English 291 Sect 1 Winter 2011 9-9:50am MWF B101 JFSB	Dr. Gideon Burton / 4155 JFSB Office Hours: 2-3pm Wed and by appt. Phone: (801) 422-3525 (office); 801-477-0109 (cell -- text messages only, weekdays 8am-8pm) Gideon_Burton@byu.edu
Textbook	Joseph Black, et al., The Broadview Anthology of British Literature (Concise ed.) Vol AISBN: 1-55111-868-8 / 978-1-5511-868-0
Prerequisites	English 291 is one of three sophomore-level courses designed to introduce English majors and minors to British and American literary history. These courses build on writing and reading skills taught in Freshman Comp (Engl 150 or 200) and in Fundamentals of Literary Interpretation (Engl 251). You should have taken or be registered for 251 when you enroll in 291 (or 292 or 293). English 291 is intended to provide a foundation for subsequent upper-division courses in early British literature. If you are not an English major or minor, discuss with me your reasons for taking this course.
Course Description & Purpose	This is a course in British literary history from its inception to approximately 1800, divided into three general periods: medieval, Renaissance, and 18 Century. By design, Eng 291 attempts to be introductory, providing the general contexts that will prepare students for more focused studies within these periods. The focus is not so much upon individual works or authors as it is upon the ideas, movements, genres, and styles characterizing early English literature (as illustrated through representative texts).
Learning Outcomes	Click on link for full description. Please pay special attention to the instructions about self-directed learning mentioned in the final learning outcome as well as to the Core Standards for English 291.
Assignments	Online Responses For each class period you are required to write a response to the day's topic. While you are expected to do the assigned reading, your response may come out of your self-directed learning and not just assigned readings (and should frequently go beyond assigned reading). Every class period / topic is linked to from the course calendar. Papers (Paper 1: Formal Analysis \| Paper 2: Genre in Context) Two formal academic papers are assigned, each about 1000 words (four pages). Click on links for complete details and due dates. These are to be peer-reviewed prior to the final draft being submitted (peer review will be handled by online submission through our Learning Management System, Canvas) Midterm Interview Exams (Midterm 1 \| Midterm 2) Learning outcomes, formal writing, and informal writing and participation will be graded holistically twice during the semester when you have an interview to evaluate your progress. See calendar or click on links for more info. Final Exam (instructions linked to from calendar) Participation I have a strong emphasis on social learning, and this means you are expected to speak up in class, participate meaningfully in small groups, and engage others beyond the classroom (especially but not exclusively online). Participation will be assessed in these areas during your midterm interview. Self-Directed Learning In keeping with the learning outcome about personal engagement, students are expected to take initiative beyond reading assigned texts. This will be assessed during the midterm interview exam. Top grades only go to those who show a pattern of independent learning manifest in different ways, not to those who hurry to complete a single incident of personal research just prior to the midterm exam. Plan accordingly.
Media	Class Recordings This is to notify you that I intend to record each class period on a personal voice recorder. I do this for me to review my own and student performance and possibly to make recordings available to students for review purposes (if time and resources allow). These recordings will not be used for any other purpose nor made public in any way without your permission. If you object to being recorded, please notify me promptly. You are free to record lectures if you so wish. Tech in Class I have no objection to your use of any device in class so long as it does not prove distracting to the learning of others. Blogs, Facebook and other New Media I encourage student blogging and will allow some of this to count toward course requirements. This will facilitate interaction outside of class with peers and with me. I encourage you to be thinking seriously about the utility of social media to your education in this and all other classes.
General Policies	Attendance I do not take roll but I do worry if you are not present or participating (and this affects the holistic participation grade). Some extra participation online can compensate for some missed class, unless you appear to be abusing that. Late or Missing Work If you have trouble scheduling one of the midterm interviews, I will work with you within two days of the assigned time. However, I will NOT accept papers that are due at the midterm exams later than this. Plagiarism Writing submitted for credit at BYU must consist of the student's own ideas presented in sentences and paragraphs of his or her own construction. The work of other writers or speakers may be included when appropriate (as in a research paper or book review), but such material must support the student's own work (not substitute for it) and must be clearly identified by appropriate introduction and punctuation and by footnoting or other standard referencing. The substitution of another person's work for the student's own or the inclusion of another person's work without adequate acknowledgment (whether done intentionally or not) is known as plagiarism. It is a violation of academic, ethical, and legal standards and can result in a failing grade not only for the paper but also for the course in which the paper is written. In extreme cases, it can justify expulsion from the University. Because of the seriousness of the possible consequences, students who wonder if their papers are within these guidelines should visit the Writing Lab or consult a faculty member who specializes in the teaching of writing or who specializes in the subject discussed in the paper. Useful books to consult on the topic include the current Harcourt Brace College Handbook, the MLA Handbook, and James D. Lester's Writing Research Papers. Students with Disabilities Brigham Young University is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that reasonably accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have any disability which may impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact the Services for Students with Disabilities Office (422-2767). Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified, documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with the student and instructor by the SSD Office. If you need assistance or if you feel you have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability, you may seek resolution through established grievance policy and procedures by contacting the Equal Employment Office at 422-5895, D-285 ASB. Devotional and Forum Attendance Brigham Young University's devotional and forum assemblies are an important part of your BYU experience. As Elder Dallin H. Oaks stated, "You neglect your education and fail to use a unique resource of this university if you miss a single one" (from the address Challenges for the Year Ahead, 6 September, 1973). Your attendance at each forum and devotional is strongly encouraged.