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COURSE: ENG 340-001 Spring 2020 MWF 10:20-11:15 CH 120 |
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. David LeNoir CH 100 745-5712 Office hours: TWRF 8:00-9:30 (other times by appointment) |
Please read this material carefully.
Course objectives
The term "speculative fiction" is a confluence of two significant intellectual enterprises--the study of literature and the philosophical conjecture embodied by the traditional question, "What if . . .?" This class seeks to broaden students' literary experience with a variety of texts on the fringe of and beyond mainstream fiction.
Required texts
Pierre Boulle Planet of the
Apes
Max Brooks World
War Z
Octavia Butler Kindred
Neil Gaiman and
Terry Pratchett Good Omens
Alan Moore, et al. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1
Robert J. Sawyer Calculating God
Mary Shelley Frankenstein
J. R. R. Tolkien The Hobbit
Jules Verne 20,000 Leagues under the Sea
Connie Willis To Say Nothing of
the Dog
Additional short works will be provided to the class, either as hard copies or online.
Course Policies
Attendance will be taken daily. While individual absences will incur no
penalty, anyone missing more than eight classes, excused or unexcused, will
receive an "F" (or, if applicable, "FN") for the course.
Fractions count. You are responsible for all course information, materials, and
activities; if you miss class for any reason, you should make every effort to
find out what you have missed in a timely fashion.
If the university cancels classes for any reason, we will adhere to the due dates presented with assignments. If the instructor is absent, anticipate that class will meet as planned--or other appropriate arrangements will be made.
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else's material as if it were your
own. The most flagrant version is a paper submitted by one student but
actually written by someone else, but plagiarism also includes using phrases,
facts, and/or ideas without crediting the source. Any student discovered
to have plagiarized will earn an "F" for the course and be reported
to the Office of Student Conduct.
Class Assignments
Reading Quizzes - Anticipate a
reading quiz will be the first order of business on the first day we begin
discussion of each book. These will be used primarily as a reading
check. One will be dropped. Aside from that, you will have no
opportunity to "make up" a missed quiz.
Short Papers - (3-4 pp.) Two
will be assigned and scheduled. One will be a profile of a speculative fiction
author; the other will be on a topic related to speculative fiction. Sources
should be cited in MLA format. Students will also make brief presentations of
the covered material to the class. The presentations are meant to share
material with the class; they will not affect paper grades. The paper and
presentation dates will be staggered throughout the semester.
Midterm Exam - An overview of the
texts and ideas from the earlier part of the course.
Final Exam - A culminating synthesis
of the course, focusing primarily on the later part of the course.
Grading Scale
Reading Quizzes - 100 points total
Short Papers - 200 points total
Midterm Exam - 100 points
Final Exam - 150 points
The final grade will be a conversion to the traditional 10-point scale (i.e.,
A, 550-495; B, 494-440, etc.).
A note about make-ups: As mentioned above, the reading quizzes cannot be made up. Because of the fluid scheduling of the short papers, the need for a make-up should not occur. (A primary consideration of these papers is to share the content, via class presentation, with your peers, so any rescheduled submission must coincide with an available opening in the class schedule.) You should consider the midterm and final exams to be devoid of options for make-up. The calendar for the semester is poorly suited for dealing with such an issue in a way fair to the full class, so the burden will be on an individual student to justify an actual need. (Hint: Travel plans will not suffice.)
And a note about comportment: Speculative fiction texts frequently include language, actions, images, and/or ideas that have the potential to be controversial and/or offensive. Please be mindful of the range of perspectives and sensibilities of your classmates as we navigate such material.
Caveat: This document should provide sufficient flexibility for the day-to-day operation of the course. Should situations arise which necessitate or suggest alterations for the benefit of the course, the instructor reserves the right to make such alterations. Any changes will be announced in class. Even if the university closes, expect to adhere to all assignment dates as presented in class.
Special Notes:
The last day to drop a full semester course is April 9; the FN date is April 5.
Resolving Complaints about Grades
The first step in resolving
a complaint about grades is for the student to attempt to resolve the problem
directly with the course instructor. See the Student Handbook, available at http://www.wku.edu/handbook/ for additional guidance.
Title IX Misconduct/Assault Statement
Western Kentucky University (WKU) is
committed to supporting faculty, staff and students by upholding WKU's Title IX Sexual Misconduct/Assault Policy (#0.2070) at https://wku.edu/eoo/documents/titleix/wkutitleixpolicyandgrievanceprocedure.pdf and
Discrimination and Harassment Policy (#0.2040) at https://www.wku.edu/policies/docs/251.pdf.
Under these policies, discrimination,
harassment and/or sexual misconduct based on sex/gender are prohibited. If you
experience an incident of sex/gender-based discrimination, harassment and/or
sexual misconduct, you are encouraged to report it to the Title IX Coordinator,
Andrea Anderson, 270-745-5398 or Title IX Investigators, Michael Crowe,
270-745-5429 or Joshua Hayes, 270-745-5121.
Please note that while you may report an
incident of sex/gender based discrimination,
harassment and/or sexual misconduct to a faculty member, WKU faculty are "Responsible Employees" of the University
and MUST report what you share to WKU's Title IX
Coordinator or Title IX Investigator. If you would like to speak with someone
who may be able to afford you confidentiality, you may contact WKU's Counseling and Testing Center at 270-745-3159.
ADA Accommodation Statement
In compliance with University policy,
students with disabilities who require academic and/or auxiliary accommodations
for this course must contact the Student Accessibility Resource Center
located in Downing Student Union, 1074. SARC can be reached by phone
number at 270-745-5004 [270-745-3030 TTY] or via email at sarc.connect@wku.edu .
Please do not request accommodations directly from the professor or
instructor without a faculty notification letter (FNL) from The Student
Accessibility Resource Center.
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Tentative Course Map |
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1/27 |
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1/29 |
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1/31 |
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2/3 Have read: Frankenstein |
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2/5 |
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2/7 |
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2/10 Have read: Calculating God |
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2/12 |
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2/14 |
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2/17 |
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2/19 Have read: The Hobbit |
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2/21 |
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2/24 |
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2/26 |
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2/28 Have read: Kindred |
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3/2 |
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3/4 |
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3/6 Midterm exam |
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3/9-13 --break-- |
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3/16 Have read: 20,000 Leagues under the Sea |
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3/18 |
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3/20 |
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3/23 |
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3/25 Have read: Planet of the Apes |
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3/27 |
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3/30 |
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4/1 |
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4/3 Have read: To Say Nothing of the Dog |
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4/6 |
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4/8 |
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4/10 |
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4/13 Have read: Good Omens |
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4/15 |
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4/17 |
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4/20 |
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4/22 Have read: World War Z |
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4/24 |
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4/27 |
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4/29 |
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5/1 Have read: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen |
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5/4 |
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5/6 |
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5/8 |
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5/11 Final exam: 10:30-12:30 |