<p> English 4341.001: Fall 2014 American Genres: Early Sermons, Speeches, & Essays</p><p>Dr. Ann Beebe Office Hours: BUS 250 MWF 9:00-10:00am Office: 903-565-5827 And by appointment Cell phone # given in class [email protected] </p><p>Welcome to English 4341, American Genres: Early American Sermons, Speeches, and Essays. I am very excited about this class and our syllabus. We will have the time this semester to study these key genres in the American literary canon. This semester we will study the development of the American critical mind and the emergence of American non-fiction prose. I think you will find some new favorite texts on our syllabus. I also believe that the study of these non-fiction prose works will make you a more conscious and deliberate writer of academic and professional prose. </p><p>I work hard to put together my classes, and I expect a great deal from my students. I expect you to be in class every day and on time. I expect all readings to be completed by the assigned date. I expect your reading to be active. Mark up your books and take notes as you read. I expect everyone to participate substantially in class discussion (in person and on Blackboard) and listen respectfully to classmates. And lastly, if you have any questions about class policies, assignments, or readings, I expect you to ask them. You may always ask questions in class, call or email me, or drop by my office.</p><p>In return there are certain things you can expect from me. I will attend class and be on time. I will keep my office hours and make appointments with students who cannot meet during my hours. I will complete all the readings and plan lessons by the assigned date. I will give all assignments in writing and sufficiently in advance. I will grade and return all assignments in a timely manner. I will maintain your class GradeCenter on Blackboard. I will answer questions about assignments in class or in my office. If I cannot answer a question when you ask it, I will have the answer by the next class period.</p><p>Required Texts: [Please use these editions – new or used, hardcopy or ecopy.] 1. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God and Other Puritan Sermons (Dover, 9780486446011) 2. Great Speeches by Native Americans (Dover, 9780486411224) 3. Fart Proudly: Writings of Benjamin Franklin You Never Read in School (North Atlantic, 9781483940792) 4. The Debate Over the Constitution: Part One (Library of America, 9780940450424) 5. Selected Writings of Judith Sargent Murray (Oxford, 9780195100389) 6. Emerson’s Prose and Poetry (Norton, 9780393967920) 7. The Essays of Henry David Thoreau (Mac Higher, 9780865476462) 8. Frederick Douglass: Selected Speeches and Writings (Chicago Review Press, 97815565235263)</p><p>Daily Schedule: [This schedule includes all major readings and assignments. Small additions or changes may be made. I will make any such changes in writing.] Week 1 Checklist:</p><p>1 M 8/25: Introduction to class, syllabus, expectations, Blackboard, texts W 8/27: Read in Sinners, John Cotton, 5-20 (con’t) Read in Sinners, John Winthrop, 53-65 Turn in Student Information Sheet Turn in RQ #1: What is a jeremiad? Offer a solid definition. How does Winthrop’s text adopt or subvert the conventions of this genre? [Remember to provide page numbers.] [Before 10:10am on the assigned day, email me your RQ from your UTT Patriot email account: [email protected]. Late RQs will not be accepted. Make sure to include page numbers when you quote.] NOTE: I know the sermons are challenging. Don’t quit. You CAN read and analyze them. F 8/29: Read in Great Speeches, Multiple Authors, 3-26 Turn in RQ #2: Compare and contrast the personas of any two Native American speeches from today’s reading selection. [Remember to provide page numbers.] Week 2 Checklist: M 9/1: No Class – Labor Day W 9/3: Read in Sinners, Increase Mather, 102-111 Read in Sinners, Cotton Mather, 124-139 Turn in RQ #3: Analyze the writing style of Cotton Mather’s “The Wonders of the Invisible World.” What are the 4-5 most notable characteristics of Mather’s style? [Note: This question asks you to analyze the text’s writing style. Don’t address topics or themes in this RQ.] [Remember to provide page numbers.] F 9/5: Read in Great Speeches, Multiple Authors, 27-48 Take Quiz 1 (all readings including today’s assignment) The seven quizzes will take place in the last 25 minutes of class. Each quiz will consist of four short answer questions. They will be closed book / notes quizzes. Week 3 Checklist: M 9/8: Read in Great Speeches, Multiple Authors, 49-67 W 9/10: Read in Sinners, Jonathan Edwards, 140-170 Turn in RQ #4: Most of you have already read “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” That sermon is a feast of visual imagery. Analyze the imagery in the two pieces by Edwards assigned for today. List at least 5 images before you analyze one in some detail. [Remember to provide page numbers.] F 9/12: Read in Great Speeches, Multiple Authors, 68-89 Turn in RQ #5: The Native American speeches examine several common themes. List and briefly analyze three themes in these pre-1834 speeches. [Remember to provide page numbers.] Week 4 Checklist: M 9/15: Read in Fart Proudly, (stop snickering!) 22-29, 36-41 Take Quiz 2 (all readings since the last quiz including today’s assignment) W 9/17: Read in Debate, Multiple Authors, 20-30, 52-62, 164-188 Turn in RQ #6: Compare and contrast the adopted personas from today’s readings: “An American Citizen,” “Centinel,” and “Brutus.” [Remember</p><p>2 to provide page numbers.] NOTE: The Library of America edition includes copies of the key documents (D of I, A of C, and the Constitution) for your reference on pages 949-994. F 9/19: Read in Fart Proudly, 46-48, 51-54, 77-86, 93-95 Turn in RQ #7: “Anthony Afterwit” (1732), other short Franklin pieces, and the Autobiography occasionally satirize husbands. Draw on this semester’s Franklin readings and your previous work with this author to analyze the theme of marriage in his published work. [Remember to provide page numbers.] Week 5 Checklist: M 9/22: Read in Debate, Multiple Authors, 219-223, 311-316, 399-403, 415-419, 457-464 Turn in RQ #8: You have two short pieces by “Publius” in today’s reading. Analyze the writing style (not the arguments or the politics) of this author. What are 4-5 of his chief characteristics? Analyze them. [Remember to provide page numbers.] W 9/24: Read in Fart Proudly, 103-117 Turn in RQ #9: If you google “The Encouragement of Idleness” in 2014, you will find excerpts of the text posted on the websites of several conservative organizations. How should this 1766 text be read in the 21st century? Offer a close reading. [Remember to provide page numbers.] F 9/26: Read in Debate, Multiple Authors, 499-516 Take Quiz 3 (all readings since the last quiz including today’s assignment) Exam 1 Study Guide given to class Week 6 Checklist: M 9/29: Read in Debate, Multiple Authors, 662-668, 710-716, 737-743, 774-782 Turn RQ# 10: Analyze Francis Hopkinson’s allegory, “The New Roof,” from today’s readings. Connect your analysis to at least one other piece you have read in the Debate collection. [Remember to provide page numbers.] W 10/1: Exam 1 Review Pick up take-home essay question F 10/3: Turn in typed take-home essay at the beginning of class Take in-class portion of Exam 1 Week 7 Checklist: M 10/6: Read in Selected Writings, 3-14, 44-48 Turn RQ# 11: Select either the poem at the top of “On the Equality of the Sexes” or the one at the top of “Desultory Thoughts.” Explicate it. Connect your analysis of the poem to specific sentences / claims in the prose portion of the essay. [Remember to provide line and page numbers.] W 10/8: Read in Selected Writings, 49-68 F 10/10: Read in Selected Writings, 69-84 Take Quiz 4 (all readings since the last quiz including today’s assignment) Week 8 Checklist: M 10/13: Read in Emerson, Four Sermons, 3-26 Turn RQ# 12: You have all read several of Emerson’s essays in the past, but I imagine few of you have studied his sermons. You started the semester </p><p>3 by reading a few very early American sermons. Make 4 connections between Emerson’s sermons and those Puritan sermons. [Remember to provide page numbers.] W 10/15: Read in Thoreau, “A Winter Walk,” 25-41 F 10/17: Read in Emerson, “The American Scholar,” 56-69 Post 3-5 potential paper topics on BB by midnight. Provide feedback for 3+ classmates. [All 4341 papers must analyze and interpret one or more pre- 1865 sermons, speeches, or essays studied in this class. Biographies, plot summaries, historical analysis, appreciations, or summaries of published critical articles will not be accepted.] Week 9 Checklist: M 10/20: Read in Thoreau, “Ktaadn,” 61-93 (half of essay) Turn RQ# 13: Analyze the symbolism of Ktaadn in Thoreau’s “Ktaadn.” [Remember to provide page numbers.] W 10/22: Read in Emerson, “An Address,” 69-81 Turn RQ# 14: Analyze one of the major themes in Emerson’s “An Address” – inherited vs. personal religion. [Remember to provide page numbers.] F 10/24: Read in Thoreau, “Ktaadn,” 93-121 (second half of essay) Take Quiz 5 (all readings since the last quiz including today’s assignment) Week 10 Checklist: M 10/27: Read in Emerson, “The Transcendentalist” and “Self Reliance,” 93-104, 120-137 Turn RQ# 15: “Self Reliance” is one of the most influential essays of the 19th century. Why? [Please approach this RQ through the lens of writing style OR theme.] [Remember to provide page numbers.] W 10/29: Read in Thoreau, “Walking,” 147-177 Turn RQ# 16: Analyze the metaphor of walking in Thoreau’s “Walking.” [I have no doubt that some of you are true Thoreauvians. Feel free to refer to other works by Thoreau as you tackle one of the dominant metaphors in his work.] [Remember to provide page numbers.] F 10/31: No Class – Reading Day Suggestion: Look ahead to your Douglass readings. Finish a few of them over the weekend. Week 11 Checklist: M 11/3: Read in Emerson, “Thoreau,” 398-411 Turn RQ# 17: Emerson’s published eulogy of Thoreau was largely responsible for the dismissal of the younger man’s work for the next 70 years. Why? In seeming to praise the man, how does Emerson denigrate the literature? [Remember to provide page numbers.] W 11/5: Read in Thoreau, “Life Without Principle,” 195-214 Take Quiz 6 (all readings since the last quiz including today’s assignment) F 11/7: Read in Emerson, “Thoughts,” 333-347 Turn RQ# 18: What are Emerson’s “Thoughts on Modern Literature” (1840)? Summarize the essay’s main points. [Remember to provide page numbers.] Exam Two Study Guide given to class Week 12 Checklist: M 11/10: Read in Douglass, “Farewell,” 54-75 Commit to a paper topic. Post a paragraph description to BB and email me a </p><p>4 copy ([email protected]) by midnight. The paragraph should include a working title, a working thesis, and a statement of the topic’s relevancy. [Paper topic approval is required.] Provide feedback to 3+ classmates on BB. W 11/12: Read in Douglass, “Meaning,” 188-206 Turn RQ# 19: Douglass’ 1852 piece is a master class in American speech writing. Analyze the strategies of persuasion / rhetorical devices used by Douglass in this work. [Remember to provide page numbers.] F 11/14: Exam 2 Review Pick up take-home essay question Week 13 Checklist: M 11/17: Turn in typed take-home essay at the beginning of class Take in-class portion of Exam 2 W 11/19: Read in Douglass, “Claims,” 282-298 F 11/21: Read in Douglass, “Constitution,” 379-390 Turn RQ# 20: By 1860, Frederick Douglass was one of the most famous Americans in the world. Analyze the persona he projects in the speech he delivered in Glasgow, Scotland that year. [Remember to provide page numbers.] Thanksgiving Week: November 24-28 Week 14 Checklist: M 12/1: Read in Douglass, “Slaveholders,” 494-509 Take Quiz 7 (all readings since the last quiz including today’s assignment) W 12/3: Complete Required Peer Review in class: Bring 3+ pages of your draft to class. [Missed peer review = one letter grade deduction from paper grade.] F 12/5: Essays due at the beginning of class – 2 formats. Essay manila folder should include: final version with WC page in MLA format, draft from peer review, peer review comments, & copies of research. You will also submit your paper over Safe Assign on Blackboard before class. Week 15 Checklist: M 12/8: Campus-Wide Study Day</p><p>Additional Information Grading: Quizzes(7) 10% Exam 1 20% Exam 2 20% Essay with scholarly research (8-12 pages w/WC page) 30% Reading Questions (20) 10% Daily Work: Class Participation (not attendance), Blackboard Participation, Peer Review 10% You should expect to spend 2 hours outside class for every 1 hour in class. Translation: You should study 6 hours a week (minimum) outside of class for each 3-credit course. [12 credit hours + 24 hours outside of class = 36 hours per week for a full time student.]</p><p>Student Learning Outcomes: By the end of the semester, students should be able to:  Reproduce a timeline of American non-fiction prose from the 1600s to the 1850s that includes </p><p>5 key genres, styles, topics, and authors  Articulate the themes and ideas representative of American non-fiction prose from the 1600s to the 1850s  Recognize how historical, political, and social events shape our analysis and appreciation of literature  Argue independent interpretations of canonical and non-canonical texts in the American literary tradition  Write persuasive close readings / explications of speeches, essays, and sermons  Use the terms related to literary study and literary theory appropriately in discussion and in writing  Enter the critical interpretation of literary texts with published scholars in their own essays  Understand literature’s significance in creating and shaping an evolving American identity</p><p>Paper Format: Title pages are not necessary. On the first page, top left, include the single-spaced header: Your name English 4341.001 My name (Dr. Ann Beebe) Date Leave one space and center your title. (All essays should have original titles.) Number and staple your pages. Make sure your margins do not exceed 1 inch; your font size should be 12 Times New Roman. Always leave time to proofread your final version and make corrections. MLA in-text citation and a Works Cited page (2009 format) are required for sources. Please do not put your essay in a plastic cover or an envelope.</p><p>Quizzes and Exams: You will have 7 reading quizzes throughout the semester. They should not be difficult. The quizzes will be geared toward plot lines and characters. If you have read the selections and taken some notes, you should pass them. Quizzes missed due to an unexcused absence cannot be made up. Quizzes missed due to an excused absence must be rescheduled by the student within 2 weeks. The quizzes are worth 10% of your final grade.</p><p>You will have 2 exams. While they will also encompass plot lines and characters, they will go beyond memorization and ask you to do some independent interpretation and argumentation. If you have read the assignments, taken notes, participated in class and on BB, and paid attention to the development of themes along a series of authors, you should pass the exams. I will provide a study guide for each exam. Each exam is worth 20% of your course grade.</p><p>Research Essay: This assignment requires you to go beyond a book review or research report. I am not checking to see if you have read the works in question. I want to understand your thoughts on the readings and have you present a well-reasoned and carefully written argument. You must make a claim (thesis), give reasons, offer evidence, show awareness of other points of view, etc. The essay should be 90% your ideas / words and 10% quotes. Do not overquote. Details:  Topic choices DUE on November 10 (Topic Approval Required)  8-12 pages, ds, typed, 1 inch margins, 12 New Times Roman  Appropriate use of 4-6 ACADEMIC SECONDARY sources (no encyclopedias, no book reviews, no cliff notes or spark notes, no Wikipedia, no non-academic websites). If you </p><p>6 have any questions about a source, please check with me before you include a reference to it in your essay. Unless specifically approved, all secondary sources must have been published between 1985-2014. NOTE: Your 4341 essays must be original works of scholarship. You are NOT paraphrasing or summarizing what other critics have said about the work(s).  Required peer review on December 3. (You can turn in a draft to me at anytime. Give me 24 hours to make comments.)  30% of your final grade  Turn in drafts, peer review, copies of research in a manila folder (not envelope) on December 5  Submit a copy of your essay on Safe Assign</p><p>Reading Questions: On the daily schedule I have written 20 reading questions. Submission Format: Before 10:10am on the assigned day, email me your RQ from your UTT Patriot email account: [email protected]. Late RQs will not be accepted. Answer the reading questions in complete sentences with enough thoughtful detail to demonstrate that you have read the assigned works and have come to class prepared to discuss them. The daily reading questions will be worth 10% of your final grade.</p><p>Class Participation: English 4341 is not a lecture class. While I will give mini-lectures to help you understand the historical context, an author, or a genre, the majority of class time will be spent in discussion. You will be expected to participate in a substantial way. Please note that participation is not the same thing as attendance.</p><p>Blackboard: I have created a Blackboard course for this section. Please use it to discuss the readings, your essays, and exams. Each student will be expected to make 8 or more substantial & original contributions to the Blackboard this semester for a C in Blackboard participation. Postings of requested quiz / exam answers and short replies to other posts are not in this category. If you do not participate regularly in class discussion, 16 original BB postings are needed for a C in participation. For an A in participation, you should post 16 (with regular class contributions) or 32 (without substantial classroom contributions.) I will keep a record of postings in the gradebook. If you find an interesting early American literature or culture website or video, please post a notice with commentary for your classmates. There are several excellent websites on the authors we will be studying and on the time periods. Take a minute to surf for these topics and share your findings.</p><p>Attendance & Tardiness: You will be expected to attend every class and be on time. Please keep track of your absences. The attendance policy for a MWF class is as follows: 6 excused & unexcused absences = Final letter grade drops by one grade 8 excused & unexcused absences = Final letter grade drops by two grades 9 excused & unexcused absences = Failure of course Ten minutes after class has started, I ask that no late students enter the class. You can see me after class and get notes from a classmate. Missed work due to an unexcused absence or tardiness will not be accepted. In the case of excused absences, it is the student’s responsibility to arrange for an alternative due date upon return to the class. Missed work must be submitted within two weeks.</p><p>Late Work: Late work will not be accepted.</p><p>7 Conferences: I expect and hope to see you in conferences 3-4 times this semester. I will make appointments and set extra hours when needed.</p><p>The Writing Center: Located in BUS 202, the UT-Tyler Writing Center provides professional writing tutoring for all students in all disciplines. If you wish to use the Writing Center, you should plan for a minimum of two hour-long tutorials per assignment: the first to provide an initial consultation and drafting plan, and the second to follow up. Be prepared to take an active role in your learning--you will be expected write and/or discuss your work during your tutorial. While Writing Center tutors are happy to provide constructive criticism and teach effective writing techniques, under no circumstances will they fix your paper for you. Appointments: 903-565-5995. More information: www.uttyler.edu/writingcenter.</p><p>Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism: This definition of plagiarism comes from the 2000-2001 University of Maine at Farmington catalog: Students plagiarize when they make use of the work of others and claim such work as their own. The phrase “make use of” refers to such actions as the following: (a) copying words, phrases, or sentences verbatim; (b) paraphrasing or summarizing sentences or paragraphs; (c) appropriating ideas, facts, arguments, or concepts which are not common knowledge. Plagiarism is a serious violation of academic integrity. (305). Please make sure you understand this definition. Plagiarism on a writing assignment in 4341 will result in failure of the assignment. Students who plagiarize will be strongly encouraged to withdraw from the course. I will fill out and submit the university’s Academic Dishonesty Report form in cases of plagiarism and cheating.</p><p>Here is a link to the university’s procedures for dealing with instances of academic dishonest. http://www.uttyler.edu/judicialaffairs/scholasticdishonesty.php Please review the procedures and the form used for instances of academic dishonesty. </p><p>Beepers and Cell Phones: Please turn off the audible portion of beepers and cell phones when you are in the classroom. No text messaging will be permitted in class. </p><p>Refreshments: Feel free to bring beverages (non-alcoholic) to class. If you bring food, bring enough for the entire class. No tobacco in any form will be allowed.</p><p>Students Rights and Responsibilities To know and understand the policies that affect your rights and responsibilities as a student at UT Tyler, please follow this link: http://www2.uttyler.edu/wellness/rightsresponsibilities.php </p><p>Grade Replacement/Forgiveness and Census Date Policies Students repeating a course for grade forgiveness (grade replacement) must file a Grade Replacement Contract with the Enrollment Services Center (ADM 230) on or before the Census Date of the semester in which the course will be repeated. Grade Replacement Contracts are available in the Enrollment Services Center or at http://www.uttyler.edu/registrar. Each semester’s Census Date can be found on the Contract </p><p>8 itself, on the Academic Calendar, or in the information pamphlets published each semester by the Office of the Registrar. </p><p>Failure to file a Grade Replacement Contract will result in both the original and repeated grade being used to calculate your overall grade point average. Undergraduates are eligible to exercise grade replacement for only three course repeats during their career at UT Tyler; graduates are eligible for two grade replacements. Full policy details are printed on each Grade Replacement Contract. </p><p>The Census Date is the deadline for many forms and enrollment actions that students need to be aware of. These include:  Submitting Grade Replacement Contracts, Transient Forms, requests to withhold directory information, approvals for taking courses as Audit, Pass/Fail or Credit/No Credit.  Receiving 100% refunds for partial withdrawals. (There is no refund for these after the Census Date)  Schedule adjustments (section changes, adding a new class, dropping without a “W” grade)  Being reinstated or re-enrolled in classes after being dropped for non-payment  Completing the process for tuition exemptions or waivers through Financial Aid </p><p>State-Mandated Course Drop Policy Texas law prohibits a student who began college for the first time in Fall 2007 or thereafter from dropping more than six courses during their entire undergraduate career. This includes courses dropped at another 2-year or 4-year Texas public college or university. For purposes of this rule, a dropped course is any course that is dropped after the census date (See Academic Calendar for the specific date). Exceptions to the 6-drop rule may be found in the catalog. Petitions for exemptions must be submitted to the Enrollment Services Center and must be accompanied by documentation of the extenuating circumstance. Please contact the Enrollment Services Center if you have any questions. </p><p>Disability Services In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) the University offers accommodations to students with learning, physical and/or psychiatric disabilities. If you have a disability, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, PTSD or ADHD, or you have a history of modifications or accommodations in a previous educational environment you are encouraged to contact the Student Accessibility and Resources office and schedule an interview with the Accessibility Case Manager/ADA Coordinator, Cynthia Lowery Staples. If you are unsure if the above criteria apply to you, but have questions or concerns please contact the SAR office. For more information or to set up an appointment please visit the SAR office located in the University Center, Room 3150 or call 903.566.7079. You may also send an email to [email protected] </p><p>Student Absence due to Religious Observance Students who anticipate being absent from class due to a religious observance are requested to inform the instructor of such absences by the second class meeting of the semester. </p><p>Student Absence for University-Sponsored Events and Activities If you intend to be absent for a university-sponsored event or activity, you (or the event sponsor) must notify the instructor at least two weeks prior to the date of the planned absence. At that time the instructor will set a date and time when make-up assignments will be completed. </p><p>Social Security and FERPA Statement: </p><p>9 It is the policy of The University of Texas at Tyler to protect the confidential nature of social security numbers. The University has changed its computer programming so that all students have an identification number. The electronic transmission of grades (e.g., via e-mail) risks violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act; grades will not be transmitted electronically. </p><p>Emergency Exits and Evacuation: Everyone is required to exit the building when a fire alarm goes off. Follow your instructor’s directions regarding the appropriate exit. If you require assistance during an evacuation, inform your instructor in the first week of class. Do not re-enter the building unless given permission by University Police, Fire department, or Fire Prevention Services.</p><p>10</p>