English 80B Section #002504 Wed., 6 p.m. LA-15

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Dear Students,

Welcome to English 80B, a semester of reading, discussing, and writing about great British literature! We are going to spend five weeks on each of three eras--the Romantics, the Victorians, and the Moderns. Many of the poems we will read you will have already heard of or perhaps have read at one time. In addition, we will read some famous prose and one classic play. Many great novels of this period have been made into films, and I encourage you to watch as many of these films as possible. I will only have time to show us two or three and a few selected scenes and documentaries.

To be successful in this class, you need to not only read all of the material, but understand it. This means using a dictionary and, on occasion, an encyclopedia. British literature uses a vast, precise, vivid vocabulary. Without learning the meaning of many of these words that are never used in common American speech, it is impossible to understand or appreciate many sentences of prose or stanzas of poetry. Once you improve your vocabulary, reading and enjoying literature becomes much easier. A good vocabulary is one of the great advantages you can gain from this course.

With best wishes for a productive, healthy semester,
Cathy Decker, Ph.D.
 
 

The Grade Formula

During our first class we will determine what we will give participation points for. I have already specified a few basic things that will receive points below. When this policy is finalized, I will give a copy to each class member. Basically I will keep a running tab of the maximum number of points a person can get. Because the maximum will be indicative of giving 110%, that number will equal 110% (33 points out of a possible of 30)! I will then calculate what number of participation points earns a 100%. What percent of these points that you have is your participation-point grade. Feel free to email me or come to office hours to clarify this!

We will give participation points for the following.

1. Arriving at 6 p.m. ready to go

2. Attending college book events

Required Supplies

• The Longman Anthology of British Literature, Volume 2 in three paperbacks
• Folders and/or 3-Ring Binder for Portfolio, Class Handouts, Charts, Schedules, Calendar
• Three-hole punch lined paper
• Scantron Sheets as announced in class (available at the College Bookstore in the Quad)

• Expect that work turned in on time will be graded in two to three weeks.
• Expect that I won't return most weekend phone calls until Mon. and will take a few days to respond to email, snail mail, faxes, and phone calls.
• Expect that plagiarized work gets zero credit; repeat plagiarizers fail the class with an F.
• Expect that tests, quizzes, oral work, and such one-time things will not be rescheduled.
• Expect that when I don't get work at the due date, I enter a zero in the grade book.
• Expect that if you stop coming to class and don't drop yourself, you will get an F.
• Expect that I will make mistakes and that copies of all your work will come in useful at these times.
• Expect that we will deal with adult content in this course.
• Expect that you will feel anxiety about the class--this is a sign you are challenging yourself and learning new things.

Good Things We Want in This Class . . .
 

Planning Ahead Supporting Others Rewarding Excellence Cooperativeness Politeness Promptness Good Listening Assertive Approaches to Problems and Problem Solving Effective Working with Others Drinking Water Without Destroying Stuff

Things that I Avoid and that I'd Like the Class to Avoid . . .
 

Silent Anxiety Not Asking Questions When You are Worried or Confused Badgering or Brutally Questioning Others Leaving Others Out in the Cold Hostility Finger Pointing Noisy Cell Phones and Pagers Reading the Paper or for Other Classes Breaking the Food/Drink Policy

Go to Participation Points Chart