Grading

Points are allotted to everything you do in and out of class, and your final grade is determined by the total number of points you earn.  You must keep a record of your own point totals (do not ask me how many points you have).  I will provide you with an update on the total possible amount of points during the semester.

Grade Distribution

94%+     A	87%+     B+	77%+     C+	67%+     D+
90%+     A-	84%+     B	74%+     C	64%+     D
	80%+     B-	70%+     C-	60%+     D-

 

Primary Assignments

Secondary Assignments

I expect you to attend class and make it to class on time. Attendance is mandatory, both in terms of receiving the practical experience needed in order to pass the course and in terms of being eligible to receive a grade (I cannot give you a passing grade if you do not show up). This class is an interactive seminar on reading and writing about literature—it loses its interactive quality if you are not here to participate. You are allowed two absences gratis, but after two absences I begin deducting 20 points from your total grade for each absence or tardy entrance (Confidentially speaking, I usually do not have to deduct these points because students who miss more than two classes end up failing themselves without my help). If you do miss a class meeting, do not ask me what you missed or if it was something important; any absence will deprive you of a significant segment of this course. If a serious illness, a family emergency, or some other crisis occurs during the term, you must contact the Dean of Students Office (831-8939) as soon as possible. This office will assist you in notifying your instructors as to the need for an extended absence. This office can assist you in notifying faculty and in validating for your teachers what has happened. Such validation will be necessary for you to make up missed classwork and assignments.

I expect you to come to class prepared, which includes reading all the assignments, completing your assigned writing tasks, being ready to discuss both and printing out documents I ask you to. Come to class with questions, concerns, opinions and (constructive) rants, so that you may contribute to the discussion. This class is discussion oriented—so I will expect active participation from every member. If you have difficulties participating in class discussions, please talk to me about it as soon as possible.

Preparation also implies your careful attention to your University of Delaware E-mail account as well as our website. In this section, you are expected to have an activated University of Delaware account by the second week of classes and to check your mail regularly regarding course activities and assignments. You are also expected to have access to our website and the University of Delaware Databases.

 

I expect that you will turn in all assignments on time. No late secondary assignments (anything handed in after class, discovered in my mailbox later in the day, or e-mailed to me that afternoon) will be accepted. Unless otherwise specified, no primary assignments will be accepted without your physical presence in the classroom. Missed secondary assignments cannot be made up and will receive a 0. Late primary assignments are accepted with a 25 point deduction for each calendar day. Essays are to be word-processed in double-spaced, 12 point “Times New Roman” font and use the MLA format for name placement, page numbering, and the like—this can be found in the Bedford Handbook or online. Should anything horrific, debilitating, or emotionally scarring arise that would prevent you from turning in a paper on time, you must plead your case before the due date, because I do not give extensions after-the-fact.

I expect that you will make yourself familiar with my grading standards for writing (available online). I also expect that everything you hand in will be your own work. All work submitted (regardless of its draft or final copy status) must be conceived and actualized by you (none of this “my friend typed it for me” stuff). Any words, ideas, or data (including statistics, graphs, and visual aids) must be properly documented. Lack of documentation is considered plagiarism. The University of Delaware protects the rights of all students by insisting that individual students act with integrity. Accordingly, the University severely penalizes plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty. One place to learn the University of Delaware’s policies towards academic integrity (under the heading of “Forms of Academic Dishonesty”) is through the website for Judicial Affairs. See also my brief discussion of MLA Citation and Plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious academic infraction and I will zealously prosecute any offenders.

I expect you to take advantage of two things during this course: I am here to help you with your writing about and understanding of literature. I will do my best in the classroom, and I assume you will as well. If you need additional assistance with the class, particularly regarding writing skills, please ask and I will do my best to accommodate you. My purpose is to assist you in communicating intelligently about occasionally abstract and often symbolic things. You also have the opportunity (or excuse) to partake in the English Department’s Writing Center. It is located in 016 Memorial and provides free one-on-one instruction to students who have writing assignments in this or any course. You may make an appointment by visiting the Center's Web Site. (The telephone number is 831-1168.)