Academic Affairs. See the section on "Academic Honesty" in the Student Handbook. If you are unsure of how to properly cite information (or whether or not you should cite it), ASK. Ultimately, recognizing and avoiding any form of academic dishonesty is your responsibility. Academic dishonesty (whether intentional or unintentional) is grounds for failure in this class.

Late Assignments: Late work is accepted only in cases of illness or emergencies; documentation is required. If you are aware that you will be unable to hand work in on the date assigned due to illness or an emergency, please contact me via email as soon as possible to make arrangements.

Cancellation of Class: If the weather is inclement, call SCSU Weather Check (203) 392-5520. Commuters should use their discretion if driving conditions are or may become hazardous. If you should come to class and there is no posted notice of cancellation, begin the assignment for the day. If I am not in the classroom fifteen minutes after the beginning of class (without communication), you may assume that class is canceled. Leave a signed attendance list in my mailbox along with any work that is due. Keep up with the assignments on the syllabus.

Texts:

§         Lunsford, Andrea A. The St. Martin’s Handbook. 5^th ed. Boston: Bedford-St. Martin’s, 2003. (SMH) (bring to each class)

§         Reserve texts at library, journal articles, and online resources

Also Required:

§         2 Computer Disks (or a ‘thumb’ or ‘key’ drive that is accessible on all laptops) (min.) for work

§         College Dictionary & Thesaurus (not the one bundled with your word processing program)

Written Work Submission Format/Design

Remember to create a title for your work that will capture your reader’s interest!

§         Word Processing: Workshop drafts and final versions must be word-processed. If you do not have a computer, use the labs at SCSU.

§         Format (document design): Use MLA Format/Citation. Follow SMH 8e. For an example of proper pagination, spacing, and margins, see sample paper see the sample essay that concludes SMH 20. Use an Arial, Helvetica, Times, or Courier font (or equivalent) at either a 10 or 12 point size. Please staple pages.

§         Quotations, Summary, and Paraphrasing: Documentation according to MLA (Modern Language Association) standards. See SMH 18, 19, and 20; we will also review in class.

§         First Submissions: Each of your essays submitted should include:

§         Outline: A formal outline of your work.  Your outline may be a part of your drafting process or it may be a part of your editing process, but it should be a part of your writing. See SMH 3e, 19b, and the model on 442-44 for guidance.

§         Works Cited: Whether you quote a source directly, paraphrase it, or summarize, it should be both noted in the body of your essay (indicate the text[s] in which the information or ideas appeared and, for example, the page number[s] [in the case of written materials] in which it appeared) and be fully cited on your Works Cited page.

Neither the outline nor the works cited “count” towards the paper length.

The key to correction marks is in SMH. Numerical notations refer to the “Twenty Most Common Surface Errors”; other marks are “Revision Symbols.”  You are expected to familiarize yourself with the notation for a) your own revision/editing process and b) for helping peers during workshop.

Links for many assignments can be found at eng101.cundrie.com/sp2005. Overview of course readings is at http://www.cundrie.com/eng101/sp2005/readings.htm.

For the course readings (non-tutorial), please bring the texts with you to class, preferably printed out so that you may annotate the texts and/or refer to the source(s) in class discussion.

Each section is shown in bold type. If a certain section/subsection is assigned, it is expected that you read all of the texts listed for that day’s assignment. Many texts are available online. Parenthetical information following the listing indicates where you may locate the text (i.e. “Reserve” means Library Reserve, “JSTOR” is a journal database). The textual information is not in MLA citation format; to cite works, you will have to follow the guidelines in SMH.

Definitions

            For this assignment, you will research definitions in order to create a “field guide” of sorts for our work this semester. Look up each of these terms in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED)  and copy the primary definition (and, if necessary, the one you believe “applies” to our theme). You should note when the term was first used in its relevant context. Cite the OED according to MLA. Now, look to at least one other source (not a general use dictionary) to add balance or dimension to your definition. For example, if you are taking Psychology, Anthropology, or Sociology, you may wish to consult the glossary in your textbooks for certain terms you will define.  Do not use the same additional text for all of your definitions. You do need to include those additional definitions in your document, and cite them according to MLA.  You may wish to review the online encyclopedia of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer culture located at http://www.glbtq.com.

Terms: