2005_101_policies

Aristophanes

English/FYE 101
Fall 2005
Jefferson Hendricks
Centenary College of Louisiana

Texts
Syllabus
Links for Writers
Links for Literary Study

Bobbie Ann Mas

Policies/Requirements

Course Description and Goals:

This course will acquaint you with works in a variety of genres from the ancient world to the contemporary. These works, all of which address the theme of forbidden knowledge, include folk epic, a Hollywood film, a philosophical dialogue, plays, two novels, lyric poems. They will allow us to examine a number of rhetorical devices, including allegory, analysis, argumentation, description, dialogue, narrative, and various figures of speech -- the list is almost endless. In-class discussions and out-of-class events will encourage you to wrestle with challenging ideas in order to develop your critical thinking and writing skills. Those ideas will provide a context for written analytical and argumentative assignments. Apply yourself conscientiously to the work of the course, and by the end of the semester you should be able to

analyze a text and to recognize how its rhetorical techniques convey a stance toward the subject matter;
draw connections among our various texts and between them and other cultural elements;
discover and develop arguments of your own;
present those arguments in convincing written form; and
demonstrate mastery of basic grammar, mechanics, and usage.

Grading:

Essays 2-4 30% [first essay is diagnostic and the grade is not recorded]
Work Ethic 20%
Mid-term exam 10%
Quizzes/in class work 10%
Final Exam 30%

Essays:

All written work should follow the MLA style sheet. In citing World Wide Web resources, refer to MLA guidelines for print and online sources. See my Resources for Writers page for online documentation sites. All requirements, written or presented, will be on time. Late papers are marked down one letter grade for every day late. All essays must be submitted to pass the course.

Your signature on all work indicates understanding of and compliance with the Honor Code. Suspected violations of the Honor Code will be referred to the Honor Court; conviction of a violation will result in at least a grade of F for the course.

Work Ethic: Class Attendance, Participation, and Attitude :

This class emphasizes discussion. Therefore, you need to be in class every time prepared to talk intelligently and passionately. Absences will hurt your work ethic grade. Absences are noted at the beginning of the class, and for those who arrive late. You may make up for absences by writing a 250-300 word essay on an approved out-of-class cultural event. You may also obtain extra credit by writing 250-300 word reviews of approved out-of-class cultural events (above and beyond your FYE requirements).

To prevent distractions, food, drink (except water), cell phones, etc. are not allowed in class.

The work we do in class is important and everything talked about in class should be considered a possible subject for quizzes and exams.

Exams and Quizzes:

Quizzes will be given periodically to check your close reading skills. This quizzes will be short answer questions on the texts being read at that time. Exams will be comprised of short answer and essay questions. Everything we talk about in class is "fair game" for exams and all exams are cumulative, though the emphasis on the final tends to be on the most recent material studied in class.