ENWR106CollegeWritingII:WritingandLiteraryStudy

Literature:TheHumanExperience
(CreatedbyBarbaraHamilton;adaptedbyCatherineKeohane)
NOTE TO FACULTY: Please review the sections of this sample syllabi that are italicized and in
brackets. These are notes to you regarding departmental policies.

Instructor:
OfficeHours:
OfficeLocation/Phone:
Mailbox:
Email:
Includeclassmeetingtimes,location,andsectionnumber

RequiredTexts:
Abcarian,Richard,MarvinKlotz,andSamuelCohen.Literature:TheHumanExperience.10thed.
Boston:Bedford/St.Martins,2010.
Hacker,Diana.AWritersReference.MontclairStateUniversitycustomedition.2012.
Notebookforguidedwriting,reflections,andreadingnotes.Folderfortheportfolio.
Agoodcollegeleveldictionary(orawebsitelikewww.mw.com,www.dictionary.com)

Websites:
Blackboard:http://blackboard.montclair.edu
FirstYearWriting:http://www.montclair.edu/writing/firstyearwriting/

CourseOverview:CollegeWritingIIbuildsonthebasicwritingstrategiestaughtinCollegeWritingIand
extendsthegoalofhelpingstudentsbecomeeffectivewritersofintellectualarguments.Studentscontinue
topracticeanddevelopaswriters,withanewfocusonreadingandinterpretingliteraturedrama,poetry,
andfiction.

Expectations:Courseexpectationsandoutcomesarearticulatedintheprefatorychapter(thechapterthat
precedesthefirstchapter)oftheMontclairStateUniversityeditionofAWritersReference(availablein
CourseDocumentssectionofBlackboardifyouhaveadifferenthandbook).[Facultywilldecidewherethis
documentwillbelocatedintheirspecificcourses]Pleasereadthischapterverycarefullyasitisanessential
supplementtoyoursyllabus.Afewpointsofelaborationfollow.

CourseRequirements:
[Facultyhavesomeindividualdiscretionregardingtheweightingofcoursework;howeverit'sexpectedthat
7585%ofthegradeconsistoftheportfolioandessays.Portfoliosshouldbeworth1020%ofgradeand
essays5575%ofthegrade.Theremaining15%25%shouldbeallottedforothercourseworksuchas
homework,peerreviewand/orclassparticipation.]

Yourcourseworkwillbeweightedasfollows(seebelowforexceptions):

Classparticipation,inclasswriting,peerreview,andhomework,LiveLit!:

20%

Fourunitessays(2022finaldraftpagesintotal,detailedineachassignment)
60%

Final,revisedportfolio(includinga2pagefinalreflectiveessay)

20%

ExplanationofCourseRequirements
Preparation,ClassParticipation,Classwork,andHomework:

Preparation:

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Asamemberoftheclass,youareexpectedtocompleteallreading,homework,writing,andinclass
assignmentsontimeandwithcare;youarealsoexpectedtocometoclassreadytoparticipateactivelyin
smallgroupandclassdiscussionsaswellasinpeerreviewworkshops.Youareexpectedtoarriveontime
andwithassignmentscompleted,tobringthetext(s)thatweareworkingwith,and,onpeerreviewdays,
tohavetherequireddraftcopies.

Participation:Participationincludesraisingquestionsaboutthetexts,respondingtoothersquestions,
proposinginterpretations,andmakingconnectionsbetweenourassignedtexts.Ifyouactivelyand
productivelyparticipateinclass(byregularlyandthoughtfullycontributingtoclassdiscussions,placing
effortintogroupwork,etc.),youwillreceivefullcreditforparticipation.Ifyouareunpreparedfor,absent
from,uninvolvedin,ordisruptiveduringclass,yourparticipationgradewillbeloweredaccordingly.We
willallfindtheclassmoreinterestingifeveryonecontributesproductivelytotheconversation.

Classwork:Classworkwillincludegroupworkaswellasinclasswritingassignments,suchasfreewrites,
directedwriting,worksheets,peerreview,andreadingquizzes,bothannouncedandunannounced.There
willbenomakeupsofinclassassignmentswithoutadocumentedexcuse.Duetoitstimelynature,
however,peerreviewcannotbemadeup.

Homework:Boththereadingandwrittenhomeworkassignmentsareanimportantaspectofthecourse.
Thesearelistedonthesemesterschedule.Thewrittenassignmentsaredueatthebeginningofclassand
areaplaceforyoutostartthinkingaboutthereadingswewillbediscussing.Unlessotherwisenoted,your
responseshouldbeapproximately400500words(or12pages)long.Forclarity,pleasefollow
standardsforpunctuation,capitalization,spelling,andparagraphing.

LiveLit!:YouarerequiredtoattendoneLiveLit!eventthissemester(seehandbook).Formore
information,seeLiveLit!linkathttp://www.montclair.edu/writing/.[Individualinstructorsshouldspecify
herewhethertheyrequirethatstudentsprovidesomeproofofattendancesuchasaresponsepaperora
signedorstampedform.]

Essays:Fourformalunitpapersarerequired,approximately6000words(weighted10%,15%,15%,20%).
Oneofthesewillbeadocumentedessay,requiringsomeoutsidereadingandappropriateintegrationof
secondarytextswithinyourownanalysisofaliterarytext.Eachunitessaywilldevelopanargumentthat
growsoutofyouranalysisofassignedliterarytexts;assignmentswillbedistributedinadvance.Eachessay
willundergorevisionandrewriting,withtheassistanceofpeerreview,instructorfeedback,andyourown
furtherthinking.AllessayswilladheretoMLAformat,includingdocumentation.Therewillbepenaltiesfor
short,lateormissingdraftsandforshortorlateessays.

Portfolio:Theportfolioassignmentwillaskyoutofurtherrevisetwounitessaysandtowriteatwoto
threepagereflectiveessay.Theportfoliowillbedueduringtheuniversitysexamperiodandwilltakethe
placeofaninclassfinalexam.Youwillberequiredtohandinthenewlyrevisedversionandtheoriginal,
gradedversionoftheessaysyouselectforyourportfolio,sobesuretosaveyourwork.

DueDates:Workisdueatthebeginningofclass.Pointswillbedeductedforlatework.Unlessspecial
arrangementsaremadeinadvance,noworkwillbeacceptedmorethanoneweekaftertheoriginaldue
date.Exception:Lateunit4essaysandportfolioswillbeacceptedonlybecauseofadocumented
emergency.

GradingCriteriaandGrades:SeetheprefatorychapterofAWritersReferenceforgradingrubric(whatis
expected)aswellasdescriptionsofA,B,C,DandFessays(Montclair8Montclair10).

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Otherfactorsthataffectyourcoursegrade:Yourcoursegradewillbecalculatedusingthepercentages
describedabovewiththefollowingexceptions:excessiveabsenceandsubmittingplagiarizedwork.

Attendancepolicy/excessiveabsence:[Individualinstructorsmayvaryslightlyonattendanceandclass
participationpoliciesnomorethan2to3absenceswithoutpenaltyhowever,afullyarticulatedpolicy
thatexplainsinstructorsexpectationsandconsequencesformissedclassesandfinalgradesshouldappear
here.]

Youareexpectedtoattendclassregularlyandontime.Youwillbeallowedthreeabsencesduringthe
semester,noquestionsasked.Thesearemeanttocoveremergenciesandnonemergencies.Afterthree
absences,yourfinalgradewillbeaffectedasfollows:between46absences,agradedeductionwillbe
taken.Thatis,ifyouaccumulatefourabsencesandyourfinalgradeisa"C",that"C"becomesa"C"andso
on.Beyondsixabsences,anFwillbeassignedforthecourse.Excessivelatenessorleavingearlywillcount
asanabsence.

Youareresponsibleforallassignmentsandareexpectedtocometoclasspreparedeachday,evenifyou
wereabsentthepreviousclass.Itisyourresponsibilitytofindoutwhathappened;consulttheschedule,
Blackboard,oraclassmate.

AcademicHonestyandPlagiarism:DefinitionofPlagiarism(fromp.Montclair12ofAWritersReference)
Itisthepolicyofthefirstyearwritingprogramthatastudentwhoisfoundtohaveplagiarizedwillfailthe
courseandbereferredtotheDeanofStudentsofficefordisciplinarysanctions,whichmayinclude
suspensionorexpulsion.Thispolicywillbeadheredtointhisclassroom.

ClassroomPolicy:Ourclassroomisaforumfordiscussionandcultivationofideas.Itisexpectedthatwe
willtreateachotherwithrespect.Noformofsexism,racism,ageism,elitism,orothertoxicbehaviorwill
betoleratedhere.Allcellphonesmustbeturnedtovibrate.Donottextmessageorotherwiseengage
withyourelectronicdevicesduringclass.

TheCenterforWritingExcellence:(CWE):
StudentsareencouragedtotakeadvantageoftheservicesofferedbytheCenterforWritingExcellence,
locatedonthefirstflooroftheLibrary.www.montclair.edu/cwe.973(6557442).Moreinformationabout
theCWEcanbefoundinAWritersReferenceonpagesMontclair1314.
DisabilityResourceCenter(DRC):
[Accommodations:Whilethissectionisoptional,manyinstructorsfindithelpfultoincludeastatement
similartothefollowing:"Reasonableaccommodationsareavailableforstudentswithadocumented
disability.Ifstudentsrequireaccommodationstofullyparticipateinthisclass,theyshouldvisittheDisability
ResourceCenter(DRC)toreceivealetterfortheirinstructorrequestingaccommodation.Allrequestsmust
beapprovedbytheDRC(MoreheadHall305,x5431,https://www.montclair.edu/health/drc/faculty.html)]

ScheduleofReading&WritingAssignments
[Instructorsmaywishtoindicatewhethertheywouldliketoreceiveessaysanddraftsinhardcopyorvia
Blackboardoremail]

IMPORTANT:Thisscheduleissubjecttominorchange,andtheBlackboardversionwillalwaysbemore
accuratethananythingyouprintoutinthebeginningofclass.RefertotheBlackboardAssignmentspage
forpaperandportfolioassignmentsmentionedonthesyllabus.

Unit1:WhyLiterature?
WeekOne,DayOne
InclassreadingofMezey,MyMother(178)

Homework:ReadWhyWeReadLiterature(322)alongwiththefollowingpoems:Yeats,
SailingtoByzantium(1191),Housman,Terence,ThisisStupidStuff(146),Brehm,At
thePoetryReading(167),Halliday,SeventhAvenue(6601),andFerlinghetti,
ConstantlyRiskingAbsurdity(157158).
Write:Afterreadingthesectionwrittenbyouranthologyseditors,writea12page
personalresponsetothefollowingquestion,referringtooneofthepoemsasanexample:
Howisorisnotliteraturemeaningfulorimportanttoyou?Howdoesliteraturefunctionin
yourlife?(Homework1)

WeekOne,DayTwo
Whyarewesupposedtoreadliterature?Inclasssharinganddiscussionofhomeworkand
thepoems.

Homework:Chooseanysinglepoem,shortstory,play,ornovelthatyouhavereadandfind
aMasterPlotssummary,ClifforSparkNotes,orsimilartextthatsupposedlytellsyouwhat
theliteraturemeans.Writea12pagediscussionofhowthesupposedmeaningdiffers
fromorissimilartoyourownmeaning.Howareyouaffectedbythesupposed
interpretation?Besuretobringinacopyoftheliterature(ifyoucan)andthesourceyou
found(Homework2).
ReadMenard,TheGraduates(27880)andWallaceCommencementSpeech(2805).

WeekTwo,DayOne
Whatistheconnectionbetweenreading,education,andthegoodlife?Short
backgroundontraditionaldefinitionsofsuccess(civic,social,financial,ethical,individual).
DiscussionofHomework2andthetworeadings.Inclasswritingonthetopic:Whatisthe
roleofliteraturein_______?(Youfillintheblank).Thiswillbethefirstdraftofessay1:
Forthispaperyouwillneedtowriteacogent,clear,andfocusedresponsetothisquestion.
Includeatleastonereferencetoaliteraryworkonewereadoroneyoureadforyour
homeworkassignmentandatleastonereferencetothecommentariesonliterature
(Menard,Wallace).

Homework:write23pageseconddraftofessay1,typed.Bring3copies.

WeekTwo,DayTwo:
Midprocessdraftofessay1due.
PeerReview.

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Homework:Writefinaldraftofessay1(34pages);asyourevise,considerpeercomments,
classwork,andyourownrethinking.Withthefinaldraft,submityourpeerreviewsheets,
drafts,andanynotesyouhavetaken.

Unit2:FamilyMatters
Inthisunitwellreadseveralpieceswrittenonthethemeoffamilyrelationships.Becauseweareall
productsoffamiliesofsomesort,eachoneofusispersonallyinvestedinwhatthatmeans.Thesebasic
instinctsguideourinterpretationsandreactionstoliterature,butwedonthavetostopthere.[Instructors
maywishtochooseadditionaloralternatetextsfromamongthefollowing:VirgilSurez,APerfect
Hotspot(1327),Smith,ToCarrytheChild(153),Soto,BehindGrandmasHouse(180),andGarrison,
SestinafortheWorkingMother(6923).]

WeekThree,DayOne
FinalDraftofessay1isdueatthebeginningofclass.
IntroductiontoUnit2.Inclass,readanddogroupworkonHughes,MothertoSon(176)
andMeinke,AdvicetoMySon(177)

Homework:ReadBaldwin,SonnysBlues(560583).
Write:Inaonepageresponse,explainwhichbrotheryousympathizewith.Givereasons
foryourresponsefromthetext,including,perhaps,reasonswhyyoumightbepersonally
inclinedtotakeonebrotherssideovertheother(Homework3).

WeekThree,DayTwo
InclassdiscussionofresponsestoBaldwin.ReadanddiscussHayden,ThoseWinter
Sundays(944)

Homework:ReadTan,TwoKinds(35260)andWalker,EverydayUse(5906).Ina2
pageresponse,considerthesetwoquestions:Howdotheculturaldifferencesbetween
theimmigrantmotherandAmericanizeddaughterintensifytheirstruggle?andHowis
thetensionbetweenDeeandhermotheralsoamatterofculture?(Homework4).

WeekFour,DayOne
LimitationsofthePersonalPointofView.Inclassdiscussionofthetwostoriesandthe
limitationsofreadingfromapurelypersonalpointofview.

Homework:Writea23pagefirstdraftofessay2.Chooseoneliterarytextthatwehave
readtoexploreyourinitial,personalinterpretationofthepieceandthencontrastthiswith
analternativeinterpretationyoudevelopedafterfurtherthought,discussionwithpeers,
andclassdiscussion.Presentbothinterpretationsbydrawingonthetextaswellasthe
experiencesorbeliefsthatsupportthem.Intheendbesuretoreflectonthestrengthsand
limitationsofpersonalinterpretation.

WeekFour,DayTwo
Firstdraftofessay2due.
Inclass:largeandsmallgrouppeerreview.

Homework:begintorevisebasedonpeerreview.ReadWritingAboutLiterature(3851)
andSomeMattersofFormandDocumentation(737).

WeekFive,DayOne

WritingWorkshop:Conventions,Citation,AvoidingPlagiarism.Draftsreturned.
Inclass:reviewofconventionsforwritingliteraryinterpretationpapers,appropriate
citation,andplagiarism.Discussionofpapersandworkneededforfinaldraft.

Homework:Writeyourfinaldraft(45pages).Submityourpaperalongwithpeerreview
comments,mycomments,yourdrafts,andanynotes.Papersthatdonotincludedraftsand
noteswillnotbeaccepted.

Unit3:ToDotheRightThing
Inthisunitwellconsidermultiplecriticalperspectivesaswelookattheroleofmoralityinliteratureand
thepurposeofliteratureinshapinganddefiningourmoralquestions.

WeekFive,DayTwo
FinaldraftofPaper2isdue.Inclass:Introductiontotheunit.Thinkingaboutdefinitionsof
moralityandtheirconnectiontoculture.ReadanddiscussForche,TheColonel(4234).

Homework:ReadKingston,NoNameWoman(106573)andCofer,AmericanHistory
(26974).Makealistforeachstoryofthemostimportantdetailsinfluencingyour
interpretationofit.(Homework5).

WeekSix,DayOne
DiscussionofKingstonandCofer.Presentationofdifferentcriticaltheories(134352).
Groupwork:Chooseoneofthecriticaltheoriesinourtextanduseittointerpreteither
KingstonorCofer.Whatarethemostimportantdetailsinthestorythatleadyoutochoose
onecriticalapparatusoveranother?Makealistofthemandusetheminyour
interpretation.

Homework:ReadGlaspell,Trifles(10501062).Writea12response,takinguptheissueof
whetherjusticeisservedbytheendoftheplay.Whyorwhynot?(Homework6).

WeekSix,DayTwo
Inclass:stagingofplayandgroupactivity.Ingroups,makeachartofthevarioustheories
andusethemtointerpretGlaspell.Usespecificdetailsfromtheplaytosupportyour
interpretations.Whatdodifferentreadingsdotothetext?

Homework:ReadKunzru,Raj,Bohemian(361370)andAlexie,ThisisWhatitMeansto
SayPhoenix,AZ(597605).Comeinreadytoanswerthequestion,Whyisthisessayina
unitonmorality?(Homework7)

WeekSeven,DayOne
DiscussionofKunzruandAlexie.

Homework:3pagedraft.Buildingonthehomeworkwritingsyouvealreadydone,choose
onecriticaltheoryandapplyittoanyoftheshortstoriesinthisunit,ortoGlaspellsplay.
Createandsupportacentralclaimaboutthewaythetheoryaffectsyourreadingofthe
text.Howdoesitopenituporlimitit?Referencestomorality,ethics,culture,and
judgmentswillbesmiledupon.(Yourdraftshouldbeatleast50%differentfromyour
earlierassignment.Itmustincludequotationsfromtheliterarytextandthetheory
properlydocumented,ofcourse.)

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WeekSeven,DayTwo
Draftofessay3due.
Inclass:Activityworkingwiththedrafts.Peerreview.

Homework:finaldraftofessay3(5pages)

Unit4:LoveandDesiretheDocumentedEssay
Inthisunitwellconsiderdifferingdefinitionsoflove.Afterreadingvariouspoemsandstories,youllwrite
abouttheculturaluseofliteraturetocelebrate,instruct,andcreateexpectationsaboutlove,whileatthe
sametimeprovidingavehicleforquestioningandevendestroyingthoseassumptions.Youwillwritea67
pagepapermakingreferencetoatleasttwooftheUnit4readingsandfourscholarlysources.

WeekEight,DayOne

Essay3due.
LoveasanIdealandanAntidote.Introductiontotheunit.Inclassreadinganddiscussionof
PaulICorinthians13(1063)andBradstreetToMyDearandLovingHusband(917).

Homework:Read:Arnold,DoverBeach(920),DonneAValediction(914),and
ShakespeareSonnets29and116(910).
Writea12pageresponsetothevisionoflovegiveninthepoemscoveredinclassandthat
youreadforhomework.Doyoubelievethiskindoflovecanexist?Isthisyouridealoflove?
Ifnot,whatis?Whatculturalpurposewouldadvancingthisimageofloveserve?
(Homework8)

WeekEight,DayTwo
Workwithpoemsandresponses.

Homework:readMin,CourtingaMonk(81525)andPacker,DrinkingCoffeeElsewhere
(83448).
Writea12pageresponseinwhichyouaddressthefollowing:Howdothesemodern
renditionsofloveordesirecompareandcontrastwiththoseofpreviousgenerations?How
canweaccountforthedifference?(Homework9)

WeekNine,DayOne
DiscussionofMinandPacker.

Homework:ReadSzymborskaAHappyLove(9278),SextonCinderella(16972),
HackerConte(1734),MachanHazelTellsLaverne(175),LauSolipsism(1678).Write
a12pageresponsetooneofthesepoems,makingapointaboutthewayitreflectsor
challengesaculturaldefinitionoflove.(Homework10).

WeekNine,DayTwo
Sharingreaderresponsecriticismofthepoetry.Arethesedefinitionsmorerealisticthan
thoseweencounteredearlierinthisunit?Morecynical?Dotheydeepenour
understandingofloveorcloudit?

Homework:ReadFisher,Dumped!(10804)andKipnis,AgainstLove(108592).Writea
12pageresponsethatexploreshoweitherFishersorKipnissideasaboutromanticlove
mightbeprovenordisprovedbyoneoftheliterarytextswehavereadthisunit.
(Homework11).

WeekTen,DayOne
Loveanditsaftermath.Discussionoftodaysreadings.

Createanannotatedbibliographyofthefourscholarlysourcesyouwillrefertoinyour
paper(seedocumentedessayassignmentforfullinstructions).Bringyourhandbookto
class!

WeekTen,DayTwo
BringyourHacker(orany)handbooktoclass!Discussionofwaysofapproachingthefirst
draft.Inclassreviewofannotatedbibliographies.

Homework:Writea3pagefirstdraftofpaper4ontheintersectionofliterature,culture,
idealism,andreality,referringtoatleastoneofyourscholarlysources.Bringtwocopiesto
classformorework.

WeekEleven,DayOne
Firstdraftofpaper4isdue.Inclasspeerreview.

Homework:Continuetoworkonyourdocumentedessay,findingbettersourcesif
necessary.

WeekEleven,DayTwo
Workshoponthedocumentedessay.

Homework:45pagemidprocessdraftofPaper4referringtothreeofyourscholarly
sources.Bring3copiestoclassonThursdayforpeerreviewandsubmission.Yourpaper
mustcontainreferencestoandquotationsfromatleasttwooftheunit4readings.

WeekTwelve,DayOne
Midprocessdraftsofpaper4aredue.Peerreview.

WeekTwelve,DayTwo
Midprocessdraftsarereturnedwithcomments.Paperworkshop.

Homework:Writeyourfinaldraftofpaper4(67fullpages,notcountingtheWorksCited
page,usingfourscholarlysourcesandmakingreferencetotwoofourreadings.

Unit5:PortfolioReview

WeekThirteen,DayOne
FinaldraftofPaper4isdue.
Inclass:Reviewofeverythingwevecoveredintheclass.

Homework:BringallpaperswithyoutoclassforthebeginningofPortfoliowork.

WeekThirteen,DayTwo
PortfolioIntroductionandPlanningsession.InClassPortfolioWork

WeekFourteen,DayOne

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Homework:Writeadraftofyour23pageMyReadingLifeessayandbringtwocopiesfor
peerreview.

WeekFourteen,DayTwo
Workthroughrevisionsviapeerreview,guidedrevisionexercises,andinstructor
conferences.Shareadraftofyourreflectiveessaywithaclassmateforreview.