Required Texts

• Richard Wagamese Indian Horse ISBN: 9781571311306 
• August Wilson Fences ISBN: 9780452264014
• August Wilson Radio Golf ISBN: 978559363082 

Other required readings will be made available via Canvas as PDFs

Course Description

Introduces students to the formal study of fiction, poetry, and drama, focusing on literature with sports-related subjects and themes. Emphasizes analytical writing about literature. 

Purpose of the Course

This course provides reading, speaking, listening, and writing experiences that are designed to enhance students’ awareness and appreciation of literature as an art form with social, cultural, and thematic significance. Students learn the methods of literary study through diverse texts of different genres. The course also helps students develop their ability to communicate meaningfully about literature. 

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

• IA. Apply knowledge and methods of history, literature, philosophy, and theology. 
• IIB. Comprehensively and objectively analyze and evaluate appropriate data (e.g., issues, texts, artifacts, and events) in order to develop an informed conclusion. 
• IIE. Demonstrate cultural self-awareness and intercultural competence. 
• IIG. Communicate effectively in speech and in writing. 

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Identify and explain the significance of specific literary elements of texts.  

5. Analyze and evaluate the interaction between literature and culture. 

7. Apply sound principles of rhetoric, grammar, and style in writing analytical, persuasive, scholarly, and other types of writing. 

Course Objectives

By the end of the semester, students should be able to… 

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the literary elements of fiction, poetry, and drama in their discussion and written responses to specific works of literature (LO IA, IIG; PLO 1) 

2. Understand social, historical, and cultural contexts of texts and their significance to theme (LO IA, IIB, IIE; PLO 5) 

3. Interpret works of literature and explain their interpretations in written analyses of works (LO IA, IIB, IIG, PLO 7). 

4. Integrate information from valid secondary researched sources into literary analyses. (LO IIB, IIG; PLO 5, 7). 

Topics

• Close reading 
• Elements of literary genre, such as character, theme, structure, imagery, point of view, figurative language, rhyme/rhythm, and other sound patterns 
• Cultural context of texts 
• Writing literary analysis 
• Common themes, such as heroes and anti-heroes, victory and loss, aging and memory, exploitation, class struggle, sportsmanship and community 
• Finding, evaluating, and using scholarly sources 

University Policies

Specific university policies are located in the PDF version of the syllabus on Canvas.

COURSE POLICIES

A full list of course policies is located in the PDF version of the syllabus on BB.

Attendance

Because our course foregrounds discussion, close engagement with the readings, and close engagement with each other’s writing, attending class is crucial for your own success and for the success of the course. You may miss two class sessions unexcused without penalty. Additional unexcused absences will negatively affect your final grade.  I will excuse your absences in cases of illness, emergencies, and university-sponsored events, but those absences will still affect your daily engagement grade. If something else causes you to miss class, email me and we will work together from there. Communication is key! If you miss class, ask another student to share their notes and tell you about what you missed. You are responsible for the work you have missed.  Arrive on time for class. Arriving late causes you to miss important material and is disruptive to others. Arriving late to class will affect your attendance grade for that day. I will use the Canvas Roll Call Attendance tool to keep track of your attendance this semester, so you can check your attendance grade at any time. 

Communication Guidelines

Students are expected to check their Lourdes email accounts daily for possible course information.  

Before emailing a question, review the syllabus and relevant assignment instructions and handouts for the information on Canvas or the course website.  Include a meaningful Subject in your email—messages without a Subject may end up in the Spam folder. Additionally, Address the recipient of your email (Hello Professor Pippin, or similar), introduce yourself, and identify the course you are in: “This is Jamie Doe from ENGL 352” or similar.  I do not accept assignments via email. All assignments will have a Canvas drop box. Write your emails in a professional manner—a text message is a different genre—and close with your name. If you are unsure of academic email etiquette, reviewing Email Guidelines for Students will help.

Technology Policy

Cell phones should be stowed away and silenced unless needed for a class activity. Laptops, iPads, and other electronic devices are welcome in class, but you may only use them to reference course discussion materials and readings as required to actively participate in class! Using devices for non-class related activities is extremely distracting for those around you, and if I notice inappropriate technology use, you will receive one verbal warning and your participation grade will be reduced. If your behavior continues to be disruptive or does not improve, you will be counted absent from class that day.

Limited Approval Use of AI

With instructor approval, students are permitted to use generative Artificial Intelligence tools (e.g., ChatGPT, etc.) in this course for specific purposes, such as to create and refine ideas during brainstorming sessions, construct outlines for organizing a student’s original thoughts, and/or to check grammar and style.  

However, students are prohibited from using generative AI tools in this course for activities such as composing written assignments in part or whole, composing prompts and responses for discussion posts, chats, and other online texts, or completing work for group projects unless allowed by the class instructor. All writing for this course must be in your own words; any use of AI resources must be approved by the course instructor and appropriately and properly documented and cited in all submitted work. Students are responsible for critically using and assessing the reliability of all AI tools used.  

Students are held accountable for the content generated using AI tools, ensuring adherence to ethical standards of writing and research. This means that students are required to properly document and cite AI tool usage in any of their written texts to comply with department and university policies. Any use of generative AI in assignments that has not been approved by the course instructor and violates any aspect of this policy is equivalent to plagiarism as defined in the plagiarism policy on this syllabus. If you are uncertain about permissible usage, please ask your course instructor to clarify. 

Evaluation

I will determine your final grade according to the following rubric:

GRADING OVERVIEW	% of Final Grade
Attendance and Participation: In-Class Discussions and Writings	25%
Reading Quizzes and Reading Responses	15%
Literary Terms Exams	10%
Close Reading Essay	10%
Film Adaptation Essay	15%
Final Essay Portfolio	25%
TOTAL POINTS	100%

Grading Standard

Student writing this semester will be evaluated primarily for its rhetorical effectiveness and adherence to the parameters of the assignment. Does it adequately consider the audience to whom it is addressed?  Is it convincing, captivating, inventive?  It will also be evaluated for classroom values that demonstrate the student’s preparation for the tasks at hand, participation in class conversation and collaboration, and engagement in the common texts and tasks.  A third measure will be made of the academic value of the text. Does it speak, when it is supposed to, to an audience of scholars?  Does it contribute to the production and dissemination of new knowledge? Each assignment will have a corresponding assignment sheet complete with expectations.  

THE COURSE GRADING SCALE IS AS FOLLOWS: 

A 93-100; A- 90-92.99; B+ 87-89.99; B 83-86.99; B-80-82.99; C+ 77-79.99; C 73-76.99; C- 70-72.99; D+ 67-69.99; D 63-66.99; D- 60-62.99 

Submission of Assignments 

All student work submitted for a grade must be submitted in the appropriate slot on Canvas as either a .docx, .doc, or. pdf file format. Additionally, there are instances where you must bring a printed paper version of the completed assignment to class. I do not accept links to documents. Submitting any other format will result in an automatic zero on the assignment. 

Late Work Policy 

If you need an extension, you must ask at least 48 hours before the assignment is due. Extensions will be granted on an as-needed basis, and I reserve the right to deny extensions for any assignment. Unless you receive an extension, I will lower your grade for the assignment by 20% for each day that it is late.  

Assignment Overview

A brief assignment overview is on the PDF version of the syllabus located on Canvas. Please note that more specific instructions will be provided throughout the semester.

SCHEDULE

The course schedule is subject to change at any time and is posted on our course website.  Readings and assignments should be done prior to any class for which they are listed.