English 122LE
TA: Patrick Mooney
Fall 2010
Sections 54593 and 54601
Overview: I expect that your papers will respond specifically to one of the questions on Professor Hiltner's paper prompt unless you arrange otherwise with me in advance.Your paper must represent your own original work; any borrowings from anyone else's language or thought require proper academic attribution. Your paper should conform to the MLA standard for academic papers in the humanities.
Always retain a copy of your paper until you have received a final grade for the quarter. Never give me the only copy of an assignment that you have put work into.
Failure to turn your paper in on time will result in a reduction of 1/3 letter grade per day unless you have either made arrangements with me (at least 24 hours in advance) or have a genuinely serious and unavoidable emergency (family death, serious injury, natural disaster, etc.). If you turn in a late paper, you should put it in my box in the Sankey Room (South Hall, across from room 2617) and must e-mail me before 5pm that day to be sure that I notice it and give you credit for turning it in on the proper day. Note that the Sankey Room is normally locked at 4:30pm. If you must be absent from class on the day that your paper is due, you may leave your paper in my box before the Sankey Room is locked. All of your work must be submitted as a hard copy, not electronically. I will always return papers to you within one week.
I am available after section, after lecture, during my office hours, and by e-mail to answer questions that you may have about any of these requirements. I do not give feedback on drafts, but would be happy to discuss specific questions or issues that arise as you go through the writing process. Please realize that I am likely to receive many e-mails shortly before the paper is due, and that although I will respond as quickly as possible, it is unwise to e-mail me at the absolute last minute and expect an immediate reply. Please also note that my afternoon responsibilities on campus may mean that I do not check my e-mail during the last few hours before the paper is due.
This is (approximately) what each grade means:
A-range papers: Papers in this range provide a genuine illumination of both the broader issues of the class and the specific text or texts with which they engage by providing a nuanced reading of those texts. Rather than simply instantiating an argument from lecture or section in another format, an A-range paper takes risks and demonstrates a payoff for those risks.
A+: In addition to displaying all of the virtues of an A paper, an A+ paper is wonderful in every imaginable way.
A: Answers the question fully by providing a nuanced reading of the text(s) involved and articulating a solid understanding of them. Grammatical and usage errors, if any, are few and far between, as well as being minor: they do not affect the reader's ability to understand and appreciate any aspect of your essay. An A goes beyond the interpretations articulated in lecture and section to make a contribution to "our" understanding of the topic as a whole. An A paper will anticipate and head off potential major objections to its interpretation of the text in such a way as to convince the reader that its textual interpretation is solid and reasonable.
A-: Answers the question fully. Demonstrates a solid understanding of the text(s) involved and their relationship to the major thematic issues of the course. Grammar and usage errors, if any, are rare and no more than a minor inconvenience for the reader. Provides a genuine contribution in the manner of an A paper, but without fully resolving all of the difficulties involved. Still, an A- paper demonstrates a solid, perceptive, non-trivial illumination of genuine issues in relation to the assignment and the broader themes of the course.
B-range papers: Papers in this range illustrate that the paper-writer has a more or less solid understanding of the ideas and texts involved in the paper, but may not fully articulate that understanding in a comprehensive and satisfying way. The paper-writer may be confused on some more or less significant point of interpretation or relevance, may make (comparatively) minor factual errors, and/or may fail to draw a clear line between analysis and the expression of personal likes/dislikes. Grammar and structure may prevent the reader from clearly understanding and appreciating the writer's argument.
B+: Answers all or nearly all of the question. Demonstrates that the writer has a clear and solid understanding of the text(s) and issues involved, although that understanding may not be exhaustively articulated in the paper itself. May be shaky on relatively minor points of interpretation. Still, there is a clear argumentative thread, and an honest attempt to ground that argument in the text(s) with which the writer engages.
B: Answers most of the question, but leaves important points of the question unconsidered or otherwise unresolved. Generally articulates important course themes and presents some attempt to connect specific passages in the text(s) with the questions on the paper prompt, but in a way that fails to be entirely convincing. May be confused on a relatively significant point. Writing and structure may be confusing, or make the paper difficult to read and/or interpret. Often, there is no genuine contribution to the overall understanding of the topic.
B-: Fails to address core issues related to the question. Lacks a solid grasp of important course themes and perhaps makes basic interpretive missteps. Still, the paper is engaged with the material, and demonstrates some grasp of basic issues. Writing may be so poorly structured as to make it difficult to follow the argument; but there is clearly some attempt to connect an argument to textual material.
C and below: More or less off-topic, unclear to the point of being nearly unintelligible, and/or irrelevant to the content of the course as a whole.
F: A plagiarized or otherwise dishonest paper. Note that plagiarism may result in penalties beyond simply receiving an F on the paper.
Receiving a lower-than-expected grade is not necessarily a reason to freak out. Writers of B-range papers often have a good understanding of what's going on in the course, and may be able to demonstrate this in section, on exams, or on a second paper well enough to pull their grades up. Your overall grade in the course reflects all of these factors, and showing substantial progress in the second half of the quarter may cause me to adjust your grade slightly upwards if you are otherwise very close.
If you believe that the grade you received is in any way unfair and would like to dispute it, you must write me a letter explaining specific reasons why the grade I gave you is not a good match for the paper you wrote, basing your argument on the grading rubric above. Note specific discrepancies based on my comments and passages from the paper. You should turn the letter in to me, along with a copy of your paper that has my comments on it. We will then schedule an appointment to discuss your grade. If you are still not satisfied with the grade you received, you should talk to Professor Hiltner.
You are of course welcome to talk to me about your paper even if you do not believe that the grade is unfair. I would be more than happy to elucidate comments, go further into material that you found interesting, or discuss how future papers can better achieve an exposition of your ideas. Please feel free to come to my office or schedule an appointment with me if you would like to discuss any of these topics.