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Washington State University
Donna M. Campbell American Literature

English 210 Readings in American Literature

English 210, Readings in American Literature: Immigrants, Outcasts, and Exiles (Online)
Global Campus and Pullman 

3 credits; meets HUM requirement

Dr. Donna Campbell
Avery 357 • 335-4831
campbelld@wsu.edu
https://hub.wsu.edu/campbell

Office Hours: TBA

About the Course

Overview

English 210, Readings in American Literature: Immigrants, Outcasts, and Exiles, is an introduction to short fiction, poetry, and nonfiction narratives from the nineteenth- through the twenty-first centuries. It has been approved as an American literature elective for English Education majors. We won’t read work from all periods and movements in American literature, but you’ll learn about important movements and trends through our course theme “Immigrants, Outcasts, and Exiles,” since many works of American literature address the issues of inclusion and exclusion from a dominant culture.


Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

The goals for students in the course are as follows:

  • To read and analyze a number of works of classic American literature in the areas listed above.
  • To compare the social attitudes of our own time with those in the past by analyzing how social perspectives were revealed in literature of earlier centuries.
  • To recognize how systems of reading shaped or resisted attitudes about culturally marginalized people–people of color, immigrants, outcasts, and exiles
  • To become familiar with some significant movements and trends in American literature (realism, naturalism, and modernism, for example).
  • To review and implement techniques of good academic writing through writing workshops.
  • To work with and learn to evaluate primary and secondary resources, including locating primary print sources and digitized versions online, learning to use the MLA Bibliography and other databases to find secondary sources, learning to assess web materials for reliability, and locating primary source materials.
  • To synthesize the knowledge thus gained into papers and presentations in order to disseminate those insights to the class.

English 210 satisfies the HUM requirement for WSU’s University Common Requirements (UCORE), which is designed to help you acquire broad understanding, develop intellectual and civic competencies, and apply knowledge and skills in real world settings. Upon completion of UCORE, you will have the tools needed to seek out information, interpret it, share it, and make reasoned and ethical judgements on a wide array of issues. With these broader goals in mind, English 210, Readings in American Literature, as a Humanities course, will help develop skills to analyze, interpret, and reflect on questions of meaning and purpose as they related to the human condition in all of its complexity. The learning outcomes grid at the end of this document shows the relationship between the American literature topics and assignments on the one hand, and the course- and UCORE-level learning outcomes on the other hand.

There are no tests in this course; there are three optional, extra-credit quizzes.

Required Text

Levine, Robert S., ed. The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Shorter Ninth Edition, Volume 2: 1865 to the Present. W.W. Norton, 2017. ISBN 978-0-393-26453-1

Additional readings are available in Canvas.

Schedule of Assignments

All readings are from the Norton Anthology of American Literature, Shorter Ninth Edition, Volume 2: 1865 to the Present. The headnotes at the beginning of each selection are included; these can be skimmed, but the stories and poems should be read carefully. 

Coursework is due at 11:59PM Pacific Standard Time (PST) on the date indicated.

Readings are from Levine, Robert S., ed. The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Shorter Ninth Edition, Volume 2: 1865 to the Present. W.W. Norton, 2017. ISBN 978-0-393-26453-1.

Note: According to Global Campus policy, all assignment dates are in this Course Schedule. You won’t see dates written in the materials and modules.

Course Schedule

Schedule of Assignments
Week Unit / Reading Assignments Due Date (Pacific time)
1
Jan. 10 – Jan. 16
Please read the Welcome message under Announcements. Assignment: Introduce yourself to the class in the Discussion Board. Discussion Posts Original Discussion Post – Self-Introduction in Canvas:
Wednesday, Jan. 12, 11:55 p.m.
Two Responses to Others’ Posts: Friday, Jan. 14, 11:55 p.m.
2
Jan. 17 – Jan. 23
 Unit 1, Lesson 1: Poe and the Gothic (Readings in Canvas)

  • Poe, “The Fall of the House of Usher”
  • Poe, “The Philosophy of Composition” and “The Raven”
Discussion Posts Discussion Assignment 1: Canvas

Original Discussion Post: Wednesday, Jan. 19, 11:55 p.m.
Two Responses to Others’ Posts: Friday, Jan. 21, 11:55 p.m.

3
Jan. 24 – Jan. 30
 

Unit 1, Lesson 2: Enslavement and Resistance (Readings in Canvas)

  • John Rollin Ridge (Yellow Bird), excerpt from The Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murieta, the Celebrated California Bandit 
  • Douglass, Chapter X, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
  • Twain, “A True Story” (.pdf in Lesson 1)
Discussion Posts Discussion Assignment 2: Canvas

Original Discussion Post: Wednesday, Jan. 26, 11:55 p.m.
Two Responses to Others’ Posts: Friday, Jan. 28, 11:55 p.m. 

4
Jan. 31 – Feb. 6
 

 Unit 1, Lesson 3: Realism

  • Howells, “Editha” (316-326)
  • Wharton, “The Other Two” (524-539)
  • Wharton, “Roman Fever” (540-549)

Go to Perusall in the sidebar and click on the appropriate link. Here is information on Perusall: https://support.perusall.com/hc/en-us/articles/360033995074-Getting-started (Links to an external site.)

Discussion Posts Discussion Assignment 3: Perusall
Due Friday, Feb. 4, 11:55 p.m.
5
Feb. 7 – Feb. 13
 

 Unit 1, Lesson 4: Race, Environment, and Regionalism

Discussion Posts Discussion Assignment 4: Canvas

Original Discussion Post: Wednesday, Feb. 9, 11:55 p.m.
Two Responses to Others’ Posts: Friday, Feb. 11, 11:55 p.m.

6
Feb. 14 – Feb. 20
Unit 1, Lesson 5: Writing Workshop #1 
Review the materials in this week’s lesson.
Paper 1 Due No Discussion Assignments

Writing Workshop Refresher Quiz #1 (Extra Credit)

Paper 1 due Sunday, February 20, by 11:55 p.m.

7
Feb. 21 – Feb. 27
Unit 2, Lesson 5: Reading Poetry

Emily Dickinson (82-100)

Go to Perusall in the sidebar and click on the appropriate link.

Discussion Posts Discussion Assignment 5: Perusall

Due Friday, Feb. 25, 11:55 p.m.

8
Feb. 28 – Mar. 6
Unit 2, Lesson 6: Naturalism

  • Crane, “The Open Boat” (611-630) and poems (631-632)
  • London, “To Build a Fire” (639-652)
  • London, “What Life Means to Me” (590-592)

Go to Perusall in the sidebar and click on the appropriate link.

Discussion Posts Discussion Assignment 6: Perusall

Due Friday, Mar. 4, 11:55 p.m.

 9
Mar. 7- Mar. 13
Unit 2, Lesson 7: Silent film, Immigrants, and Exiles

  • Watch Making an American Citizen and The Immigrant (links are in the lesson)
  • Sui Sin Far, “Mrs. Spring Fragrance” (549-558)
Discussion Posts Discussion Assignment 7: Canvas

Original Discussion Post: Wednesday, Mar. 9, 11:55 p.m.
Two Responses to Others’ Posts: Friday, Mar. 11, 11:55 p.m. 

Spring Break  No Assignments Due
10
Mar. 21 – Mar. 27
Unit 2, Lesson 8: Writing Workshop #2

Review the materials in this week’s lesson.

Paper 2 Due No Discussion Assignment

Writing Workshop Refresher Quiz #2 (Extra Credit)

Paper 2 due SundayMarch 27 by 11:55 p.m.

11
Mar. 28 – Apr. 3
Unit 3, Lesson 9: Modernism

  • Hemingway, “Hills Like White Elephants” (1030-1035)
  • Fitzgerald, “Winter Dreams” (973-990)
  • Faulkner, “A Rose for Emily” (1005-1015)

Go to Perusall in the sidebar and click on the appropriate link.

Discussion Post: Perusall Discussion Assignment 8: Perusall

Due Friday, Apr. 1, 11:55 p.m.

12
Apr. 4 – Apr. 10
Unit 3, Lesson 10:  Legacies of Injustice and the Harlem Renaissance

  • Dunbar, poems: “We Wear the Mask” and “Sympathy” (636-637)
  • McKay, poems pp. 934-938: “If We Must Die,” “America,” “Africa,” “Harlem Shadows”
  • Hughes, poems pp. 1036-1043: “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” “I, too,” “The Weary Blues”
Discussion Posts: Canvas Discussion Assignment 9: Canvas

Original Discussion Post: Wednesday, Apr. 6, 11:55 p.m.
Two Responses to Others’ Posts: Friday, Apr. 8, 11:55 p.m.

13
Apr. 11 – Apr. 17
Unit 3, Lesson 11: Legacies of Injustice, continued: Reclaiming a Heritage

  • Walker, “Everyday Use” (1568-1574)
  • Zitkala-Sa, “Impressions of an Indian Childhood” (655-660)
  • Li-Young Lee, “Persimmons” (1636-1638)
  • Tretheway, “Native Guard” (1685-1689)

Go to Perusall in the sidebar and click on the appropriate link.

Discussion Post: Perusall Discussion Assignment 10: Perusall

Friday, Apr. 15, 11:55 p.m.

14
Apr. 18 – Apr. 24
Unit 3, Lesson 12: Writing Workshop #3

Review the materials for this week’s lesson.

Research Paper Topic Due

Paper 3 due

No Discussion Assignment

Writing Workshop Refresher Quiz #3 (Extra Credit)

Paper 3 due SundayApril 24 by 11:55 p.m.

Research Paper Topic due: Sunday, Apr. 24, 11:55 p.m. 

15
Apr. 25 – May 1
Unit 4, Lesson 13

Cultural Anxieties Then and Now: The Twilight Zone

Discussion Posts: Canvas Discussion Assignment 11: Canvas

Original Discussion Post 11: Wednesday, Apr. 27, 11:55 p.m.
Two Responses to Others’ Posts: Friday, Apr. 29, 11:55 p.m.

 16
May 2 – May 8
Finals Week  Research Paper Research Paper: Wednesday, May 4, 11:55 p.m.

Course Work

This course is designed to enable you to meet the course goals listed above through a combination of reading assignments, writing assignments (papers), and discussion postings.

As in a face-to-face classroom, you’ll need to set aside time in your weekly schedule to complete the assigned readings, post to the discussion board, and write your papers. Because the information in this course is cumulative and discussion is an integral and valued part of it, this is not a self-paced class in which you can complete the assignments for several units all at once. The weekly deadlines are listed in the Course Schedule.

Allow plenty of time for posting your replies to the discussion board and uploading your papers to the drop box. If you wait until the last minute, a computer failure or internet outage could delay the transmission of your assignment, which would then be considered late.

Reading Assignments

The reading assignments for this course are listed under Lessons. In order to gain practice both in close reading and in analytical synthesis of multiple texts, some weeks the discussion will be in Perusall, an application that permits you to closely read and annotate individual words in texts and to comment on each other’s analyses; in alternate weeks, you’ll write a substantial discussion post of a few paragraphs in length to discuss the readings.

They have been divided into six units, with 1-3 lessons per unit. As you’ll see by clicking on the Lessons link, each lesson includes reading assignments from the textbooks that you’ve purchased for the course as well as a “Context and Questions” page. Suggested questions for the discussion board, possible topics for response papers, and brief lectures will be posted on the “Context and Questions” pages.  The “Context and Questions” page link on the Lessons pages will be made available at the beginning of each unit.

In addition, several lessons have “For Further Study” links at the bottom of the page, and the “Contexts and Questions” pages will have embedded links as well. All the required course materials can be found in your books or in the course space, but these optional links have information that may be helpful or interesting to you.

In accordance with Global Campus policy, all dates for assignments are listed in the Course Schedule but not in the materials themselves.

Writing Assignments

Over the course of this semester, you’ll write the following:

  • 12 discussion posts and additional responses (the self- introduction will receive full credit; the other 11 will be graded based on the discussion post rubric
  • three response papers
  • one proposal for your research paper,
  • and one research paper.

All submitted response papers, proposal, and research paper should follow the naming format as follows: last name, first initial, course number, assignment name. For example, if Julia Sanchez submitted her first response paper in Unit 1 it would be saved as SanchezJ_210_Paper1.doc.

Submitting papers.  Students must submit all papers through the Assignments Dropbox (on the navigation bar at left) by the due dates and times listed on the Course Schedule. All due dates are based on Pacific Standard Time (and when appropriate Pacific Daylight Time). For more information about submitting assignments, click on the “How to Submit Assignments” link on the Course Information page link on the navigation bar.

Formatting papers.   Papers should be typed and double-spaced with 11-12 point fonts and 1″ margins.  They must be saved using either Word format (.doc or .docx),  rich text format (.rtf), or .pdf format, which are commonly available under the “Save As” function of all word-processing programs. Papers using any other format cannot be read and will not receive credit. For more information, see the “Paper Formatting Guidelines” link under Course Information.

  • Response Papers:

    Response papers are meant to be a way for students to explore an aspect of the assigned reading that they found to be of interest. The papers should include critical analysis of some portion of the texts read in class. Response papers can be based on and developed from your discussion posts.

    Requirements. Students are responsible for writing two short response papers (750-1,000 words, or about 2 1/2 to 3 typed, double-spaced pages).

    Topics. You are encouraged to write response papers on topics of your own choosing, but you will also find some suggestions for topics on the “Questions for Discussion and Response Papers” page listed under Lessons and the “Context and Questions” page for each unit.

    Due Dates. Response papers are due on the date listed on the 2022 Spring Course Schedule. See “Late Papers” below for the penalties for late assignments.

    Grading. Response papers will be graded on the quality of the argument and the critical depth with which students engaged the text. The short response papers do not require the use of outside sources, but students are expected to take them seriously and posit an argument, make an observation, or attempt to answer a question that the novel raised for them as they read. Good sentence structure and attention to mechanical features such as capitalization and punctuation are important, as is supporting a strong thesis.

  • Research Paper and Research Paper Topic:

    In order to demonstrate the degree to which students will have interacted with American literature throughout the semester, as their final project students are required to submit a research paper. For more information on the Research Paper, click on the Research Paper Guidelines link under Modules.

  • Students must submit a brief (100-200 word) description of the topic they will be examining in their Research Paper (see below). This assignment must include a thesis statement and a summary of the essay’s main points. You’ll be able to collaborate in groups and write a single paper, if you wish; all members would receive the same grade.

Discussion Postings

In order to demonstrate participation as well as to contribute to the climate of intellectual exchange, students are expected to respond by discussing each segment of reading assigned. Half of these discussions will be on the Canvas Discussion Board, and half will be through Perusall, a platform that lets you annotate a specific piece of writing and respond to others’ thoughts.

Requirements. During most of the weeks of this course, you are responsible for one original posting of 200-300 words and two responses of 100-150 words each to others’ postings. These are the minimum word requirements and number of postings; you are welcome to write longer posts or to post more frequently if you feel so inclined. For information about using the Discussion Board, go to Course Information and click on “How to Use the Discussion Board.”

Topics. Although you’re welcome to post on topics of your own choosing, you will also find some general suggestions for topics on the “Questions for Discussion and Response Papers” page listed under Lessons in the navigation bar at left. Specific questions will be available in the “Contexts and Questions” page for each unit, which will contain the lecture material for the course.

Discussion topics from these sources will be posted in the forum for that lesson shortly before we begin each week’s discussion.

As the general questions suggest, the discussion board is a space in which you can write speculative, reaction-based, and imaginative posts as well as analytical ones.

Due Dates. The due dates for original posts and response posts are listed in the Course Schedule.

In general, assignment days are as follows:

  • Wednesdays by 11:55 p.m.: Read assigned materials; listen to or read the lecture under “Context and Questions.” If it is a Discussion Board week, write a solid post (200-300 words) on the reading you’ve done for the week.
  • Fridays by 11:55 p.m.:
  • If it is a Discussion Board week, write two replies (100-150 words each) to other people’s discussion posts.
  • if it is a Perusall week, complete your annotations on the reading selection in Perusall. Information on Perusall is here: https://support.perusall.com/hc/en-us/articles/360033995074-Getting-started (Links to an external site.). You’ll also be responding to others’ ideas in Perusall, but in a less formal way. We’ll alternate weeks between Perusall and the Discussion Board.
  • Sundays by 11:55 p.m.: Papers are due on the due dates on Sundays by 11:55 p.m.
  • Late initial discussion posts received by the Friday deadline receive a -5 points penalty.
  • Posts and responses will only be counted during the week when they are due; anything added to the week’s discussion after that time (Friday by 11:55 p.m.) will receive a 0 and no comments.

Grading. Discussion posts and responses are graded holistically (by their overall quality and style) each week and will not typically receive comments on grammar or content. However, please use proper spelling, capitalization, and so on for your discussion posts. See the Grading section below for more specific information on grading discussion posts.

Although I will be reading all the posts and responses, I will not reply on the board to each post but will respond to selected posts from different students each week. For more information, please read carefully the section called “What Makes a Good Discussion Post?” on the Course Information page.

The writing assignment deadlines and reading assignments for this course will remain the same once the semester has started. Information may be added to the “For Further Study” sections of the course, however.

Extra Credit. To allow for missing discussion posts or other assignments, there is extra credit available in this course: each of the three Writing Workshops has a 10-question “Refresher Quiz” that gives you up to 10 points of extra credit if you take it. These quizzes are only available during the week of the Writing Workshop, and taking them is good insurance in case you later need those points.

Late Work Policy

The late work policy for this course is as follows:

  • Late papers (response papers, research paper topic, and research paper) are penalized at the rate of one letter grade (10 points) per class day late. Since our “class days” for this course are Wednesdays  and Fridays by 11:55 p.m. (the discussion post days), a paper that was due at 11:55 p.m. on a Sunday would be considered one class day late if handed in by the following Wednesday and two class days late if handed in by the following Friday. For example, a response paper that would have received an “A” if handed in on the Sunday night due date would receive a “B” if handed in by the following Wednesday, a “C” if handed in by the following Friday, a “D” if handed in on the following Sunday, and so forth.
  • Late papers, if less than three class days late (handed in by the following Sunday), will receive a grade with the above lateness penalties applied but will not receive any comments. Late papers that are more than three days late will receive a 0.
  • Extension policy. Because you are free to choose which response papers you’ll write and thus should be able to schedule your writing ahead of time,  late submission should not be a problem. However, you have one 48-hour extension in this class to be used only on papers (not discussion posts).
    • This extension means that your paper can be turned in without penalty on the next class day. Since writing assignments in this class are due on Sunday nights, the extension would be valid until Wednesday night at 11:55 p.m.
    • You must request the extension ahead of time.

Grading

Use this chart to convert the points to a letter grade. If the assignment has X points, the grade equivalent will be in the column next to it. For example, a B+ in an assignment worth 100 points would be 88, 220 points if the assignment is worth 250, and so forth.

 

Grades and points
  100 15   25                           150   250   500  
0.95 15 14 25 23 20 19 30 28 35 33 50 47 75 70 125 116 150 143 250 238 500 465
A/A- 0.92 15 14 25 23 20 18 30 28 35 32 50 46 75 69 125 115 150 138 250 230 500 460
A- 0.91 15 14 25 23 20 18 30 27 35 32 50 46 75 68 125 114 150 137 250 228 500 455
B+ 0.88 15 13 25 22 20 18 30 26 35 31 50 44 75 66 125 110 150 132 250 220 500 440
B/B+ 0.87 15 13 25 22 20 17 30 26 35 30 50 44 75 65 125 109 150 131 250 218 500 435
B 0.85 15 13 25 21 20 17 30 26 35 30 50 43 75 64 125 106 150 128 250 213 500 425
B/B- 0.82 15 12 25 21 20 16 30 25 35 29 50 41 75 62 125 103 150 123 250 205 500 410
B- 0.81 15 12 25 20 20 16 30 24 35 28 50 40 75 60 125 100 150 122 250 200 500 400
C+ 0.78 15 12 25 20 20 16 30 23 35 27 50 39 75 59 125 98 150 117 250 195 500 390
C/C+ 0.77 15 12 25 19 20 15 30 23 35 27 50 39 75 58 125 96 150 116 250 193 500 385
C 0.75 15 11 25 19 20 15 30 23 35 26 50 38 75 56 125 94 150 113 250 188 500 375
C/C- 0.72 15 11 25 18 20 14 30 22 35 25 50 36 75 54 125 90 150 108 250 180 500 360
C- 0.71 15 11 25 18 20 14 30 21 35 25 50 36 75 53 125 89 150 107 250 178 500 355
D+ 0.68 15 10 25 17 20 14 30 20 35 24 50 34 75 51 125 85 150 102 250 170 500 340
D/D+ 0.67 15 10 25 17 20 13 30 20 35 23 50 34 75 50 125 84 150 101 250 168 500 335
D 0.65 15 9.8 25 16 20 13 30 20 35 23 50 33 75 49 125 81 150 98 250 163 500 325
D/D- 0.62 15 9.3 25 16 20 12 30 19 35 22 50 31 75 47 125 78 150 93 250 155 500 310
D- 0.61 15 9.2 25 15 20 12 30 18 35 21 50 31 75 46 125 76 150 92 250 153 500 305

 

Course percentages
Course Work Points Percent of Final Grade
Response Papers
(3 @100 points each)
300 35%
Research Paper Topic 25 3%
Research Paper 225 27%
Discussion Board Postings
(11 + Intro @ 25 pts each)
300 35%
TOTALS 850 100%

Your final grade for the course is then determined as follows:

Points and Percentages
Final Grade Total Points Percent of
Final Grade
Final Grade Total Points Percent of
Final Grade
A 799-850 94-100% C 628-654 74-76%
A- 765-798 90-93% C- 595-627 70-73%
B+ 740-764 87-89% D+ 544-594 65-69%
B 714-739 84-86% D 510-543 60-64%
B- 680-713 80-83% F 509 & Below 59% & below
C+ 655-679 77-79%

Grading Criteria

These are the general grading criteria for this course. Response papers and the research paper are held to higher standards of analysis, good style, and grammatically correct sentences than the discussion posts. You can find a more specific version of the grading criteria here: http://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/grading.html (Links to an external site.).

I will use abbreviations as references to grammatical principles on your corrected papers. The abbreviations and accompanying explanations are available on the “Key to Comments” document here: h ttp://www.wsu.edu/~campbelld/keyto.htm. (Links to an external site.) You may want to download and print out the .pdf version of this document (Links to an external site.) for easy reference.

  • A / Excellent
    Shows that the writer has treated the subject matter in an original manner and has developed the thesis thoroughly and with insight, using a clear organizational plan. This essay develops its argument with incisive, in-depth analysis and supporting evidence from the text. Although outstanding and pleasurable to read, this essay is not necessarily completely flawless; it is, however, virtually free of grammatical or spelling errors. The writer demonstrates a clear understanding of her or his audience and conveys a strong individual voice.
  • B / Good
    Includes a clear focus that is supported by evidence; it also demonstrates correct sentence construction for the most part. Ideas may be good but perhaps not as insightful or well developed as those in the “A” essay. The organization is easy to follow. The essay has a good sense of individual voice and awareness of audience expectations.
  • C / Proficient
    Exhibits logical organization and a focus, but often does not provide clear evidence to support the thesis. It may demonstrate little sentence variety or careful word choice. Instead of revealing fresh and insightful ideas, the writer of this paper responds to the assignment in an adequate but highly predictable or superficial way, such as summarizing the plot of the work or stating obvious points, without developing analytical or descriptive ideas.
  • D / Deficient
    Usually demonstrates one or more of the following: it lacks adequate organization, offers insufficient or irrelevant support for its argument, lacks focus, or shows no audience awareness. In addition, a deficient essay often contains many errors in sentence construction, punctuation, word choice, and spelling, such as confusing the spelling of women (plural) with woman (singular).
  • F / Unacceptable
    Usually difficult, frustrating, or confusing to read. This paper typically contains neither focus nor support for generalizations. It generally contains numerous errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.  A paper will receive an “F” if it is plagiarized in whole or in part.

Grading for Discussion Posts

Discussion board posts are awarded points based on how substantial and thoughtful they are. They are graded holistically and will not typically receive comments on grammar or content. However, please use proper spelling, capitalization, and so on for your discussion posts. You can see the rubrics for Discussion Posts and for Perusall under Course Information.

The discussion board grades don’t reflect “taking off points” but rather “building points.” Each post starts with a 0 and builds up to a 25 depending on its thoughtfulness, insights, and engagement with the assigned texts–its level of excellence, in short.

Although I will be reading all the posts and responses, I will not reply on the board to each post but will respond to selected posts from different students each week.

Discussion board posts need to be posted within the time frame of the lesson and by the deadline listed in the Course Schedule in order to count. This course has a built-in optional “makeup” post at the end that you can complete to make up points if you miss a week. It counts the same as a regular post + replies session (25 points).

The points are awarded as follows:

  • 23-25 points: a substantial, thoughtful post that specifically engages with the reading plus at least two replies posted to another’s initial post.
    • Post (up to 15 points) + 2 replies (up to 10 points) = up to 25 points for the week.
  • 20-22 points: posts and replies that may be have good points but that may be insubstantial in length or content, may not engage sufficiently with the readings, or may have grammatical problems.
  • Up to 15 points: an initial post but no replies.
  • 5-10 points: one or two replies but no initial post.
  • 0 points: no entries posted to the discussion board by the deadline

Policies

WSU Expectations of Course Time Commitment: Academic credit is a measure of the time commitment required of a typical student in a specific course. For the WSU semester system one semester credit is assigned for a minimum of 45 hours. The anticipated time commitment for this course is 3 hours of work per week for each credit hour (a minimum of 9 hours per week). Students can expect your weekly time commitment to be as follows:

Class time (lecture, discussion, activities)………………………………………………………………….3 hours/week

Research/write papers ………………………………………………………………………………… ………1.5 hours/week

Prepare other assignments (reports, write blog post & post comments to weblogs)……..1.5 hours/week

Reading class materials …………………………………………………………………… ……………………3 hours/week

Total hours …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..9 hours/week


UCORE Goals and Course Goals

The following UCORE goals govern the syllabus of this class: (https://ucore.wsu.edu/documents/2018/04/ucore-handbook-v3-march-2018.pdf/”) (Links to an external site.):

HUM courses are required to:

  • Introduce students to basic theories of interpretation or theoretical models in the humanities.
  • Introduce students to key texts, monuments, artifacts or episodes within humanistic traditions or disciplines.
  •  Help students develop the ability to construct their own artistic, literary, philosophical, religious, linguistic, or historical interpretations according to the standards of a humanistic discipline.
  • Teach basic information literacy skills applicable to the discipline. As part of information literacy instruction, the course must not only require students to use library resources, but also provide UCORE Handbook v.3 | March 2018 | Page 104 instruction on the use of library resources and services. Instruction can be done by library personnel, or be provided in detailed notes that accompany assignment prompts. In whatever instruction method the course uses, the instructor should work with the library to develop or offer the instruction.
  • Meet requirements for all UCORE courses for critical thinking, writing, information literacy, and assessment of student progress on learning goals.

 

UCORE Goals
WSU/UCORE goals HUM Category Learning Outcomes Course-level learning outcome: “At the end of this course, students will be able to…” Learning Activities & Assignments Learning Outcome Assessed by…
Creative and Critical Thinking

 

Students demonstrate knowledge of theories or theoretical models and ability to apply one or more

 

To encourage the skills needed to develop students’ own research or creative questions about this time period through a close analysis of American fiction, poetry, films, songs, and other cultural artifacts.

 

To understand a diverse range of work as comprising “American” culture, including reading and viewing work from African American, Asian American, Native American, and LGBTQ+ individuals.

 

 

General class discussion

Papers

General class discussion

Group discussions and presentations of particular works or trends in front of the class

Papers

Students demonstrate knowledge of key texts, monuments, artifacts or episodes

 

To read and closely analyze a number of works of literature and journalism within the course materials described through such theories of analysis as realism, regionalism, naturalism, modernism, and cultural movements such as the Harlem Renaissance.

 

To search for instances of how past perspectives, language, and literature permeate contemporary culture and to assess the ways in which they affect our perspectives on issues such as individualism, industrialism and ecology, relations with other countries, and aesthetics, gender, and sexuality.

 

General class discussion

Group discussions and presentations of particular works or trends in front of the class

Papers

Peer and instructor feedback on reports

Reports

General class discussion in Discussion Board

Papers

Students construct own interpretation within disciplinary norms

 

To study a topic in both breadth and depth, using the multiple media as a lens to reflect on American culture past and present.

 

 

 

Group discussions Peer and instructor feedback on drafts

Group discussions

Information Literacy Students find and use relevant information effectively To view and interpret multiple kinds of texts, including maps, songs, and political cartoons, to understand the ways in which they comment on and reflect their culture.

 

To search for instances of how past perspectives, language, and literature permeate contemporary culture and to assess the ways in which they affect our perspectives on issues such as individualism, industrialism and ecology, relations with other countries, and aesthetics, gender, and sexuality.

 

 

Finding and evaluating legitimate sources online and in the library

 

 

 

Class discussion

 

Information Literacy Instruction and Feedback Students receive instruction with feedback for information literacy skills appropriate to lower or upper division expectations and departmental standards To work with and learn to evaluate primary and secondary resources, including locating primary print sources and digitized versions online, learning to use the MLA Bibliography and other databases to find secondary sources, and learning to assess web materials for reliability, and locating primary source materials.

 

Finding and evaluating legitimate sources online and in the library Comments on papers.
 

Communication

Students communicate in modes appropriate to the discipline To synthesize and create knowledge and to disseminate those insights to the class (reports, presentations, papers) and to the world beyond the classroom (blogs).

To communicate effectively in solo or group presentations

 

 

Papers

Discussion posts

Writing Workshops

Written peer and instructor feedback

Writing Workshop Refresher Quizzes

Writing Requirement Course requires reasonable amount of writing, appropriate to lower or upper division expectations and departmental standards To communicate effectively in writing according to standard conventions of academic writing (complete sentences, thesis, support for arguments)

 

Three short papers

Longer final paper (Paper 4) or multimodal project

Workshops for Papers  1, 2, & 3-4

Instructor feedback on short papers and final paper

Writing Workshop Refresher Quizzes

 

Additional UCORE Goals and Course Goals

The following UCORE goals govern the syllabus of this class: (https://ucore.wsu.edu/documents/2018/04/ucore-handbook-v3-march-2018.pdf/”) (Links to an external site.):

HUM courses are required to:

  • Introduce students to basic theories of interpretation or theoretical models in the humanities.
  • Introduce students to key texts, monuments, artifacts or episodes within humanistic traditions or disciplines.
  • Help students develop the ability to construct their own artistic, literary, philosophical, religious, linguistic, or historical interpretations according to the standards of a humanistic discipline.
  • Teach basic information literacy skills applicable to the discipline. As part of information literacy instruction, the course must not only require students to use library resources, but also provide UCORE Handbook v.3 | March 2018 | Page 104 instruction on the use of library resources and services. Instruction can be done by library personnel, or be provided in detailed notes that accompany assignment prompts. In whatever instruction method the course uses, the instructor should work with the library to develop or offer the instruction.
  • Meet requirements for all UCORE courses for critical thinking, writing, information literacy, and assessment of student progress on learning goals.

 

UCORE Goals
UCORE HUM Goals Addressed in this Course At the end of this course, students should be able Course Topics Addressing this Outcome Evaluation of Outcome
Critical and Creative Thinking. Students demonstrate knowledge of theories or theoretical models and ability to apply one or more.

 

Students demonstrate knowledge of key texts, monuments, artifacts or episodes.

 

Students construct own interpretation within disciplinary norms

 

To read and closely analyze a number of works of literature and journalism within the course materials described.

To study a topic in both breadth and depth, using the multiple media as a lens to reflect on American culture past and present.

To encourage the skills needed to develop students’ own research or creative questions about this time period through a close analysis of American fiction, poetry, films, songs, and other cultural artifacts.

All course topics

All lectures and class discussions

All papers

Final paper

Creative option project

Graded class discussions

Graded papers

Scientific Literacy. Graduates will have a basic understanding of major scientific concepts and processes required for personal decision-making, participation in civic affairs, economic productivity and global stewardship. To understand the ways in which scientific knowledge can be contingent not only on evidence but upon the historical framework in which it is gained.

To recognize that  scientific theories in the past frequently led to harmful conclusions in terms of racism and eugenics

Selected readings Evaluation of papers and class discussions.
Information Literacy. Graduates will effectively identify, locate, evaluate, use responsibly and share information for the problem at hand. Students find and use relevant information effectively. To view and interpret multiple kinds of texts, including maps, songs, and political cartoons, to understand the ways in which they comment on and reflect their culture.

To work with and learn to evaluate primary and secondary resources, including locating primary print sources and digitized versions online, learning to use the MLA Bibliography and other databases to find secondary sources, and learning to assess web materials for reliability, and locating primary source materials.

 

Finding legitimate sources online and in the library

Successful completion of exercises and integration of that knowledge into papers and projects.

 

Final project (web possibility) evaluation via rubric.

Communication. Graduates will write, speak and listen to achieve intended meaning and understanding among all participants.

 

Students communicate in modes appropriate to the discipline.

To synthesize and create knowledge and to disseminate those insights to the class (reports, presentations, papers) and to the world beyond the classroom (blogs). Class discussions

Papers and projects

Evaluation for formal reports, papers, and class discussions.
Diversity. Graduates will understand, respect and interact constructively with others of similar and diverse cultures, values, and perspectives. To learn about significant issues, movements, and trends in American literature, including historical issues of racism, class, and gender inequities Reading and viewing work from African American, Asian American, Native American, and LGBTQ+ individuals Evaluation for class discussion and papers.
Depth, Breadth, and Integration of Learning. Graduates will develop depth, breadth, and integration of learning for the benefit of themselves, their communities, their employers, and for society at large. To search for instances of how past perspectives, language, and literature permeate contemporary culture and to assess the ways in which they affect our perspectives on issues such as individualism, industrialism and ecology, relations with other countries, and aesthetics, gender, and sexuality. Cultural history, including films, recorded music, sheet music, and so on Formal evaluation for final project, presentation, and weblogs.
Writing Requirement. Course requires reasonable amount of writing, appropriate to lower or upper division expectations and departmental standards  Three papers and informal writing.

 


Instructor Interaction

Discussion Board: You should check the “Announcements from Instructor” section of the Discussion Board when you log in to this course, since I will be using that space for general class announcements. Also, if you have a question that you think others in the class might also have, please use the “Questions for Instructor” section of the Discussion Board so that I can write a response for everyone. As mentioned above, I’ll have office hours in Zoom on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Student Hours/Office Hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays 12-1:15; see the Zoom links below.

I’m also available to talk via email, Zoom, phone, or text at other times, or DM me on Twitter. Email me to set up a time or start a Zoom room and invite me.

Email: campbelld@wsu.edu

Phone: 509.335.4831

Text: 541.371.2658

Twitter: @dmcampbellwsu


 

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Incomplete Grade Policy (Academic Rule 90h)

Incompletes are granted only with permission of the instructor and are subject to the following guidelines:

  1. Students must request an incomplete in writing or by e-mail from the instructor before the end of the semester.
  2. The request must be signed and dated by the student (or identified by student’s e-mail address) and must explain the reasons behind the request for the incomplete.
  3. In order to be considered for an incomplete, there are two main conditions:
    1. A student must complete a minimum of 75 percent of the assigned course work.
    2. A student must have a mathematical possibility of scoring a 60 percent or above for the entire course.
  4. If extraordinary circumstances (e.g., family emergency, serious illness) are involved and are documented to the instructor’s satisfaction, the professor/ instructor retains the discretion to grant an incomplete even if the minimum conditions outlined in item 3 above are not met.

If an incomplete is granted, the standard WSU policy applies (i.e., ALL work must be completed within one full year from the end of the enrollment semester at issue, unless a shorter time is specified by the instructor. Otherwise, an automatic grade of “F,” or failing, will be entered on the student’s transcript). 


Credit Hour Equivalent

Academic credit is a measure of the total minimum time commitment required of a typical student in a specific course. For the WSU semester system, one semester credit is assigned for a minimum of 45 hours of student effort. See Academic regulation 27.

For a 15-week course, students should expect to spend a minimum of 9 hours per week for each online 3-credit course engaged in activities including, but not limited to: reading, listening to/viewing media, completing assignments and reviewing instructor feedback, contributing to discussions, conducting research, studying for and completing assessments, etc.

For a 7-week course, students should expect to spend a minimum of 19 hours per week for each online 3-credit course engaged in the activities as listed above.

For Graduate Students

The Graduate Student Rights and Responsibilities describes procedures for channeling graduate student complaints, grievances, and concerns to faculty, staff and administrators for appropriate action. In conjunction with this document, graduate students must adhere to the Graduate School’s Policies and Procedures. While these rights and responsibilities outline the complaint process, students are encouraged to use the Graduate School Deans for guidance and advice on conflicts that may arise at any point during their course of study at the University.

 


COVID-19 Statement

Per the proclamation of Governor Inslee on August 18, 2021, masks that cover both the nose and mouth must be worn by all people over the age of five while indoors in public spaces. This includes all WSU owned and operated facilities. The state-wide mask mandate goes into effect on Monday, August 23, 2021, and will be effective until further notice.

Public health directives may be adjusted throughout the year to respond to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. Directives may include, but are not limited to, compliance with WSU’s COVID-19 vaccination policy, wearing a cloth face covering, physically distancing, and sanitizing common-use spaces. All current COVID-19 related university policies and public health directives are located at https://wsu.edu/covid-19/ (Links to an external site.). Students who choose not to comply with these directives may be required to leave the classroom; in egregious or repetitive cases, student non-compliance may be referred to the Center for Community Standards for action under the Standards of Conduct for Students.

WSU Global students enrolled in fully online programs and/or for which an on campus/location presence does not occur are automatically exempted from the vaccine requirements (Links to an external site.).


Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the cornerstone of higher education. As such, all members of the university community share responsibility for maintaining and promoting the principles of integrity in all activities, including academic integrity and honest scholarship. Academic integrity will be strongly enforced in this course. Violation of WSU’s Academic Integrity Policy (identified in Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 504-26-010(3) and -404) may result in penalties up to and including failing the assignment, exam, quiz, course requirement, or the course itself and students will not have the option to withdraw from the course pending an appeal, and will be reported to the Office of Community Standards.

Cheating includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism and unauthorized collaboration as defined in the Standards of Conduct for Students, WAC 504-26-010(3). You need to read and understand all of the definitions of cheating (https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=504-26-010 (Links to an external site.)). If you have any questions about what is and is not allowed in this course, you should ask course instructors before proceeding.

Undergraduate only: If you wish to appeal a faculty member’s decision relating to academic integrity, please use the form available at communitystandards.wsu.edu/ (Links to an external site.).

 


Copyright

Any course-related materials, presentations, lectures, etc. are the instructor’s intellectual property and may be protected by copyright. The use of University electronic resources for commercial purposes, including advertising to other students to buy notes, is a violation of WSU’s computer abuses and theft policy (WAC 504-26-218). Selling class notes through commercial note taking services without written advance permission from the faculty, could be viewed as be as copyright infringement and/or academic integrity violation, WAC 504-26-010 (3)(a,b,c,i).

 


Academic Regulations

Students enrolled in online courses are subject to the same University academic regulations as on-campus students. For the most accurate and up to date information go to Academic Regulations (Links to an external site.).

 


Discrimination and Harassment Policy

Discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, sexual harassment, and sexual misconduct (including stalking, intimate partner violence, and sexual violence) is prohibited at WSU (See Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Discriminatory Harassment, Sexual Harassment, And Sex And Gender Based Violence  (Links to an external site.) (Executive Policy 15) and WSU Standards of Conduct for Students ( Chapter 504-26 WAC  (Links to an external site.)).

If you feel you have experienced or have witnessed discriminatory conduct, you can contact the WSU Office of Civil Rights Compliance & Investigation (CRCI) and/or the WSU Title IX Coordinator (Links to an external site.) at 509-335-8288 to discuss resources, including confidential resources, and reporting options. (Visit crci.wsu.edu (Links to an external site.) for more information).

Most WSU employees, including faculty, who have information regarding sexual harassment or sexual misconduct are required to report the information to CRCI or a designated Title IX Coordinator or Liaison. (Visit crci.wsu.edu/reporting-requirements (Links to an external site.) for more info).

 


Reasonable Accommodations

Students with Disabilities: Reasonable accommodations are available for students with documented disabilities or chronic medical or psychological conditions. If you have a disability and need accommodations to fully participate in this class, please visit your campus’ Access Center/Services website to follow published procedures to request accommodations. Students may also contact their campus offices to schedule an appointment with a Disability Specialist. All disability related accommodations are to be approved through the Access Center/Services on your campus. It is a university expectation that students visit with instructors (via email, Zoom, or in person) to discuss logistics within two weeks after they have officially requested their accommodations.

For more information contact a Disability Specialist on your home campus:

 

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Accommodations for Religious Observances or Activities

Washington State University reasonably accommodates absences allowing for students to take holidays for reasons of faith or conscience or organized activities conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or religious organization. Reasonable accommodation requires the student to coordinate with the instructor on scheduling examinations or other activities necessary for course completion. Students requesting accommodation must provide written notification within the first two weeks of the beginning of the course and include specific dates for absences. Approved accommodations for absences will not adversely impact student grades. Absence from classes or examinations for religious reasons does not relieve students from responsibility for any part of the course work required during the period of absence. Students who feel they have been treated unfairly in terms of this accommodation may refer to Academic Regulation 104 – Academic Complaint Procedures.

 


Safety and Emergency Notification

Classroom and campus safety are of paramount importance at Washington State University and are the shared responsibility of the entire campus population. WSU urges s tudents to follow the “Alert, Assess, Act,” protocol for all types of emergencies and the “Run, Hide, Fight” (Links to an external site.) response for an active shooter incident. Remain ALERT (through direct observation or emergency notification), ASSESS your specific situation, and ACT in the most appropriate way to assure your own safety (and the safety of others if you are able).

Please sign up for emergency alerts on your account at MyWSU. For more information on this subject, campus safety, and related topics, please view the FBI’s Run, Hide, Fight video and visit the WSU safety portal.

Full details including campus-specific safety information can be found at https://provost.wsu.edu/classroom-safety/ (Links to an external site.)

Lauren’s Promise

I will listen and believe you if someone is threatening you.

Lauren McCluskey, a 21-year-old honors student athlete, was murdered on Oct. 22, 2018, by a man she briefly dated on the University of Utah campus. We must all take actions to ensure that this never happens again.

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

If you are experiencing sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking, please report it to me and I will connect you to resources or call the National Alternatives to Violence at 877-334-2887 (24-hour crisis hotline).

Any form of sexual harassment or violence will not be excused or tolerated at Washington State University. WSU has instituted procedures to respond to violations of these laws and standards, programs aimed at the prevention of such conduct, and intervention on behalf of the victims.

 


Online Collaboration

The essence of education is exposure to diverse viewpoints. You will engage with people with vastly different opinions and backgrounds. You are encouraged to disagree with the substance of others’ ideas and opinions but do so with an active sense of respect for one another, and without losing focus on the topic at hand. Personal attacks, inflammatory statements, flaming, trolling, and disruption of the discussion do not have a place in academic discourse. Postings must comply with University policy on use of computing resources, including those regarding harassment and discrimination, as well as conform to the WSU Community Standards (Links to an external site.).

Your instructors will promote high-quality academic discussions by removing any posts they view as disruptive of the educational process and alerting students whose posts have been removed that they have violated course expectations. Students who continue to misuse the discussion boards after a warning may be subject to removal of access rights, course failure, and referral to the Office of Community Standards.

Review the netiquette guidelines. (Links to an external site.)

 


Technical Support

The WSU Global Campus Current Student (Links to an external site.) site has all the non-content and administrative and contact related information you need to be a successful online learner as well as study tips and skills for success (Links to an external site.).

Before contacting Technical Support please visit our Tech Support web page (Links to an external site.) to ensure your system meets our computer requirements and test your connection.

Technical support is available 24/7

A member of our technical support team will assist you or direct your request to the appropriate group. The technical support team is NOT able to answer questions about course content or procedures (e.g., assignments, grades).

Regular Hours:
Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m.-8:35 p.m. (Pacific Time)
Friday 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (Pacific Time)
  • Call direct, 509-335-4320 or 800-222-4978 and select 2, then 1.
  • Email wsuonline.support@wsu.edu and we will respond to your concerns within one business day.
Evening and Weekend Support
  • Call after hours support, 800-659-2571.

 


Library Support

All students enrolled in Washington State University online courses can use the WSU Libraries online databases and receive reference and research assistance from their home campus. Students can also borrow books and other circulating material as well as access full-text journal articles.

General Library Links by Campus

 


Online Tutoring

As a WSU student enrolled in an undergraduate course, you have FREE unlimited access to Online Tutoring. This is not a course requirement, but a resource for you to utilize as needed.

With three ways to access a tutor you can choose the one that best fits your needs:

  • Submit a paper: Writing Lab tutors will respond to papers in ANY academic subject. Just submit your paper, ask specific questions on the submission form, and a tutor will respond within 24-48 hours.
  • Live tutoring: eChat rooms allow students to meet with tutors in one-on-one tutoring sessions via a fully interactive, virtual online environment.
  • Leave a question: Students can leave specific questions for a tutor in any of our subjects by taking advantage of our eQuestions option. Our tutors will respond to your question within 24-48 hours.

More details and the list of available tutoring subjects can be found at www.eTutoringOnline.org (Links to an external site.).

As a WSU student enrolled in a graduate level course, you have FREE unlimited access to writing support through eTutoringOnline. This is not a course requirement, but a resource you may utilize as needed.

Writing Lab tutors will respond to papers in ANY academic subject. If you’re working on a paper for ANY of your courses our tutors can help you. Just submit your paper, ask specific questions on the submission form, and a tutor will respond within 24-48 hours. For more information visit www.eTutoringOnline.org (Links to an external site.).