Saint Paul’s College: Department of Humanities & Behavioral Sciences
African American Literature
Class Time: MWF 1-1:50 p.m.
Office: RH 137
Classroom: RH Kiva
Office Hours: TBA, please set up an appointment by email
Office Phone: contact by email only Credit Hours:3
Email: raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com
Website: www.comprone.info
Writing Intensive Course: You will have a minimum of 4000 words of required writing and at least 50% of the final grade is derived from writing assignments.
Pre-requisite: Students who enroll in English 230-1 must have passed English 162 with a grade of C or better.
Endorsmement Competencies for Education Majors:
Knowledge of reading strategies and techniques used to enhance reading comprehensive skills.
Course Description: The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with the African American literary tradition. We will study African American literary works from a broad historical perspective. Students will also be required to write at least 16 pages throughout the semester, and they will learn to write and think critically about literature.
Required/Recommended Textbooks:
These two books will be required for this semester.
NortonAnthology
Poetry
Rationale for Course: The purpose of this course is to improve students' writing skills and to enhance their understanding of the African American literary tradition.
Course Goals, Objectives, and Corresponding Program Outcomes:
1 Develop a comprehensive overview of African American literary traditions
2 Discuss the significance of African American literature
3 Develop students’ ability to write and think critically in an academic context
4 Develop an understanding among students of the importance of African American literature
We will incorporate the QEP writing rubric format designed for writing intensive courses:
Saint Paul’s College General Education Program
Core Program Course Rubric (CPRC)
Writing Rubric
5 (Skilled); 4 (Proficient); 3 (Average); 2 (Marginally Acceptable); 1 (Unacceptable)
Focus and Thesis (1-5)
Questions: Does the essay respond to the prompt in a focused way? Does the essay maintain a single focus throughout?
Goal: Identifiable thesis representing adequate understanding of the assigned topic. Thesis or focus is developed throughout essay.
Evidence (1-5)
Questions: Does the writer support assertions with evidence or examples? Is evidence cited according to required guidelines (such as MLA)? Are quotations integrated into the student’s own writing? Goal: Accurate evidence that is well documented, relevant, well integrated, and/or appropriate.
Organization (1-5)
Questions: Does the student divide paragraphs by idea? Does the student develop paragraphs beyond two sentences? Does the student distinguish between an introductory paragraph, a body paragraph, and a conclusion? Goal: Effective paragraphing with few overall organizational problems. Introduction and conclusion are effectively related to the whole.
Style and Mechanics (1-5)
Question: Is the essay written according to the conventions of Standard Written English? Some sentence-level errors are normal, but not multiple errors of multiple kinds. Goal: Effective and varied sentences; minimal errors in sentence construction; only occasional punctuation, spelling and/or capitalization errors.
Format:
Lecture, but class discussion will be required.
Expectations for Student Behavior:
Please arrange for meeting with me during office hours. Students must behave appropriately by: 1) avoiding talking when the professor is speaking, 2) being punctual (students will lose points for tardiness and excessive absences), 3) ALWAYS bringing their textbooks to class, 4) actively participating in class, 5) not plagiarizing, 6) avoiding the use of foul language and abusive behavior, 8) being polite to other students, and 9) following the dress code and wearing appropriate attire, 10) send all revisions of your assignments with an email to raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com (you must CLEARLY label your assignment and the attachment when you send it to my email. Please use your own email account and clearly identify your name in your email message and in the title of your email message. Please send me Microsoft Word documents and DO NOT SEND PAPERS IN THE TEXT OF YOUR EMAIL. In your email message, put your name, the course you are taking, and the assignment that you are attaching. If you send an assignment to the wrong email, you are responsible for the missing assignment.
Disabilities:
Students with disabilities must refer to the Center for Academic Support Services. They must make an arrangement with me to complete assignments and course material. If supplemental instruction is necessary, they must contact me at raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com. Students with disabilities should attend class, and I will provide supplemental instruction to these students upon request. Students with disabilities must notify their instructors.
Class Format, Process, and Methods of Instruction:
Grading Strategy:
All grades are weighed equally.
You will have four exams throughout the semester in which you will have to write in class essays. Each essay should be at least four pages in length and written according to MLA format.
Exam #1: 20%
Midterm Exam (exam #2): 25%
Exam #3: 20%
Final Exam: 25%
Participation and Attendance: 10%
Total: 100%
Please note that attendance in this course is crucial. Blog posts also count towards class participation, and it is required that you post at least 10 comments on the blog. Please refrain from using inappropriate language on the blog. Also, please check your comments for spelling and punctuation.
Tentative List of Assigned Readings and Assignments:
TBA
In class assignments and blog posts:
Please note that to sign in to the blog, you must have a gmail account. You also can only use certain computers in the computer center in order to use Google Blogger. Please use Google Chrome as your web browser when you sign in, and if that does not work, try a different computer or ask a computer technician (Mr. Macklin) which computer works with Blogger.
Here is the link to my blog:http:www.drcomprone.blogspot.com
Online instruction in this class does not replace class participation.
List of Exams and Exam Material:
The first exam will be on the African American vernacular tradition. You will have to read the first section of the Norton Anthology of Africa American literature.
The midterm exam will be on the poetry of Langston Hughes. Please read my chapter on Langston Hughes and Langston Hughes' poetry in The Norton Anthology of African American Literature.
The third exam will be on the Black Arts Movement. Please read the poetry from the Black Arts Movement in The Norton Anthology of African American Literature, 2nd. Edition.
The fourth exam will be on the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Movement. Please read my chapter on the Harlem Renaissance (the introductory chapter to my book), and please read the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts movment.
In Class Assignments: The blog will be important for your participation grade. Please post at least 10 times.
Recommended Internet Sites: www.comprone.info for updates on assignments, syllabi, poetry club submissions (extra credit)
Please turn in a copy of this syllabus to me with your signature and the date:
Student Name (Please print): ____________
Student signature: ____________________
Date: ______________________
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