General course information
Required Texts
- The Longman Anthology of British Literature. Second compact edition. Vol. A. Ed. David Damrosch. Pearson, 2004.
- Abrams, M. H. and Geoffrey Harpham. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Ninth ed. Wadsworth, 2009.
- The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Seventh ed. MLA, 2009.
Recommended Texts
A good writer’s handbook/reference book, such as:
- The Concise Canadian Writer’s Handbook, Messenger et al. (Oxford)
- A Canadian Writer’s Reference, Hacker. (Bedford/St. Martin’s)
Course Objectives
- continue to develop ability to write clear, error-free, university-level prose
- continue to develop ability to write short, argumentative essays
- gain a basic knowledge of the history of British literature to 1800
- demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of the course texts
- continue to develop close reading strategies, especially surrounding theme and imagery
- continue to develop ability to analyze the treatment of themes between two or more texts
- develop research skills, especially relating to library resources
- develop ability to summarize and respond to literary criticism
Preparation and Participation
You are expected to participate in class in an informed manner. At the very least, you are expected to come to class regularly,
having read all assigned reading for that class. Ideally, you will have thought about the reading, taken notes on the reading, and
have prepared opinions on and notes and questions about the reading. Ideally, you will participate in class discussions. Keep in mind
that participating in class is usually a highly rewarding experience, greatly enhancing your ability to understand the course material
and helping ensure your success in the course. Everyone is expected to be courteous and professional at all times in class.
Lateness
All assignments are due in class on the date indicated for each assignment. Assignments may be submitted up to seven days (including
weekend days) late without penalty. After that, there will be a 2%/day (including weekend days) penalty on all assignments. Assignments
that are more than seven days late after the seven-day extension will be graded, with little to no comments/feedback, and receive a 20%
penalty. No assignment will be accepted after the start of the final exam.
Plagiarism
The Department of English Studies and Nipissing University maintain a strict policy on all forms of academic dishonesty.
Each assignment must be original work produced by the student only for this course. All referencing and documentation must
be complete and accurate for both direct and indirect quotations. The Modern Language Association (MLA) guidelines for essay
preparation are the standard in English Studies. Nipissing subscribes to Turnitin.com in order to ensure the integrity of
the academic enterprise. Students shall submit their take-home essays electronically to Turnitin.com prior to submitting a
hard copy to their instructor on the due date. Ignorance of what constitutes plagiarism will not be accepted as an excuse:
if you are uncertain about any of this information, see your instructor immediately. All essays and tests are subject to an
additional oral and/or written test at the instructor’s discretion. All suspected plagiarism will be reported to the
chair of the department, the dean of the faculty, and the registrar of the university.