SPRING 2003
COURSE SYLLABUS
CLICK HERE FOR STUDENTS AND STUDENT WORK
COURSE DESCRIPTION
A study of representative works of world literature from the seventeenth century
to the present. The course emphasizes the study and consideration of the literary,
cultural, and human significance of selected great works of the Western and
non-Western literary traditions, including women's, minority, and ethnic literature
from around the world. An important goal of the class is to promote an understanding
of the works in their cultural/historical contexts and of the enduring human
values which unite the different literary traditions. Readings include fiction,
drama, and poetry.
TEXTBOOKS
The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Volumes D, E,
and F, Second Edition (W. W. Norton, 2002). ISBN: 0-393-97765-X
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES
1) Term Project & Presentation (10%)
Each student will undertake and complete a project which may be an original
paper or a creative work such as a short story, play, or set of poems (5-10
written pages or equivalent). Also acceptable are substantial and original art
works (performance pieces, painting, drawing, music, film, websites, etc.).
All creative options must be clearly relevant and related to the class materials.
All works must be created during and for the specific purposes of this course.
Each student will make a 5-10 minute in-class presentation describing and/or
performing his/her project (see Schedule below).
All projects must be approved by the instructor in advance--students will submit
a brief, one-paragraph proposal describing the topic, medium/materials, and
ideas to be explored in the project (see Schedule
below). Students choosing to write a paper must follow the guidelines
provided by the instructor. For further information on the writing and grading
of essays see Grading Standards and Procedures,
and Grading of Essays and Other Written
Work. ALL PROJECTS ARE DUE BY THE LAST DAY OF THE SCHEDULED PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
(see Schedule below).
2) Three Exams (15 % each)
Exams will feature objective questions dealing with literary terminology,
texts and their features, authors, contexts and history. Facts and information
to be studied for the exams will be derived from the lectures as well as the
web outlines posted for each topic.
3) Three Essays (10 % each)
All essays will be written in class. Essay assignments will ask students
to read closely, analyze, and interpret a particular passage from one of the
texts studied and/or develop a theme/issue related to the readings, lectures,
or class discussions. For essay grading criteria see "Grading
of Essays and Other Written Work". Students should expect to do a substantial
amount of writing (4-6 handwritten pages) during an essay exercise and must
bring paper and pens for that purpose (no pencils please). All handwriting in
an essay must be neat and easily legible. No credit will be given for illegible
writing.
4)Final Essay Exam (10%)
The final essay exam will have the same format and will be evaluated according
to the same guidelines as the essay exercises. See Schedule
below for exam date.
5) Participation and Other Performance (5%)
In addition to other grades, the instructor will assess and grade each student's
overall accomplishment, development, and involvement in the course. This grade
will take into account aspects of a student's performance such as class participation,
preparation, contributions, effort, attentiveness, interest, improvement, responsibility,
etc.
6) Grading Scale, Attendance, and Other Policies
All aspects of the course will be graded on a 100-point scale where 90-100 = A, 87-89 = B+, 80-86 = B, 77-79 = C+, 70-76 = C, 60-69 = D, and 0-59 = F
Make-ups/extensions for a missed deadline will only be given in cases of documented serious illness or other valid, non-frivolous excuse such as documented participation in official University sports or academic/service events (it will be up to the instructor to determine and decide on the acceptability of an excuse).
An attendance measurement will be calculated equal to the percentage of total class time attended. The course grade may not exceed that percentage (i.e. if a student attended only 75% of the total class time, the course grade may not be higher than 75 or C). Notice also that, at the discretion of the instructor, any student missing more than 30% of the total class time may fail the course.
All students in the class are expected to observe the University's guidelines on student conduct as described in Creighton University's Student Handbook (see "Code of Conduct," and especially the section on "Academic Misconduct" dealing with problems of plagiarism, cheating, etc.). Cheating in exams, engaging in plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty will result in failing the given assignment or, at the discretion of the instructor, the entire course. Problems such as repeated lateness arriving to class, inatentiveness, or disruptive behavior may adversely affect the class participation grade. Seriously disruptive behavior can also result, at the discretion of the instructor, in more severe penalties, including failing the entire course.
7) Out-of-Class Event
All students in the course are required to attend at least ONE out-of-class
event such as a lecture, poetry/fiction reading, film, play, exhibit, or live
performance relevant to the understanding and appreciation of the course materials.
Satisfaction of this requirement will be taken into account in the "Attendance"
and "Participation and Other Performance" grade categories. Special events arranged
for this semester are the following (students attending any of these two events
do NOT need to write a report but must sign the instructor's attendance sheet
on the day of the event):
Students unable to attend the events listed above can satisfy the requirement
by attending the alternative events listed in the document "World
Literature Program Special Events" . Special efforts by students attending
more than two events will be taken into consideration in the "Participation
and Other Performance" grade category. Notice that students attending alternative
events must write a one-page report/analysis for each event.
For further information on grading see documents entitled "Grading
Standards and Procedures" and "Grading
of Essays and Other Written Work." At the discretion of the instructor,
a normative curve may be applied to the grades at the end of the term. The course
grade will be calculated according to the following formula:
| Exams | 45% |
|
Essays |
30 % |
| Final Essay Exam | 10 % |
|
Term Project and Presentation |
10 % |
|
Participation and Other Performance |
5 % |
|
Total |
100 % |
SCHEDULE
All reading is due on the date indicated. Read the introductions and preliminary materials as well as the literary texts for all assignments. Click on the individual subjects in the online syllabus for study questions and background facts.
Thu Jan 16
Tue Jan 21
Thu Jan 23
Tue Jan 28
Thu Jan 30
Tue Feb 04
Thu Feb 06
Tue Feb 11
Thu Feb 13
Tue Feb 18
Thu Feb 20
Mon Feb 24
Tue Feb 25
Thu Feb 27
Tue Mar 04
Thu Mar 06
Tue Mar 11
Thu Mar 13
Tue Mar 18
Tue Mar 25
Thu Mar 27
Tue Apr 01
Thu Apr 03
Tue Apr 08
Thu Apr 10
Tue Apr 15
Thu Apr 17
Thu Apr 24
Thu May 01