COURSE OUTLINE
SUMMER 2003
WESTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY

COURSE NUMBER: Engl 225
COURSE TITLE: The Short Story
INSTRUCTOR: Bill Toth, Ph.D.
OFFICE: Bowden Hall, 111
PHONE EXT: 6530 (use 538 prefix when calling from off-campus)
E-MAIL: tothb@wnmu.edu
OFFICE HOURS: 9:30-10:00 M-F, and by appointment.

REQUIRED TEXT: 40 Short Stories: A Portable Anthology by Beverly Lawn
RECOMMENDED: A good desk dictionary

Go to Course Description.

Go to Specific Course Requirements.

Go to Paper Requirements.

Go to Quiz Grading Scale.

Course Description
English 225 is designed both as a General Education course and as an elective course for English majors and minors. Essentially, this course will serve as an introduction to the study of short fiction. In the process special attention will be paid to the cultural, intellectual, and social contexts and influences relevant to each selection. Students will be expected to learn basic literary and critical terms necessary to the understanding and appreciation of the short story.

Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student will have acquired:

1. an appreciation of the wide range of cultural, historical, intellectual, and social currents influencing a wide range of short fiction
2. an introduction to the critical terminology necessary for the discussion of fiction
3. an understanding of the basic critical trends in literature
4. a deeper appreciation of literature through a deeper understanding of its aesthetic principles.

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English 255, The Short Story
Course Requirements

Specific Requirements
Your final grade will be determined by your performance on the following:
two major examinations (mid-term and final), sneak quizzes, and one paper.

Grading
Your final grade will be made up of the following graded work: exam average 70%, quiz average 10%, paper 20%. NOTE: All required work must be completed in order to pass the class Attendance Policy Trust me, you’ll learn more if you show up to class regularly. Consequently, I have an attendance policy designed to encourage you to attend. Stated clearly, it goes like this:

1) Do not miss three consecutive classes. If you do, I will assume you’re not coming back and drop you from the class (then where would you be?). If you must be away that long, check with me in advance, not after you return. Note: If this happens after the drop/withdrawal deadline, your final grade will be an F because I won’t be able to drop you.

2) If you miss more than five classes throughout the summer term, you will be dropped.

3) I will take roll each class. If you miss more than three (3) classes during the semester, your final grade may be adversely affected. Here’s how: If at the end of the term you are teetering precariously between two grades, letter s say between an A and a B or a C and the dreaded D, I would let your attendance records determine which of the grades you receive. If you missed, say, five classes you would receive the lower of the two grades, the B or the dreaded D. On the other hand, if you missed, say, three times you would receive the higher of the two, the A or the C.

A word or two about tardiness. Normally, I don’t mind your walking in occasionally a minute or two late, but I do not want you to make a habit of it. So here’s another rule; three tardies equal one absence. That means if you’re tardy more than nine time, you’ll be in the same boat (sinking) as if you had missed more than three classes (see item #3 above).

Honesty Policy
I expect each of you to do your own work. That means anything you turn in with your name on it must be your own work. Attempting to pass off the words, ideas, or work of another is plagiarism, a serious offense in my book. If you try that, I will catch you and you’ll be in hot water. You’ll get an F on that assignment. If I catch you a second time, out you go. So don’t cheat; we’ll both feel better if you don’t.

Late Work and Make-up Exams
Daily quizzes cannot be made up. During the last week of the term, I will not accept any late work for any reason, too busy. NOTE: It is your responsibility to make arrangements for ‘all make-up work, not mine.

Classroom Behavior
While I want you to feel relaxed in here, I expect each of you to behave as adults, not high-schoolers. I don’t mind your occasional discreet whispering to your neighbor, but I will not tolerate any behavior which disrupts the class or keeps me from doing my job. If you misbehave you will get two warnings, after that out you go. Turn off your cell phone! Also, I reserve the right to rearrange classroom seating if I think it will improve the overall quality of the class.

Class Participation
I know English classes have a reputation for being dull, tedious affairs. To some degree this is true. I should know; after all, I sat through enough as a student. However, our class does not have to be boring. No siree! That’s up to you. Consequently, I fully expect each of you to do your best to keep things interesting. You can do that by participating in class, by asking questions, by being prepared, and by sharing your ideas and opinions with the class. Of course, being bright and witty wouldn’t hurt either. I assure you that any contributions you make toward the welfare of the class will be duly noted and appreciated.

About Reading
This class is reading intensive. If you don’t keep up with the readings, you will not pass this class. If you think you will earn a C or better without making this minimal effort, you should drop the class now and save yourself the trouble.

Asking Questions
Above all, ask lots of questions. Ask questions any time. If I say something you don’t understand, please ask me to explain. Trust me; I don’t mind. That’s part of my job.

Note:
I reserve the right to make minor changes to this course syllabus. So don’t whine if I do.

Finally, I want you to enjoy this class, Do your part and I promise to do mine.

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English 225, The Short Story
Paper Requirements

Technical Specifications:
Six to ten pages in length, double spaced, on standard sized 8 1/2 X 11 paper. Twelve (12) point type maximum (and minimum). Each page should be numbered in the upper right corner.

Any reference to a cover title (e.g. a novel, a book of poems, a critical study) must be underlined or written in italics. Any reference to a story, poem, or essay should be written within quotation marks. However, never do either of these things to your original title at the top of the first page of your paper. Be sure your paper’s title is more than the title of the work you’re writing about; e.g. if you were writing about Thoreau’s Walden you couldn’t title your paper Walden; Thoreau beat you to that title by 150 years. Use your imagination.

If you choose to use any outside source(s), the source(s) must be properly cited according the latest MLA documentation guidelines which can be found in almost any current English handbook, probably the one you used in English 101 and 102. Be sure to use signal phrases to introduce or tie in all quotations and paraphrases.

The paper’s cover sheet should include the title, your name, the date, and the class. My name is optional. Your cover or title page and a “Works Cited” page--if you use one--don’t count toward the paper’s overall length. And don’t put your paper in one of those fruity plastic binders!

The due date: 4:00 p.m. Monday, July 1.

Content:

You have considerable latitude here. Just don’t give me an old paper!

In general, however, you have two basic approaches: 1) an original discussion based upon your own good sense and your critical ability with respect to literature, and 2) a discussion which uses outside material which you gathered for your paper, presumably from the library.

My one request is that you select one piece of writing --which we have not discussed--by an author in our text and write a critical essay assessing its general strength(s) and weakness(es) and its thematic structure(s).

Do not write a junior high book report or a high school biography!

More Term Paper Info

Remember, your paper must be about a short story, not an author. Papers about authors usually never amount to more than a “junior high school” biography or chronology of a given author.

Be sure your paper is not a “book report” where all you really do is prove to me that you’ve read a particular story or poem. You know, like this...

“The Minister’s Black Veil” is about a minister who wears a black crape veil over his face and never takes it off even when it means his fiancee Elizabeth will leave him. In fact, he won’t even take it off when he’s lying on his death bed. Throughout the story many of his parishioners try to convince him to remove his veil or at least explain why he wears it, but he won’t.

So he dies with his veil still intact. And he is even buried with it still covering his face. And worse, he decays beneath that black veil.

That veil must have represented something. Or it must have been a symbol of something.
******

Instead of the above, choose a story or possibly two stories and write a critical paper on your selection. Be sure your paper is more critical commentary than plot summary. Some summary will be necessary, but you don’t want your paper to be predominantly plot summary.

Remember, references to titles of poems, essays, and stories are always enclosed within quotation marks. Only cover titles are underlined or italicized. Also, you should back up whatever point you’re making by citing passages or examples from the story/poem/essay you’re writing about.

Other considerations: your paper must be double-spaced and in a standard sized font, no larger than 12 point. Number your pages in the upper right-hand corner (including a “works cited” page if you have one). Never give your paper the same title as the title of your subject: “Young Goodman Brown.” Not only is that very un-original, but Hawthorne would have beaten you to that title by about a century and a half.

Remember, no fruity binders for the papers. Just a staple in the upper left-hand corner.

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Quiz Grading Scale

Here’s a brief explanation of the grading formula for our sneak quizzes.

5 correct answers = A/100 points     You did a very good job with the assignment.

4 correct answers = B/85 points     You did a good job with the assignment.

3 correct answers = C/75 points     You did a so-so job with the assignment, but at least you read it.

2 correct answers = D/65 points     You probably skimmed the assignment or took a quick peek at some of it.

1 correct answer = F/55     You didn’t bother to read the assignment but you’re a pretty good guesser.

0 correct answers = F/0 points     You expended zero energy and time on the assignment. Have you considered withdrawing?

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