English 102

College Reading and Composition II

Course Description

Students study representative works from major genres to develop close reading and analytical writing skills and to have appreciation and critical understanding of the cultural, historical, and aesthetic qualities of literature. Students study literature and literary criticism in order to develop critical thinking and reading and writing skills beyond the level achieved in English 101. This course emphasizes logical reasoning, analysis, and strategies of argumentation (from the 2016-17 LACC Catalog, under "English/ESL").

Requirements/Transferability

Prerequisite: English 101; No Co-Requisite; Advisory: English 108. Transferable to UC and CSU. Again, see Catalog for details or consult a school counselor.

Required Texts

Literature: A Portable Anthology. Eds. Janet Gardner et al. 4th ed. Boston and New York: Bedford/ St. Martin, 2017. Print. ISBN: 978-1319035341. [Important info: You can use the 3rd edition since the readings are the same (the pages and some translations are different, though). Also, copies of the anthology can be found on reserve at the LACC Library under "Circulation Policies".]

Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary. trans. Eleanor Marx Aveling. New York: Barnes & Noble Classic, 2005. Print. ISBN: 9781593080525. [Make sure to get this translation by Eleanor Marx Aveling. You can get different published versions of the novel, but it must be this particular translation.]

Beckett, Samuel. Waiting for Godot. Grove Press, 1982. Print.  ISBN: 978-0394475295. [Other versions of the play can be used, the most famous for acting being this one.]

Consulting Hours

Instructor: Jeffrey Nishimura, Department of English/ESL, Jefferson Hall 301H, Los Angeles City CollegePhone: (323) 953-4000 X2706
email: nishimj@lacitycollege.edu

If you have any questions concerning the assignments, lectures or readings, please email or message me through the Canvas Inbox. Allow 24 hours for me to respond, even over the weekend. You can also catch me during my virtual "office hours" for a weekly "Chat" (see Sidebar on the left) throughout the semester every Monday and Tuesday from 7pm to 8pm. "Chat" is open to all as if my office door is wide open. Thus, any private issues or concerns, especially about grades, should be kept for the Canvas Inbox messages or emails. 

Student Learning Outcomes

Student Learning Outcomes are meant for instructors and the department to determine for student progress in a course. Each course has a distinctive list of SLO; for this particular course (ENL 102), they are the following:

1. The student's essay writing will follow MLA guidelines, will include a clearly stated thesis or argument, and will develop support in well-organized and unified paragraphs.
2. The student's writing will demonstrate understanding the requirements of clear exposition, including the need to incorporate and synthesize from literary traditions and literary theories.

Essays and other written responses will be scored based on a rubric of these SLO standards. Additional information on Student Learning Outcomes can be found here.

Online Conduct

Just as in a face-to-face classroom, appropriate behavior is required. That means, comments and remarks that are racist (including anti-Semitic and anti-Islamic), sexist (including homophobic), or generally obscene (including vulgar language and inappropriate emoji) will NOT be tolerated in "Discussions," "Assignments," "Chat" and any "Reply" option on this site. A student using such language or behaves inappropriately, which includes trolling and catfishing, will not receive any points for that assignment (at the very minimum) and may receive disciplinary actions against him/her, such as expulsion (at the very maximum). Cyber-bullying are common occurrences online but have no place in this academic setting.

As long as your comments and criticisms are proper and polite and appropriate to the subject, and backed by supportive evidence from notated texts or sources that have been validated through journalistic or academically sound research (i.e. no "alternative facts"), then your opinions are always welcome, just as anyone else's under the same guidelines. For "sound research" always refer to the "LACC Library" link for quick access to search databases when researching, instead of relying on google or yahoo or any other search engine that can generate fake news.

An excellent refresher guide on "netiquette" can be found here. I encourage all students to read it before proceeding with the course.

Academic Dishonesty

Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to, the following actions: cheating on an exam, plagiarizing, working together on an assignment, paper or project when the instructor has specifically stated students should not do so, submitting the same term paper to more than one instructor, or allowing another individual to assume one’s identity for the purpose of enhancing one’s grade (see LACCD Board Rule, Chapter IX, Article VIII, 9803.28). Penalties may include a score of zero or a "F" grade on an exam or paper, or even suspension from the college. There are various ways in which a student can cheat in an online class. Information on LACC "Code of Conduct" can be found here.

Assignments and Grade Points

Being an online course, the assignments are much more varied than one may find in a traditional, brick-and-mortar classroom setting. For this course, the points accumulated for the overall grade fall into these four categories [Note the color codes, which will appear again in the "Tentative Schedule" below.]:

• "Discussions" responses (110 points total): These will be in response to questions posted mostly every week in the "Discussions" page (see Sidebar; also, after each lesson/module you will be directed to the "Discussions" page by clicking "Next" at the bottom of the page). During each discussion, you are required to respond to the question(s) (worth 5 points) and also encouraged to respond to someone else's response (worth another 5 points). It's crucial that you check in regularly to meet the deadlines. I would recommend at least three times a week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE WEEKEND TO RESPOND, since deadlines might have already been passed. Each response will be scored on the same SLO rubric as the essay assignments, consisting of grammar and content (whether you answered the question completely and whether you supported your response with the appropriate reading and theory). Points will be taken off if you fail to meet these requirements or you display inappropriate conduct, as stated in the section on "Online Conduct."
• Quizzes (150 points total): These can be found under "Quizzes" and consist of mostly short quizzes (multiple choice questions and short answer), based on the readings assigned. Short quizzes are worth 10 points; the review quiz is worth 30 points; the final exam is worth 100 points (see below).
• Assignments (90 points total): These can also be found under the "Assignments" page. There are three essay assignments in this class, each to be formatted in MLA style (not APA -- know the difference), with proper notation, an appropriate title and a work-citation page. Each essay is about 6 pages and will be graded on a rubric based on the SLOs standards, consisting of content (10 points), documentation (10 points) and grammar (10 points). Each essay assignment is worth a maximum total of 30 points.
• Final Exam (Quiz) (100 points): While this is technically a "quiz", it is a timed two-hour exam and will be graded like an essay assignment with each part graded by content, organization and grammar, as stated in the SLO rubric.
  
• Total points: 350

Points accumulation might change as we go through the lessons, readings and assignments, but a demonstration of knowledge of the readings and concepts must still be required to justify student outcomes (again, see "Student Learning Outcomes" above) and exit skills. Any late essay assignment will be counted as partial credit; this does not apply to quizzes and discussion responses, which are final. I also reserve the right to include rewrites of essay assignments and extra credit, in which every student will have permission to do. Any changes to the syllabus will be announced ahead of time under "Announcements" on the Home page.

Grading Scale or Criteria

Since there are 350 maximum total points, the grade points are broken down as follows:

350-315 (100-90%) A - Excellent
314-280 (89-80%) B - Good
279-245 (79-70%) C - Satisfactory
244-210 (69-60%) D - Less than satisfactory
209-lower (59%-0%) F – Failing

There are no pluses nor minuses at this college (i.e. A-, B+, etc). Extra credit can also elevate a grade but they cannot replace a missed assignment. Late Assignments and Discussion responses (if accepted), will also only receive partial credit. Quizzes, in particular the final exam, cannot be made up.

You will be able to see your scores and grade percentage throughout the course. [Canvas allows such an option.] Realize, however, that the grade will most likely change as the points start to accumulate throughout the semester. Also, the scores and grade percentage are only an estimate; a lot of other factors, including attendance and total activity, explained below, will also impact the overall grade. In the end I -- and not a computer program -- will determine your overall course grade.

Drops and Repeats

Effective July 1, 2012 students are allowed three (3) attempts to pass a single class within the Los Angeles Community College District. If a student gets a “W”, “D”, “F”, or “NP” as a grade in a class, that counts as an attempt. If you think you will not be able to complete this course with a C or better, please drop by Census Date. [See LACCD Board Rules, Chapter VIII, Article II.]

If you need advice on this matter, please consult with a school counselor.

Reading Deadlines and Due Dates

The readings, mentioned per week on the syllabus, are what to be discussed in the lesson/module. Thus, the readings need to be completed at the beginning of each week (at least the Sunday night before), before you begin the modules, which usually open at 8am Monday and/or Wednesday. I will usually keep the modules open all semester for references, although I reserve the right to close them. All lessons/modules will close at the end of the semester, by midnight on Sunday, December 16.

During the week of the released module, discussion questions, based on the readings and previous lecture, will most likely be posted on "Discussions" that same day and last until the due date (usually by midnight the following Wednesday or Friday), unless otherwise indicated. Again, it is imperative to check in regularly during the week to make sure you don't miss the due date of responses. Any late discussion response, submitted after the due date, will not be posted nor receive any points, unless I decide otherwise. Discussion responses cannot be submitted via email. Most weeks will have Discussion questions posted; consult the "Tentative Schedule of Readings and Assignments" below.

On other weeks, essay assignments will be posted under "Assignments" and are due the following weeks by midnight on Friday, unless otherwise indicated. All essays must be submitted online as WordDoc attachments or written inline, using the Rich Content Editor Box. Unlike discussion responses, late essay assignments, submitted after past the due date, will still be counted in a reasonable time frame (no more than two weeks late) but weighed as half its full-point load (15 out of 30). Each essay will be given a score, based on the SLO rubric of content, organization and grammar. While I do allow rewrites on only the assignments (not for discussions and quizzes), there are several restrictions that must be met:

• You can only rewrite a paper if the original was turned in by the due date;
• I need to approve the rewrite before you turn it in. Any rewrite turned in without my approval will not receive permission for rewriting any assignment;
• You must email me the rewrite as a Word Doc (either .doc or .docx);
• Once you have my approval, you may turn in your rewrite at any time in the semester, up until midnight on the last Friday by midnight on Week 15. [for this semester, that would be Friday, December 7.] I will not accept rewrites during Finals Week.

Quizzes (quizzes of multiple choice and short answers, and the final exam with longer, written responses) will sometimes be posted after certain lectures, and students will only be allowed 48-hour response time, unless otherwise noted. These are timed responses, so no late responses on the exams will be permitted, except in emergencies, when an extension of an additional 24 hours would only be allowed. You also cannot rewrite or retake the quizzes. You cannot submit your answers as emails. [If you have a verified disability and have a notice from our Office of Special Services, requiring accommodations, including more time on quizzes, such accommodations will be provided.]

Again, if you have any doubt, consult the "Tentative Schedule of Readings and Assignments" below. Any changes made to the readings and due dates will be posted under "Announcements" on the Home page and you will be receiving an email about the changes.

Attendance Policies

OK, I know this is an online class, and so your attendance is completely virtual. [In-person meetings are not and should not be necessary.] Students who are registered in the section and "miss" (i.e. “don't log in”) the first week of the semester may lose their right to a place in the class. Whenever students are “absent” from the “Discussions” or “Quizzes” for more than a week, the instructor may also exclude them. For a regular, 15-week semester, the number of hours the class meets per week is a required 3 hrs, 10 min or 54 hours total per semester. In short, you have to check in frequently (about an hour three times a week at the minimum, by Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) to meet the due dates of discussion questions, quizzes and assignments. [Hours are accumulated as "Total Activity."] If the instructor determines that there are no mitigating circumstances that may justify absences, the instructor may exclude a student from the class. A student will not fail because of a lack of "attendance," but they will fail if they do not meet the adequate point tally to determine satisfactory grades on the assignments, discussions, and quizzes, which may include not completing them on time. Attendance, which is considered "favorable" if accumulated to about 54 hours in total activity, will weigh in after the final points total and used to determine grades "on the border" -- i.e. between two grades. If the points total or percentage is, say, an 89%, a positive attendance (which includes total activity and frequent and persistent log-ins) can boost a score or percentage to the higher grade (in this example, an A). Students are also responsible for officially dropping a class that they stop attending.

Preparedness for Online Courses

To begin any course in your academic year, please visit the QUEST online orientation. Directions for the online orientation can be found here.

An online class is completely different from a traditional, face-to-face, brick-and-mortar classroom and, thus, require a different type of student preparation. Any registered student can take an online class, but to be successful in the course, there are certain resources and skills you must have:

1) Access to online services: One must have not only a laptop or computer (notebooks and smart tablets are fine but might be limited in programs and typing if you don't have a removable keyboard) and, more imperatively, internet access or WiFi (though the rescinding of net neutrality might make this yet another challenge);

2) Computer writing programs: Even though most of your writing will be done online, Microsoft Word is useful for attachments of documents and/or converting documents for online submission. By the way, as a student you have downloadable access to a free Microsoft Office 365 program!

If you use google docs or pages, your essay might not be read or converted clearly onto my Word Doc program. I will try my best to accommodate, but if, for some reason, it cannot be read, I will ask you to turn in a compatible document program. There are several computer labs on campus (in the Library, in the Student Union, etc.) that you, as a registered student, can use. Be aware of the hours of availability;

3) Online accounts: You should have a youtube account if you want to download videos of the lecture. You might also have to download programs, such as Adobe or Flash Player, to experience the entire lesson/module, so it is essential that your computer can handle and have permission for such downloads. Furthermore, make sure to check your student email account (the one issued to you by District, not your private one) often for updates. You can always link your personal account to your student email for easier access;

4) Computer literacy: Even though students think they are "computer literate" because they use social media, there are much more computer skills needed for online class preparation. Be comfortable with using Word Doc and reading online for long stretches of time. Also, at any time a computer, modem, and internet provider (either yours or public) can freeze or crash, so save your documents frequently. If your computer or internet is not working, you might still be penalized for not turning in assignments or exams on time;

5) Finally, the most important criterion to successful online learning is that you have to be self-motivated. You are the only one responsible for the readings and assignments to be done on time. As a result, keep up with the class every week. Because you have also chosen to enroll in an online course, it can become unexpectedly overwhelming, but daily readings of the material and frequent check-ins make the coursework and assignments easier in the end.

Our college has a very enlightening online quiz to determine your readiness for distance learning. I strongly recommend that you take the quiz to see what an online course demands of you.

Campus Services

As a registered student, you are provided with a variety of excellent campus services, even if you are not physically present, including the following:

• Library: Click the tab on the left-hand sidebar to obtain information on relevant MLA citations and links to databases, the campus bookstore, and employee phone and email directory. A heads-up: you will definitely be using the Library's database for research, in particular the "Opposing Viewpoints in Context" search engine.
• Financial Aid: If you need help paying for books and other college expenses, contact the Financial Aid Office at (323) 953-4000 X 2010 or at this website.
• Office of Special Services: If you have a verified disability and need reasonable accommodations for this class, please notify the Office of Special Services as soon as possible, and at least two weeks before any exam or quiz, at (323) 953-4000 X 2270 or at this website. All information will remain confidential. Even in an online format, if you need it, I will do my best to accommodate, even if it means submitting in a different format or extra time on quizzes. Make sure to provide me with the required documentation.
  
• Counseling: For general counseling questions or to make an appointment with a counselor, please call (323) 953-4000 X 2250 or go to this website.
• Transfer: General information about transferring can be found at this link. There you can connect with services, such as the University Transfer Center and the Ralph Bunche Scholars program.
• Tutoring: Since you are enrolled in an English class, you can enroll in English 108 to receive help from our campus tutors in the Writing Center (JH 318).
• With any issue concerning harassment, the student can consult the Office of Diversity, Equality and Inclusion.
• Other resources on campus can be found here, including grievances, resources for cases of sexual assault; civil rights and, again, a free Microsoft Office 365(!).

Tentative Schedule of Readings and Assignments

If you made it this far down the syllabus, congratulations! You have shown a true commitment to the class!

The list below is the tentative schedule of readings, lessons, discussion questions, quizzes/final exam and assignments. Like with a traditional class, the schedule might change, depending on if we wish to expand on a discussion area in more detail. I will announce any changes in the “Announcements” on the Home Page, and you will be receiving an email to your student account about the changes made. All readings are from the required texts, unless otherwise noted. By the way, the abbreviation L refers to the anthology assigned to the class, Literature: A Portable Anthology. The other required texts are listed by their titles (Madame Bovary and Waiting for Godot). Any other reading, indicated as a handout, can be found under the "Documents" file under the "Files" page and as a link to the appropriate source.

So, without further ado...

Week One

Lecture: Welcome!
Discussions: Tell us your story, due by midnight Wednesday
Lecture: Art, the Author and the Audience (or Reader)
Lecture: Biographical Criticism and Why It Doesn't Count
Lecture: Poem: “r-p-o-p-h-e-s-s-a-g-r”
Discussions: Judging a book by its author, due by midnight Friday
Readings for next time: “Poetry Terms”; “Poems”; “Barbara Allen” (handouts all found under “Documents”)

Week Two

Lecture: Formalism: Introduction to Poetry
Lecture: Poems: “A still old pond” and “In the Station of the Metro”
Quiz: “The Tyger” (L 447), due by midnight on Friday
Lecture: Poem: "Barbara Allen"
Readings for next time: Aristotle’s Poetics (found under “Documents”) and Sophocles’ Oedipus the King (L 685)

Week Three

Lecture: Formalism, Part II: Introduction to the Narrative
Lecture: The 31 Components of a Fairy Tale
Discussions: Seeing Patterns Where None Exists!, due by midnight Wednesday
Lecture: A Brief History of Western Culture
Lecture: Aristotle’s Poetics
Lecture: Play: Oedipus the King
Readings for next time: “The Flowers” (under “Documents”); Othello (L 728)

Week Four

Lecture: Structuralism
Lecture: Short Story: “The Flowers”
Quiz: "Salvation," due by midnight on Wednesday
Lecture: Introducing Shakespeare
Assignment: First Essay -- Othello, due by midnight Friday on Week Six
Reading for next time: Othello (L 728)

Week Five

Lecture: Play: Othello
Lecture: Race Theory, Colonialism and Post-colonialism
Lecture: Poem: “Theme for English B”
Lecture: Gender Studies
Lecture: Short Story: “girl”
Discussions: The Male and Female Gaze, due by midnight on Wednesday
Reading for next time: “The Road Not Taken” (L 504)

Week Six

Lecture: Sample Essay: Othello
Lecture: Existentialism -- the German Version
Lecture: Poem: "The Road Not Taken"
Discussions: The Road Not Taken, due by midnight Wednesday
Assignment: Essay on Othello, due by midnight on Friday
Reading for next time: Madame Bovary

Week Seven

Lecture: Novel: Madame Bovary, Part One
Discussions: The Dating Game, due by midnight on Wednesday
Lecture: Novel: Madame Bovary, Part Two
Assignment: Essay on Madame Bovary, due by midnight Friday on Week Nine

Week Eight

Lecture: Marxism
Lecture: Madame Bovary, Part Three
Lecture: Tips on Writing the Second Essay
Lecture: How to Rewrite Your Papers and Other Goodies
Reading for next time: “The Yellow Wallpaper” (L 64)

Week Nine

Lecture: Psychoanalysis -- Freud
Lecture: Short Story: "The Yellow Wallpaper"
Discussions: The Uncanny, due by midnight on Wednesday
Lecture: Psychoanalysis -- Jung and Lacan
Assignment: Essay on Madame Bovary, due by midnight Friday
Readings for next time: "Eveline", portions of Ulysses and Finnegans Wake (handouts under “Documents”)

Week Ten

Lecture: Modernism and Postmodernism
Lecture: Short Story: "Eveline"
Discussions: What Should Eveline Do?, due by midnight on Wednesday
Lecture: Post-isms
Reading for next time: A Doll House (L 827)

Week Eleven

Lecture: Some Thoughts on the Second Essay
Lecture: Play: A Doll’s House, Acts I and II
Lecture: Deconstruction/Post-structuralism
Lecture: Play: A Doll House, Act III
Discussions: Alternative Ending to A Doll House, due by midnight on Friday.
Reading for next time: Waiting for Godot

Week Twelve

Lecture: Play: Waiting for Godot, Part One
Lecture: Play: Waiting for Godot, Part Two
Assignment: Essay on Waiting for Godot, due by midnight Friday on Week Fourteen
Lecture: Some Pointers about the Third Essay
Reading for next time: "Happy Endings" (L 300)

Week Thirteen

Lecture: Literary Theory and Criticism: A Review
Lecture: Short Story: "Happy Endings"
Discussions: "Happy Endings", due by midnight on Wednesday
Reading for next time: "The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock" (L 516)

Week Fourteen

Lecture: Some More Pointers on Literary Criticism
Lecture: Poem: "The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock"
Discussions: "The Long Song of J Alfred Prufrock" due by midnight on Wednesday
Assignment: Essay on Waiting for Godot, due by midnight Friday
Reading for next time: "The Jewish Wife" (handout under "Documents")

Week Fifteen

Lecture: Comments on the Third Essay
Lecture: Play: "The Jewish Wife"
Quiz: Review of Literary Theories, due by midnight Wednesday
Reading for next time: Fences (L 1030)

Final Week

Lecture: Final Thoughts of the Class
Lecture: Play: Fences
Final Exam: Fences, due by midnight on Friday