English 1B

English 10: Early American Literature

Fall 2007

Instructors: Jennifer McBride and Vince Piro
Office Phone: 384-6376 or 384-6385
Office Hours: T, Th, F 12-1 (McBride)
                       MWF 9-10 (Piro)
                      Or by appointment
Office: IAC 239 (McBride)
                       IAC 257 (Piro)

Email: mcbride.j@mccd.edu (office) OR piro.v@mccd.edu

Helpful links: http://www.mccd.edu/faculty/pirov/links.htm

Course Description	Required Texts	Course Requirements
Essay Assignments	Rough Draft Conferences	Attendance
Grades	Holidays	Due Dates

Course Description

This course is designed to introduce students to the history and variety of American literature from its beginnings to the Civil War. Representative works are read as examples of various genres, literary trends, and historical eras.

Expected Student Outcomes: Upon completion of the course, students will be able to

1) differentiate between representative works, genres, and theories of early American literature

2) analyze the social, political, and literary background of writers and texts studied

3) analyze through writing representative works of early American literature

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Required Texts

The Account of Mary Rowlandson
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Bartleby and Benito Cereno
Declaration of Independence
The Coquette
Walden; Or, Life in the Woods
Young Goodman Brown and Other Stories
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass & Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

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Course Requirements

Two formal essays

Two in-class essays

Reading assignments

Daily reading journal

Group activities

Class participation

Attendance

Comprehensive final exam

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Essay Assignments and Reading Journals

Essay assignments must be turned in at the beginning of class on the due date. Turning in a late paper will result in a substantially lowered grade on that essay assignment. In cases of emergency, please contact us as soon as possible.

All papers must be typed and double-spaced with one-inch margins on all sides. All papers must conform to MLA guidelines. Please staple your papers; do not use plastic covers or paper clips.

Journal entries are required for each day reading is due. The minimum length is one page in a composition notebook. Entries will be signed by the instructors at the beginning of each class. Please note, these journals are not private, and they will be shared with the class and instructors. Late journals are not accepted.

Academic dishonesty is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, and the instructors will follow the procedures for dealing with violations as adopted by the Merced College Faculty Senate. For details, see the Student Handbook.

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Voluntary Rough Draft Conferences

One week before final drafts of essays are due, we will reserve time to read rough drafts. We will pass around a sign-up sheet. Sign your name next to the time that you would like to see us, and DON’T FORGET. Once you sign up, we will reserve that time specifically for you. During these sessions, we will answer questions, offer suggestions, help with grammar and MLA, and give insight into strengthening your writing. we expect you to take notes; we will not edit your paper for you.

These conferences are voluntary and usually last 20 minutes. Bring with you a typed rough draft of your essay, your book, and all outside sources.

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Attendance

Attendance is mandatory. If you do not attend class, you cannot do well. If you miss more than three class periods, we reserve the right to drop you from the course. Please note, we do not differentiate between excused and unexcused absences; an absence is an absence. We strictly uphold this attendance policy.

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