EN495:
Prerequisites
Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details
Contact Information
Upon successful completion of this course....
Textbook: The following texts can be found at the bookstore. If you already have a copy of one of these books, you do not have to purchase a new one.
Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights
Peter Barry, Beginner's Guide to Theory
Hermann Melville, Moby Dick
- To develop a working knowledge and understanding of the various schools of literary criticism
- To foster critical thinking, reading, and writing skills
- To further develop the ability to make literary and cultural analyses
- To learn and master the skills necessary to write a quality research paper
During the semester, you are required to complete a major research paper of 15-25 pages on a literary topic, other short writing assignments, and do some in-class writing. Please keep a copy of all the writing that you do in this course. This is a requirement. Papers are due at the beginning of class unless otherwise indicated. Please use MLA format to document all sources. Student work may be kept on file and used for evaluation and assessment purposes. Any work shared with either students, faculty or administration will be done so anonymously. Because this class will often function as a writing workshop where students will need to have work to edit in class, there won’t be any extensions on drafts.
Writing assignments include:
| Paper #1 | 10% |
| Research paper | 30% |
| Annotated Bibliography | 10% |
| Paper Presentation | 10% |
| Weekly Assignments | 20% |
| Class Participation | 10% |
| ETS Test | 10% |
Paper presentation - At the end of the semester, you will be responsible for giving a 10-minute presentation on your final research paper.
Monday, 1/13—Introductions--introduction to theory, New Criticism, liberal humanism, Formalism.
Wednesday, 1/15—Read Wuthering Heights, chapters 1-9
Friday, 1/17--Read Wuthering Heights, chapters 10-17
WEEK TWO
Monday, 1/20--no class, MLK day
Wednesday1/22-- Finish Wuthering Heights
Friday, 1/24- Thesis for Paper #1; Read Barry Introduction and Ch.1/reception history of novel
WEEK THREE
Monday, 1/27— Read Chapter 6 in Barry, plus article for class Feminist criticism section in Case Studies book (FEMINISM)
Wednesday, 1/29— Paper #1 due
Friday, 1/31— Model paper discussion
WEEK FOUR
Monday,2/3— Chapters 2 and 3 in Barry, plus article Deconstruction in Case Studies Book (STRUCTURALISM/POST-STRUCTURALISM/DECONSTRUCTION)
Wednesday, 2/5- Paper proposal assignment due (1-2 pages)
Friday, 2/7— Research in class in the library
WEEK FIVE
Monday, 2/10— Chapter 5 in Barry, Psychoanalysis in Case Studies book, plus article (PSYCHOANALYSIS)
Wednesday, 2/12— Continue to research in class
Friday, 2/14—Workshop drafts of Butler conference abstracts in class
WEEK SIX
Monday, 2/17— Turn in Butler Conference proposals and abstracts
Wednesday, 2/19— Chapter 8 in Barry, Marxism in Case Studies book, plus article (MARXISM)
Friday, 2/21— English faculty come to workshop abstracts with you
WEEK SEVEN
Monday, 2/24—Cultural Criticism in Case Studies book, plus article (CULTURAL CRITICISM)
Wednesday, 2/26— Research trouble-shooting in class
Friday, 2/28— Eight pages of first draft due
WEEK EIGHT
Monday, 3/3—Chapter 10 in Barry, Postcolonialism, and article (POST-COLONIALISM)
Wednesday, 3/5— troubleshooting and workshopping citation in class
Friday, 3/7— Annotated Bibliography due
SPRING BREAK
WEEK TEN
Monday, 3/17— theory wrap up—narratology, new aesthetics, disability studies, animal studies, ecological criticism, digital humanities, cognitive poetics, post-humanism, film studies, Critical Race Theory
Wednesday, 3/19— MOBY DICK!!
Friday, 3/21— Moby Dick
WEEK ELEVEN
Monday, 3/ 24— Moby Dick
Wednesday, 3/26— Moby Dick
Friday, 3/28— Paper workshop—75% draft
WEEK TWELVE
Monday, 3/31— Moby Dick
Wednesday, 4/2- Moby Dick
Friday,4/4— Moby Dick
WEEK THIRTEEN
Monday, 4/7—no class HLC conference
Wednesday, 4/9—Practice giving conference paper in class
Friday, 4/11-- Butler Undergraduate Research Conference--Day trip
WEEK FOURTEEN
Monday, 4/14--no class
Wednesday,4/16--no physical class--submit posters online and critique them
Friday, 4/18— no class--good Friday
WEEK FIFTEEN
Monday, 4/21— Last trouble-shooting and workshopping session
Wednesday, 4/23—POSTERS MUST BE ORDERED!!!!
Friday, 4/25— Final paper due
WEEK SIXTEEN
Monday,4/28— ETS test
Wednesday, 4/30— ETS test
Friday, 5/2— Focus group discussion
Saturday 5/3--Research symposium poster presentations
Final Exam—Wednesday, May 7, 8:00-10:00am
Scholarly Activity
Preparing a conference proposal, abstract, and cv
Delivering a conference paper
Creating a research poster
Participating in a poster session/research symposium
Scholarship
Developing an independent research topic
Conducting academic research—doing a literature review and an annotated bibliography
Writing a scholarly paper
Literary analysis and knowledge
Developing a fair understanding of different schools of literary theory and criticism
Developing an awareness of your own theoretical position as a scholar
Demonstrating mastery of close-reading and literary analysis
The grading scale will be as follows:
| A | 94-100 |
| A- | 90-93 |
| B+ | 87-89 |
| B | 83-86 |
| B- | 80-82 |
| C+ | 77-79 |
| C | 73-76 |
| C- | 70-72 |
| D+ | 65-69 |
| D | 60-64 |
| F | 59 and below |
Blackboard help
If you are experiencing difficulty using Blackboard, accessing content, submitting assignments, taking assessments, participating in discussion boards, viewing your grade, or using your technology device, you should contact the IT Helpdesk at helpdesk@wilmington.edu or call 937-481-2459.
Instructor Course Policies
If you are sick or feel like you may have COVID symptoms, you will be excused. You SHOULD NOT come to class if you feel sick. Should any student feel ill at any time during the semester, it is important to contact the wchealthcenter@wilmington.edu , 937-481-2217, immediately.
Wilmington College policy states, “Students are responsible for making up all work missed because of absences. An excused absence in no way removes this responsibility or obligates the professor to provide a student with special assignments or opportunities. Professors will not penalize students for excused absences, but students who miss considerable class time, even for excused absences, must accept the reality that they are increasing the likelihood that they will not do as well in these courses.”
There are many handouts in this class. If you miss class or forget to take a handout, you will have to make sure that you get them. Please remember to check your Wilmington College e-mail and your mailbox in Pyle. These are the easiest ways for professors and administrators to contact you.
Class Participation
You are expected to arrive promptly at class with the appropriate text, prepared to participate in a lively and informed manner. Persistent tardiness will result in a lower grade; because this class meets once a week, if an absence is unavoidable, please let me know beforehand. Your grade for class participation depends on attendance and contribution to class discussion. The readings will require careful attention; be sure to have read carefully and taken notes before class. You will be responsible for sharing questions, responses, and ideas at every class meeting. Keep in mind that silence is not an option; if you feel shy about talking in class, please come see me early in the semester to discuss this problem. Reading quizzes will be given at random throughout the semester. Quizzes cannot be made up, but they can be taken in advance if you know you will be absent.
Academic Misconduct
Students with academic integrity violations may not be eligible for academic awards and honors (i.e., Academic Honors, Dean’s List/Merit List, Green Key Honor Society, Quaker Impact Award, and other Honorary Societies). See the current Student Handbook for the college’s Academic Integrity policies as they pertain to examinations, classroom behavior, and the process for handling academic misconduct charges.
Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism is defined as the representation of another’s words, ideas, concepts, research or creative production without proper attribution whether intentional or unintentional. It is the student’s responsibility to be informed about what constitutes plagiarism. Plagiarism can occur in the submission of one’s own work or in work submitted by a group. Examples of plagiarism include the following:
The submission of a paper not one’s own, including turning in a paper that has been purchased from a commercial research firm or obtained from the internet
Copying word for word information without quotation marks
Paraphrasing information (that is, the use of one’s own words with only minor changes to the original)
Use of information not considered general knowledge without proper citation Listing misleading or false sources on a reference page
The use of a paper or project for one course that was previously submitted for another course, either at Wilmington or at any other institution
Unauthorized use of generative AI!!
Plagiarism is a serious academic offense and carries serious academic consequences. Violations will be recorded by the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Main Campus and Vice President of External Programs at the Cincinnati Branch Campus.
When an instructor discovers plagiarism, the instructor will first consult with the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs if a main campus student, or the Vice President for External Programs if a branch campus student, in order to determine if the student is a first-time offender. For first offenses, the instructor has the ability to determine the penalty for the offense. Students with academic integrity violations may not
be eligible for academic awards and honors (i.e., Academic Honors, Dean’s List/Merit List, Green Key Honor Society, Quaker Impact Award, and other Honorary Societies). For a second offense or more, the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Main Campus or the Vice President for External Programs for students at the branch campus, will report the offense to the academic standards and appeal committee and gather evidence for a hearing with the student. It is possible that the student will receive a substantial reduction in grade for the course or will fail the course. The penalty for plagiarism in this class will be failure of the class. Multiple instances could even lead to suspension or expulsion from Wilmington College.
There are many university, college and private websites students may consult about how to avoid plagiarism. Sites with particularly helpful suggestions can be found at:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml
http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/using-sources/how-not-to-plagiarize
http://www.princeton.edu/pr/pub/integrity/08/intro/index.htm
http://www.plagiarism.org/plag_article_preventing_plagiarism_when_writing.html
Institutional and Program-Level Policies
All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.
Out-of-class Work Expectation A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week. |
Instructional Course Delivery |
Academic Integrity Policy The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions. |
Academic Misconduct - Examples [10/24]
ACADEMIC CODE OF CONDUCT
This policy is directly related to the first Testimony, which is part of the Student Code of Conduct. “I will practice personal and academic integrity.” The initial responsibility for dealing with academic misconduct lies with the individual faculty member in whose classroom or course of study the offense occurs. The responsibility includes determination of the consequences for the offense. The goal is for faculty to confront cheating and plagiarism, to teach ethical behavior, and to provide an appropriate consequence based on the nature of the incident. Faculty are encouraged to explicitly address academic misconduct and its consequences in the course syllabus.
EXAMPLES OF ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
A. Examination offenses include, but are not limited to, the following:
1.Taking unauthorized materials into or out of the examination room.
2.Leaving the examination room without authorization before completing an examination.
3.Talking in the examination room without authorization.
4.Discussing the examination outside the examination room during the course of the examination.
5.Attempting to observe the work of another student.
6.Taking an examination for another person or permitting someone else to do so.
7.Collaborating improperly by discussion, joint research, or joint effort in any way expressly prohibited by the instructor. This includes using a cell phone or other device to access information from another source or another student.
8.Improper knowledge of contents of an examination - No student shall knowingly acquire unauthorized knowledge of an examination or any part of an examination, or solicit, offer, or give information about any part of an examination.
B. Student work offenses include, but are not limited to, the following, which are expressly prohibited in the absence of prior written approval of the instructor or instructors involved:
1.Resubmission of work - Submitting work which has been previously submitted for credit.
2. Plagiarism - Submitting work done wholly or partly by another, including the unattributed copying of all or parts of a published work or internet document. Using generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) sources to produce work (when not expressly permitted) is also a form of plagiarism. Some instances of plagiarism are the result of ignorance rather than dishonesty. When plagiarism is encountered, the instructor should be sure that the student knows proper procedures for attributing content.
3.Prohibited sources - Consulting material or persons contrary to the directions of the instructor.
4.Improper collaboration - Engaging in any discussion, joint research, or joint effort of any kind expressly prohibited by the instructor.
5.Deception - Misrepresenting the authenticity of sources, citations, or principles in any written work.
6. Sharing work – Students who share their work with others are responsible for how that work is used. For example, if a student shares a paper with another student to help him or her understand an assignment, and that student submits the work as their own, the author of the paper shares responsibility for the plagiarism committed by the other student.
D. Other misconduct - Engaging in any other improper conduct as specified by the instructor.
E. Lying – deliberately providing false information relevant to academic matters, such as misrepresenting the inability to take an examination because of illness.
F. Disruptive or disrespectful classroom behavior – causing a disturbance in the classroom, interrupting instruction, speaking rudely or threatening students or faculty.
Class Attendance Policy |
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
Students with Disabilities
In accordance with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973), Wilmington College provides access through reasonable accommodations to students with documented physical and psychological disabilities.
Students who wish to access Services need to meet with the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services and provide verification of their disability. To register with Accessibility and Disability Services, students submit an Application for Services. In addition, the student must provide the Disability Verification form accompanied by current disability documentation from a licensed professional. For more information, contact the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services at accessibility@wilmington.edu or 937.481.2444, 114 Robinson Communcation Center.