ENGL 2100: L&H — Graphic Novels: Super-Humans — Syllabus

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Course Information

ENGL 2100 — Literature and the Humanities (Section G)
CRN: 84687
TR 9:30 - 10:45
Math and Physics 3001

Course Description

The University Catalog descibes this course as an "examination of literature as an expression of the humanities through study of several complete works from at least two historical periods, two genres, and two cultures/countries. Includes an essay or projects involving documentation."

What we'll be doing this semester is looking at several iconic graphic novels and what they have to say about the human condition. "Super-Humans," as our subtitle indicates, are not just superheroes; they're also ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Some of them rise to the occasion, while others fail, and become somewhat less than human.

We'll begin by working on ways to analyze and understand these graphic novels, or any form of sequential art. We'll learn a new language of analysis that incorporates both text and images by working through some material I've prepared for you and by reading McCloud's Understanding Comics. From there, we'll put these skills into practice by first looking at one abiding classic, Art Spiegelman's Maus series, and one very new text, Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. After the midterm, we'll jump back to a work that many consider to be the first great graphic novel, Will Eisner's A Contract with God. Finally, we'll conclude with a work that tops more "Best Graphic Novels of All Time" lists than any other, Alan Moore's Watchmen.

Course Dates

• August 11: Classes begin
• August 11-16: Drop-Add period
• September 6: Labor Day, no classes
• October 7: Last day to withdraw with a "W"
• November 22-26: Thanksgiving Break
• December 1: Classes end
• December 7: Final exam

Learning Outcomes / Career Readiness Competencies

Learning Outcomes are the knowledge or skills you should gain (and be able to demonstrate) by the end of a particular course.

Career Readiness Competencies are core competencies developed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). They address eight areas where employers agree that your abilities and skills signify your readiness to begin and/or extend your career. Below are the skills you'll have the opportunity to practice in this course.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to:

• Analyze works of literature in their historical and cultural contexts, critically examining the values they express.
• Demonstrate familiarity with literary language, periods, and genres.

Career Readiness Competencies contained within this course:

Self-Development	Display curiosity; seek out opportunities to learn. Assume duties or positions that will help one progress professionally. Seek and embrace development opportunities. Voluntarily participate in further education, training, or other events to support one’s career.
Communication	Understand the importance of and demonstrate verbal, written, and non-verbal/body language, abilities. Employ active listening, persuasion, and influencing skills. Communicate in a clear and organized manner so that others can effectively understand. Frame communication with respect to diversity of learning styles, varied individual communication abilities, and cultural differences.
Critical Thinking	Make decisions and solve problems using sound, inclusive reasoning and judgment. Gather and analyze information from a diverse set of sources and individuals to fully understand a problem. Proactively anticipate needs and prioritize action steps. Accurately summarize and interpret data with an awareness of personal biases that may impact outcomes. Effectively communicate actions and rationale, recognizing the diverse perspectives and lived experiences of stakeholders.
Equity and Inclusion	Solicit and use feedback from multiple cultural perspectives to make inclusive and equity-minded decisions. Seek global cross-cultural interactions and experiences that enhance one’s understanding of people from different demographic groups and that leads to personal growth. Keep an open mind to diverse ideas and new ways of thinking.
Leadership	Seek out and leverage diverse resources and feedback from others to inform direction. Use innovative thinking to go beyond traditional methods. Plan, initiate, manage, complete, and evaluate projects.
Professionalism	Act equitably with integrity and accountability to self, others, and the organization. Be present and prepared. Demonstrate dependability (e.g., report consistently for work or meetings). Prioritize and complete tasks to accomplish organizational goals. Consistently meet or exceed goals and expectations. Have an attention to detail, resulting in few if any errors in their work. Show a high level of dedication toward doing a good job
Teamwork	Listen carefully to others, taking time to understand and ask appropriate questions without interrupting. Effectively manage conflict, interact with and respect diverse personalities, and meet ambiguity with resilience. Be accountable for individual and team responsibilities and deliverables. Employ personal strengths, knowledge, and talents to complement those of others. Exercise the ability to compromise and be agile.
Technology	Navigate change and be open to learning new technologies. Use technology to improve efficiency and productivity of their work. Identify appropriate technology for completing specific tasks. Manage technology to integrate information to support relevant, effective, and timely decision-making. Quickly adapt to new or unfamiliar technologies. Manipulate information, construct ideas, and use technology to achieve strategic goals.

These career readiness skills will serve you well no matter what your next steps after graduation might be. Find out more about them on this page of the NACE site.

Required Material

The books we're using for this class are all available at the University bookstore. You can also order them online through Amazon or Abebooks.

You can get the Tophat Pro app either from the University bookstore or directly through Tophat. Instructions for this can be found on this page at the Tophat site.

Understanding Comics Scott McCloud William Morrow Paperbacks; Illustrated Edition (April 27, 1994) 978-0060976255
The Complete Maus Hardcover Art Spiegelman Pantheon (November 19, 1996) 978-0679406419
The Handmaid's Tale: The Graphic Novel Margaret Atwood and Renee Nault Nan A. Talese; Illustrated Edition (March 26, 2019) 978-0385539241
A Contract with God Will Eisner 6th edition (2006) 978-0393328042
Watchmen Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons DC Comics; Illustrated Edition (May 20, 2019) 978-1779501127
Tophat Pro App

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Course Structure

General

We'll begin and end each class period with questions from the quiz for the day. The opening questions will be just a check on your reading for the day. The other questions will check on your understanding of the material covered in that class period.

CARES and COVID

If you need to self-report either a confirmed or suspected positive COVID-19 diagnosis, have received self-quarantine requirements, or have symptoms with pending test results, please complete the CARES Center COVID-19 self-reporting form (through the MyGeorgiaSouthern portal under "COVID-19 Information & Resources"). You may also reach the CARES Center by using the MyGS mobile app, calling 912-478-CARE (M-F 8am-5pm), or emailing covidsupport@georgiasouthern.edu. The CARES Center should not be used for medical advice. If you need medical advice, you need to call your health provider or 911.

If you have an accommodation from the CARES office regarding your COVID-19 status — and ONLY if you have one — you will be able to make up the daily quizzes that you will miss during your 10-day exclusion. Once you contact the CARES office, you should also email Dr. Pellegrino to set up this accommodation. When we receive your CARES report, we will work out a twice-weekly time for you to take the quizzes.

If you are on exclusion when a paper is due or an exam is given, we can extend a deadline or set up alternative testing once we hear from you and receive your CARES report.

Again, we can offer you these accommodations only if we receive a report from the CARES Office. We cannot just take your word for it, and we are unable to do anything for you if you report your COVID-19 status after you return to class.

Workload

During the semester you'll be responsible for reading five graphic novels, taking in-class quizzes via Tophat, taking two exams, and writing two short papers. See more information about each of these below. You'll submit your papers and take your exams via Folio.

I'll drop your three lowest in-class quiz scores

Using TopHat

We will be using Top Hat Pro (www.tophat.com) for class participation. You will be able to submit answers to in-class questions using Apple or Android smartphones and tablets, laptops, or through a text message. For instructions on how to create a Top Hat account and enroll in our Top Hat Pro course, please refer to the invitation sent to your school email address or consult Top Hat's Getting Started Guide (https://bit.ly/31TGMlw).

If you already have a Top Hat account, go to https://app.tophat.com/e/092283 to be taken directly to our course. If you are new to Top Hat, follow the link in the email invitation you received or...

• Go to https://app.tophat.com/register/student
• Click "Search by school" and input Georgia Southern
• Search for our course with the following join code: 092283

Should you require assistance with Top Hat at any time please contact their Support Team directly by way of email (support@tophat.com), the in-app support button, or by calling 1-888-663-5491. Specific user information may be required by their technical support team when troubleshooting issues.

We'll be using the TopHat app for several different things. During every class period (beginning with week 2), I'll ask a series of questions though the app. You'll then have a certain amount of time to answer the question, after which the question closes.

Some of these questions will serve to demonstrate that you have done the required reading, while others will offer a check on your comprehension of what we're covering in that particular class.

At the most mundane level, your responses will serve to demonstrate that you attended class on that particular day.

Exams

We'll have two multiple-choice exams, one halfway through the course and one at the end of the course. These will be 33 questions each, with roughly 1/3 of the questions in these three areas: identification of a text, historical and cultural contexts for a text, and thematic concerns within a text.

Exams are available from midnight to midnight on the dates noted in the schedule. You may take the exam at any time on the day that is it available. Once you open the first exam, you'll have 75 minutes to complete and submit it. Once you open the second exam, you'll have two hours to complete it.

Attendance

You can miss up to four class periods with no negative ramifications (that's two full weeks of class, or almost 15% of our class time).

I don't need any excuses or explanations from you for these absences. Believe me, you don't want me in the position to judge whether your absences are excuse-worthy or not. So you can blow this class off because it's a nice day out, or you're just not up for it, or you're still recovering from the night before. As long as you're under four absences, it doesn't matter.

But every absence after your fourth will negatively affect your grade. Not only will you score 0 on the daily quiz, but your fifth and subsequent absences will each lower your final grade for the class by 2%. As with your previous absences, no excuse or explanation will help you to neutralize the negative effects of these absences.

In short, save your cuts. If you've already missed four classes, then you must miss for a University-sanctioned event, (which you'll demonstrate by providing the University letter to me asking for your absence), you'll still lose points for that fifth absence. The ordering of your absences doesn't matter; it's the nature of them that counts.

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Course Expectations

Learning Commitment

The "Carnegie Unit" is how universities define credit hours and categorize the amount of work students do for each credit hour. Each credit requires three "contact hours," which are essentially the hours you spend in class. And each contact hour requires two hours of outside work, or time devoted to the class that doesn't happen in the class. This is a three-credit course, with 45 contact hours. Those 45 contact hours necessitate at least 90 hours of out-of-class work on your part. That's at least 135 hours committed for each three-credit class that you take.

If you're not a self-starter, or you have problems with deadlines, or you just don't think you can commit to this level of work, you should probably look for another section of this class.

Academic Integrity

I expect that you will conduct yourself within the guidelines of the Honor System. All academic work should be completed with the high level of honesty and integrity that this University demands.

I do not tolerate academic dishonesty. Beyond the moral implications, I find it insulting. All instances of plagiarism will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct. Any instance will result in an F in the course and possibly further sanctions. Plagiarism is presenting someone else's work as your own without giving them credit. "Someone else" is defined as anyone other than you: another student, a friend, relative, a source on the Internet, articles or books. And “work” is defined as ideas as well as language. So taking someone else's ideas and putting them in your own words—or using someone else's words to express your ideas—is plagiarism. And, in the case of friends and family, it doesn't matter if they give you permission.

A note about group work: I encourage you to read and discuss these texts together outside of class. It is, in fact, the core of our endeavor, to hone our own ideas on these texts through discussions with others. You should also discuss your writing with your classmates, as hearing a number of ideas will help you create your own. However, this does not mean that you should write your papers as a group. While discussion is obviously a group activity, writing is a solitary one, and should be treated as such. Any attempt to subvert this will be an instance of academic dishonesty.

Here is how the University defines Academic Dishonesty (from the Student Conduct Code):

CHEATING

1. submitting material that is not yours as part of your course performance;
2. using information or devices that are not allowed by the faculty;
3. obtaining and/or using unauthorized materials;
4. fabricating information, research, and/or results;
5. violating procedures prescribed to protect the integrity of an assignment, test, or other evaluation;
6. collaborating with others on assignments without the faculty's consent;
7. cooperating with and/or helping another student to cheat;
8. demonstrating any other forms of dishonest behavior.

PLAGIARISM

1. directly quoting the words of others without using quotation marks or indented format to identify them;
2. using sources of information (published or unpublished) without identifying them;
3. paraphrasing materials or ideas without identifying the source;
4. Self-plagiarism: re-submitting work previously submitted without explicit approval from the instructor;
5. unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic material.

Should you wish to pursue a case of academic dishonesty through the Office of Student Conduct, I will speak at your hearing and send a copy of this syllabus along with the documents in question to the Hearing Officer, so a plea of ignorance or non-malicious intent on your part will not be valid.

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Course Schedule

You should have read the chapters listed BEFORE the class where they're listed. The in-class questions will address those chapters, so if you have not read those chapters, you will not do well on the in-class quizzes.

Date	Reading Due	Other Material Due
8/12	Syllabus, schedule, academic honesty
8/17	Introduction to Comics/Graphic Novels
8/19	Understanding Comics, Chapters 1-2
8/24	Understanding Comics, Chapters 3-4
8/26	Understanding Comics, Chapters 5-6
8/31	Understanding Comics, Chapters 7-8
9/2	Understanding Comics, Chapter 9
9/7	Maus I, Chapters 1-2
9/9	Maus I, Chapters 3-4
9/14	Maus I, Chapters 5-6
9/16	Maus II, Chapters 1-2
9/21	Maus II, Chapters 3-4
9/23	Maus II, Chapter 5
9/28	The Handmaid's Tale, Chapters 1-4
9/30	The Handmaid's Tale, Chapters 5-8
10/5	The Handmaid's Tale, Chapters 9-12	Exam 1
10/7	The Handmaid's Tale, Chapter 13 - Historical Notes
10/12	The Handmaid's Tale, Review	Paper #1 Due
10/14	A Contract with God, Preface, Introduction, "A Tenement in Brooklyn," and up to page 25.
10/16	A Contract with God, pp. 26-65
10/21	A Contract with God, "The Street Singer"
10/26	A Contract with God , "The Super"
10/28	A Contract with God , "Cookalein"
11/2	Watchmen, Chapters 1-2
11/4	Watchmen, Chapters 3-4
11/9	Watchmen, Chapters 5-6
11/11	Watchmen, Chapters 7-8
11/16	Watchmen, Chapters 9-10
11/18	Watchmen, Chapters 11-12	Paper #2 due
11/30	Watchmen, review and catch-up
12/7	10:00 am - 12:00 pm	Exam #2

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Instructors

A WORD ABOUT EMAIL

Please don't hesitate to post to either of us if you have a question about any of the readings, especially if you're struggling to figure them out. But please think twice about posting questions where the answer is either in this syllabus or in the course schedule. If you do, I have two options for a reply: I can copy and paste material from the syllabus or schedule just for you, but that's redundant, since you already have access to the material. Or I can reply with something like "check the syllabus" or "check the schedule," which you should already know to do. Since neither of those are satisfactory, if you ask a question that is already answered in the syllabus or in the schedule, I won't be replying at all. So if you don't hear back from me, you should know that the answer to your question is in this document (since the course schedule is here as well.)

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CLASS POLICIES

Writing Proficiency

If you need additional work on the surface features of your writing I will require you to schedule sessions at the Writing Center in order to pass the course. If you're unable to get to campus in order to meet with the Writing Center staff, you'll have to provide documentation that you availed yourself of some other tutoring, editing, or proofreading service.

Course Work

All electronically-submitted assignments will be placed in the appropriate dropbox section or discussion forum of the Learning Management System (Folio).

I DO NOT ACCEPT LATE ASSIGNMENTS. NO EXCEPTIONS, NO EXCUSES. A late assignment is any work that is not turned in during the class period in which it is due. This means that you must anticipate any problems that will occur. In other words, a computer / printer / drive / car / arm being broken at the last minute is not an excuse. To avoid last-minute catastrophes (which always occur) DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO DO YOUR WORK.

Accessibility Accommodation

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), this course will honor requests for reasonable accommodations made by individuals with disabilities or demonstrating appropriate need for learning environment adjustments. Students must self-disclose their disability to the Student Accessibility Resource Center (SARC) before academic accommodations can be implemented.

For additional information, please call the SARC office at (912) 478-1566 on the Statesboro campus, or at (912) 344-2572 on the Armstrong and Liberty campuses.

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Prompts for Your Papers

You'll write two short papers for this class, both tied to the course learning outcomes. For these, you'll produce a multi-paragraph document of between 500 and 600 words which addresses the prompt thoroughly and demonstrates your knowledge. These essays should be typed and double-spaced, with a 12-point font, and your name in the upper left corner of the first page. You'll submit them to the appropriate dropboxes in Folio, where they will go through the TurnItIn check for academic honesty.

You may use external sources in your essays, and if you do you will need to acknowledge where you got your information from. And if you use the source's language, put it in quotation marks.

The prompts for each of these essays will be almost exactly the same, and they will directly address the Learning Outcomes for this course. Learning Outcomes are the knowledge or skills you should gain (and be able to demonstrate) by the end of a particular course.

As a reminder, the learning outcomes for this course are : 1) the ability to analyze works of literature in their historical and cultural contexts, critically examining the values they express, and 2) the ability to demonstrate familiarity with literary language, periods, and genres. In these assignments, you'll show your competence in the second outcome as you specifically address the first outcome. In a nutshell, you'll choose one of the texts we've covered up to a certain point in the class, develop a list of the values you think are expressed within that text, then support your analysis by showing three different places in the text where you see those values expressed. Along the way to proving your point, you'll need to use the appropriate literary language. A more thorough prompt for each paper is below.

My comments on your papers will be available to you through the Grademark view in the TurnItIn section (click on your TurnItIn score to access this).

Extended Prompt - Paper 1

Cultural values are what shape society, and shape and influence the people who live within that society. They are abstract concepts promoting the idea that certain kinds of behaviors are good, right, ethical, moral, and therefore desirable. They're usually considered as existing on a spectrum, where the ends of that spectrum are two oppositional ways of being in the world. Here are some examples of some common cultural values, expressed as opposing forces:

NOTE: The list above is made up of pairs of opposites. Each pair IS NOT a cultural value. Rather, what a culture values falls somewhere along the line connecting those opposites. So, for instance, a culture could demonstrate gender equality, but if it did so, it would not also enforce rigid gender roles. Or a group of people could value rationality when they make their life decisions, but they would not at the same time privilege making life decisions based on your emotions.

In this first essay, you will offer an analysis of the cultural values presented in any of the works we've covered up to this point. So you can write on either Maus or The Handmaid's Tale. You should be familiar with how the values that are manifested in these works. However, I'm not looking for a discussion of a character's personal values; that's a completely different subject. Rather, you should address the overarching values that the text is putting forth, and perhaps demonstrate how the author is either reflecting the values of the times, or pushing against those values.

You should produce a multi-paragraph document of between 500 and 600 words which addresses this matter thoroughly and demonstrates your knowledge. This essay should be typed and double-spaced, with a 12-point font, and your name in the upper left corner of the first page. You'll submit it to the “Paper #1” dropbox, where it will go through the TurnItIn check for academic honesty.

You may use external sources in your essay, and if you do you will need to acknowledge where you got your information from. If you use the source’s language, put it in quotation marks. If you’re quoting from one of the poems you're looking at, cite the line number. If you're quoting something from one of the prose works, just cite the page number.

In case all of the above isn’t clear enough, here’s a paragraph-by-paragraph breakdown of what your paper should look like:

1. Paragraph 1: Introduce the text and explain how the text addresses the prevailing cultural values present at the time of its composition. Do not just list those values; explain what they mean.
2. Paragraph 2: Demonstrate how and where the first cultural value can be seen in the text you have chosen. Quote the text at the appropriate spots and explain how those quotations illustrate the value.
3. Paragraph 3: Demonstrate how and where a second cultural value can be seen in the text you have chosen. Quote the text at the appropriate spots and explain how those quotations illustrate the value.
4. Paragraph 4: Demonstrate how and where a third cultural value can be seen in the text you have chosen. Quote the text at the appropriate spots and explain how those quotations illustrate the value.
5. Paragraph 5: Wrap it up.

Comments on your papers and your grade on the paper will be available to you through the Grademark view in the TurnItIn section (click on your TurnItIn score to access this).

Your TurnItIn Score

After you submit your paper and TurnItIn has completed its analysis, you are able to see your TurnItIn Originality Score. In general, lower numbers are better here, unless you're quoting a lot of material from the text. Your score will also have a color attached to it. If the color you see is anything other than green, check your paper again to see that you have cited all your sources correctly. If you have, then you're good. If you haven't, then you can revise your paper and resubmit it. I will evaluate only the most recent version of your paper in the dropbox, but you can submit as many versions of it as you feel necessary.

How to view your marked papers in the Grademark View:

1. Click on the colored section that has a percentage within it next to your paper title under the "TurnItIn Score" heading. This will take you to the TurnItIn suite.
2. Once your paper loads, click on the icon at the top of the array of icons to the right of your paper. This will allow you to view multiple layers with your paper.
3. In the list that flies out from the right, click on all three layers: Grading, Similarity, and e-rater.
4. Double-click on any blue box in your paper to see my comment attached to that box.
5. Double-click on any number in your paper to see the match that TurnItIn connected with the passage it highlighted.
6. Double-click on any purple comment in your paper to see the machine-scored grammar corrections and access the handbook available to you.

Extended Prompt - Paper 2

Cultural values are what shape society, and shape and influence the people who live within that society. They are abstract concepts promoting the idea that certain kinds of behaviors are good, right, ethical, moral, and therefore desirable. They're usually considered as existing on a spectrum, where the ends of that spectrum are two oppositional ways of being in the world. Here are some examples of some common cultural values, expressed as opposing forces:

NOTE: The list above is made up of pairs of opposites. Each pair IS NOT a cultural value. Rather, what a culture values falls somewhere along the line connecting those opposites. So, for instance, a culture could demonstrate gender equality, but if it did so, it would not also enforce rigid gender roles. Or a group of people could value rationality when they make their life decisions, but they would not at the same time privilege making life decisions based on your emotions.

In this second essay, you will offer an analysis of the cultural values presented in any of the works we've covered since the first essay. So you can write on either A Contract with God or Watchmen. You should be familiar with how the values are manifested in these works. However, I'm not looking for a discussion of a particular character's personal values; that's a completely different subject. Rather, you should address the overarching values that the text is putting forth, and perhaps demonstrate how the author is either reflecting the values of the times, or pushing against those values.

You should produce a multi-paragraph document of between 500 and 600 words which addresses this matter thoroughly and demonstrates your knowledge. This essay should be typed and double-spaced, with a 12-point font, and your name in the upper left corner of the first page. You'll submit it to the “Paper #1” dropbox, where it will go through the TurnItIn check for academic honesty.

You may use external sources in your essay, and if you do you will need to acknowledge where you got your information from. If you use the source’s language, put it in quotation marks. If you’re quoting from one of the poems you're looking at, cite the line number. If you're quoting something from one of the prose works, just cite the page number.

In case all of the above isn’t clear enough, here’s a paragraph-by-paragraph breakdown of what your paper should look like:

1. Paragraph 1: Introduce the text and explain how the text addresses the prevailing cultural values present at the time of its composition. Do not just list those values; explain what they mean.
2. Paragraph 2: Demonstrate how and where the first cultural value can be seen in the text you have chosen. Quote the text at the appropriate spots and explain how those quotations illustrate the value.
3. Paragraph 3: Demonstrate how and where a second cultural value can be seen in the text you have chosen. Quote the text at the appropriate spots and explain how those quotations illustrate the value.
4. Paragraph 4: Demonstrate how and where a third cultural value can be seen in the text you have chosen. Quote the text at the appropriate spots and explain how those quotations illustrate the value.
5. Paragraph 5: Wrap it up.

Comments on your papers and your grade on the paper will be available to you through the Grademark view in the TurnItIn section (click on your TurnItIn score to access this).

Your TurnItIn Score

After you submit your paper and TurnItIn has completed its analysis, you are able to see your TurnItIn Originality Score. In general, lower numbers are better here, unless you're quoting a lot of material from the text. Your score will also have a color attached to it. If the color you see is anything other than green, check your paper again to see that you have cited all your sources correctly. If you have, then you're good. If you haven't, then you can revise your paper and resubmit it. I will evaluate only the most recent version of your paper in the dropbox, but you can submit as many versions of it as you feel necessary.

How to view your marked papers in the Grademark View:

1. Click on the colored section that has a percentage within it next to your paper title under the "TurnItIn Score" heading. This will take you to the TurnItIn suite.
2. Once your paper loads, click on the icon at the top of the array of icons to the right of your paper. This will allow you to view multiple layers with your paper.
3. In the list that flies out from the right, click on all three layers: Grading, Similarity, and e-rater.
4. Double-click on any blue box in your paper to see my comment attached to that box.
5. Double-click on any number in your paper to see the match that TurnItIn connected with the passage it highlighted.
6. Double-click on any purple comment in your paper to see the machine-scored grammar corrections and access the handbook available to you.

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Rubric

     Essay Rubric
Your papers for this class will be evaluated according to this rubric:

ENGL 2110 ESSAY RUBRIC
GRADE	CONTENT	FORM
A	All elements of the paper clearly contribute to the writer’s purpose, which is maintained throughout the paper and appropriate for the assignment. The writer addresses the appropriate topic and goes beyond the assignment by significantly developing each aspect of the requirements. Collectively, the ¶ topics offer compelling support which clearly advances the argument of the paper. Compelling details provide supporting statements, credible evidence, or the examples necessary to explain or persuade effectively. All points are supported by a sufficient number of details.	Level of discourse is consistent and addresses the appropriate audience; the paper keenly and accurately anticipates the audience’s needs and expectations. All sentences are grammatically and mechanically correct. Each ¶ is unified around an idea that relates to the main idea of the paper. All ¶s support the main idea, are thoroughly developed, and are ordered logically. Sentences vary in complexity, length, and variety when appropriate, with an appropriate degree of complexity for the audience and purpose. Word choice is consistently varied, accurate, and rich, and reflects a nuanced grasp of the language appropriate to the audience. Transitional words, phrases, sentences and ¶s smoothly connect the paper’s elements, ideas and/or details, allowing the reader to follow the writer’s points effortlessly. MLA 8 format is used consistently and accurately throughout the paper.
B	The writer’s purpose is present, appropriate for the assignment, and maintained throughout the paper. The writer addresses the appropriate topic and clearly fulfills each aspect of the assignment requirements. Collectively, the ¶ topics offer relevant support which clearly advances the argument of the paper. Details provide supporting statements, credible evidence, or the examples necessary to explain or persuade adequately. All points are developed, but some may need additional details.	Level of discourse is appropriate, but the paper has rare lapses in anticipating the needs of its audience. Rare grammatical and mechanical errors exist but do not affect clarity or readability. ¶s support the main idea of the paper and are ordered logically. ¶s are thoroughly developed, but an occasional ¶ may not be unified around a single idea. Variances in sentence complexity, length, and variety are successfully achieved, although these may be limited. Degree of complexity is appropriate for the audience and purpose. Word choice is consistently varied and accurate, and reflects a strong grasp of the language appropriate to the audience. Transitional words, phrases, sentences and ¶s are effective and rarely missing. MLA 8 format is used throughout the paper, with few exceptions.
C	The writer’s purpose is present and appropriate for the assignment, but not all elements clearly contribute to the purpose. The writer addresses the appropriate topic and meets the assignment requirements. Collectively, the ¶ topics offer adequate support for the argument of the paper, but the argument remains unclear or incomplete. Details are related to the elements of the text but inconsistently provide supporting statements, credible evidence, or the examples necessary to explain or persuade adequately. Additional details are needed to develop some points.	Level of discourse is appropriate, but the paper has lapses in anticipating the needs of its audience. A limited variety of grammatical errors exists, and may occasionally affect clarity and readability. ¶s are related to the main idea of the paper, but a limited number may be misplaced or include more than one idea. ¶s are adequately developed. Sentence length and variety is limited, but complex structures are attempted with some success. Any fragments are used intentionally for effect. Word choice is generally accurate, but reflects a partial or inconsistent grasp of the language appropriate to the audience. Transitional words, phrases, sentences and ¶s appear throughout the paper, but additional and appropriate connectors would enhance the flow. MLA 8 format is used, with multiple lapses.
D	The writer presents multiple conflicting purposes, or the purpose is inappropriate for the assignment / prompt. The writer addresses the appropriate topic but only superficially addresses the assignment requirements. Collectively, the ¶ topics offer apparent support for the argument of the paper, but the argument is weak. Details are loosely related to the elements of the text. Many do not provide supporting statements, credible evidence, or the examples necessary to explain or persuade adequately. Additional details are needed to develop most points.	Level of discourse is confused, or the paper addresses the audience on an inappropriate level. A variety of grammatical errors appears throughout the paper, possibly affecting clarity and readability. ¶s are attempted, but breaks or ¶s may be misplaced. Several ¶s are not adequately developed, include multiple ideas, or ideas that are unrelated to the main idea of the ¶. Sentence structure is typically simplistic, and complex structures are attempted with little success. Several sentences are unintentionally fused, run-ons, or fragments. Word choice is vague, limited, or repetitive, reflecting a weak grasp of the language appropriate to the audience. Transitional words, phrases, sentences and ¶s are attempted, but are often ineffective. MLA 8 format is attempted but inaccurate, or multiple style guidelines are mixed.
F	The writer’s purpose is not evident in the paper. The writer is off topic and/or omits most or all of the assignment requirements. The connection of the ¶ topics to the main idea of the paper is weak, leaving the argument unclear. Details are superficial or do not develop the elements of the text. Virtually no details are present.	Level of discourse is inappropriate for the audience, or the intended audience is unclear. Most sentences exhibit multiple grammatical and mechanical errors, negatively affecting clarity and readability. There are no ¶ breaks, or ¶s are not adequately developed. Ideas presented may be unrelated to the main idea of the paper and/or be presented illogically. Sentence structure is simple and repetitive. Complex structures are uniformly unsuccessful. Many sentences are unintentionally fused, run-ons, or fragments. Word choice is consistently inaccurate or inappropriate to the audience; many words are notably misused. Transitional words, phrases, sentences and ¶s are absent, or, if attempted, are ineffective. MLA 8 format is not attempted.

Questions I ask while grading

For each sentence in your paper, I ask the following questions:

1. What are you saying?
   At a basic level, I’m trying to decode the meaning of each sentence. If I cannot understand what you’re trying to say, everything that follows is problematic. If your sentence is confused, convoluted, or contradictory, you make it difficult, or even impossible, for me to answer this basic question.
2. Is what you’re saying accurate?
   Does this sentence demonstrate that you understand the text or the critic you’re addressing? For instance, if you’re summarizing someone else’s argument, I need to assess if you’re being true to the original author's intent. In your response, I’m assessing your evidence and examples.
3. Is what you’re saying well-expressed grammatically and mechanically?
   This assumes that your grammar and mechanics aren’t so bad that I’ve been stymied back up at Question #1.
4. Does the writing have appropriate flow?
   Does each idea link up with the one previous to it and the one to follow in a way that meets audience needs, attitudes, and knowledge?

If I can answer all four of these questions positively for every sentence, you’re doing well. But when the answer is no, complications ensue. If I can’t understand what you’re saying, I have no way to engage with your ideas, and so I have additional questions.:

• Do you not understand the original text you’re addressing?
• Do you understand the original text, but your writing leaves a gap between that understanding and what is written on the page?

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Evaluation

ASSIGNMENT	WEIGHT
In-class Quizzes	30%
Paper 1	15%
Paper 2	15%
Exam 1	20%
Exam 2	20%
TOTAL	100%