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I expect you to attend class
and make it to class on time. Attendance is mandatory, both in
terms of receiving the practical experience needed in order to pass the
course and in terms of being eligible to receive a grade (I cannot give
you a passing grade if you do not show up). This class is an interactive
seminar on reading and writing about literature—it loses its interactive
quality if you are not here to participate. You are allowed two
absences gratis, but after two absences I begin deducting 20 points from
your participation grade for each absence or tardy entrance (Confidentially
speaking, I usually do not have to deduct these points because students
who miss more than two classes end up failing themselves without my help). If
you do miss a class period, do not ask me what you missed or if it was
something important; any absence will deprive you of a significant segment
of this course. If a serious illness, a family emergency, or some
other crisis occurs during the term, you must contact the Dean of Students
Office (831-8939) as soon as possible. This office will assist
you in notifying your instructors as to the need for an extended absence. A
tendency for excessive tardiness may also have a detrimental effect on
your final grade.
I expect you to come to class prepared, which includes reading all the assignments, completing your assigned writing tasks, and being ready to discuss both (I won’t bother to remind you to remember your textbook). Come to class with questions, concerns, opinions and (constructive) rants, so that you may contribute to the discussion. This class is discussion oriented—so I will expect active participation from every member. If you have difficulties participating in class discussions, please talk to me about it as soon as possible.
Preparation also implies your careful
attention to your University of Delaware E-mail account. In this
section, you are expected to have an activated University of Delaware
account by the second week of classes and to check your mail regularly
regarding course activities and assignments.
I expect that you will turn
in all assignments on time. No late secondary assignments (anything
handed in after class, discovered in my mailbox later in the day, or e-mailed
to me that afternoon) will be accepted—no assignments will be accepted
without your physical presence in the classroom. Missed secondary
assignments cannot be made up and will receive a 0. Late primary
assignments are accepted with a 25 point deduction for each calendar day. Essays
are to be word-processed in double-spaced, 12 point “Times New Roman” font
and use the MLA format for name placement, page numbering, and the like—this
can be found in the Bedford Handbook. Should anything horrific, debilitating,
or emotionally scarring arise that would prevent you from turning in a
paper on time, you must plead your case before the due date, because I
do not give extensions.
I expect that you will make
yourself familiar with my grading standards for writing (which I will provide
you before the first Essay). I also expect that everything you hand
in will be your own work. All work submitted (regardless of its draft
or final copy status) must be conceived and actualized by you (none of
this “my friend typed it for me” stuff). Any words, ideas, or data
(including statistics, graphs, and visual aids) must be properly documented. Lack
of documentation is considered plagiarism and is dealt with most severely
by the University of Delaware. A good place to learn the University
of Delaware’s policies towards academic integrity (under the heading of “Academic
Honesty”) is the on-line Student Handbook. Plagiarism is a serious
academic infraction and I will zealously prosecute any offenders.
