English 2323: British Literature II

Associate Adjunct Professor Becky Villarreal

Email: bvillarr@austincc.edu

Synonym 63464; Section 004 

Office Hours: MW 5-5:40 p.m. (via Zoom); 8-8:30 p.m. (via email)


English 2323, British Literature: 18th Century to the Present, is a survey of English literature from the late 18th Century to the present.

Prerequisite: Enrollment in any literature course requires credit for both ENGL 1301 and ENGL 1302 or their equivalents. The grade in ENGL 1302 must be at least "C." Instructor will verify. If you did not take these courses via ACC or if I email you because your pre-requisite status is unavailable to me, you must provide proof via email ASAP.

The goals of sophomore literature courses are:

● To provide a working knowledge of the characteristics of various literary genres.

● To develop analytical skills and critical thinking through reading, discussion, and written assignments.

● To broaden a student’s intercultural reading experience.

● To deepen a student’s awareness of the universal human concerns that are the basis for literary works.

● To stimulate a greater appreciation of language as an artistic medium and of the aesthetic principles that shape literary works.

● To understand literature as an expression of human values within an historical and social context.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of sophomore literature, students should be able to:

● Identify key ideas, representative authors and works, significant historical or cultural events, and characteristic perspectives or attitudes expressed in the literature of different periods or regions.

● Analyze literary works as expressions of individual or communal values within the social, political, cultural, or religious contexts of different literary periods.

● Demonstrate knowledge of the development of characteristic forms or styles of expression during different historical periods or in different regions.

● Articulate the aesthetic principles that guide the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities.

● Write research based critical papers about the assigned readings in clear and grammatically correct prose, using various critical approaches to literature.

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY

During this course, you will complete online activities and quizzes, write journals, participate in bulletin board discussions and peer editing, write two major papers, take a midterm exam, complete a project (optional), and read lectures, short stories, essays, and poetry from online texts and materials.

Click here to access the Master Syllabus 

The Course Website Index

I. Blackboard and ACC Email

Before beginning the course, you will need to activate your ACCeID and ACC Email. Establishing an ACC email account is a requirement for this course.

You can access this course by clicking the course title located in the My Courses module. If you have problems with Blackboard, ACCeid, or ACC email, call the Help Desk at: 512-223-4636.

II. British Literature II Schedule

The schedule, linked above, provides access to reading materials and assignments. The course is divided into several learning units:

III. British Lit II Papers

IV. Paper Guidelines and Policies

V. British Literature II Reading List


VI. Optional Project (see Blackboard for details)


Grading Scale

A: 90-100%

B: 80-89%

C: 70-79%

D: 60-69%

F: 59% or Below


Grading System

Quizzes 1-3 and Orientation Quiz-- 12% (30 points maximum each)

Five Discussion Boards-- 14.5% (29 points max each)

Journals 1-3-- 7.5% (25 points max each) 

Outlines for Papers and Project -- 6% (30 points max each)

Two Papers & Project-- 40% (200 points max each)

Midterm Exam--20% (200 points maximum)

(all assignments, except for the quizzes, have a written component, which constitutes at least 2/3 of your final grade)

Journals

Students will be required to submit a journal entry at the beginning, middle, and end of the semester to reflect on their progress in the course, as well as the readings, assignments, lectures, and their interactions with classmates.

Zoom Meetings (online and hybrid courses)

The Zoom meetings in this course are held once or twice a week (see your course schedule). Please note that it is highly recommended that you attend Zoom meetings, so that you can learn pertinent information about the papers, terminology, poetry, and stories, and take the opportunity to ask questions. If you don't attend, you need to watch the recorded session(s) for that week. Information about the Zoom meetings (codes and links) and the recorded sessions are located in the Zoom folder in the course menu in Blackboard. 

During our Zoom sessions, I encourage all students to unmute and engage with me and the other students, reveal your faces (or upload a profile image that captures your essence), and provide your gender pronoun preferences if you wish-- all this will help me and the other students get to know you. If I provide an opportunity to review one of your papers during a Zoom session or read a favorite passage from one of the works, by all means, take advantage.

Late Assignments and Incompletes

In this class, I give all students a FIVE-DAY grace period to complete all assignments, except for the first and last week of class. 

Papers: After the hard due date has passed for a paper, you will lose ten points for each day past that date, not to exceed more than a 40 percent deduction of the total points possible. However, if the paper is not completed until the last week of class, you cannot earn more than 50 percent of the original value. 

Outlines: You will receive full credit for an outline as long as you give me at least 24 hours to provide feedback before you submit your paper to the discussion board or to be graded, and your outline is not submitted during the final week of the course.

Discussion Boards: After the hard due date, you are ineligible to receive credit for the intro thread, discussion threads, or peer editing (because you were not part of the discussion). 

Quizzes, Exams, and Journals: I will record a zero after the grace period is up, but if you complete the assignment no later than two weeks past the soft due date, you will receive at least partial credit.

All work must be completed by the last day of the course-- no exceptions!

Incompletes

Except in very rare situations, I do not give incompletes. You must be currently passing the class at the time of your request. I will review each case to determine whether I feel an incomplete is warranted or not. In general, however, barring extraordinary circumstances, and unless you have completed 75% of the coursework on time (and the drop date has passed), I will not grant you an incomplete. Refer to the soft due dates in the syllabus to stay on track.

Attendance Policy

If you do not attend or participate the first week of class (or the first few days in shorter semesters), you will be withdrawn for non-attendance. For online classes, you must complete the orientation quiz and the intro thread by the deadline in the course schedule in order to be counted present that first week.

Attendance is mandatory. In my online courses, you are required to either attend or watch the recordings of all Zoom meetings. If you fail to participate in Zoom meetings and have detailed questions about assignments, I will ask that you first re-read the instructions, study the lectures, and view all associated Zoom meetings.

As for classes with a face-to-face component, if you miss more than three classes, for whatever reason, you will lose five points per day from your attendance grade. Leaving class early or coming late more than twice counts as an absence. If your absences are excessive, I reserve the right to withdraw you from the course.

Withdrawal Policy

If you do not attend or participate in the first week of class (or the first few days in short semesters), you will be withdrawn for non-attendance.

Please do not withdraw from the course without first talking to me. We can discuss a plan of action to ensure your success in the class. If you are thinking about withdrawing, I will insist that you first visit with an academic advisor, the financial aid office, and/or an academic coach to discuss your options.

If you are failing the course and there is no pathway to success, I reserve the right to withdraw you from the class. If you do not want to be withdrawn for whatever reason (such as financial aid, veterans benefits, or graduation), it is your responsibility to let me know early in the semester. Check the Academic Calendar to view the final withdrawal date for this course.

Individual professors will enforce their own withdrawal policies based on progress and attendance. However, it is important to know that the Texas State Legislature passed a bill stating that students who enrolled in public colleges and universities beginning in Fall 2007 and thereafter may not withdraw from more than six classes during their undergraduate college career. See the ACC Student Handbook for further information.

Scholastic Honesty and Plagiarism

All acts of plagiarism and scholastic dishonesty are violations of academic integrity subjected to disciplinary action or expulsion. 

Scholastic Dishonesty includes using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create or write assignments, which is not allowed in this class. My expectation is that you will not use AI-powered programs, such as ChatGPT or DALL-E, to generate writing assignments. Such use is an academic integrity violation subject to disciplinary action. However, using programs that help you format your papers per MLA, translate a foreign language, improve word choices, or utilize proper grammar and spelling, such as Grammarly, is encouraged.

Plagiarism is intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as one's own.

Self-Plagiarism, which is submitting a paper you completed in another class (high school or college), is also forbidden.

Each paper is assessed based on the criteria set by this grading rubric. Click here for Paper Guidelines and Policies.

Enrollment in the College indicates acceptance of the rules set forth in this policy, which is administered through the office of the campus dean of student services. Due process, through an investigation and appeal process, is assured to any student involved in disciplinary action.

Austin Community College values academic integrity in the educational process. Acts of academic dishonesty/misconduct undermine the learning process, present a disadvantage to students who earn credit honestly, and subvert the academic mission of the institution. The potential consequences of fraudulent credentials raise additional concerns for individuals and communities beyond campus who rely on institutions of higher learning to certify students' academic achievements and expect to benefit from the claimed knowledge and skills of their graduates. Students must follow all instructions given by faculty or designated college representatives when taking examinations, placement assessments, tests, quizzes, and evaluations. Actions constituting scholastic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, collusion, falsifying documents, or the inappropriate use of the college’s information technology resources. Further information is available at https://www.austincc.edu/about-acc/academic-integrity-and-disciplinary-process

Plagiarism can be defined as using the words and ideas of another writer without acknowledging the debt. Plagiarism takes many forms, including the omission of parenthetical citations, the failure to place quotation marks around direct or modified content taken from another source, and another person writing the essay for the student. It is of utmost importance for students to understand that in academic and professional life, plagiarism of any kind is absolutely unacceptable. Therefore, acts of plagiarism, major or minor, may have serious repercussions, which could include a failing grade, expulsion from the class, and/or disciplinary action on the part of the College. Specific policies can be found in individual faculty syllabi; College policies can be found in the ACC Student Handbook. Plagiarism also includes collusion, a problem that happens when someone other than the student contributes a substantial portion of the essay for the student. Please note that having a friend or paid tutor contribute to a paper in the form of adding content or extensive revising or editing will be considered collusion, a form of plagiarism.

If you plagiarize and it is unintentional, you will be given a warning. You may be asked to choose another topic. After the second incident, you will either be asked to withdraw from the course or face disciplinary action. However, if you commit an act of plagiarism or scholastic dishonesty and it is intentional, you will receive an F in the course and face disciplinary action.

Feedback and Communication

My official office hours for this class can be accessed by clicking here.

My preferred form of communication is via ACC email. When emailing me, please tell me the title of the course you are in, as well as the section and synonym number. Since this is an English class, I expect you to be respectful and to proofread your message whenever you communicate with me or the other students in the class. Please give me at least 24 hours to respond to your emails and 72 hours to grade each paper. If I do not respond to an email within 24 hours, simply resend it. Please do not email me with grade-related questions between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. OR on Saturday or Sunday. I need time with my family and, during those time frames, I generally do not have access to a computer.

I do not do meet one-on-one with students via Zoom.

If you receive a grade of 10 on a major assignment, please read my commentary in the message box in your gradebook. A 10 is just a placeholder and signals that you submitted the assignment incorrectly and need to follow my instructions to remedy the situation. A grade of 1 indicates a more serious matter and requires immediate attention.

NOTE: Once you submit your final assignment(s) for the course, please check your grade sheet and your email the following day to ensure that your work was properly submitted and your grade was accurately recorded.

All College e-mail communication to students will be sent solely to the student’s ACCmail account, with the expectation that such communications will be read in a timely fashion. ACC will send important information and will notify students of any college- related emergencies using this account. Students should only expect to receive email communication from their instructor using this account. Likewise, students should use their ACCmail account when communicating with instructors and staff. Information about ACC email accounts, including instructions for accessing it, are available at: http://www.austincc.edu/help/accmail/questions-and-answers

Respect for the Instructor, Guests, and Other Classmates

Please note that students are expected to conduct themselves professionally with respect and courtesy to all. Anyone who thoughtlessly or intentionally jeopardizes the health or safety of another individual will be immediately dismissed from the day’s activity, may be withdrawn from the class, and/or barred from attending future activities.

Required Materials

This is a ZTC (Zero Textbook Costs) section. In place of required textbooks, all textbook materials needed for the class will be available online to students free of charge. Students may print copies of the resources but will be responsible for printing costs.


***********************************************************************************************

STUDENT TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT

Austin Community College provides free, secure drive-up WiFi to students and employees in the parking lots of all

campus locations. WiFi can be accessed seven days a week, 7 am to 11 pm. Additional details are available at

https://www.austincc.edu/sts.

Students who do not have the necessary technology to complete their ACC courses can request to borrow devices from Student Technology Services. Available devices include iPads, webcams, headsets, calculators, etc. Students must be registered for a credit course, Adult Education, or Continuing Education course to be eligible. For more information, including how to request a device, visit http://www.austincc.edu/sts.

Student Technology Services offers phone, live-chat, and email-based technical support for students and can provide support on topics such as password resets, accessing or using Blackboard, access to technology, etc. To view hours of operation and ways to request support, visit http://www.austincc.edu/sts.

Health & Safety Protocols

Operational areas of ACC campuses and centers are fully open and accessible through all public entrances. The college encourages its staff, faculty, and students to be mindful of the well-being of all individuals on campus. If you feel sick, feverish, or unwell, please do not come to campus.

Some important things to remember:

● If you have not done so, ACC encourages all students, faculty, and staff to get vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines

are now widely available throughout the community. Visit www.vaccines.gov/ to find a vaccine location near

you.

● Campuses will remain open to faculty, staff, and students with additional protocols. Beginning Monday,

January 10, ACC will reinstitute health screenings at the door using the Appian Health Screening App. Each

building will have at least one entrance staffed with screening personnel. Health screenings are required for all

who come to campus. If you’re exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or have tested positive, the app will

provide you information about steps you can take to report your illness.

● If you are experiencing COVID-19-related symptoms, please get a COVID-19 test as soon as possible before

returning to an ACC facility. Testing is now widely available. To find testing locations near you, click this link.

● If you test positive, please report it on the ACC self-reporting tool located here.

● On Friday, August 13, 2021, the ACC Board of Trustees unanimously approved a face mask mandate at ACC.

Effective August 20, 2021, anyone who is 2 years of age or older will be required to wear a face mask in all

ACC buildings.

● The college asks that we all continue to respect the personal space of others. We are encouraging 3 feet of

social distancing.

● Please be sure to carry your student, faculty, or staff ID badge at all times while on campus.

Because of the everchanging situation, please go to ACC’s Covid website at

https://www.austincc.edu/coronavirus?ref=audiencemenu for the latest updates and guidance.

Student Rights & Responsibilities

Students at ACC have the same rights and protections under the Constitution of the United States. These rights include freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, petition and association. As members of the community, students have the right to express their own views, but must also take responsibility for according the same rights to others and not interfere or disrupt the learning environment. Students are entitled to fair treatment, are expected to act consistently with the values of the college, and obey local, state, and federal laws. www.austincc.edu/srr

As a student of Austin Community College you are expected to abide by the Student Standards of Conduct.

https://www.austincc.edu/students/students-rights-and-responsibilities/student-standards-of-conduct

Senate Bill 212 and Title IX Reporting Requirements

Under Senate Bill 212 (SB 212), the faculty and all College employees are required to report any information concerning incidents of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking committed by or against an ACC student or employee. Federal Title IX law and College policy also require reporting incidents of sex- and gender-based discrimination and sexual misconduct. This means faculty and non-clinical counseling staff cannot keep confidential information about any such incidents that you share with them.

If you would like to talk with someone confidentiality, please contact the District Clinical Counseling Team who can connect you with a clinical counselor on any ACC campus: (512) 223-2616, or to schedule online: https://www.austincc.edu/students/counseling.

While students are not required to report, they are encouraged to contact the Compliance Office for resources and options: Charlene Buckley, District Title IX Officer, (512) 223-7964; compliance@austincc.edu .

If a student makes a report to a faculty member, the faculty member will contact the District Title IX Officer for follow-up.

Student Complaints

A defined process applies to complaints about an instructor or other college employee. You are encouraged to discuss concerns and complaints with college personnel and should expect a timely and appropriate response. When possible, students should first address their concerns through informal conferences with those immediately involved; formal due process is available when informal resolution cannot be achieved.

Student complaints may include (but are not limited to) issues regarding classroom instruction, college services and

offices on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, gender identity, sexual

orientation, political affiliation, or disability. Further information about the complaints process, including the form used to submit complaints, is available at:

http://www.austincc.edu/students/students-rights-and-responsibilities/student-complaint-procedures

Statement on Privacy

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects confidentiality of students’ educational records.

Grades cannot be provided by faculty over the phone, by email, or to a fellow student.

Recording Policy

To ensure compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), student recording of class lectures or other activities is generally prohibited without the explicit written permission of the instructor and notification of other students enrolled in the class section. Exceptions are made for approved accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Recording of lectures and other class activities may be made by faculty to facilitate instruction, especially for classes

taught remotely through BlackBoard Collaborate or another platform. Participation in such activities implies consent

for the student to be recorded during the instructional activity. Such recordings are intended for educational and

academic purposes only.

Safety Statement

Health and safety are of paramount importance in classrooms, laboratories, and field activities. Students are expected to learn and comply with ACC environmental, health and safety procedures and agree to follow ACC safety policies. Emergency Procedures posters and Campus Safety Plans are posted in each classroom and should be reviewed at the beginning of each semester. All incidents (injuries/illness/fire/property damage/near miss) should be immediately reported to the course instructor. Additional information about safety procedures and how to sign up to be notified in case of an emergency can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/emergency

Everyone is expected to conduct themselves professionally with respect and courtesy to all. Anyone who thoughtlessly or intentionally jeopardizes the health or safety of another individual may be immediately dismissed from the day’s activity and will be referred to the Dean of Student Services for disciplinary action.

In the event of disruption of normal classroom activities due to an emergency situation or an outbreak of illness, the format for this course may be modified to enable completion of the course. In that event, students will be provided an addendum to the class syllabus that will supersede the original version.

Discrimination Prohibited

The College seeks to maintain an educational environment free from any form of discrimination or harassment

including but not limited to discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, sex,

gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

Faculty at the College are required to report concerns regarding sexual misconduct (including all forms of sexual

harassment and sex and gender-based discrimination) to the Manager of Title IX/Title VI/ADA Compliance. Licensed

clinical counselors are available across the District and serve as confidential resources for students.

Additional information about Title VI, Title IX, and ADA compliance can be found in the ACC Compliance Resource

Guide available at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xfmZHOPD_H1wgGKq1N7Irv6gvXxOXzbZ/view

Use of the Testing Center

The Testing Centers will allow only limited in person testing and testing time will be limited to the standard class time, typically one and one-half hours. Specifically, only the following will be allowed in the Testing Centers:

● Student Accessibility Services (SAS) Testing: All approved SAS testing

● Assessments Tests: Institutionally approved assessment tests (e.g., TSIA or TABE)

● Placement Tests: Placement tests (e.g., ALEKS)

● Make-Up Exams (for students who missed the original test): Make-up testing is available for all lecture courses

but will be limited to no more than 25% of students enrolled in each section for each of four tests

● Programs incorporating industry certification exams: Such programs (e.g., Microsoft, Adobe, etc.) may utilize

the ACC Business Assessment Center for the industry certification exams (BACT) at HLC or RRC

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

The success of our students is paramount, and ACC offers a variety of support services to help, as well as providing

numerous opportunities for community engagement and personal growth.

Student Support

ACC strives to provide exemplary support to its students and offers a broad variety of opportunities and

services. Information on these campus services and resources is available at http://www.austincc.edu/students. A

comprehensive array of student support services is available online at:

https://www.austincc.edu/coronavirus/remote-student-support

Student Accessibility Services

Austin Community College (ACC) is committed to providing a supportive, accessible, and inclusive learning environment for all students. Each campus offers support services for students with documented disabilities. Students with disabilities who need classroom, academic or other accommodations must request them through Student Accessibility Services (SAS).

Students are encouraged to request accommodations when they register for courses or at least three weeks before the start of each semester they are enrolled, otherwise the provision of accommodations may be delayed. Students who have received approval for accommodations from SAS for this course must provide the instructor with the legal document titled “Notice of Approved Accommodations (NAA)” from SAS. Until the instructor receives the NAA from the student accommodations should not be provided. Once the NAA is received, accommodations must be provided. Accommodations are not retroactive, so it is in the student’s best interest to deliver the NAA on the first day of class.

Please contact SAS@austincc.edu for more information.

Academic Support

ACC offers academic support services on all of its campuses. These services, which include online tutoring, academic coaching, and supplemental instruction, are free to enrolled ACC students. Tutors are available in a variety of subjects ranging from accounting to pharmacology. Students may receive these services on both a drop-in and referral basis.

An online tutor request can be made here:

https://de.austincc.edu/bbsupport/online-tutoring-request/

Additional tutoring information can be found here:

austincc.edu/onlinetutoring

Library Services

ACC Library Services offers both in-person and extensive online services, with research and assignment assistance available in-person during limited hours of service. Although all college services are subject to change, plans include ACC students signing up for study space and use of computers at open libraries, extensive online instruction in classes, online reference assistance 24/7 and reference with ACC faculty librarians. In addition, currently enrolled students, faculty and staff can access Library Services online (also 24/7) via the ACC Library website and by using their ACCeID to access all online materials (ebooks, articles from library databases, and streaming videos). ACC Libraries offer these services in numerous ways such as: "Get Help from a Faculty Librarian: the 24/7 Ask a Librarian chat service," an online form for in-depth research Q and A sessions, one-on-one video appointments, email, and phone (voicemail is monitored regularly).

● Library Website: http://library.austincc.edu

● Library Information & Services during COVID-19: https://researchguides.austincc.edu/LSinfoCOVID19

● Ask a Librarian 24/7 chat and form: https://library.austincc.edu/help/ask.php

● Library Hours of Operation by Location: https://library.austincc.edu/loc/

● Email: library@austincc.edu

Student Organizations

ACC has over seventy student organizations, offering a variety of cultural, academic, vocational, and social opportunities. They provide a chance to meet with other students who have the same interests, engage in service-learning, participate in intramural sports, gain valuable field experience related to career goals, and much else. Student Life coordinates many of these activities, and additional information is available at http://sites.austincc.edu/sl/.

Personal Support

Resources to support students are available at every campus. To learn more, ask your professor or visit the campus

Support Center. All resources and services are free and confidential. Some examples include, among others:

● Food resources including community pantries and bank drives can be found here:

https://www.centraltexasfoodbank.org/food-assistance/get-food-now

● Assistance with childcare or utility bills is available at any campus Support Center:

http://www.austincc.edu/students/support-center.

● The Student Emergency Fund can help with unexpected expenses that may cause you to withdraw from one or

more classes: http://www.austincc.edu/SEF.

● Help with budgeting for college and family life is available through the Student Money Management Office:

http://sites.austincc.edu/money/.

● A full listing of services for student parents is available at: https://www.austincc.edu/students/child-care

● The CARES Act Student Aid will help eligible students pay expenses related to COVID-19:

https://www.austincc.edu/coronavirus/cares-act-student-aid.

Mental health counseling services are available throughout the ACC Student Services District to address personal and or mental health concerns: http://www.austincc.edu/students/counseling .

If you are struggling with a mental health or personal crisis, call one of the following numbers to connect with resources for help. However, if you are afraid that you might hurt yourself or someone else, call 911 immediately.

Free Crisis Hotline Numbers:

● Austin / Travis County 24-hour Crisis & Suicide hotline: 512-472-HELP (4357)

● The Williamson County 24-hour Crisis hotline: 1-800-841-1255

● Bastrop County Family Crisis Center hotline: 1-888-311-7755

● Hays County 24 Hour Crisis Hotline: 1-877-466-0660

● National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

● Crisis Text Line: Text “home” to 741741

● Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline: 1-800-662-

HELP (4357)

● National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline:1-800-950-NAMI (6264)

USE OF STUDENT WORK

Written artifacts from this course may be used for research and publicity purposes after the course has ended. Papers and anything used will have student names removed to maintain student confidentiality. If you do not want your written work used for these purposes, please send an email to your instructor that states you would like to opt-out. Opting out will have no effect on your grade.