Janice Gangel-Vasquez
Associate Professor of English
Language Arts and Humanities
Los Angeles Trade-Technical College
213 763-5515 Office: K-006
gangeljm@lattc.edu

Please get in touch with me whenever you have questions or ideas about the course or your work.  Write a message in the moodle classroom requesting a meeting. I am available online through Moodle messages, or you may arrange a face-to-face meeting with me.

Required Texts are available through the LATTC Bookstore. 

Course Description   This survey of English literature--a fully on-line class--introduces you to the critical reading of short stories, novels, plays, and poems.  This is great fun!  Now 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.  Because this is a short 5-week course, you need to stay on top of the reading so you are prepared for the discussion and writing assignments.  Discussion?  Yes.  We will have discussion in the weekly forums--all online.  I will be on campus, so if you want to meet with me to discuss any part of this course, let me know.  Of course, you can write me a message in the Moodle classroom whenever you have questions or comments.

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? 

• Write about and discuss literary works.

Course Work    You will read several short stories and poems, an assigned play, and the novel The Stranger.  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 assigned handbook, Rules for Writers.

Assignments   The weekly assignments are equivalent to classroom attendance and participation.  If you do not submit the assignments, you will be marked down--as if you had not attended class.  I will make comments on your writing throughout the week. 

Please edit and proofread your work before posting so I don't spend time commenting on facets of writing you already know.  Each assignment is worth 25 points, but don't add these up to see your score. Assignments have a total score possible of 200 points. I assigned 25 points to each because this gives me enough latitude to comment numerically on the quality of your work.

The online classroom allows you to resubmit your work; however, I will not allow resubmissions after a grade has been posted.

FORMAL PAPERS    During this summer course, you will write four formal papers.  For precise instructions on what is expected in these papers, check the Overview of Papers. There is a window of several days in which you may submit papers. Plan ahead; you may turn in papers any time the link allows. 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. The portal will be remain open after due date for submission of late papers.  Late papers may receive a grade reduction.

GRADING      Credit is divided into two categories: 1) Weekly Assignments/Lectures & Resources and 2) Formal Papers.  All Formal Papers must be submitted, regardless of points earned, or you will not pass the class.    Click here for grading criteria on the formal papers.

ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION    Attendance does matter.  In an online course, there is still required "attendance," which is registered through your reading of the Class Resources, submission of weekly assignments, and participation in the forums--all in the Moodle classroom. The assignments have 25 moodle points each, but the total of the assignments far exceed the 200 points allotted.  I used 25 so I would have an adequate numerical range to respond to you.

You will receive a reduced grade for lack of participation as you would in a traditional classroom setting, and if you are behind 1 week, you may be dropped. Remember that 1 week during a 5-week course is equal to 1/5 of a semester.

Grading    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.