policies

The subheadings below provide information on the policies that will govern this course. By staying enrolled, I expect that you have understood these policies in their entirety. 

---

Course Goals
The faculty of English has approved the following standards for upper-division English courses such as this. Students must demonstrate their ability to

• write effectively using Standard Academic English
• analyze literary elements effectively and clearly explain their contribution to a cohesive theme for a literary work
• distinguish the historical and cultural influences related to a period and/or genre, in this case understanding these influences in Restoration and eighteenth-century British literature
• find appropriately researched information, evaluate it critically, and use it effectively and ethically in an academic paper.

In addition to these departmental goals, I would add that students will also be able to

• read and process a variety of texts and genres critically
• provide focused, articulate commentary about the works they study.

---

Readings and suggested editions

All of the works we will read this semester should be available online for free, but I provide the ISBN numbers for preferred print editions below. While you are welcome to access these materials in alternate  editions, note that doing so negates access to often-helpful footnotes, editorial material, and critical resources. 

Anonymous. The Woman of Colour. Ed. Lyndon Dominique. Broadview Press, 2007. ISBN: 9781551111766.

Behn, Aphra. Oronooko; or the Royal Slave. London, 1688. Any edition.

Equiano, Olaudah. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. London, 1789. Any edition.

Fielding, Henry. Tom Jones. Norton Critical Edition, 1994. 9780393965940.

Montagu, Lady Mary Wortley. The Turkish Embassy Letters, Broadview Press, 2012. ISBN: 9781554810420.

Popular Fiction by Women, 1660-1730: An Anthology. Edited by Paula Backscheider and John Richetti. Oxford UP, 1997. 9780198711377. 

Richardson, Samuel. Pamela. Penguin, 1981. 9780140431407.

Additional works available online will include:

select works available on ECCO: Eighteenth-Century Collections Online [UNG library login]

select modern moral series by William Hogarth: Tate Britain 

selections from Samuel Johnson’s contributions to The Rambler and The Dictionary: Yale Edition of Johnson's Works 

selections from The Tatler (1709-1711), and The Spectator (1711-14): The Spectator Project  

poetry from Aphra Behn, Anna Letitia Barbauld, Jonathan Swift, Lady Mary Wortley Montague, et al.

Recommended viewing/listening

Tom Jones. Directed by Tony Richardson, performances by Albert Finney and Susannah York, United Artists, 1963 

Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story. Directed by Michael Winterbottom, performances by Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, BBC Films, 2005. 

"The School for Scandal by Richard Sheridan Starring John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson" Caedmon Original Cast Album, 1963. YouTube, https://youtu.be/EmqWX0jPFo4. 

"The School for Scandal." Films on Demand, Films Media Group, 2020, fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=114462&xtid=51483. Accessed 17 Aug. 2020.

---

Assignments and grading

This course is based on 100 points as detailed below.

• Weekly Discussion/Participation: 5 points per week for max of 50 points 
• Research essay: 20 points, including 5 points for essay presentation during the department showcase (end of semester)
• Primary Source project: 10 points
• Critical Source collaborative project: 10 points 
• Material project: 10 points

Additional details on these assignments appear on the assignment tab linked above. Final letter grades will be awarded on a 10-point scale as follows: A: 89.5-100, B: 79.5-89.4, C: 69.5-79.4, D: 59.5-69.4, F: 59.4 or below. Grades will be posted on eLearning throughout the semester and on Banner at the conclusion of the term. 

---

Technology

This is a synchronous, f2f class, but we will aim to be as close to paperless as possible. In that vein, we will rely heavily on digital technology to stay engaged. Here are the applications/programs we'll use throughout the semester:

technology	function
zoom	individual conferences
Google Drive	document sharing, storage, asynchronous peer review
Slack	communication (alternative to email), QCQs/weekly discussion (alternative to D2L)
course website	information portal, assignment descriptions, syllabus, schedule
eLearning/D2L	grade book

---

Attendance and Participation

Your weekly participation is based on two factors: asynchronous activity on the Slack channels and engagement during the synchronous class sessions. We will have two class meetings per week. Typically, we will discuss primary works on Tuesdays and secondary works on Thursdays. If you miss a class session, you clearly are not participating synchronously, but you can still earn points on Slack. Approach the readings and class time with your best work ethic; be prepared, respectful, and professional.  

As a courtesy, please let me know when you will be absent, regardless of the reason. DM on Slack is the best contact method.

---

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism

UNG's honor code states, "On my honor, I will not lie, cheat, steal, plagiarize, evade the truth, conspire to deceive, or tolerate those who do." 

As students of this university, you have agreed to abide by this code. 

In turn, I will not tolerate any instances of plagiarism or excessive collaboration in this course, regardless of intent. It is crucial that all students receive proper credit for their own work and that all outside sources are accurately cited. Students in violation of this policy will receive zero credit for the assignment and may fail the course. In addition, I will report the infraction to the Dean of Students.

---

Deadlines and late work

Be on time. Late work will not be accepted.

Please consult the UNG supplemental syllabus for additional details on the following policies:

1. Academic Exchange
2. Academic Integrity Policy
3. Academic Success Plan Program
4. Class Evaluations
5. Course Grades and Withdrawal Process
6. Disruptive Behavior Policy
7. Inclement Weather
8. Smoking Policy
9. Students with Disabilities

schedule

Please consult the schedule below for our weekly readings and deadlines. Items featured in the boxes below will be discussed during the corresponding week's class, so you should have read them carefully and made notes before then.

(schedule still in flux, but primary readings are pretty well set)

week of...	primary	secondary	deadlines
August
22	from Popular Fiction by Women • Delarivière Manley, "The Secret History of Queen Zarah and the Zarazians..." (45-78)	n/a	• pre-class Slack posts
29	from Popular Fiction by Women • Jane Barker, "Love Intrigues" (80-111) • Eliza Haywood, "Fantomina" (226-48)	• Backscheider and Richetti, Popular Fiction by Women, "Introduction" (ix-xxiii)	• pre-class Slack posts
September
5	• Samuel Richardson, Pamela (through "Past Eleven O'Clock")	• Susan E. Whyman, "Letter Writing and the Rise of the Novel: The Epistolary Literacy of Jane Johnson and Samuel Richardson."	• pre-class Slack posts
12	• Samuel Richardson, Pamela (to "Thursday, Six O'Clock in the Morning")	• Diana Rosenberger, "Virtual Rewarded: What #MeToo Can Learn from Samuel Richardson's Pamela"	• pre-class Slack posts
19	• Samuel Richardson, Pamela (to end of novel)	• James Grantham Turner, "Novel Panic: Picture and Performance in the Reception of Richardson's Pamela"	• pre-class Slack posts
26	• Henry Fielding, Tom Jones (Books I-IV)	• Robert Chibka, "Taking 'The Serious' Seriously: The Introductory Chapters of Tom Jones"	• pre-class Slack posts
October
3	• Henry Fielding, Tom Jones (Books V-VIII) • William Hogarth's modern moral series:   – A Harlot's Progress   – A Rake's Progress   – Marriage a la Mode		• pre-class Slack posts
10	• Henry Fielding, Tom Jones (Books XI-XIII)	• Jayne Elizabeth Lewis, "The Air of Tom Jones; or, What Rose from the Novel."	• pre-class Slack posts
17	• Henry Fielding, Tom Jones (Books XIV-XVIII)	• contemporary reviews of the novel (on Google Drive)	• pre-class Slack posts
24	• Anonymous, The Woman of Colour	• Lydon Dominique, "Introduction" (11-49); Appendices B, D, F, G • Brigitte Fielder, "The Woman Of Colour And Black Atlantic Movement"	• pre-class Slack posts
31	• ECCO exploration [Google Form]	• Patrick Spedding, "'The New Machine': Discovering the Limits of ECCO"	• pre-class Slack posts
November
7	• misc. poetry   – Behn, "The Disappointment"   – Katherine Phillips, "To My Excellent Lucasia on our Friendship" [BL]   – Anne Finch, "The Answer [To Pope's Impromptu] [luminarium]"   – Alexander Pope, "The Rape of the Lock"	• Dorothy Merman, "Women Becoming Poets: Katherine Phillips, Aphra Behn, Anne Finch"	• DUE: research essay proposal (500 words, 11/13) • pre-class Slack posts
14	• Mary Wortley Montagu, The Turkish Embassy Letters [forematter, letters 1-53, 1763 edition]	• Mary Jo Kietzman, "Montagu's Turkish Embassy Letters and Cultural Dislocation"	• DUE: creative/ material projects (by class time) • pre-class Slack posts
28	• Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative...	• Vincent Carretta "Olaudah Equnao or Gustavus Vassa? New Light on an eighteenth-century question of identity."	• pre-class Slack posts
December
5	• in-class research essay discussion, peer review	n/a	• DUE (12/9 optional): submit at least 2 (full) polished pages for instructor feedback by class time Tuesday • DUE (12/11): research essay, final draft (Google Drive)
12	n/a	n/a	• department showcase presentation/mini-conference (TBA)

assignments

Additional details for all assignments will be posted as necessary, but here is a general overview:

Assignment	points	due date	submit on...
Weekly discussion and participation	50	original QCQs before the work is discussed in class; response posts by the Sunday after the work is discussed	Slack
Primary source presentation	10	Monday, 11:59pm before the reading is to be discussed in class	Google Drive
Critical source collaborative presentation	10	Wednesday, 11:59pm before the reading is to be discussed in class	Google Drive
Material/digital project	10	variable, by 15 November	Google Drive
Research essay and presentation	20	___ November, in-person presentations during exam week (standard exam times)	Google Drive

---

Weekly discussion and participation: 5 points per week for max of 50 points. 

Earn up to five points per week through the following methods:

• post "original" observations about the primary and secondary works we're reading in the appropriate Slack channel. These posts should be 150-200 words and must include at least one quotation (properly cited), commentary about that quotation, and a question for the class to consider. 2 points each
• respond to the posts of your peers in the appropriate Slack channel: 1 point each

Once you earn 50 points, you are not required to post any additional materials. We have 15 weeks of class, so if you plan it right, you will meet the 50-point benchmark by early November. This means that missing a point here or there won't wreck your grade, but it does encourage you to engage early and often.

---

Primary source presentation: 10 points

You're all likely familiar with the Norton Critical Editions of novels often used in English classes. For example, take a look at the NCE for the eighteenth-century classic, The Expedition of Humphry Clinker (1771), paying particular attention to the table of contents. Notice the types of information that appear in these editions in tandem with the text; these are the kinds of details you'll be looking for in this assignment.

Primary source presentations should include the following:

• original publication details
• notable editions, illustrations, adaptations
• pertinent information about the author
• pertinent historical context/timeline
• a series of at least 7 probing questions about the text to generate class discussion

Presenters will be responsible for managing and maintaining class discussion, at least for the first 20 minutes. Findings must be loaded in the shared folder on the Google Drive by 11:59pm the Monday before we will discuss the work. This will allow all of us to review the material before class and be prepared for the questions.

Reminders:

• All sources must be properly cited using a modified MLA format. Footnotes are allowed when necessary.
• While the information above will be typed in a Google Document and shared with the class, presenters are discouraged from merely reading the content of the text on the electronic page. Talk us through your findings.
• Please resist simply googling the title of the work. While it can be helpful, this approach does not equate to viable academic research.
• Think about document formatting as you present your information. Single-space, use a clear font and document headings, and insert properly cited quotations and pertinent images.

---

Critical Source Collaborative Project: 10 points

The critical source presentations will be interspersed with discussion of the primary works throughout the semester. Students have 10 points to earn in this category, 5 awarded on an individual basis and 5 collaborative (if applicable).

The collaborative portion of this assignment must be loaded in the Google Drive by 11:59pm on Wednesday before the assigned date we begin discussion of the critical texts. Include the following elements in the shared document:

• 100-word summary of the critical work included on our discussion list for the day
• a series of at least 7 probing questions about the each text to generate class discussion

Presenters will be responsible for managing and maintaining class discussion, at least for the first 20 minutes. Presentation groups will be announced on Slack.

The individual portion of this assignment will require students to submit 100- and 500-word summaries on the critical source under consideration by their group. These summaries should be posted in the Google Drive by 11:59 p.m. on the Sunday following the in-class presentation. While it is possible that these summaries will contain some of the same information from -- or even be identical to -- those composed collaboratively, the separate deadline allows individuals to revise after discussion of these works in class and/or after further consideration. By contrast, the 500-word summary should look decidedly different from that composed by your collaborator.

Reminders:

• All sources must be properly cited using a modified MLA format. Footnotes are allowed when necessary.
• Students are encouraged when working collaboratively to keep good notes on their contributions to the project. These notes will assist in the assessment.

---

Material/Digital project: 10 points

The material project allows students to respond creatively to an idea or work discussed throughout the semester in a mode other than writing: compare it to the Material Chaucer projects in Dr. Cowart's class, but on a smaller scale. Examples abound in this category -- performed music, white board animated video, illustrations, baked goods, period-specific writing samples, letter technologies, crochet, et al. Results from these projects will be displayed in the showcase at the end of the semester and will be accompanied by a 250-word justification.

 

Those wishing not to do a material/digital project may transfer these points to weekly discussion/participation and aim for 60 points in that category.

---

Research essay: 20 points (15 for essay, 5 for presentation)

This final essay will represent a cohesive argument about a singular issue encountered in one or more of the the readings from the semester. Undergraduates should include at least five critical, peer-reviewed sources, graduate students at least 8 sources. 

Students in an upper-division English class are expected to know how to write an original, argumentative essay and to meaningfully synthesize research in a thesis-driven argument. This essay must be properly documented with MLA in-text citations and must show a mastery of the basic mechanics like spelling, punctuation, capitalization, sentence structure, and overall organization. Essays that do not meet these expectations will not earn higher than a C.
 
length: 7-10 pages for undergraduates (at least seven complete pages of text, not including the Works Cited page) / 10-15 pages for graduates

A final, conference-style presentation will be held as part of the department showcase at the end of the semester. Students will read their papers as part of this event. (5 points)