English 122LE
Professor Ken Hiltner
Lecture: M/W 5-6:15 p.m., Girvetz 1004
Fall 2010
Section 54593: Tu 8-8:50 a.m., HSSB 1210
Section 54601: Tu 9-9:50 a.m., 0121 Bldg 434
Teaching Assistant: Patrick Mooney
Office Hours: Mon 12-1 and Wed 3-4 in South Hall 2432K, or by appointment.
Mailbox: Sankey Room, South Hall, 2nd floor
E-mail: patrickmooney AT umail DOT ucsb DOT edu
Each of the following course components is worth 20% of your grade:
- Attendance and participation in discussion sections.
- Midterm exam.
- Final exam.
- One paper, 4-6 pages, due in class on Nov. 3.
- One paper, 4-6 pages, due in class on Dec. 1.
Oct. 27: Midterm exam.
Nov. 3: First paper due.
Dec. 1: Second paper due.
Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m.: Final exam (location TBA).
Discussion sections are an important part of the course. We will be reviewing major course topics and themes, looking closely at particular parts of the texts we are reading in class, and exploring additional related issues. At the same time, the course discussion section is your opportunity to explore additional implications of course readings or issues that you find fascinating, of questionable validity, or unclear. You will find section more enjoyable and rewarding if you come to class prepared and bring specific issues, interests, and questions with you when you come in on Tuesday mornings. Moreover, you should always bring the week's readings with you to section.
Attendance is necessary, and more than two absences during the quarter will result in no section credit. Moreover, arriving more than five minutes late will count as a half-absence. On the other hand, simply showing up at section each week is not sufficient: Please remember that this is a discussion section. Your section grade is largely based on the degree to which you make meaningful contributions to the group discussion on a regular basis. Besides attendance, I have only three basic expectations of you: that everyone contribute meaningfully to class discussions; that everyone arrive in section prepared to discuss the readings in a nuanced but engaged manner; and that everyone in section treat each other respectfully during discussions, even when disagreements arise.
Papers are due according to the schedule on the syllabus. 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.
Papers must be formatted according to the MLA standard (one-inch margins, double-spaced, 12-point standard serif font, standard list of works cited and standard citation methodology for words and ideas originating elsewhere, etc.). If you have questions, please consult a writing handbook, or see me during my office hours. We will discuss expectations regarding papers at greater length before your first paper is due.
If you wish to dispute a grade you have received on a paper, you should provide a written statement indicating specific reasons why your grade should be different. This statement should be delivered to me in person, dropped off in my box in the Sankey Room, or sent to me by e-mail. I do not re-evaluate papers based on general claims such as "I just think I did better."
I am available during and after section, (usually) after lecture, and during my office hours. If you need to see me but cannot come into my office during office hours, let me know and we will arrange another time to meet. I also try to respond to e-mail in a timely fashion, although you should understand that it may take me a day or two during busy parts of the quarter to answer messages. E-mailing me with an urgent question the night before a paper is due or a test is scheduled, therefore, is a bad idea. Please schedule your writing and studying so that any questions arise sufficiently far in advance of the due date and you are not left without feedback at the last minute.
Anything and everything you turn in for class must represent your own original work. Although it is possible that your papers may build on existing research, it must always be clear which words and ideas in your paper are yours and which originate elsewhere. Plagiarized material will result in (at a bare minimum) no credit for the paper, and may result in course failure or disciplinary action from the university, up to and including expulsion. Your ultimate guide to all questions about plagiarism should be the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, which has a fairly comprehensive discussion of the subject.
If you have questions about plagiarism or how to properly attribute ideas, please see me after section or during my office hours.
If you are a student with a disability and would like to discuss special accommodations, please let me know as soon as possible and apply for services with the Disabled Students Program (http://dsp.sa.ucsb.edu/).
University policy and Federal and state law require that all students be provided fair and equal access, regardless of race, gender, religion, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or economic background. All students in this class are expected to treat each other with respect, and prejudicial or hate speech will not be tolerated. Professional speech and demeanor is expected from everyone in class at all times. Behavior or language that intimidate or negatively impact the attendance or performance of another student constitute harassment and are unacceptable. This includes unwelcome sexual advances.
More broadly, we should be discussing texts and ideas, not attacking each other personally. Focusing on discussions of course material and related topics not only keeps us on task, but will ensure that everyone is able to participate effectively and gain as much as possible from the course.
If you have questions or concerns about university policies on equal access, please do not hesitate to contact me. If you do not feel comfortable speaking with me for any reason, you may contact UCSB's Title IX Compliance Office (http://www.oeosh.ucsb.edu/TitleIX/TitleIX.html), the Multicultural Center (http://mcc.sa.ucsb.edu/), the Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity (http://www.sa.ucsb.edu/sgd/), or the Women's Center (http://www.sa.ucsb.edu/women/).
A collection of course materials can be found online at http://is.gd/utabax (or, if you're fond of additional typing, at http://patrickbrianmooney.nfshost.com/~patrick/ta/f10/index.html). At a bare minimum, that site will have electronic copies of all handouts distributed during class. There is also a Twitter stream for the course, accessible from the same location, providing reminders about upcoming events and additional course-related information.
I expect that you will put in the necessary work to be prepared to discuss the texts passionately and intelligently, and that you will work to make a substantial positive contribution to the course discussion. I want everyone to benefit from and to succeed in this course, and would be happy to hear input from you about how I can help you to do so. If you have questions or concerns, please let me know in my office hours, after section, or by e-mail.
This syllabus is subject to change throughout as the quarter progresses, and the most up-to-date copy of these guidelines is always available on the Web at http://is.gd/zubeto (or, equivalently, at http://patrickbrianmooney.nfshost.com/~patrick/ta/f10/eng122le/section-guidelines.html). However, please bring your hard copy of these guidelines with you to section each week so you can keep notes on any changes that I may find it necessary to make.