Instructor: Dr. McCollum
Office: 136D McIver
Hours: M 8:45-9:45; 1:15-3:15, and by appointment
E-mail: lemccoll@domtemp.uncg.edu

Learning Goals: At the completion of this course, the student will be able to:
• Interpret and evaluate argumentative discourse, including writing and speech
• Construct cogent arguments
• Communicate arguments clearly, coherently, and effectively
• Locate, synthesize, and evaluate relevant information
• Demonstrate an understanding of the aims and methods of intellectual discourse
• Improve ability in oral communication through informal and formal speaking assignments

Texts:
• Short stories: “Clarisa,” “The Two Americas”
• Novella: Quicksand
• Autobiography: Life on the Color Line
• Novels: Their Eyes Were Watching God, Song of Solomon,
o The House of the Spirits
• Films: Like Water for Chocolate, Lone Star
• Reference Text: A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking

Date Assignment:

Monday, January 10 Introduction to Class
Wednesday, January 12 Introduction to Magical Realism; “Clarisa”
Friday, January 14 “The Two Americas”; Quiz; Worksheet
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
Wednesday, January 19 Like Water for Chocolate—Time TBA
Friday, January 21 Discussion of Like Water for Chocolate
Monday, January 24 The House of the Spirits
Wednesday, January 26 The House of the Spirits
Friday, January 28 Essay topics assigned; Group Work Session
Monday, January 31 Group Work Session, cont.
Wednesday, February 2 Essays due; Groups Present Essay Findings
Friday, February 4 Conferences on Group or Individual Essays and Group Presentation
Monday, February 7 Lone Star—Time TBA
Wednesday, February 9 Lone Star as Ethnography
Friday, February 11 Ethnography Workshop
Monday, February 14 Ethnography Prospectus due; Introduction to
Nella Larsen
Wednesday, February 16 Quicksand 1-93
Friday, February 18 Quicksand 94-135 [end]
Monday, February 21 Introduction to Zora Neale Hurston
Wednesday, February 23 Their Eyes… 1-87
Friday, February 25 Their Eyes. . . 88-116
Monday, February 28 Their Eyes. . . 117-193 [end]
Wednesday, March 2 Summary Review of Article Assignment;
Poster Assignment
Friday, March 4 Library
Spring Break
Monday, March 14 Poster Presentations
Wednesday, March 16 Poster Presentations
Friday, March 18 Song of Solomon
Monday, March 21 Song of Solomon
Wednesday, March 23 Song of Solomon
Spring Holiday
Monday, March 28 Summary Review of Article Presentations:
Peer Review
Wednesday, March 30 Summary Review of Article Presentations
Friday, April 1 Essay topics assigned; Group Work Session
Monday, April 4 Group Work Session
Wednesday, April 6 Essays due; Life Group Facilitation Assgnt.
Friday, April 8 Conferences re: Summary Review
Presentation; Poster Presentation;
Essay #2
Monday, April 11 Conferences cont.
Wednesday, April 13 Conferences cont.
Friday, April 15 Ethnography Draft due; Peer Reviews
Monday, April 18 Life. . . Group Facilitation Workshop
Wednesday, April 20 Life. . . Group Facilitation Workshop
Friday, April 22 Life . . . Group Facilitation Presentation
Monday, April 25 Conferences: Ethnography
Wednesday, April 27 Conferences: Ethnography
Friday, April 29 Ethnography Presentations
Monday, May 2 Ethnography Presentations

Final Exam Day Portfolios Due

Grading:

Speaking Assignments: 50%
Team Presentation/Compare&Contrast: Findings from First Essay- 10%
Team Presentation/Facilitating Classroom Discussion: Life on the Color Line-10%

Individual Oral Presentation/ Poster Session: Special Topic—10%
Individual Oral Presentation/ Summary Review of Critical Article—10%
Individual Oral Presentation: Presentation of Ethnography Findings—10%

Writing Portfolio: 50%
• Worksheets, Responses to Class Prompts, and Quizzes-10%
• Academic Essay—Compare/Contrast: rough draft and final draft—10%
• Academic Essay—Literary Theme: rough draft and final draft—10%
• Research Paper [Ethnography] to include: Prospectus, Rough Draft, Final Draft—20%

Notes:

“Group”Essays: Two of the academic essay assignments will be “work shopped” in class in groups. This means group members will share ideas, construct a thesis, and look for supporting evidence together during class time. They may also share writing responsibilities. However, when it is time to turn the essay in to the instructor, two different possibilities apply:
1. The group may submit one essay for the group. A group secretary should keep a group folder which contains notes, e-mails, outline material, sample paragraphs, drafts with proof reading marks, etc. In other words, the material should show that the group members submitting the draft all contributed to the writing of the paper.
2. Individuals may want to take a different direction in their essay than that the group is taking. They may submit their own paper with their own writing and ideas as long as they are ‘good Samaritans’ and work constructively with the group during those classes designated for group work.

Absences: You are allowed four absences for any reason whatsoever. On the occasion of the fifth absence, your final grade will be lowered by a letter. On the occasion of the eighth absence, you will be dropped from the class. Tardies are counted as an absence. On occasion, the regular class meeting will be cancelled so that you may sign up for a conference with the instructor. Failure to show up for your conference also constitutes an absence.

Reading: Reading should be done in advance of the day it appears on the syllabus.

Font and Length: All work submitted should be typed and double spaced unless you are told otherwise by the instructor. Use 10 or 12 point type. Rough drafts of academic essays should be at least 3.5 pages in length. Revised academic essays should be 5 pages in length. The ethnography should be 5-10 pages in length.

Films: The course requires that you watch two films. Film viewing times will be arranged so that most everyone in the class can be accommodated. Film viewing means that you must spend more than fifty minutes “class time” watching the film on two occasions.