ENGLISH 30: Honors Composition: Love, Work, Values

English 30 has two key objectives: (1) to help you learn to write vigorous, effective papers and (2) to give you some challenging ideas to think about.  The readings for this particular section are widely varied but have in common a fundamental concern with self-definition.  What gives your life point and meaning?  What do you find valuable─or worthless?  Some people define themselves in terms of love/passion, others in terms of work/career, religion, race, or sexual preference.  Conflicts between our commitments in these realms are common.  All of our readings focus on such conflicts.  Your papers can be written on all sorts of things, but the readings are designed to give us a common core for discussion.

Required books:

            Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida (Signet Classics)

Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra, ed. Everett (Washington Square)

Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (Dover)

Anthony Burgess, Clockwork Orange (Norton)

Maxine Hong Kingston, China Men (Vintage)

Caryl Churchill, Cloud 9 (Theatre Communications Group)

Colson Whitehead, The Intuitionist (Anchor)

Michael Ondaatje, Anil’s Ghost (Vintage)

Chuck Palahniuk, Imaginary Monsters (Norton)

Tony Kushner, Angels in America­, Part 1: Millenium Approaches (Theatre Communications Group)

            Strunk and White, Elements of Style, 4th edition (Longman)

General Information

 (1) Written work.  Five formal papers of 4-5 typed pages in length are required.  Formal proposals for Papers 2-3-4-5 are required.  A serious typed draft is required for Paper 4.

 (2) Responsibilities.  You are expected (a) to attend all classes; (b) to keep up with the reading; (c) to participate in class discussion; and (d) to produce all “Proposals” and “Drafts” at the beginning of class on the dates scheduled.  If you do not have the proposals and drafts as scheduled then you cannot participate in class workshops.  There will be grade penalties for late proposals and drafts.  Attendance will be taken at all classes. You are subject to a grade penalty if you miss more than three (3) classes without a formal medical excuse.  I will give you an extension without penalty on paper submission on Papers 1-2-3-4 (not 5) IF you are mature enough to ask me before the due date for an extension.

 (3) “Proposals” and “Drafts” are to be carefully written, “typed” (i.e., computer-printed), and properly proofread.  You benefit most from drafts if they represent serious effort towards a final product, not a sloppy beginning.  Take them seriously.

 (4) Taking English 30 (as opposed to English 15) will not hurt your grade.  Grading standards for writing in the two courses are identical.  The English department expects average grades to be far higher in English 30: historically, most sections end up roughly half A’s and half B’s.  Lower grades can, however, be easily achieved.  Note that there is no grade curve: you are not competing against each other.  If all of you deserve A’s (a statistical improbability, but conceivable), then you will all get A’s.  Conversely, if you all deserve C’s, then that is what you will get. 

 (5) Your grade for the term will be principally determined by the quality of the work you do in November and December.  If your work improves substantially during the semester then a couple of weak papers early in the term will have no negative effect on your final grade.  This course is designed to change the way you write—and to reward improvement.

 (6) This course does not require use of the library, but you are encouraged to use library resources.  Pattee offers introductory tours early in the semester: take advantage of the opportunity.  Using Pattee skilfully and efficiently can make a big positive difference to your grades during the next four years.

 (7) Plagiarism.  You will receive a department handout on this subject and we will discuss the issue.  Your work MUST be your own.  If you are uncertain about what use of a source is permissible, or what kinds of help you can obtain from friends, ask me.  Plagiarism is a serious offence: you can fail a course or be expelled from the university for it.  Don’t be a fool: the risks are serious, the potential gain slight.

(8) I do not want papers from frat files or off the web.  Therefore you are required to turn in your handwritten rough draft together with your final typed/printed version.  (If you write rough drafts at the keyboard, then please hand in a first printout that is significantly different from your final draft.)  NB: Keep an uncorrected carbon or a second printout in case the paper somehow gets lost, disappears from your harddisk, etc.

(9) Feel free to talk with me about anything connected with this course─or anything else.  Adjusting to college is an exciting but often bumpy process for most people.  If you have worries or problems don't just grizzle over them by yourself: get advice and help.  My official office hours are listed on page 1 of this syllabus, but I am almost always happy to talk with you any time I am in my office and do not already have someone with me.   

(10) Please drop into my office hours at your convenience and get acquainted during the first month of class.  This is a polite request, but also a requirement.  I want to know who each of you is.  I am happy to talk about British Literature, the English Major, the University, Life in the Real World, Jobs, Graduate School, or the Universe with you.

Copies of this syllabus are available on my website and other things may be posted there as announced in class:

www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/h/b/hb1 [the last element is h-b-arabic one]