Professional Documents
Culture Documents
”
Plato, The Apology
Lit 3304.501
Advanced Composition
Course Syllabus
Spring 2009
Credit Hours: 3
Thursday: 7:00 p.m. – 9:45 p.m.
Room: CBW 1.102
Course Description:
According to William James, “In any project the important factor is [our] belief. Without belief,
there can be no successful outcome”. Therefore, in asserting a belief, we must possess a thought,
but not just any random or pre-contrived thought will suffice. Instead, our mental constructs must
be derived autonomously by way of our abilities to think critically, analyze objectively, and
interpret openly. As for this course, our literary expedition entails an exploration of the
intertextuality of written, spoken, and visual literature. In this journey, we will discover the
various contexts that influence the directions that our literary investigations follow, and by doing
so, we will have unearthed our natural reserve to interpret texts successfully.
Required Textbooks
Robert Scholes, Nancy Comley and Gregory Ulmer, Text Book: Writing Through Literature.
3rd ed. Bedford/St. Martins, 2002.
Joseph Gibaldi, MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th ed. Modern Language
Association, 2003.
Recommended Textbooks:
Garner, James Finn. Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Modern Tales for Our Life & Times.
New York : Macmillan, 1994.
Garner, James Finn. Once upon a More Enlightened Time: More Politically Correct Bedtime
Stories. New York : Macmillan. 1995.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate the following skills:
♦ The ability to think critically within a literary context;
♦ The ability to write analytical essays that are targeted to audience and purpose, that
incorporate textual support as they respond to various issues and genres of literature and
that demonstrate the elements of argument as they relate to the study of literature;
♦ The ability to apply methods of MLA research and documentation in a research paper,
and ;
♦ The ability to demonstrate the above skills via class discussions, group discussions, and
oral presentations.
Attendance Policy
To help you meet the course objectives, this class includes regular -- almost daily -- writing
assignments both in and out of class, group activities, and exercises. This means that being in
class and on time is required to complete the course. Therefore, please, do not be late for class;
when you are late, you interrupt the class, distract your classmates and me, and miss assignments
(note: If you arrive after a quiz has been given, homework collected, etc. there will be no make-
up quiz or acceptance of late homework). No student will be admitted after the first ten minutes
of class.
Each class period opens the opportunity for knowledge and intellectual growth; therefore, it is
imperative that you come to class each day, so you will not miss out on vital information or slip
behind in your coursework. Thus, students who miss more than two weeks of class (i.e. two
class periods in a one day a week class) will have their final grade reduced by five points for
each additional absence that they accrue.
However, if you are absent, please email me and let me know. If you have
“documentation” for your absence, please bring it with you when you return to class.
One documented absence is excused.
If you stop attending but do not withdraw, you will receive a performance grade of F.
Assignments
♦ Four Reader Responses
♦ Two Essays
♦ Journal
♦ Homework
Essays will be research in nature and will be a minimum of six to eight full pages (i.e. five and a
half pages will not count as six pages and this does not include the Works Cited page) and will
include five to eight sources (no internet sources will be allowed).
Each reader response and essay must contain a clear thesis that states the main objective of your
paper. It is the content of each paper that matters most (i.e. how well you present your
argument). On days when rough drafts are due, you are required to bring one clean printed
copies of your paper. The final draft of your paper will be collected at the beginning of class on
its scheduled due date.
You will receive a letter grade on each final paper, which includes your participation in the
writing process itself; (brainstorming, drafts on time, etc). Therefore, when you turn in your
paper you will turn all of prewriting, rough drafts, etc. with your completed copy; any
paper turned in without its revisions will have ten (10) points automatically deducted.
You may submit ONE of your final paper late -- up to a week after it is due – and a penalty of
fifteen (15) points will be deducted. Once you have turned in one paper late, you will receive a
zero on any final writing that is not on time. To be "on time," your final writing must be
turned in at the beginning of class on the due date. No paper will be accepted via electronic
transmission. To avoid all computer related crises, students should prepare their papers in
advance and always have a back-up copy of their papers on two disks.
***All assignments MUST adhere to both professional and academic standards. Subject matter
deemed sexually explicit, offensive, or profane will result in an automatic grade of “0.”
Furthermore, topics should be free of racial, cultural, ethnic, and gender stereotypical references.
Journal Writing
At the beginning of each class period (except on those days reserved for writing workshops, in-
class writing assignments, etc.), you will be required to write in your spiral (for at least ten but
no more than fifteen minutes). Your journal will be collected at various times (without
warning) throughout the semester. Even if a student is absent, he or she is responsible for
making a journal entry on the day of his or her absence. Your grade will be based simply on the
total number of words you write.
Homework
On the course outline, student will find the agenda for every given class period for the entire
semester. Students are responsible for having their homework completed by the commencement
of class; otherwise they will receive a zero for that particular assignment. For each class period,
students are required to have read and annotated various pieces of literature. Students will be
given a daily completion grade for each assignment they were supposed to have annotated
for that particular day.
Grading Policy
Assignments are to be completed in a timely and thorough manner. Failure to complete
assignments will result in the grade of “0”. Late assignments will not be accepted without prior
approval of the instructor. Points will be deducted at the discretion of the instructor,
especially when specific directions are given, and they are NOT followed.
UTD Essentials
Supplemental Instruction
This facility provides free tutoring (Math, Writing, etc.) in the Learning Resources
Center located in the McDermott Library (MC 2.402, 972-883-6707)
The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of
recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the
Rules and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1,
Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the
university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations
are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are
available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-
6391).
A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of
citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the
Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to
discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or
off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.
Academic Integrity
The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty.
Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work
done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high
standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.
Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related
to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s
own work or material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty
involves one of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying
academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary
proceedings.
Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from
any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on
plagiarism (see general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of
turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.
Email Use
The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication
between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises
some issues concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange.
The university encourages all official student email correspondence be sent only to a
student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email from
students official only if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the
university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual
corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each
student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication with university
personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method
for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.
Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations.
Disability Services
The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational
opportunities equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in
room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to
6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30
p.m.
Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable
adjustments necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example,
it may be necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals
(in the case of dog guides) for students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment
requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus an oral presentation
for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with mobility
impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or
university may need to provide special services such as registration, note-taking, or
mobility assistance.
It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty
members to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations.
Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact the professor after class or
during office hours.
The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible
regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused,
will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time
after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a maximum of one
week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or
assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the
exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that
exam or assignment.
If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose
of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the
student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or
examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief
executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or
designee must take into account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student
and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief executive officer or designee.
***These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.
All changes will be made in writing and distributed to students.