INSTRUCTOR

Jeff Massengill
3800 Charco Road
Beeville, Texas
Phone: (361) 354-2434
E-mail: jcmassengill@coastalbend.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is a study of major British authors from 1775 through the twentieth century. Although the main concern is with the literary selections, social, intellectual, and historical developments are also emphasized.
Prerequisite: English 1302.  See the current Coastal Bend College Catalog for more information.

FOCUS

• Students will examine selected examples of short stories, plays, and poetry;
• analyze the major elements of literature to discover meaning in the works they read;
• write critical papers, the writing of which will encourage students to further develop their ability to interpret literature, to think critically, to write clearly, and to document critical essays;
• recognize the aesthetic value of literature; and
• complete a literary research project.

TEXTBOOK

No textbook is required; all reading assignments will be made available via this website.

OBJECTIVES

Upon successful completion of this course the student should:
• be able to identify the major literary genres;
• recognize the distinguishing characteristics of fiction, poetry, and drama;
• understand the influences that contribute to the creation of literature, particularly the social, cultural, historical conditions that are reflected in literature;
• gain a basic familiarity with literary criticism and draw inferences from it to make informed judgments about literature;
• display improved documentation usage and writing skills using a variety of writing modes, resulting in more focused critical thinking skills;
• understand literature as a part of everyone's common heritage; and
• become acquainted with various classics of English literature by reading and studying the works of selected writers.

STUDENT CONTRIBUTIONS

Each student is expected to read and complete all assignments; participate in group discussions; and maintain an appropriate, civil manner in the classroom.

ASSIGNMENTS

This course may incorporate essays, discussions, quizzes, journals, exams, and research assignments to evaluate student performance and to direct instruction.  Due to the nature of the course, not every assignment will be fully graded and returned.  Unless otherwise noted, students may expect to receive feedback on their assignments approximately six (6) class hours (2 weeks) from the date of submission.
It is the student's responsibility to keep copies of all course-related documents, including all assignments submitted or received.
The instructor is not obligated to award any credit for assignments submitted after the due date.

GRADES

• Essays and other assignments free of major grammar and mechanical errors, clearly and correctly composed according to the directions or guidelines, and meeting the minimum expectations related to organization, content, formatting, etc. generally earn a grade of "C" (70% - 79%: Average).
  
• Essays and other assignments free of all major grammar and mechanical errors, clearly and correctly composed according to the directions or guidelines, and effectively exceeding the minimum expectations related to organization, content, formatting, etc. generally earn a grade of "B" (80% - 89%: Above Average).
  
• Essays and other assignments with only very few, if any, minor grammar and mechanical errors, clearly and correctly composed according to the directions or guidelines, and exceeding all expectations related to organization, content, formatting, etc. generally earn a grade of "A" (90% - 100%: Exceptional).
  
• Essays and other assignments containing major grammar and/or mechanical errors, lacking clarity and/or unification, not composed according to the directions or guidelines, or failing to meet the minimum expectations related to organization, content, formatting, etc. generally earn a grade of "D" (60% - 69%: Poor) or "F" (59% - 0%: Failing).
  
• Letter grades are awarded for submissions. Letter grades may be converted to numerical grades as follows: A+=98, A=95, A-=90, B+=88, B=85, B-=80, C+=78, C=75, C-=70, D+=68, D=65, D-=60, F=58 or below (the corresponding numerical grade will be noted on any paper earning a grade of "F").

GRADE DETERMINATION:

• Participation--10%
• Papers (3)--90%

*No assignment will be accepted after the due date.

RECORDING LECTURES

Students may not electronically record lectures and presentations without the express, written permission of the instructor.  Most lecture content is based upon original, fixed works, and is therefore the intellectual property of the instructor, which is protected by state law.
In the event that permission to record is granted, any and all course-related recordings are solely for the student’s use, and may not be publicly played, broadcast, reproduced, transcribed, or distributed.  Electronic equipment used to record lectures must be designed for that purpose (personal recorders; digital or analog), must operate silently, and must be of an appropriate size.

ACADEMIC HONESTY

Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of the written work of another person.  This definition not only applies to situations in which an entire paper is copied, but also to situations in which only a single phrase or sentence is used without giving the original author credit for the work.
Students caught plagiarizing, cheating, or otherwise violating the Coastal Bend College academic honesty policy, will receive an “F” for the course and will be placed on disciplinary probation.  Please see the Coastal Bend College Student Handbook or the Language Division Academic Honesty Policy page at www.coastalbend.edu for more information.