Instructor: Dr. Kevin Morris

Office: UT (Bldg 104) 265

Phone: (864) 250-8559

E-mail: kevin.morris@gvltec.edu

        Once class starts, e-mail should be sent to me through the e-mail function on WebCT so class
        communications can all be kept together.

Prerequisite:    A Grade of C or better in Eng 102

Catalog Course Description: A study of American Literature from the colonial period to the Civil War.

Course Purpose: To strengthen students' understanding of the major cultural and historical movements within American literature, to survey selected works by major and minor writers, to examine literary figures and works in relationship to those cultural and historic movements. 

Required Text:

Lauter, Paul, et al., eds. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. 5th ed.  Vols. A and B. Boston: Houghton 

    Mifflin, 2006.

Other Required Materials:  
Students will need to rent, buy or find a library copy of the film Moby Dick, directed by John Huston and starring Gregory Peck for the last part of the course

Supplementary Materials:  Students will need to have access to Miscrosoft WORD as papers and test essays will need to be written in WORD (papers can also be sent as .rtf files).  Students can access the class and the individual class lessons without WORD.

TERMINAL OBJECTIVES:  Students who successfully complete the above course will have demonstrated with 70% accuracy or better the skills required to accomplish the following minimum objectives.

1.   to pass with an average 70% accuracy or better a minimum of two timed tests in which they complete some or all of the following:

·     identify and explain the characteristics of the major chronological periods in American literature, from its colonial beginnings through the Civil War,

·     identify and discuss assigned major and minor writers from each of those major chronological periods, describing such details as form, ideas, influences, and writing style,

·     compare and contrast characteristics of those major periods, tracing the development of the literature through the works of major and minor writers from each period,

·     identify and discuss assigned works by each writer (discussion is to contain clear explanations of the work's content and form, the work's literary importance, and its relationship to the other major chronological periods);

2.   to complete at least 3 writing assignments either out of class or in class with an average grade of 70% or better, according to the department's Theme Standard Sheet. NOTE: The instructor may substitute an oral report or panel discussion for one of the writing assignments;

3.   to pass with 70% accuracy a comprehensive exam, given in the published final exam period demonstrating a cumulative knowledge of the items listed in objective 1.

Course Assessment for Eng 201 Online

Final Grades

Final grades will be arrived at in the following manner:

The final point total you accumulate will be divided by 800 points for your final average.  Final grades will be based on the following scale:

You can check your grades at any point in the term by going to Student Profile on the Homepage.

Here are cumulative point totals and the corresponding grades:

Administrative Dates for Eng 201 Online

Specific dates for tests, papers, etc. are on the course Calendar

Eng 201 Online Structure

So, how does this course work?

Calendar:  the Course Calendar will list the dates that each of the five units and attendant lessons for the class begin.  You can access these units from Lectures and Assignments on the course Home Page.

The calendar offers suggested dates to help you structure your reading - you do not have to follow the suggested reading dates - I realize this is an online course and you will be working on your own specific schedule; however, in the past some students have asked for a suggested schedule.  On the other hand, there are specific dates by which discussion postings (see below) - based on the readings - will be due; those dates are not flexible.

The calendar will also list the dates that papers are due, when tests can be taken, and so forth.  Unlike the suggested reading dates, dates and tests for papers are not suggested dates; they are set dates - papers turned in or tests taken after those dates will be late.  Papers can be sent and tests can be taken early - just let me know so we can make arrangements.  

Units: units are divided into lessons.  Each unit is set up the same way:

Unit Overview: this is just an overview, something to give you a feel for what will be covered.  The unit overview will tell you what you will need to read from the Heath Anthology and how the unit will be graded (tests and responses).

 

Lessons: the lessons are all pretty similar in layout.  The first couple of lessons for each unit provide introductory, background material for the period being covered.  The lessons covering individual authors or works will list the material from the Heath Anthology you will need to read for that lesson.

 

The lessons will provide background information.  Some lessons will have additional readings included in the lesson itself (on screen) - be sure to read them - they're like class handouts.  Many lessons will have questions that you might want to answer to further your understanding of the literature you read.  Many lessons also have some links to the web for further reading and analysis.  You are not required to go to the additional websites; however, those sites may help deepen your understanding of the material.

 

There will be unit tests, and before each unit test, a practice test will be made available.  The dates the tests will be available for online taking are posted on the Calendar and can be accessed from Evaluation Tools on the Home Page.  Tests will have 2 parts: an online section and an essay.  The online section will be have a matching column (no matching on the final) and multiple choice questions and will be taken, well...online.  Essay questions will be posted on ASSESSMENT and can be answered open book.  You will not need to come to campus to take any tests although I reserve the right to change that policy if the need arises.  A more thorough discussion about tests will be available during the course orientation.

DISCUSSIONS:  is where questions can be asked and answered, where we can analyze and exchange ideas.  DISCUSSIONS will be used in a couple of ways:

• I will post reminders about dates for tests, essays and papers.

• You can ask questions about the content and materials that you've been reading, and I - or others in the class - will respond to those questions.

• Every few days, I will post several discussion questions based on the lessons and reading material, and you will be expected to respond to ONE of those questions for a grade (dates for the postings and the last date to respond will be available on the course calendar).  You may answer more than one of the questions posted and/or respond to other students' postings - in fact, experience has shown that the more students post and engage in discussions, the better their grades tend to be as they are more engaged in the class.  Students in the past have noted that discussions from the are useful in studying for tests.

Papers and Assignments: the dates papers are due are posted on the course Calendar.