ENGL 2111.

45 ONLINE SPRING 2009

World Literature
Dr. Gerald Lucas
Course Orientation: Tuesday, 1/13/09, WRC-111, 8:15-10:45pm
Textbook
Our study of World Literature
this semester will use the Norton
Anthology of World Literature, Vol-
ume A, edited by Sarah Lawall. The
text will be supplemented with
additional, online readings.
Computer
Since this is an online course,
you must have access to a newer
computer with a reliable Internet
access. As a part of this require-
ment, your computer should have
a current web browser, like Safari
or Firefox, and Adobe Acrobat in-
Course Overview
We will focus on textual
studies of the major genres of
this period, epic and tragedy,
how those genres influenced
later literary works, and how
they portray “humanist”
issues throughout the Greek
and Roman national literary
traditions. ENGL 2111 will
show the continued relevance
of just why ancient works are
still paramount to knowing
ourselves as “humans.” Major
works covered will include
Gilgamesh, the Iliad, the
Odyssey, and works by
Sophocles, Euripides, and
Ovid. Since any survey course
has much more
literature than
one semester-
long class can
cover, we will
attempt to cover
only a couple
works in detail,
rather than many
works only cursorily.

ONLINE CONSIDERATIONS
So, you're thinking about taking an online
literature or composition course? Please read
the following carefully before committing to a
very challenging course.
The first meeting of this course is
mandatory; if you miss it for any reason,
your final grade will suffer by one letter
and you will find it very difficult to get
started in the course on your own. After this first
meeting, we will not meet in a classroom again. All
evaluation, discussion, and lecture will take place
online.
Part of the orientation will be getting an
account on LitMUSE. If for any reason you
miss this meeting, all the information may
be found there: <http://litmuse.net/>.

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 ENGL 2111.45 ONLINE SPRING 2009

COURSE INTRODUCTION (CONT.)

stalled. There are computers available for open-use
on campus, but you should not rely on these. The
work for this course is too much for you to accom-
plish in the ARC.
LitMUSE
You are required to have an account on Lit-
MUSE (see http://litmuse.net/), the server that will
support all of your work in this class. You should
login to the server at least once a day to receive any
announcements or changes that are made to the
class.
This sever contains all the information
presented in this document. It also
houses resources that go far beyond
this syllabus. I would recommend that
you spend some time familiarizing
yourself with these. They are de-
signed to help you help yourself to
produce stellar work both in this
class and those you will subsequently
attempt.

ONLINE CONSIDERATIONS CONTINUED

Time
You may believe that because
this course is offered online, that
it will not require as much time as
a traditional classroom course.
Well, you should plan on spending
at least twice the amount of time
working on your own to make up
for what you would not receive
from class discussions and lecture.
This includes doing extra secon-
dary research, something you may
not be used to doing.
Motivation
Since you will be required to
budget your time, you must also
be self-motivated. You will not
have the benefit of having a pro-
fessor's presence compelling you
to do your work each week; you
will have to take on the responsi-
bility. The reality of this is more literature courses are challenging,
difficult than it may seem. Pro-
crastination will put you behind
and make it very difficult for you
to recover.
Course Work
If you have not successfully
completed an online course be-
fore, I recommend that you do not
begin with this one. If you have
not successfully completed a
college-level literature course be-
fore (like making at least a B in
ENGL 1102), you should not begin
with this one. Literature courses
benefit from in-class discussion;
many find the literature challeng-
ing, so without the benefit of a
professor's in-class guidance, many
find the challenge too difficult.
The bottom line is that online
which unfortunately produces
high attrition rate because many
students are just not ready for
them. I do not want to discourage
anyone from taking it, and I'm
willing to discuss this further with
anyone during my office hours or
by appointment. However, I ask
that you consider this carefully; do
not sign up for the class with the
expectation that it will be easy. If
anything, it is more difficult than
taking the course in-class.

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COURSE POLICIES restating an idea in an entirely new WEEKLY PROCEDURE

Assignments
Your work represents you.
Therefore, I expect everything
you turn into me to exemplify the
very best of your professional self.
Please proofread all writing before that are not common knowledge,
submission.
Deadlines
Late work is not acceptable
and will receive a zero. Technical,
computer malfunctions are not
acceptable excuses for late work.
Weekly work is always due Tues-
day at noon.
Email
The best and quickest way of
contacting me is via email. Only
use the email address that I pro-
vided on this document for class
business: <worldlit@grlucas.net>.
Grades
Letter grades are based upon a
traditional ten-point scale. If you
would like to know your official
grade, you should see me during
my office hours or make an ap-
pointment.
Plagiarism
Any time you use ideas that
are not your own — be they para-
phrased or copied verbatim — in
anything that you write, you must
supply a citation in an identifiable
citation method, e.g., MLA, Chi-
cago, etc. Willful plagiarism will
result in automatic failure of this
class and will be submitted to the
Dean for further potential conse-
quences. Remember two things:
If you use the language of your ticularly using a web browser. Stu-
source, you must quote it exactly, dents should be willing to put
enclose it in quotation marks, and forth the effort to learn what they
cite the source using MLA citation need to in order to succeed in the
style in all my courses. A para-
phrase employs source material by tional assistance when necessary.
form that is original in both sen-
tence structure and word choice.
Quotations and paraphrases must
be cited to avoid plagiarism.
If you use ideas or information regularly and on-time. All of your
you must cite a source.
Unsure as to what to cite,
when to cite, and how to cite?
Check your handbook for the best signed reading that you should
information.
The professor reserves the
right to use Turn It In, a plagia-
rism prevention service, to evalu-
ate any written work submitted
for this course. As directed by the
professor, students are expected to
submit or have their assignments
submitted through the service in
order to meet requirements for
this course. The papers may be
retained by the service for the sole
purpose of checking for plagia-
rized content in future student
submissions.
Special Needs
Any student who has special
needs should contact Ann E. Loyd
at the Counseling and Career Cen-
ter (478-471-2714) and fill out the
appropriate paperwork. The stu-
dent should then see me with the
documentation so that the neces-
sary accommodations can be
made.
Technology Competency
Computer competency is an
integral skill in any discipline. Stu-
dents should be familiar with the
general uses of a computer, par-
course. Please see me for addi-
Every week will follow a simi-
lar procedure for your work and
reading. Be sure you keep up with
the syllabus and turn your work in
coursework will be done on the
LitMUSE Moodle server.
Primary Reading
Each week you will have as-
complete before doing anything
else. As you read, take thorough
reading notes; be sure you are fa-
miliar with the plot, characters,
and major concerns of the text.
Reading Quiz
After finishing your reading,
you should take a brief reading
quiz. These quizzes will test you
on the facts of the text, like char-
acters, plot details, and other ob-
vious aspects of the narrative.
These are just to test your literal
knowledge of the text(s). There
will not always be a quiz assigned.
Secondary Reading
Since you do not have the
benefit of class lecture, I will as-
sign additional reading for you to
do each week that concerns the
primary text. This criticism will
give you background information
and assist you in getting your head
around the various interpretations
of the text.
Forum Discussion
Finally, you should put what
you learned together into a forum
discussion with your classmates.
Your total word count for the fo-
rum should add up to a minimum
of 350 words, including threads
started and responded to.
Each forum discussion will be
worth 10 or 20 points. Each post

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 ENGL 2111.45 ONLINE SPRING 2009

(whether beginning a thread or Writing

responding to one) is only worth a To get you thinking more Reading Summary
maximum of 5 points. Therefore, critically about the major works, This is a tentative reading schedule
you should make at least two you are required to respond to summary. Please see the course web
strong posts or comments (or class readings in writing both for- site for specific assignments. Do not
more) to assure that you earn the mally and informally. All writing rely on this overview for your read-
maximum credit. should be thoughtful, refer to spe- ing; consult LitMUSE regularly.
Finally, as a bonus, consider cific portions of the text, use the Week 1: 1/13/09
making an account on eNotes and critical vocabulary, and cite cor- Orientation and account creation
posting a question to be answered rectly using MLA citation method.
Weeks 2 & 3: 1/20 & 1/27
in their public forums.
Forum The Epic of Gilgamesh
See “Forum” under Require-
For all of the major works we
ments below. Weeks 4 & 5: 2/3 & 2/10
study in this class, you are re-
Homer: The Iliad
quired to respond informally in
writing. These responses will be Weeks 6, 7 & 8: 2/17, 24 & 3/3
posted in an online forum on Homer: The Odyssey
LitMUSE, so the entire class can
benefit from reading your Weeks 10 & 11: 3/17 & 3/24
thoughts. The forum will also give Sophocles: Oedipus Rex
you a chance to respond to others’ Week 12 & 13: 3/31 & 4/7
ideas. Your writing in the forum Euripides: Medea
should total at least 350 words per
week. Week 9: 4/14
COURSE REQUIREMENTS Virgil: The Aeneid
Your forum entries and re-
There are three major re- sponses should address three Week 14: 4/21
quirements for World Literature 2, things: the primary text, the sec-
Ovid: The Metamorphoses
each of which must be successfully ondary texts, and your interpreta-
completed to pass the course. As- tions of the the former two. The Week 15: 4/28
signments are weighed on a point best forums use specific textual Catch up
system, depending on their impor- evidence, cite secondary texts, and
tance. For example, a reading quiz give original, thoughtful consid- Exam Week
might have 10 points while the Final due by noon, 5/5
eration to these texts. Just repeat-
final exam might have 200. ing the critics or summarizing the
Final Exam plot will not earn you an A. This sy(abus was last updated on
Wednesday, January 14, 2009.
A final cumulative exam will Daily Work
be given that will test your knowl- Regular class attendance, ques-
edge of the subject matter (texts, tion posing, and active participa-
lecture material, and vocabulary), tion in classroom discussions are
your ability to synthesize this ma- required. Participation, effort, and
Dr. Gerald Lucas
terial, and your creativity in going attitude will count significantly in ASSIST PROF OF ENGLISH
beyond the discussion and lecture this course. Quizzes, other class Office: H/SS-117
materials. The final exam will in- activities, and homework assign- on the Main
clude vocabulary, identification, ments not explicitly outlined Campus. To
and interpretation. All exam above will be considered daily contact him,
grades will be based upon objec- work. please use email:
tive knowledge of the material, <worldlit@grlucas.net>. Please
thoroughness, depth of insight, email if you have any questions.
precision, and originality.

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