Spring 2012 |
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Tuesdays 2:50-5:30 p.m., Avery 102 Dr. Donna M. Campbell Required Texts Fitzgerald, F. Scott. Tender is the Night. Scribner, 1995. 5978-0684801544 In this seminar, we will read primary texts in the framework of the scientific discourses that produced them. The course is divided into five areas in which theories of science, including those of emerging social sciences such as anthropology, sociology, and psychology, informed fiction: (1) Medicine, Sexuality, Psychology, and Health; (2) Race, Ethnicity, and Identity; (3) Technology and Communication; (4) Evolution, Eugenics, Criminality, and Addiction; and (5) Social Experiments: Utopian Freedom and Industrial Regimentation. In addition to Twain, the of readings includes primary texts by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, S. Weir Mitchell, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James, Harold Frederic, Jack London, W. E. B. DuBois, Edith Wharton, George Schuyler,and Angelina Weld Grimke.Theoretical and critical texts will include work by Priscilla Wald, Laura Otis, Jane Thrailkill, Lisa Gitelman, Susan Mizruchi, Cynthia Davis, and Brad Evans, among others. We will also read student-selected texts from periodicals of the era that will help to place the fictional presentations of science in perspective. Some full-length texts in the public domain are available (linked below) from Google Books.
Course Requirements Attendance and Participation. Attendance and good class participation are essential. Papers and Presentations Assignments are all geared toward eventual presentation or publication, and they will y include the following: two brief oral presentations; minor presentations of critical material; a conference-length paper; an article-length paper (that may be on the same subject); a conference abstract based on the longer paper; and, for our “in-class conference” at the end, an oral response to another person’s paper. Proposals and Responses. Since one of your professional responsibilities as scholars will be to submit proposals to conference, you’ll prepare a 100-200 word proposal for each of the papers you will write in this class. These will receive comments but not grades. You’ll also prepare a response to a classmate’s paper during the last two weeks of class, which you will then deliver as part of the conference-style presentations at the end of the course. Late Papers and Extensions. Late papers are penalized at the rate of one letter grade (10 points) per class day late; a paper that would have received a "B" on the due date will receive a "C" if handed in on the next class day. Papers turned in after 4 class meetings will receive a 50/100 toward your class grade. You have one automatic extension in this class, which means that your paper will be due on the next class day (in our case,a week).You must request the extension ahead of time, and you should save it for a true emergency, since no other extensions will be granted for illness, funerals, weddings, or any other reason. Presentations and Article Critiques Article Critiques. In addition to reading primary texts, we'll be reading some classic but mostly current criticism on the works so that you'll have a good sense of what approaches are being published now. We'll read all the articles, of course, but each week three or four people will be responsible for preparing a brief summary (5 minutes) and critique (no more than the front of 1 page) of one article each. You'll bring copies for your classmates so that they'll have a record. These need not be terribly formal; their purpose is to allow the "article expert" to raise questions and discussion points about his or her article rather than do a formal presentation of it. You'll all take turns being an "article expert," but you won't need to do this every week; you'll be the "article expert" about four times during the course of the semester. Here's what should be included.
Remember these should be brief: No more than 5 minutes, and no more than the front of a page. Presentations. Each member of the class will give two 20-minute presentations at various points during the semester. The focus should be on critical contexts surrounding the author, although you may also want to touch on some biographical details. Other possibilities include posing ideas or questions for the class to consider; giving a new interpretation of the work; or analyzing and critiquing current critical perspectives from the perspective of earlier interpretations. You will need to provide a brief (1-2 pages) handout for the class, preferably one that includes the following: In-Class Conference. During the last week of class, you'll present a conference-length version of your second paper to the rest of the class. The presentations at the end of the course will be based on the longer paper, which you’ll need to edit down to conference length. Plagiarism Policy. Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of someone else's words or ideas. This definition includes not only deliberately handing in someone else's work as your own but failing to cite your sources, including Web pages and Internet sources. Penalties for plagiarism range from an F on the paper to failing the course. If you turn in a plagiarized paper, at a minimum you will receive a grade of F (0 points). You will not be allowed to rewrite the paper, and the incident must be reported to the Office of Student Conduct. WSU Statement on Academic Integrity. As an institution of higher education, Washington State University is committed to principles of truth and academic honesty. All members of the University community share the responsibility for maintaining and supporting these principles. When a student enrolls in Washington State University, the student assumes an obligation to pursue academic endeavors in a manner consistent with the standards of academic integrity adopted by the University. To maintain the academic integrity of the community, the University cannot tolerate acts of academic dishonesty including any forms of cheating, plagiarism, or fabrication. Washington State University reserves the right and the power to discipline or to exclude students who engage in academic dishonesty. WSU Statement on Disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are available for students with a documented disability. If you have a disability and may need accommodations to fully participate in this class, please visit the Disability Resource Center (DRC). All accommodations MUST be approved through the DRC (Washington Building, Room 217). Please stop by or call 509-335-3417 to make an appointment with a disability specialist. Approximate weights for grades:
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