Litr. 277 Summer II, 2013
Introduction to Short Fiction, Canvas e-learning
July 8—August 15, 2013
James A. Freeman, Professor, Language&Literature Department
Penn Hall Room 127 - Instructor’s Office (215-968-8155)
Penn Hall Room 105 Department Office (215-968-8150)
Instructor’s e-mail: freemanj@bucks.edu Department web pages: http://www.bucks.edu/academics/department/lang-lit/
Office Hours: via Canvas Inbox and BCCC webmail
Course Syllabus: http://www.bucks.edu/syllabi/syllabus.php
Required Text: “The Story and Its Writer,” (8th Ed), Ann Charters, Editor. 8th edition ordered to facilitate free accompanying e-supplements.
Optional: “Irish Wake: In Loving Memory of Us All;” “Ishi’s Journey from the Center to the Edge of the World, both by Jim Freeman (a collection of stories and a short historical novel; any royalties donated to BCCC student scholarship).
Disability Accommodations:
In compliance with the Bucks County Community College policy and equal access laws, appropriate academic accommodations can be made for students eligible for such support. Students are encouraged to register with the Disability Services Office (215-968-8463) to verify their eligibility for appropriate accommodations. Please speak to your instructor about any requests for academic accommodations or other concerns prior to or as early in the Summer session as possible.
Cheating & Plagiarism:
The expectation at Bucks County Community College is that the principles of truth and honesty will be rigorously followed in all academic endeavors. This assumes that all work will be done by the person who purports to do the work without unauthorized aids. In addition, when making use of language and some idea not his or her own, whether quoting them directly or paraphrasing them into his or her own words, the student must attribute the source of the material in some standard form, such as naming the source in the text or offering a footnote. (Source: BCCC Catalog 2008, College Policy Regarding Cheating and Plagiarism, p. 159+). It is assumed and occurs in the vast majority of cases that BCCC students will always do their own original work and properly document all sources cited or used. Just had to get that out front early: I start with trusting you!
Student’s Responsibility to Retain Course Materials
Students are always responsible for retaining copies of their own work and/or correspondence, including that posted to a web course space. Student access to a Bucks County Community College web course space is available only during the stated semester/session as indicated by the College’s academic calendar. All web course sites, including content, are routinely removed from the server at the conclusion of each semester/session.
Overall Course Description:
The main objective of this course is to learn about the elements of short fiction. Emphasis will be placed on reading, discussing and writing critically about fiction as we expose the interconnections between literature and life. A special feature of this course is to understand and appreciate 19th and 20th century Realism in literature: we will trace events leading to this literary period, and we will examine even more recent literary movements as we study short fiction. Women and minority authors as well as non-Americans will often be featured. We will paint a short fiction canvas quickly with both wide and detail brushes (Canvas pun intended).
This is primarily a student-centered online discussion course, suited to various learning styles, so attendance and online participation are, of course, essential. Three or more Summer II session days without posting by “midterm” may result in an instructor initiated withdrawal from the course; four or more days without meaningful activity may cause failure. On each Summer II session day, a designated student will take online class summary notes that will be presented online for discussion blog on the subsequent class day. This will solidify our understanding of the foundational knowledge we gained in our previous day’s lessons.
Each student will co-lead at least one e- panel discussion blog on an author of short fiction and the author’s cultural history, sociological and literary criticism responses (graded holistically as an A, C or F and worth 1/4 of our grade). Roles on the panel are explained in a supplemental handout/attachment. In addition, we’ll do two expanded and formalized journal entries as short essays (350-550 words), frequent writerly short essay reading responses (a total of 1/8 of our grade), a 700-800 word essay before midterm (1/4 of the grade), and a 700-800 word essay in the last days of the e-session (1/4 of our grade). The handout/attachment “How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay” will help with these projects, as will model papers, and the grading rubric I will provide in advance. As a supplement to the required readings, I will recommend optional ones. No “bonus points” for participation will be awarded after each discussion because daily posting discussion is mandatory, but a cumulative subjective evaluation of each student’s overall participation will be made: another optional extra credit feature will be attendance at any writer’s events at BCCC, Bucks County and elsewhere and to post a journal write-up of the event using our literary terms from the seven Canvas Learning Modules: the elements of literature.
To this end of knowledge of fiction and fictional literature, each student will be required to keep a Canvas online journal blog for writing brief reactions to assigned readings before each class online discussion of the commonly assigned model stories (also graded holistically as an A, C or F and worth 1/8 of our course grade). Many students will also use their journals to take notes and to generate ideas for both in and out of class essays. You’ll get journal guidelines, a journal template, and a syllabus of required readings and work for Summer II online and via pre-summer hard-copy handouts from me if you’d like to advance plan. Please contact me by 6/5/13 if you wish to come to campus to prepare. For this reason, I recommend purchasing your textbook(s) before the start of the session and to check the early release of the course syllabus. Please read this document carefully and please also consider referring to the College’s and the Language & Literature Department’s policy handout(s) and BCCC catalogue information on Academic Integrity and accommodations for disability, etc., merely summarized above. These are available in the Newtown Campus Dept. office, Penn Hall room 105, M-F, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
This course can be, and will be, insightful and fun. Here’s to having a great semester together exploring short fiction via Canvas e-group thinking! Individual guidelines, course format and syllabus to follow on early 2013 Summer II Canvas release.
Kind note for context on the study of Literature and fiction… I believe this, fellow readers.
Syllogism:
Major Premise: Knowledge is Power.
Minor premise: Literature is Knowledge.
Conclusion: Literature is Power (over one’s well being and happiness especially).
Please see the soon-to-be posted department grading standard, course schedule and course format. We will have some fun and do some deep learning with fictional literature this Summer II, 2013 session! |