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Syllabus

ENG 2850 Great Works II (Fall 2022)

Professor: Sharanya Dutta (pronouns: she/her)

Class Time and Location: TBA

Office Hours: By appointment (please email me!)

Email:  Sharanya.Dutta@baruch.cuny.edu/sharanyadutta1992@gmail.com

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Learning Goals for 2850

 Students who successfully complete the Great Works courses should be able to:

  • interpret meaning in literary texts by paying close attention to authors’ choices of detail, vocabulary, and style 
  • discuss the relationship between different genres of literary texts and the multicultural environments from which they spring
  • articulate a critical evaluation and appreciation of a literary work’s strengths and limitations
  • present their ideas orally
  • write critical essays employing:
      • a strong thesis statement
      • appropriate textual citations 
      • contextual and inter-textual evidence for their ideas

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     ~ Classroom Vibe ~

  • I am so very excited about the texts that we are reading this semester! I hope that you will share some of that excitement.
  • This class is political. Political, not as in Democrat and Republican (although that sometimes comes up). Political as in it will actively discuss issues and topics that affect all our lives—race, class, gender, the environment, technology, and so on. The texts in the syllabus will all address political themes.
  • Expect the texts in the syllabus and the discussion in class to challenge—even contradict—your beliefs and points of view. I hope that you will approach the class with openness and curiosity.
  • As an instructor, I have opinions and political beliefs, and I will express them. I hope you will too! This class is a safe space for you to work out your opinions/thoughts/beliefs, regardless of whether or not they agree with mine. Please feel free to disagree with me without any fear of consequences. I may challenge your points of view, but it will always be in the spirit of discussion/conversation.
  • Classrooms can very quickly become unequal or uneven spaces. We must always be mindful that we are not speaking too loudly or talking over other students, who may need a little time to open up. Also, if only some of you do the reading, it puts the burden of discussion unfairly on the same few students in every class. We want to avoid this, so I will expect everyone to do your readings and mini-writing for every class!
  • I understand that all of you have a multitude of real-life responsibilities outside this classroom, so I promise to be accommodating.

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Attendance

Make sure to attend class. Here’s why.

All the writing for this course stems from discussion and is scaffolded. Your consistent attendance is crucial. Note that you can miss class up to 2 times, no questions asked. If you have more than 2 absences, your final course grade will be lowered by a third of a letter grade for each additional absence (a B+ becomes a B)—and your grade will likely be otherwise affected simply because of the activities and work you’ll miss. If you miss class more than 4 times, you must arrange to meet with me privately and, according to Baruch College policy, you will be subject to a WU grade, which counts as an F on your transcript and your GPA. Having said that, if there are unavoidable and complicated circumstances that make it impossible for you to attend certain classes, reach out to me, and we can work something out. Please try and email me to let me know if you’ll be missing class.

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Tardiness

Be on time. Here’s why.

Everybody else is on time. Being late is disrespectful. It disrupts my class. I lose my train of thought. I do not like it. Please not be late? If you are more than 15 minutes late to class, I will consider it an absence and it will count towards your total number of absences. If there are unavoidable circumstances/impossible travel that will make you late, write to me in advance to let me know. 

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Late Paper Policy

All work is due at the time specified in the syllabus. Deadlines for all assignments, including drafts, must be adhered to. All requests for extensions must be cleared by me well in advance (2 or 3 days in advance at least). This is VERY important. I will almost never deny you an extension, if you need it, but it’s not an extension if you tell me after it’s already past the deadline. Write to me early, and tell me exactly how many days’ extension you need.

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Technology Issues

If you have tech issues that are serious and will likely last the entire semester, please let me know ASAP. The college has resources that might help you. Technological glitches are inevitable; so I will do my best to be accommodating. You can get computers on loan at Baruch. We will be using Google Drive extensively, so it’s important you have a laptop/tablet you can use for your work in this class.

If you lose something you wrote due to bad internet/you can’t upload something in time, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IN AN EMAIL ASAP. Hard drive crashes (real and tragic as they may be) can be avoided by backing up your work online and working directly on Google Docs/Drive. Please make it a habit to double check your files before and after you submit them to make sure you have “Shared” them with us, and your peers and I who will be reviewing them have access to them/can open them. 

I can’t stress this enough: please contact me if you find yourself falling behind for any reason. I know that you may have unequal access to technology and to safe, quiet working spaces. I want to help you find whatever works for your specific situation.

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Academic Integrity

Plagiarism is a serious offense that, if done knowingly and depending on the severity and other factors, can result in a failing grade (or worse) and a mark on your permanent academic record. I’ll expect you to compose your projects ethically, meaning that if you use the work of others you cite that work, and that all work in this course is original, composed for the first time for this course, and is entirely your own, to the degree that anything we write is entirely our own. All students enrolled at Baruch are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic honesty, as defined in the Baruch Student Handbook. Cheating and plagiarism are serious offenses. The following definitions are based on the College’s Academic Honesty website:

Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person’s ideas, research or writing as your own, such as:

  • Copying another person’s actual words without the use of quotation marks and footnotes (a functional limit is four or more words taken from the work of another)
  • Presenting another person’s ideas or theories in your own words without acknowledging them
  • Using information that is not considered common knowledge without acknowledging the source

If you ever have any questions or concerns about plagiarism, please ask me. YOU SHOULD NOT ACCIDENTALLY PLAGIARIZE—it’s a simple matter of Googling how to cite something/asking  me. Often students plagiarize because they’re nervous that their language/work isn’t “up to the mark”. I grade on effort, so you will never be penalized in this class for writing in your own voice, for trying to work out your theoretical and literary arguments in your own style of writing. Citing is proof that you have done serious research, and is a credit to you. Please remember, it doesn’t take anything away from your paper.

You can also check out the online plagiarism tutorial prepared by members of the Newman Library faculty at http://newman.baruch.cuny.edu/help/plagiarism/default.htm and Baruch College’s academic integrity policy at  http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/academic/academic_honesty.htm.

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Accessible Participation

Baruch College is committed to making individuals with disabilities full participants in the programs, services, and activities of the college community through compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. It is the policy of Baruch College that no otherwise qualified individual with a disability will be denied access to any program, service, or activity offered by the university. Individuals with disabilities have a right to request accommodations. If you require any special assistance or accommodation, please contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities at (646) 312-4590, and, as soon as possible, let me know. It would be ideal to work this out within the first two weeks of class. I encourage persons with disabilities or particular needs that impact course performance to meet with me individually to co-design accommodations.

For additional information see this section of the Student Disability Services website.

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