You and a partner will be responsible for leading 30-40 minutes of class discussion for certain sessions. E-mail us by at least 5 p.m. the night before your class session to let us know which poems to focus on. Review the criteria for evaluating SLEDDS.
Think about the poems assigned for those sessions in particular depth and note problems, questions, or points of interest which you think the class should address. (Please do not spend class time summarizing the authors' lives.) Draw our attention to images, lines, or stanzas that you think are especially interesting or problematic and use them to generate discussion. Distribute copies of your list of questions or key points at the beginning of the session. Be prepared to read pertinent parts of the poems aloud to the class. Practice until you can read them fluently and expressively.
Format for final presentations will be distributed in class. For criteria used in evaluating presentations and other forms of oral participation, click here.This research paper should be 7-9 pages in length. It may be longer, if necessary, but grades will be docked on papers that fall short of the minimum. Before getting started on your research, talk with me briefly after class or during office hours about what questions you wish to expore in your paper and why you think they are important. A strong paper will likely address some aspect of a question or debate or theoretical problem and at the same time closely explore specific aspects of a poem (or poems).
Normally, your papers should not be on a poem that we discussed at length in class.Your paper should contain citations from at least five different secondary sources (books and articles). Document them properly, using the MLA style of documentation, and include a "Works Cited" page. (You may also include a separate "Works Consulted" page, if you want to indicate works that you read in researching your paper, but did not end up citing.)
If you submit the completed paper by April 20, you will have the option to revise it after it has been returned to you with my comments. The revised version would be due on May 4. The previous version with my comments must be attached to the revised version. The grade on the revised version will be averaged with the grade on the first version. If revisions are substantial and especially effective, the grade on the revised version will be weighted more heavily.
Papers with multiple spelling, punctuation, and grammatical or stylistic errors will not be graded until they are resubmitted in an acceptable form.
Paper deadlines will be extended and absences will be excused only in the case of a verifiable medical or personal emergency.
Late papers for which no extension has been granted will receive an "F." The portfolio and the research paper must be submitted, and the final presentation must be delivered, in order for you to qualify for a passing grade in the course.
Remember that plagiarism, even when unintentional, is a serious offense. If you are convicted of plagiarizing work that you submit for this course, you will most likely fail the course and may incur other penalties as decided by the Judicial Committee. If you are not sure what plagiarism is, please ask me.
FORMAT FOR PAPER:
Type the title of your paper, your name, the course title, and the date on a separate cover page. You do not need to retype any of this information (even the title) on the first page of your essay. Don't underline, italicize, or put quotation marks around the title of your paper.
In the body of your essay, use 12-point font. Whatever typeface you choose has to be easily legible and should not draw attention to itself.
Use 1" spacing on all sides. You may double space between lines as long as you end up with approximately 250-300 words/page. Otherwise, use 1.5 spacing between lines. Don't insert additional space between paragraphs.
Proofread your work carefully.
Paginate and staple your essay before submitting it. For your own protection, save a copy of your essay before submitting it.
HELPFUL WRITING WEBSITES:
Writing Center Handouts: UNC Chapel Hill (with "MLA Citations" link)
The Elements of Style, William Strunk, Jr.
George Orwell's Handy Word Choice Hints
"Shutters shut." – Gertrude Stein
"Notice what you notice." – Allen Ginsberg
In your three typed, 300-500 word commentaries, as in your SLEDDS, draw our attention to specific images, lines, or stanzas that you think are especially important, intriguing, confusing, or enigmatic. See if you can use these 'moments' in the text(s) as points of entry that open up the poem(s) for further inquiry. You do not have to know the answers to your own questions! The more exploratory and open-ended your commentaries are, the better, as long as they are anchored in the poems and keep returning to them.
Commentaries should be e-mailed to everyone in the class, including the instructor, at least one full hour before class on the day they are due. Bring your own copy of your commentary to class. Make sure that your commentaries read well aloud, since I may ask you to read yours in class.
Majors fulfilling their senior exercise requirement with this course may substitute their senior exercise and presentation for the required research paper and presentation. Their SLEDDS need to concern poets other than those they are writing on for their senior projects. Majors receive an additional hour of credit for the senior exercise.