Janice Gangel-Vasquez
Associate Professor of English
Chair, English Department
Los Angeles Trade-Technical College
213 763-5516 Office: TE-515
gangeljm@lattc.edu

Please get in touch with me whenever you have questions or ideas about the course or your work.  I am available online through Moodle messages, and you may meet with me during my office hours.  If this doesn't work for you, arrange a meeting time with me.

My office hours: TBA

Required Texts are available through the LATTC Bookstore. 

Course Description   You might have asked yourself: "Why read literature?"  One answer is that it can be great fun!  In this class, you get to apply all the critical thinking and writing skills and techniques that you have been practicing over the years. We will build on what you learned in English 101, including analytical thinking and writing essays. This survey of English literature introduces you to the critical reading of short stories, novels, plays, and poems.

Course Objectives   I hope that as you work your way through this course, you become comfortable analyzing what we read.  Reading, analyzing, and writing about it--that's what this course is about.  Here's what you should be able to do by the end of the course:

• Identify and analyze literary genres: drama, poetry, the short story, and the novel

• Determine the plot structure, characterization, style, and conflict in a piece of literature

• Use several approaches in analyzing what you read.  How would it be different thinking about a story as a feminist . . . or as a socialist . . . or as a psychologist? 

• Support your analysis through evidence from the texts

• Evaluate pieces of literature for their "value" as literature

• Defend your analyses in formal papers

Course Work    You will read several short stories and poems, an assigned play, and a novel.  Then you will analyze and write about what you have read.  You will need to strengthen your knowledge of MLA format.  All the papers should be organized by the rules of MLA.  All the explanation of MLA is in the recommended handbook, Rules for Writers. 

JOURNAL   The journal assignments are part of classroom attendance and participation.  These are due at the beginning of the class. Please keep your journal entries in a loose-leaf binder so you can submit single pages. (That way I won't be burdened with pounds of notebooks.) It's your responsibility to keep these entries for reference in writing formal papers--and in case I fail to give you credit, you can show me your graded work..

FORMAL PAPERS    During this course, you will write five formal papers.  For precise instructions on what is expected in these papers, check the Overview of Papers. Papers must be submitted in consecutive order, i.e., you must turn in the first paper before the second, etc.  All Formal Papers must be submitted.  You will lose points for papers submitted late. Click here for grading criteria on the formal papers.

ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION   Attendance does matter. You will analyze and evaluate the literature in class and in groups.  Your group will rely on you.

Grading    Credit is divided into two categories: 1) Weekly Assignments/Lectures & Resources and 2) Formal Papers.  At the end of the semester you will receive a final letter grade corresponding to the points earned during the semester.  Point values are listed below; however, regardless of the number of points you accrue, you must complete all assigned papers to pass the class. 

Plagiarism     It should be obvious that copying and using another’s work without proper acknowledgment is not allowed.  If you have any questions about how to show where you got the information that you use in your paper, please ask.  Remember that the Writing Center in C-100 has very knowledgeable tutors who are ready to work with you on any aspect of your paper, including how to cite your sources accurately.

Americans with Disability Act     Students with disabilities who need any assistance or accommodation should contact me so we can work out a plan.