ENGL 2581: Women Writers

Recommended Texts
The Pocket Wadsworth Handbook, 3rd edition

COURSE PURPOSES
This course will examine the efforts of women writers to “authorize” themselves in the literary and mass-media marketplaces of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. By concentrating on popular genres such as domestic and sensation fiction, the Gothic, mystery, and romance, we will examine the complex ways that works by women writers and filmmakers have both reflected and shaped their historical and cultural contexts

The Specific Goals of the Class Are As Follows:

grounding students in the literary methods and tools used by women writers;
exploring the “cultural work” of women’s writing in many forms—including visual texts such as film and art;
strengthening students' ability to read insightfully, to think critically, and to communicate effectively in discussions and writing;
enhancing students' understanding of the ways that literature works in particular cultural contexts—that is, why it emerges when it does, its rhetorical aims, and whom it targets.

CLASS REQUIREMENTS
When I figure final grades, I will consider all of your class work: attendance, contributions to class discussions, in-class writing assignments, longer writing assignments, midterm, and final exams. In determining final grades, each course requirement carries the following weight:

Essay (15%)
Midterm Examination (15%)
Final Examination (20%)
Daily Writings/Quizzes (20%)
Group Presentation (10%)
Class Attendance and Informed Class Participation (20%)

READING
The most important work in this course will be careful, patient, thorough reading of the assigned texts. You will need to finish assigned readings by the date indicated on the reading schedules, and—to receive credit for participation—texts must always be brought to class on the day they are to be discussed. I encourage you to take reading notes on each text, and to mark passages we discuss in class.

WRITING PROJECTS
Formal writing (done outside of class) must use MLA format, be word-processed, free from mechanical errors, double-spaced, and printed in "best quality" using a standard 12-point font and 1-inch margins. You must keep a copy of any work you hand in, and retain graded work until the end of the semester. All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date, and must be turned in on time to receive full credit. Papers left in the professor’s box, or dropped off by students who do not remain in class, will be considered late. Proofread your papers thoroughly, since careless work will be returned to you ungraded and will be counted late when it is resubmitted. A word to the wise: be sure to save your files frequently, back them up on disk (don't rely on your hard drive, especially if you're working at a public workstation), and print out a hard copy at the end of each writing session.

Essays
Specific instructions for the essay projects will be distributed in class and via the class Web site. Your essay project should be 4-6 pages in length, on one of the assigned texts for the class, and must be based on original ideas and research. Please consult with me early and often as you work on your assignment. I will be happy to read and comment on drafts as you go along. Ask your classmates for their help, too, as you work through your project. You are also welcome to consult the writing tutors at the Tutoring Center (40 CCtr). The essay is due on 5 December, though please note that a complete, typed draft must be brought to class on 30 November for an in-class peer-editing workshop.

Examinations
The midterm and final examinations (open book) will consist of identification questions as well as essays of analysis and synthesis. You will be given a number of short identification questions, as well as several brief excerpts from the required readings on our syllabus. You will be asked to answer all of the identification questions and to explicate your choice of the excerpts. Please note that make-up exams cannot be given except in the case of documented university, medical or family emergency.

Daily Quizzes
To help record attendance, to prepare for class discussions and to demonstrate how carefully you are reading the assigned works, you will spend a few minutes each class period responding to the day's assignment. Each brief exercise (e.g., a quiz or paragraph of reaction to the day's reading) will be graded on a five- to ten-point scale. No make-up quizzes can be given; however, to allow for the few occasions you might have to miss class, you may skip up to two without penalty or, if you do them all, your two lowest scores will be dropped from your average for the semester.

A Cautionary Note About Plagiarism
Be extremely careful to acknowledge the sources that have influenced your work. Should you incorporate the ideas, general phrasing, or exact words of any other source without properly crediting the author(s), you are guilty of plagiarism. The penalty for plagiarism in this course is severe: you will fail the course and UMD’s Academic Integrity Officer will be notified of the reason for your failure. See UMD’s Academic Integrity Policy for further information.

PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE
In general, I will generously reward students who contribute week after week to class discussions with intelligent, thought-provoking comments that demonstrate careful reading of the texts and thoughtful attention to what others have said. Students who skip a lot of class, don't bring to class the texts being discussed, or don't seem to listen to what others have to say and never say anything themselves, should expect a lower grade for participation. Thus, lack of preparation for class, irregular attendance and/or distracting behavior (sleeping, eating, checking e-mail, etc.) will hurt your grade; good attendance and active participation in class discussions will improve your grade. As a rule, all electronic communication devices (phones, pagers, cd- and tape-players, etc.) must be turned off during class, and food is not allowed in the classroom.

I expect good attendance of everyone, and I take role religiously, as your attendance is absolutely essential to the learning that happens in this course. I do understand, however, that every once in a while circumstances may make it impossible for you to attend. If you miss one or two classes during the semester, don't worry about it. If you miss more that, you may want to start worrying about how your attendance might hurt your grade. Also remember that late arrivals or early departures may cause you to miss announcements, quizzes and/or important class material—and will also detract from your attendance/participation grade for the class. If you do have to miss a class, or arrive late, it is your responsibility to obtain class materials, assignments and information from myself and/or colleagues. Please keep me posted regarding unavoidable absences by a brief note or (preferably) by e-mail (csigler@d.umn.edu).

E-MAIL
As of August 2001, university-assigned student e-mail accounts (your d.umn.edu account) are the University's official means of communication. You are responsible for checking your account each day, as most class updates and announcements will be made via e-mail. E-Mail is also the best and surest means to contact me, but be sure to put the course number as well as your full name in the e-mail.

COURSE WEB SITE
Copies of the class syllabus, course handouts and several short readings will be available to download through the ENGL 2581 Web site. The course Web site also provides information about a number of online resources to help you with research, writing, and revision. These include links to women’s literary history, culture and author sites, research and style guides, and online dictionaries and writing tools.

HOW TO LEARN FROM AND DO WELL IN THIS COURSE

Read with energy, interest, and pleasure. Approach reading as an exchange of questions between yourself and the text. Mark up that book (forget about resale!).
Come to class prepared to engage with your texts, your colleagues, and me—that is, read the assigned works by the first date they are listed on the schedule and be ready to discuss them.
View your writing as a craft, a discipline, and a process. Begin writing assignments before you actually start writing the essay. Come into my office to discuss ideas, research, drafts, and rewrites. Also use your colleagues as readers and sources of feedback.
If you ever have questions or concerns about readings, assignments, grades, or anything else connected with the course, please feel free to consult with me about them. I am available in my office during the hours listed above; if the office hours are unfeasible for you, you are always welcome to e-mail me to arrange some other time.
If you have any disability, either temporary or permanent, that might affect your performance in this course, please let me know as soon as possible so that I may adapt materials or testing to provide for equitable participation. The UMD Access Center (726-8217) can also provide further information and assistance.

CRITERIA FOR GRADES
A = excellent written work (essay, examinations): superb content and expression; perfect score on most daily writing exercises; informed, active participation in class discussions (no more than 2 absences).
B = superior written work—exceeds average, but room for improvement; 80-89% average on daily written exercises; informed, active participation in most class discussions (no more than 3 absences).
C = written work that meets average standards for UMD students, but some problems with content and/or expression; 70-79% average on daily writing exercises; informed, active participation in class discussions (no more than 4 absences).
D = significant problems with any or all course components (writing projects, examinations, daily writing exercises, participation in class discussions).
F = performance that does not meet minimum standards for state university students.
I = incompletes are given only in the following very limited circumstances: a student must directly contact the professor to request an “I”; no more than one or two weeks of class, or one or two assignments can have been missed; a student must already be in good standing; s/he must have a documented family or medical emergency; s/he must arrange a schedule with the professor for making up the missed work that is acceptable for both professor and student.