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- Course Objectives
- Utopian SF Literature
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- Primary emphasis will
be placed on student participation in classroom and the on-line
discussions of the assigned readings. In order to do this, the
student's main obligation in this class will be to keep up with
each week's readings and to participate in class discussion.
Students groups will be assigned to lead the discussion of readings
each week.
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- Assignments
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- Students are responsible
for all assigned readings. Read PRIOR to the assigned
class time. Assignments are due on the date scheduled. Make-up
exams will be given only in the event of a verifiable personal
or family emergency. You are encouraged to consult with instructor
at any time for assistance and ideas on improving your performance.Students
are responsible for all assigned readings. Assignments are due
on the date scheduled. Make-up exams will be given only in the
event of a verifiable personal or family emergency. You are encouraged
to consult with instructor at any time for assistance and ideas
on improving your performance. If you meet the minimum requirements
detailed in each assignment, you will receive a C. Students who
achieve B's and A's in this course exceed the minimum requirements
and guidelines provided by your instructor. This work is usually
thoughtful, careful, concise, creative and technically proficient.
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- All assignments are graded
using a point system. Grades are awarded on a percentage basis,
with 90-100% =A, 80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, 60=69 = D, below 60
= E.
- Here are the general
guidelines I will use in grading written assignments:
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- A = Excellent, Greatly
exceeds requirements. Shows substantial creativity, skill, initiative
or effort
B = Good. Exceeds requirements. Shows substantial creativity,
skill, initiative, or effort
C = Average. Meets, but does not exceed, requirements
D = Below average. Meets some requirements but is deficient in
others
E = Poor, Deficient in all requirements
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- Late Assignments
- Unexcused late assignments
will have 10 percentage points deducted from the grade automatically
and must be turned in by the end of the week they were due (an
additional 10 % will be deducted for every day thereafter). Being
absent from class does not excuse you from having your assignments
delivered at the appropriate time.
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- Written Assignments
- Everyone will be required
to keep a semester journal which will require you to write a
weekly reader/response reaction to each novel . The journal entries
will be used to write short (2-3 page) essays on each novel.
Each student will also write 2 longer essays (8-10 pages) as
take home exams analyzing the political aspects of novels. In
addition, each student will participate in weekly on-line Discussion
Boards with a posting to a question I pose and at least one posted
response to one of your classmate's postings to the discussion
board.
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- On-Line Discussion
Board Assignments
- Each week we will have
an on-line discussion of the readings or films during the semester.
I will pose a question to the Discussion board to get you started.
You must post a reply to every Discussion board and at least
one response to one of your classmate's postings.
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- On-Line Response Journal
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- Instead of doing a traditional
research paper for this class, I am requiring you to respond
on a regular basis to the readings and to the films we are viewing
in class. The response journal (a 2-3 page entry per novel or
weeks readings --- approximately 750 words per response), should
be taken seriously as a way of exploring the works, addressing
questions raised by the works, and of preparing for the exams.
They are not to be simple emotional reactions: "I really
liked this book. This story was confusing and boring. I didn't
understand it. It was too long." Nor are they to be just
plot summaries. Using reader response theory these entries should
be analytical, thoughtful, and insightful -- considering the
political, utopian, dystopian themes raised by the work, and
the social structure of society embedded in the text, the style
in which the work is presented, the questions sparked by the
approach of the author, etc.
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- I will read the journals
each week. You will use the electronic drop-box in Blackboard
to forward your journal entries to me no later than noon on the
Wednesday before each Thursday class. The discussion leaders
for the week may ask you to share your journal entry as a way
of facilitating discussion. Sometimes the journal entry will
be a response to a question which I have posed to you about the
text. If no specific question is posed you are to write your
own response analysis. Make notes at the end of the entry on
vocabulary, concepts, or quotes that struck you or that you have
questions about. I encourage you to explicate scientific concepts
that you see as relevant to the text under discussion. Since
you may refer to your response journal entries for the exams
it particularly behooves you to be thorough and thoughtful.
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- Exam Essays
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- Midterm and Final: The
midterm and final exam will be take-home essays covering the
readings up to the date of the midterm and all readings for the
final. The essay should be approximately 5 double spaced pages
in length and should not exceed 6 pages. You may refer to your
response journal for these essays.
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- Writing Guidelines
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- All work written for
this course should be of a level appropriate to college students.
Mechanics and grammar DO count. Please type and proofread carefully.
Everyone can improve their writing skills--even great writers.
Check out the ASUW Learning Enhancement Center for assistance
in improving your written work.
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- Discussion Leaders
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- One or more class members
will lead the discussion of a particular work for one class meeting.
Each discussion leader or group will develop an approach and
some questions based on the themes and topics listed above and
will lead the class discussion for a particular text (you may
use the questions I have asked you to comment on for your journal
entries for that week but you are expected to generate additional
questions). You do not need to use secondary sources for this,
although I will be glad to help you get any if you want to refer
to related materials. In order to lead a discussion you are required
to read the text carefully, mark some specific passages or sections
that illustrate your topic and be prepared to explain the significance
of them. You will need several well-prepared questions. I encourage
you to collaborate with other members of the class through the
use of the Blackboard discussion group. If you want to pursue
a topic of particular interest to yourself that is not covered
by the general topics, please do so but consult with me first.
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- Grades
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- Grades in this course
will be based on written assignments and classroom discussion.
The computation of final grades will be arrived at in the following
manner:
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- Midterm and Final Exam
Essays: 40%
- Online-Discusson: 25%
- Reader/Response Online-Journal:
35%
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- Class Participation
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- Given the nature of this
class which is structured on weekly discussions of novels, class
attendance and participation will be very important in the assignment
of final grades. If you are not present in class, you cannot
participate!
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- Absences
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- Daily class attendance
will be taken. You are allowed two absences without penalty.
Any more than two absences (excused or unexcused) will result
in a 5% reduction in your final grade. Please talk with me as
soon as possible if you have an unusual situation or hardship
related to attendance.
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- Academic Integrity
- The absolute highest
standard of integrity and ethical conduct is a requirement of
this course. Deviations therefore on any graded activity will
not be tolerated. Academic misconduct includes cheating on assignments
and exams, and plagiarizing (using any work other than your own
without proper acknowledgment). Academic dishonesty will result
in a failing grade of "E." NOTE: It is not advisable
to attempt to submit the same paper to fulfill an assignment
for more than one course without first obtaining approval from
each of the instructors involved.
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- CAVEAT: If necessary or appropriate,
the instructor reserves the option to change scheduled class
topics, assignments, or due dates. Quizzes may be given if deemed
necessary.
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- WARNING: NO INCOMPLETES
! !
- If you do not intend
to complete the course it is advisable to officially withdraw.
Withdrawal deadlines: unrestricted - September 26 and restricted
- October 31. Withdrawal will not be permitted after the October
31 deadline.
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- Required Novels
The following paperback books are available in the ASUW Bookstore.
All other readings on the syllabus will either be passed out
in a paper copy in class or will be available in digital form
that you can download and print. These readings will be located
in the Course Docuements folder in Blackboard.
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- Yvengy Zymayatin. 1921.
We
Frederick Pohl and C.M. Kornbluth. 1953. The Space Merchants
Thomas M. Disch. 1980. On the Wings of Song
- Brian Stableford. 1998.
Inherit the Earth
- Marge Piercy. 1976. Woman
on the Edge of Time
Connie Willis. 2001. Passage
Patricia Anthony. 2000. Flanders
- Mary Doria Russell, 1997.
The Sparrow
Neil Stephenson. 1992. Snow Crash
Michael Swanwick. 2001. The Postmodern Archipelago: Two Essays
on Science Fiction and Fantasy
- David Windgrove and Brian
Aldiss. 2001. The Trillion Year Spree: The History of Science
Fiction.
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This syllabus
is subject to change when necessary.
Changes will generally work to your advantage.
Watch for changes on Blackboard announcements
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- The Americans and Disabilities
Act requires that reasonable accommodations be provided for students
with physical, sensory, cognitive, systemic learning, and psychiatric
disabilities. Please contact the instructor of this course at
the beginning of the semester to discuss any such accommodations.
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