COLLIN COLLEGE

COURSE SYLLABUS

Course Number: ENGL 2327
Course Title: American Literature I
Course Description: A survey of American literature from the period of exploration and settlement through the Civil
War. Students will study works of prose, poetry, drama, and fiction in relation to their historical and cultural
contexts. Texts will be selected from among a diverse group of authors for what they reflect and reveal about
the evolving American experience and character.
Course Credit Hours: 3
Lecture Hours: 3

Prerequisite: ENGL 1302 or ENGL 2311
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
1. Identify key ideas, representative authors and works, significant historical or cultural events, and
characteristic perspectives or attitudes expressed in the literature of different periods or regions.
2. Analyze literary works as expressions of individual or communal values within the social, political, cultural,
or religious contexts of different literary periods. (Social Responsibility)
3. Demonstrate knowledge of the development of characteristic forms or styles of expression during different
historical periods or in different regions.
4. Articulate the aesthetic principles that guide the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities.
5. Write research-based critical papers about the assigned readings in clear and grammatically correct prose,
using various critical approaches to literature. (Critical Thinking and Communication Skills)

Additional Collin Outcome:
6. Demonstrate personal responsibility through the ethical use of intellectual property. (Personal Responsibility)
Withdrawal Policy: See the current Collin Registration Guide for last day to withdraw.
Collin College Academic Policies: See the current Collin Student Handbook
The College District may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a student accused of scholastic dishonesty.
Scholastic dishonesty may involve, but is not limited to, one or more of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism,
collusion, use of annotated texts or teachers editions, use of information about exams posted on the Internet or electronic
medium, and/or falsifying academic records.
Collin faculty are required to report alleged violations of scholastic dishonesty to the Dean of Student Development,
who then investigates the case, and renders an administrative decision.
Faculty are not allowed to assign a grade to the work in question until the Dean of Student Development renders a
decision
Students found responsible for scholastic dishonesty offenses will receive an authorized disciplinary penalty from
the office of the Dean of Student Development.
Additionally, students found responsible for scholastic dishonesty will be assigned a penalty in this class that
ranges from a grade of F on the assignment to a grade of F for the course

Americans with Disabilities Act:
Collin College will adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and guidelines
with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal opportunity. It is
the students responsibility to contact the ACCESS office, SCC-G200 or 972.881.5898 (V/TTD:
972.881.5950) to arrange for appropriate accommodations. See the current Collin Student
Course Information
Handbook for additional information.

Religious Holy Days: Please refer to the current Collin Student Handbook.





Instructors Name: Sean Ferrier-Watson, Ph.D.
Office Number: D-120
Office Hours: MTWR 12-1:00PM
or by appointment
Phone Number: 972-516-5053
Email: sferrier-watson@collin.edu
Website: WebCT/Blackboard and www.seanferrierwatson.wordpress.com

Class Information:
Section Number: 2327.2SE
Meeting Times: MTWR 6:00-8:00PM
F 6:00-8:00PM (Aug 1st & Aug 8th)
Meeting Location: B112

Course Resources

Required Textbooks:
Belasco, Susan, and Linck Johnson. The Bedford Anthology of American Literature: Beginnings to 1865, Vol. 1. 2nd ed.
Boston: Bedford, 2014. Print. ISBN: 978-0-312-67868-5.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The House of Seven Gables: A Norton Critical Edition. New York: W. W. Norton & Company,
2006. Print. ISBN: 978-0393-92476-3.
Sedgwick, Catharine Maria. Hope Leslie or, Early Times in the Massachusetts. Penguin Books, 1998. Print. ISBN: 978-0-
14-043676-1.
Other Texts:

Anything published or linked to our classs Blackboard account or website as marked on our weekly calendar.

Supplies

1. Three-ring binder for storing class work
2. Flash drive or other means (dropbox.com account, for example) of storing digital versions of essays and other written
material you generate for class (always, always keep a backup of everything you turn in!)
3. A valid, working Collin College email address that you check everyday
4. Regular access to a computer and internet (additional readings may be available online)
5. Writing utensil and paper for taking notes
6. Textbooks ready for review during every class session

Method of Evaluation

As an expert in my field, I reserve the right to gauge writing on any scale or method my profession and college deem
acceptable. I will assign grades based on my best judgment as an experienced and qualified Professor of English.

Grade Scale:

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
A= 90 to 100
B= 80 to 89
C= 70 to 79
D= 60 to 69
F= 0 to 59

Participation/Attendance 10%

Participation may include class discussion, readiness for class, homework, attendance, or any other classroom activity.
Attendance is mandatory and vital to your grade. You cannot hope to pass the class without attending regularly. If a
student misses more than three classes, a deduction will be applied to the students participation grade. If a student misses
more than a week of class, they can fail for the semester (the instructor will decide on a case-by-case basis). Attendance is
an important part of your grade, so please do not underestimate the attendance policy. Absences are considered to be
unauthorized unless officially sanctioned by the college. Students must present proof of the incident before an excuse will
be issued. If, through a misfortune, a student should arrive after roll has been recorded, it is the students responsibility to
talk with me immediately after class in order to discuss changing the unauthorized absence to a tardy. If the problem is
serious enough to miss a significant amount of class, then the student should consider dropping the course or speaking
with the college or appropriate dean. Multiple tardies (arriving late) can result in an absence.

Quizzes 10%

Nine reading quizzes will be given over the course of the summer session. The dates for these quizzes are listed on the
schedule. These quizzes are designed to test your attentiveness to reading the assigned texts and will typically take place
at the start of class, though earlier on occasion. Late quizzes will not be given under normal circumstances (see Grade
Redemption policy). One of the nine quizzes will be dropped (your lowest score) and one extra credit quiz will be offered.
Other extra credit opportunities may also become available.

Presentation 15%

The presentation assignment is designed to promote scholarly collaboration over our readings and practice presenting
analytical research to an informed audience. You will work with your assigned peer group to produce a ten minute
presentation over one or multiple readings from our schedule. You may perform this presentation in a number of ways
(i.e. reading prepared speeches in segments, giving a group power point presentation, passing around handouts to heighten
your presentation, presenting a teaching module, or showing movie clips with your group presentation). The presentation
should at least fill eight minutes to obtain the minimum passing score. I am not grading groups on speaking skills per se,
but I am trying to ascertain how much you and your group have learned about the text and honed your researching and
collaborative abilities. I expect you to consult at least two scholarly sources for this assignment, which can be taken from
the schedule below. I will provide more instructions as the semester progresses.

Proposal 10%

Write a three-hundred word proposal on the topic you would like to explore for your final essay. The topic must be
derived from the readings we have done over the course of the semester. Provide at least three potential sources to
accompany this topic. A sample proposal and further instructions will be provided as the submission date nears. You may
uses sources derived from your presentation research.

Midterm 15%
Students will take a midterm exam worth 15% of their class grade. The date for this exam is listed on the schedule. This
exam will reflect the students knowledge of material discussed within the weeks before the exam. Prompts will be
provided for each essay exam and students will be expected to bring bluebooks (or essay exam paper) to class. Exam
length should not exceed two pages or fall below one page for each prompt. A brief section containing short answer
questions will also be given. I will provide more instructions as the exam date nears.
Research Paper/Critical Analysis 25%
Students will write an original research paper analyzing, in some way, the works we are reading this semester. The essay
should contain an argumentative thesis and appropriate scholarly sources (at least two sources and only one may be from
our class schedule of readings). These sources should all be peer reviewed and obtained from our librarys resources. The
minimum length for this assignment is four pages, double spaced, and the format for organization and citation is MLA
(other citation styles may be used with permission). Detailed information will be provided as the date for this essay nears.
Final Exam 15%
Student will take a final exam worth 15% of their class grade. The date for this exam is listed on the schedule. This exam
will reflect the students knowledge of material discussed within the months and weeks before the exam. Prompts will be
provided for each essay exam and students will be expected to bring bluebooks (or essay exam paper) to class. Exam
length should not exceed two pages or fall below one page for each prompt. A brief section containing short answer
questions will also be given. I will provide more instructions as the exam date nears. The final exam will likely be
comprehensive.
Late Policy

I will allow for late essays to be submitted to Blackboard, but exams, quizzes, and other assignments cannot be made up
under normal circumstances. If late work is submitted and accepted, I will deduct some points as a penalty. I expect all of
my students to submit their work in a timely fashion. In most cases, I do not believe it is fair for some to receive extra
time on an assignment while others submitted the assignment in a timely fashion. As such, I rarely grant exceptions to my
late policy. If you know you are going to miss a day an exam will be given, please ask to schedule the exam date early
rather than asking to take the exam late. I will not apply penalties to students taking exams early.

Grading/Return Policy

My policy is generally to return major grades at least two weeks after the assignment has been submitted, not including
assignments accepted after the deadline or works to be rewritten. On rare occasions, there may be an exception to this
return policy, but I will alert students immediately if such an occasion occurs. If you have not received an assignment by
the two week deadline, it is your responsibility to contact me with your concerns. It is sometimes the case that students
have missed days when papers were returned or have missed an email indicating a change in the return date. A quick
email or conversation with me can easily clarify the matter, so please dont hesitate to contact me with your concerns.
Note: students are responsible for learning how to retrieve their grades and comments from Blackboard; I am not
responsible for returning major grades by email or in person for such assignments.

Grade Redemption Policy

On rare occasions, students in breach of any of the above policies or grading criteria may request a second chance under
the Grade Redemption Policy. Students may only qualify for this policy until mid semester or longer under extenuating
circumstances. The policy is reserved for unusual and extreme situations (which will be determined by the instructor). If I
deem your situation worthy of redemption, I will ask you to draw up a contract agreeing to our terms of redemption. If
you violate any part of this contract, I have the authority to declare the contract broken and assign you an F for the class or
the assignment. I also retain the right to declare the contract null-and-void at any point in the semester. This policy is NOT
a right. Student contracts are only available at my discretion.

Classroom Conduct

I expect all students to be respectful of me and their classmates while attending one of my class sessions. As such,
students should act civilly in my class and abide by the behavioral rules stipulate by Collin College in their student
handbook. Failure to do so might result in being asked to leave the room. Cell phones, laptop computers, and other
devices, if not being used for the class, may count as a distraction and may be viewed as disrespectful to your classmates
and myself. Anything deemed as an unnecessary distraction can also be grounds for dismissal. Please be considerate of
others when attending one of my classes.

Email/Phone Policy

Email is the preferred method of contacting me outside of my office hours. With the exception of weekends, I will
respond to emails within 48 hours. The only email address I can respond to is your Collin College email account, so
please make sure you are using this account when inquiring about private student matters (i.e. grades, attendance, etc).
Please make sure emails are sent apart from the Blackboard account (as they may not appear in my inbox). I will only
answer my office phone during my office hours. I will not return student phone calls for privacy and security reasons.

Hybrid Course Requirements

This course makes use of an online learning component provided by the Blackboard platform, accessible by logging into
CougarWeb with the ID and password provided by the college. Our Blackboard section will house readings, handouts,
grade-book(s), an assignment dropbox folder to submit essays, links to important websites and documents, and the class
syllabus. You are required to visit this site before every class to access the schedule and check for important updates and
announcements. You will submit major essays and receive grades on them through this online platform and by using the
assignment dropbox feature.

Criteria for grading and regulating essays are the same as listed above. Blackboard assignments are due at 11:59PM on the
day they are listed as due on the syllabus. The essay you submit is your official submission, meaning NO deletions or
multiple uploads, so only submit it if it is ready for my viewing. Late work may be subject to penalty. Students are also
responsible for turning in assignments in an Office Word friendly format.

If you encounter legitimate technical problems (errors in the system) submitting on Blackboard preventing you from
making the deadline, you are responsible for contacting the help desk and copying the professor on the subsequent email
chain as proof of the problem. Leniency will only be granted if a legitimate error has occurred. I do NOT consider being
unfamiliar with Blackboard a legitimate excuse. All students are responsible for learning to operate their instructional
material and finding the means to access Blackboard.

Note: the Blackboard grade-book does NOT reflect your official grade for the class, but merely the average of a
few major grades.

Course Calendar:
Summer II 2014
Blackboard= BB
Novels= Nvl
The Bedford Anthology of American Literature, Vol. I = Bedford

July
Week 1
14First Day!
Class Introduction
Review of Syllabus & Class Schedule
Teaching American Literature & Understanding the Survey Approach
Early America Documentary
15 Childrens & Colonial Literature (Late 1500s to 1750s)
A Token for Children (BB)
Briefly Review Hieroglyphic Bible (linked to BB)
Winthrop, A Modell of Christian Charity, pg. 173-184 (Bedford)
Taylor, Upon Wedlock, and Death of Children, pg. 289-290 (Bedford)
Taylor, Upon a Spider Catching a Fly, pg. 290-292 (Bedford)
Quiz #1
16Native American Oratory (pre-colonial America) & Early African American Literature (1750s-1850s)
Iroquois Confederacy, Origin of Folk Stories, pg. 35-36 (Bedford)
Cherokee, How the World Was Made, pg. 39-40 (Bedford)
Wheatley, On Being Brought from Africa to America, to A Farewell to America, pg. 602-607 (Bedford)
Cooper, The Pioneers and The Changing Face of the Country, pg. 647-648 (Bedford)
17 Catharine Maria Sedgwick (1789-1867)
Hope Leslie, Preface- Ch. 5 [Vol. I] (Nvl.)
Introduction, pg. ix-xxxviii (Nvl)
Quiz #2

Week 2
21Catharine Maria Sedgwick (1789-1867)
Hope Leslie, Ch. 6-10 [Vol. I]
22 Catharine Maria Sedgwick (1789-1867)
Hope Leslie, Ch. 11-3 [Vol. I & 2] (Nvl)
Quiz #3
23 Catharine Maria Sedgwick (1789-1867)
Hope Leslie, Ch. 4-9 [Vol. 2] (Nvl)
24 Catharine Maria Sedgwick (1789-1867)
Hope Leslie, Ch. 10-end [Vol. 2] (Nvl)
Review for Midterm Exam
Quiz #4
August
Week 3
28Midterm Exam!
Arrive promptly for class
If you arrive late, you will not receive more time on exam
Bring bluebook (or exam paper) and other supplies for in class writing
29 Washington Irving & Henry David Thoreau (1780s-1860s)
Rip Van Winkle, pg. 631-643 (Bedford)
Legend of Sleepy Hollow, (BB)
Resistance to Civil Government, pg. 945-960 (Bedford)
30Nathaniel Hawthorne & Edgar Allan Poe (1800s-1860s)
Young Goodman Brown, pg. 1113-1122 (Bedford)
The Fall of the House of Usher, pg. 1173-1185 (Bedford)
The Tell-Tale Heart, pg. 1186-1189 (Bedford)
The Raven, pg. 1205-1207 (Bedford)
Quiz #5
31Walt Whitman & Emily Dickinson (1800s-1890s)
Song of Myself, pg. 1393-1438 (Bedford)
Crossing Brooklyn Ferry, pg. 1442-1446 (Bedford)
Theres a certain Slant of light, pg. 1477 (Bedford)
I felt a funeral, in my Brain, pg. 1478 (Bedford)
I heard a Fly buzzwhen I died, pg. 1485 (Bedford)
1 Nathaniel Hawthorne
The House of Seven Gables, Preface-Ch. 5(Nvl)
Quiz #6

Week 4
4 Nathaniel Hawthorne
The House of Seven Gables, Ch. 6-9 (Nvl)
5 Nathaniel Hawthorne
The House of Seven Gables, Ch. 10-13 (Nvl)
Quiz #7
6 Nathaniel Hawthorne
The House of Seven Gables, Ch. 14-17 (Nvl)
Review of Syllabus & Class Schedule
7 Nathaniel Hawthorne
The House of Seven Gables, Ch. 18-21 or end (Nvl)
Review of Syllabus & Class Schedule
Quiz #8
8Ambrose Bierce & Presentations
Group Presentations Due
The Moonlit Road (BB)
Childrens Ghost Stories (BB)
Quiz #9

Week 5
11Final Review!
Final Essay Due
Review for Final Exam
Extra Credit Quiz
12 Final Exam:
Tuesday, August 12th
@6:00-8:00PM
SCC B112