Professor Mark Maslan
Winter 2011
Lecture: Tu/Th 9:30-11:00, Girvetz 1004
Section 17244: 6:30-7:20 p.m., Girvetz 2115
Section 17251: 7:30-8:20 p.m., South Hall 1609
Teaching Assistant: Patrick Mooney
Office Hours: Wed 5:30-6:20 and Thurs 2:00-3:00 in South Hall 2432K, or by appointment.
Mailbox: Sankey Room, South Hall 2623.
E-mail: patrickmooney AT umail DOT ucsb DOT edu
- Attendance and participation in class and discussion sections (10% of final grade, with additional penalties for missing section).
- Midterm exam (20% of final grade).
- Final exam (30% of final grade).
- One four-page paper, electronic copy on GauchoSpace at 5 p.m. on Jan. 27, print copy due by the following section (20% of final grade).
- One four-page paper, due at the beginning of lecture on Mar. 3 (20% of final grade).
Jan. 26: First paper due in section.
Feb. 10: Midterm exam.
Mar. 3: Second paper due at 9:30 a.m. in lecture.
Mar. 16, 8 a.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 interesting, fascinating, questionable, or unclear. You will find section more rewarding and enjoyable if you come to class prepared and bring specific issues, interests, and questions with you when you come in on Wednesday evenings.
You should always prepare for lecture and section by reading the assigned texts carefully and critically. Printing out the assigned GauchoSpace readings (rather than reading them on your computer screen) will be helpful, because engaging directly with the text (writing in the margins, underlining, having something to throw physically across the room when you are frustrated or in violent disagreement) promotes comprehesion and retention, and is a good way to stay prepared for tests and to be prepared to write when paper topics are assigned.
When readings are assigned for a range of dates, you should always finish all of them by the first assigned date on the syllabus. You should always bring the week's readings with you to both lecture and section.
Attendance is necessary, and each unexcused absence will reduce your final grade by 1/3 letter grade. Absences will only be excused for documented, unavoidable events, as discussed on Professor Maslan's syllabus. Please see me if you have any questions.
Simply showing up at section each week is not sufficient to earn participation points. 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 you contribute meaningfully to class discussions; that you arrive promptly in section prepared to discuss the readings in a nuanced but engaged manner; and that you in section treat each other respectfully during discussions, even (especially!) 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 course meeting 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 2623) 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.
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.). Any deviations from MLA standard (unless they are very, very, very small) will negatively impact your paper grade. 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, and should take my comments on your paper into account. 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. You must also provide me with a copy of your paper that has my comments on itI do not re-evaluate papers based on general claims such as "I just think I did better."
I am available during and after section, during my office hours, and by e-mail. 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 take my pedagogical responsibilities seriously, and want to help each and every one of you to be successful. Although I am willing to answer questions by e-mail, substantial and/or complex discussions about course material are more likely to be beneficial to both of us if they occur in person (during my office hours, for instance) instead of electronically.
I 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 in section two.
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 require 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/osozoq (or, if you're fond of additional typing, at http://patrickbrianmooney.nfshost.com/~patrick/ta/w11/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, that you will engage with the course material, and that you will work to make a substantial positive contribution to discussion in section. 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.
I try very hard to be available to, supportive of, and understanding toward my students. If you are having difficulties with the course material, please come talk to me. If you have unusual, stressful, or bizarre things happen during the quarter that make it difficult for you to perform up to your potential in the course, please come talk to me. If you just can't seem to get started writing your paper, please come talk to me. If I can help you to be successful in any reasonable way, please let me know. If I'm not aware of what's going on in your life, it's difficult for me to assist you.
These guidelines are subject to change as the quarter progresses, and the most up-to-date copy of these guidelines is always available on the Web at http://is.gd/ixihid (or, equivalently, at http://patrickbrianmooney.nfshost.com/~patrick/ta/w11/eng104a/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.