English IV: African American Literature

Dr. Chappell

Fall 2017

Policy Sheet

E-mail:

Office hours: Mon, Tue, Thu, 3-3:45, George Library, and by appointment

Course website:

Description

In African American Literature we will be exploring the best of the tradition from slavery to the contemporary period. We will respond to the texts in a variety of ways, to be published on your own personal web site, and we will conduct a comprehensive research project to be finished by the end of the semester.

Texts

Just Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature, third edition

Materials

Be prepared to read and write in class. Come with the anthology and a notebook every day. You will be working on the computer at night, but we will occasionally do computer work in class.

Technology

There is to be no use of technology in the classroom unless I specifically ask for it (or you have a documented accommodation). All note-taking should be done in a notebook by hand. The appearance of a phone in the classroom will be met with immediate disciplinary action. Please use your gprep email account and check it daily. This is the primary way that we will communicate.

Writing

You will write a lot in this class, both in the classroom and outside it. Writing comprises the most significant grade percentage. This is by design. My goal for this course is to dramatically accelerate your skills in writing. You will complete at least two formal essays per quarter, with much daily writing in between. The goal is to work with comprehensive, source-driven, argumentative writing.

*Late work receives an extreme penalty. Please follow the guidelines specified by each assignment prompt. Deviation from the guidelines will also result in a penalty. See the course web site for details about each assignment.

Reading

Learning to read closely and critically is essential to success in this class and in college. We will do a lot of reading in class, in addition to homework. You will be expected to return to class having read carefully and prepared for discussion in a variety of ways specified by Dr. Chappell.

Academic Integrity

Intentionally or unintentionally representing someone else’s words or ideas (this includes “ideas” you get from online sources like Wikipedia or Sparknotes) as your own is plagiarism. Prep takes this academic offense very seriously. If you choose to plagiarize you will, at the very least, earn a 0 on the assignment. Consult Prep’s handbook for further details on the repercussions of plagiarism.

Attendance

You are expected to attend every class, arriving promptly and prepared. If you have an excused absence, it is your responsibility to check Finalsite, get notes and handouts from a peer, and return to class prepared. Do not e-mail me to ask what you missed; it is your responsibility to keep track of your work. If you are absent on the day a draft or final essay is due, you are expected to submit it to me via e-mail by the end of the school day.

Grade Breakdown

Website: 50%

Research Project: 25%

Participation: 25%