Nancy Taylor, Lecturer
English 300 OL - Contemporary Literature - Thursdays 7-9:45
Fall 2008 Course Syllabus
Course Description and Objectives
English 300 is a survey of contemporary literature. Our aim is to examine representative works, giving special attention to social, emotional, rhetorical, logical, and ethical concerns reflected in our texts. Through our conversations we will construct a working definition of what it means to be contemporary. We will discuss the criteria utilized in determining how a piece comes to be defined as contemporary and as literature. As part of the undergraduate curriculum, this course also encourages students to develop independent critical thinking in response to the assigned readings.
NOTE: This class will meet LIVE online Thursdays from 7-9:45. Please check your availability BEFORE registering for this course. This is a live discussion-based course, so please plan to be online for the entire class meeting!
Enrollment Procedures
CSUN regularly enrolled students register for online courses in the same manner as they register for any course. If you wish to add the course after the semester begins, you must email the course Professor for a permission number. Drop forms may be put in the relevant faculty on-campus mailbox for signature, after contacting the instructor. Students must email the instructor and receive an acknowledgement to complete the enrollment procedure. Directions will be given by the instructor about how to access the course website and complete the specific enrollment requirements for the course. Students from other CSU Campuses who wish to enroll, must submit the Intrasystem Concurrent Enrollment Form to their home Campus. Anyone in the world may take the Online Courses through CSUN's Open University.
Required Materials
- The VAGINA MONOLOGUES by Eve Ensler
- The DAVINCI CODE by Dan Brown
- OUT by Natsuo Kirino
- SPRING POEMS ALONG THE RIO GRANDE by Jimmy Santiago Baca
- THE PENGUIN BOOK OF MODERN BRITISH SHORT STORIES by Malcolm Bradbuy, ed.
Course Requirements
English 300 Online is mostly a discussion based course, so our success depends upon your active participation. Be prepared and willing to discuss your interpretations of the readings. Where you have questions about the materials, be prepared to ask those questions. All opinions will be listened to and responded to with respect. Being a non-judgmental listener encourages more lively discussions. In addition to our whole class discussion you will be requried to work in permanent groups of 4-6 students throughout the semester. Part of our class time each week will be devoted to group activities and small group chat rooms.
NOTE: CSUN's GE Upper Division Writing Policy states that all upper-division required GE courses be designated writing-intensive. In each such course, students will be required to complete writing assignments totaling a minimum of 2,500 words. To fulfill the GE Upper Division Writing Policy, you will be required to post responses to our readings in a variety of ways: Email, Whole-Class Discussion Forums, Live Internet Chat.
Technical Requirements
Students will need to have access to the Internet and an active CSUN email account to access the WebCT system. To activate your CSUN e-mail address or reset its password use the account utility page.
Can't login? If you see the main WebCT login screen repeatedly, despite entering a valid e-mail address and password, then you may need to enable cookies in your web browser's options or preferences area. WebCT requires access to cookies and will not allow a successful log-in until and unless your web browser has them enabled. Since Chat is a Java applet, you should visit the WebCT browser tune-up page to check your computer settings.
Instructions will be provided for all computer activities; you may visit CSUN's Office of Online Instruction site for information on online courses and programs. CSUN also provides information on computer resources and availability. You can access this information 24 hours a day by visiting Student Computing Workshops. You may also attend an on-campus workshop in WebCT and Email. Please be familiar with CSUN's online applications, particularly WebCT, prior to our first meeting.
NOTE: For chat preparation install Java before using chat!!! Because of a legal dispute between Microsoft and Sun, recent versions of Internet Explorer / Windows do not come bundled with Java, a program that WebCT chat relies on. If you try to use a Java-based program and Java has not been installed on your system, you will see a message indicating that you need to download "JAVA Virtual Machine." You may download and install Java directly from Sun at http://www.java.com/en/index.jsp (click the big yellow Get It Now button on that page). Follow the directions for installation, closing your web browser and/or restarting your system as it suggests. Once Java has been installed you should encounter no further trouble with WebCT chat.
Grading
Your final grade will be determined as follows:
- Response to Textbook Readings (individual and whole-class postings): 40%
- Midterm Paper (1000 words): 30%
- Group Research Project/Presentation: 15%
- Attendance, Preparation & Discussion: 15%
Plagiarism
According to the CSUN catalogue, plagiarism is the act of “intentionally or knowingly representing the words, ideas, or works of another as one’s own in any academic exercise,” and will result in a failing grade for the assignment. In addition, it may result in a failing grade for the course and disciplinary action on the part of the university. Internet software is available to assist CSUN faculty to scan student writing. ALL student assignments will be scanned for plagiarism.
Assignments and Late Postings
Please post your responses by the due dates in our schedule. You may post your work early, but remember to re-visit the whole-class WebCT forums to read/respond to your peers during or before class time. Please note that late posts will be marked down one full grade per week. You will not receive credit for assignments posted more than two (2) weeks late.
Carefully read each homework assignment -- our week to week schedule will vary. For some analyses, you will be required to respond in a whole-class WebCT forum or you will be asked to email a Microsoft WORD document to the Instructor. For our midterm, you will be asked to send yourl paper via email.
Whole-class forum postings will be graded for effort and thoughtfulness. Please leave yourself enough time to read and respond to your peers. You will receive a letter grade for each assignment sent to the Instructor via email.
For Personal Forum responses, you will be asked to analyze specific elements that are listed under the homework assignments in each week's schedule. Note that each Whole-Class Forum has its own question and posting instructions - please click on the links listed in our schedule. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me.
Good luck this semester! See you in Cyberspace!!!