Course Outcomes

After successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

1. Compose coherent expository and argumentative essays about literary texts.

2. Synthesize critical reading, academic research, and cultural contexts in writing about literature.

3. Analyze and evaluate literature by means of close textual reading, identifying central themes and key literary elements.

4. Distinguish between literal and figurative language and assess how these figures of speech help generate themes.

Instructor Contact

Before the course begins, please email me at sdenney@ccsf.edu. Once we are in the class, please use the Canvas inbox.

While class is in session, I will respond to course email within 48 hours Monday-Friday, not including school holidays. For a more immediate response, remember our additional Online Help & your classmates as resources.

Course Texts and Required Software

For this course, you will need the following books, available at the CCSF Bookstore

• Whitehead, Colson. The Underground Railroad. New York, Anchor Books, 2016.

• Churchill, Caryl. Top Girls, edited by Sophie Bush. London, Methuen Drama, 2018.

In addition, you will need the following software for this course.

• Adobe Reader

• QuickTime Player

• Flash Player

• A word processor such as MS Word or Google Docs

• An updated browser

Important Dates

This class is experienced entirely online through Canvas. The class has no required meetings.

The class begins on ____ and ends on ____.

Attendance

Once class starts, I need to determine whether or not you're actually still interested in the class. If not, I want to let in other students who are interested! Therefore, I have set up a Census Assignment in Week 1. Students who do not complete the Census Assignment or reach out to me via email by the deadline will be dropped as "no shows" and their spots given to other interested students.

After that, I recommend that if you need to miss more than two homework deadlines in a row that you contact me and let me know what's up to avoid being dropped from the class. I understand that sometimes things happen and we get behind! So just keep in touch with me so I know what's up. If I don't hear from you, I'll assume you are no longer taking the course and will drop you.

Late Policy

All assignments are due at the date and time posted in Canvas. Late assignments may or may not be accepted, depending on what the assignment is and how late it is. This course happens in real time! Once a discussion has been completed, much like in a face to face discussion, everyone else has moved on.

Grades

My goal is for all of you to succeed in this class, and I know for a fact that you can all pass! In fact, if you “complete” all of the essays and at least 70% of the homework. I will guarantee you a passing grade!

• For a C

  • Complete on all essays (timed and untimed)

  • At least 70% on homework

• For a B

  • Complete on all essays (timed and untimed)

  • At least 80% on homework

• For an A

  • Complete on all essays (timed and untimed)

  • At least 90% on homework

What is a "complete" essay?

Excellent question! That definition will change as the semester progresses, but it will be clearly laid out with each assignment. When you turn in an essay, I will assess whether it is “complete” or “not yet complete.” If you turn in an essay, and I don’t find it to be complete based on the assignment, I will give you feedback, and you may revise it to earn the complete. However, revisions that are turned in within a month of the end of the semester may not receive feedback from me. I will give more information about revising an essay – it’s more than just turning it in again.

How does the homework work?

Another great question!

The homework is similar to the essays: it will be marked complete or incomplete based on whether you fulfilled everything that was asked of you for that assignment. Since the homework will directly impact the quality of your essays (it’s designed that way), you’ll need to do it in a timely manner, so there is an incentive built in for you to do it on time.

Homework points are as follows:

• Complete = 3 pts

• Late but complete = 2 pts

• Incomplete = 1 pt

Please note that a very few of the homework assignments count double or triple the points listed above. I've done that for assignments that take more time.

Information and Help for Online Classes

Online classes can be a little different in some ways from face-to-face classes. But Canvas and CCSF have lot of resources to help you out:

• Canvas Login

• Canvas Support Hotline (844) 592-2198 available 24/7

• CCSF Virtual Campus

• Succeeding in Online Classes

Standards of Conduct

Students who register in CCSF classes are required to abide by the CCSF Student Code of Conduct. Violation of the code is basis for referral to the Student Conduct Coordinator or dismissal from class or from the College. See the Office of Student Affairs and Wellness.

Copying essays or homework in whole or in part or submitting work that is not originally your own will be considered an act of academic dishonesty and result in a grade of 0 for that assignment. We collaborate in this course weekly as it is a workshop based course, but your work must be your own.

See these links on Plagiarism:

Encourage Academic Integrity and Prevent Plagiarism

Citing Information Sources

Academic Accommodations

If you need classroom or testing accommodations because of a disability, or have emergency medical information to share with me, or need special arrangements in case the building needs to be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible. Students seeking disability related accommodations are encouraged to also register with Disabled Students Programs and Services located in Room 323 of the Rosenberg Library (415) 452-5481. Please see the DSPS website for more information and alternate locations.