F314 Introduction to French Literature counts toward fulfilling the French minor and major literature distribution requirement. Through coursework, experience abroad, and other cultural encounters, the Modern Languages Program cultivates communicative skills and cultural awareness that prepare students at Western Kentucky University to be more knowledgeable and sensitive citizens of the global community. F314 also counts toward fulfillment of General Education Category B I, as stated below: F314 est un cours conçu à l’intention des étudiants ayant suivi avec succès F202 ou l’équivalent. F314 also counts toward fulfillment of General Education Category B I, as stated below:

Category B Humanities
      I Literature – A student completing the general education program at WKU will have:
    Goal 2 Proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking
         derives meaning from various texts, evaluates arguments, recognizes explicit statements and inferences,
            reaches conclusions, and makes generalizations;
         uses oral and written language to create a text with a clear and significant thesis, adequate and relevant supporting evidence,
            appropriate documentation, and clear and valid assumptions and conclusions;
         demonstrates mastery of such essential practices as planning, invention, arrangement, revision, and editing;
         develops clear and effective prose through attention to style and grammar;
         uses rhetorical strategies appropriate to purpose, audience, and content.
    Goal 5 An informed acquaintance with major achievement in the arts and humanities
         uses appropriate vocabulary and concepts for the description and critical analysis of literary and artistic works;
         identifies important ideas and achievements in philosophy, literature, and the arts;
         identifies various forms of literature and artistic expression;
         identifies and analyzes similarities, differences, and interrelationships among the arts;
         evaluates the contributions of philosophical, ethical, or religious systems to human life;
         attends cultural events and visits sites of historical significance.

The course goals, listed below in order of priority, clearly speak to the General Education objectives above
         (so, too, do the exam essays and exposés) :
         Familiarity with literature of France: especially literature falling into the broad genres of poetry, drama, and prose;
         Knowledge and appreciation of several chefs d’oeuvre littéraires: read in their entirety;
         Increase in French vocabulary: both the vocabulary of literary analysis and extensive vocabulary found in the works;
         Speaking, comprehension and pronunciation: students will learn to speak and understand expository French
            by preparing oral presentations;
         Writing: students will learn to write essays and exposés in French;
         Preparation: become prepared linguistically to take more advanced French.

Exposés: On vous demande de faire au moins deux exposés, dont un en français. Vous écrivez une présentation qui ne dépasse pas cinq minutes, c’est tout! Vous expliquez un passage littéraire, commentez un personnage ou un thème; et, de toute façon, vous m’en parlez – ou mieux encore, vous me le montrez – avant de le présenter en cours.

Tests: There will be no make up tests. If you anticipate a problem with taking an exam when it is scheduled, or if you should miss an exam, contact me at your earliest opportunity! Le premier examen portera sur la première partie du programme, la poésie et la versification. Le deuxième examen portera sur théâtre, et le troisième examen (l'examen final) portera, à la fois, sur la poésie et la versification, le théâtre, et la prose.

Participation and attendance: class attendance is mandatory, and participation is essential; speaking French at every opportunity will help a student with speaking and listening skills. Students are to check Blackboard (http://ecourses.wku.edu) or my Web page (http://edtech.wku.edu/~nlove/314Introlit/f314fall04.htm) and stay abreast of announcements, assignments and changes in the syllabus frequently. In the event that it is necessary to miss class, it is the responsibility of the student to find out what was covered and to learn the appropriate material. Upon returning to class students are expected to be fully prepared: ready to participate, to turn in assignments, and to take quizzes or exams as scheduled. When/if you miss a class meeting, you can be relatively certain that you missed at least one quiz (see below). If absent, one should contact me before the next class meeting – not to explain or excuse the absence, but in order to find out what was accomplished and, especially, what is to be prepared outside of class, unless you believe that you know with certainty what was missed and have no questions about it.

Auditing An auditor is one who enrolls and participates in a course without expecting to receive academic credit. The same registration procedure is followed and the same fees charged as for courses taken for credit. An audited course is not applicable to any degree or certificate program. Regular class attendance is expected of an auditor. Other course requirements, which may be obtained in writing from the instructor, will vary depending on the nature of the course. Students interested in auditing a course should secure permission from the instructor and discuss course requirements prior to enrolling. Failure to meet course requirements may result in the auditor being withdrawn from the course at the request of the instructor. A successful audit will be recorded on the transcript with the designation AU. (from: Academic Requirements and Regulations, Undergraduate Course Catalog)

Assignments (or homework) will be posted on the timeline part of the syllabus below by means of a link on the date by which the assignment is due. Thus to know what is to be prepared for the August 31 class meeting, click on the link on "27 jan 07" below. (You will know when the assignment has been uploaded, as the date will appear in bold, and turn blue as a link upon passing the mouse over it.) There will be questions or assignments regularly posted on Blackboard or the Web page to be completed before the next class. This semester there will be an assignment from time to time in Blackboard's Discussion Board related to class participation.

Exams: Both exams are meant to gauge your progress toward the course goals with an efficient use of exam time. They test the language skills you are acquiring, and are not limited to simply covering language content: material, pages, exercises or tables that can be memorized on short order. For both, consequently, you will speak French, listen to French, read some French and write French -- and not merely rehash specific phrases, vocabulary or exercises. There will be no make up exams. If you anticipate a problem with taking an exam when it is scheduled, or if you should miss an exam, contact me at your earliest opportunity! The day and time of the final exam are established by the Registrar. Whereas there may be changes on the syllabus below, the day and time of the final exam are absolute. Please do not make plans, therefore, at variance with our scheduled final exam.

Expectations, in summary, are as follows. Students are expected 1) to study, do assignments, and prepare for class, 2) to attend class, contribute and participate during class, 3) avail themselves of resources, and to seek help from instructor when appropriate, including during office hours or by appointment, 4) to demonstrate knowledge and language skills in progress against what is expected, 5) to work, for instance, on pronunciation, listening comprehension and recognition of spoken vocabulary, 6) to submit by deadlines work required, 7) to turn in for a grade the student’s own work and, of course, not to permit work to be used by another for his/her graded assignments. 8) to stay abreast of announcements, assignments and changes in the syllabus at least three times each week. 9) to keep cell phones turned off and silent during class; to keep cell phones and other electronic devices capable of communication/data retrieval out of sight during all graded activities. The instructor is expected 1) to be prepared for teaching each class session, 2) to offer clear examples and explanations, 3) to encourage participation from students, 4) provide opportunities for you to hear, speak, write and read French and to offer, specifically, as much oral practice in class as possible, 5) to meet with students during office hours and by appointment outside of class, 6) to be fair-minded at all times, 7) to respect students, and their beliefs and opinions, 8) to challenge students to meet the course goals as fully as possible. (Click on statement on teaching to read my thoughts on the entire subject.)

Study some French every day without exception and you will discover why language courses used to meet daily. The best way to learn, to meet course objectives and to maximize benefits derived from study of French is without a doubt to study some French every day. You will not be particularly successful if you learn the material for the moment only. What you learn for Module 1 or for Quiz 2 you will need to retain throughout the semester and specifically for the final exam which is cumulative.

Resources available include the textbook and my office hours. Please drop by my office during office hours for five minutes or so for a short, friendly chat before mid-semester. I can find more resources for anyone needing more than these, and would be pleased to do so. For additional resources for individuals, click here.

Course Grade -- sources & weights:

Academic dishonesty: “Students who commit any act of academic dishonesty may receive from the instructor a failing grade in that portion of the course in which the act is detected or a failing grade in the course without possibility of withdrawal” (from the 2006-2007 online student handbook). Acts of academic dishonesty include the use of a translating device to complete writing assignments and failing to turn cell phones and PDAs off before taking an exam. Student work may be checked using plagiarism detection software. See Western's statement on academic dishonesty in the 2006-2007 online student handbook for more information. See the same source for university policy on plagiarism ‑ "To represent written work taken from another source as one's own is plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offense. The academic work of a student must be his/her own. One must give any author credit for source material borrowed from him/her. To lift content directly from a source without giving credit is a flagrant act. To present a borrowed passage without reference to the source after having changed a few words is also plagiarism." The use of online translation aids is strictly prohibited. Students enrolled may not assist one another on graded exercises.