The Short Story: ENGL 257

Ocean County College
Professor's Syllabus

Course Objectives | Catalog Description of Course | Course Requirements | Teaching Strategies | Grading Scale | Plagiarism | Learning Disabilities | Texts | Reading Schedule

Contact Information
Instructor: Dr. Bordelon
Office: Russell 103
Tel: 255-0400 x2408
dbordelon@ocean.edu

Send an email (dbordelon@ocean.edu) to me as soon as you register (It's tough in an online course to "see" who's in the class) so I can send you logon instructions.

Our 10 week semester begins and ends at the same time as on campus college courses. See your registration information or the college's online calendar for specific dates.

The course work begins the first week: see Announcements on course site for more information – or email me.

Remember, if you have any questions or would like a "face to face" meeting to discuss the course or your work, just make an appointment to see me.

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Upon successfully completing this course, you will have

1. read a variety of contemporary and "classic" short stories;
2. developed your ability to discuss and write about literature;
3. understood the value of rereading stories;
4. sharpened your critical thinking and writing skills by looking closely at the ways authors manipulate language to create meanings;
5. learned how stories both reflect and influence society; and
6. enjoyed yourself.

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A study of the short story, its development and techniques, with emphasis on works by modern writers.

My usual teaching method involves class and group discussion, but since this is an online class, our "discussions" will be written and take place primarily asynchronously (not at the same time). The lack of a class time and my smiling face encouraging you to dig more deeply into a particular story means that you will rely on your own initiative to both spur your imagination and, more practically, complete the work in a timely manner. To help you pace your work, I include required dates for each assignment.

To help develop a classroom atmosphere, you will be divided into groups and will work collectively discussing, and then developing questions on the stories we read. This contact with other students should make the online experience less anonymous and help you learn different ways of communicating with peers in an electronic environment -- which, given the proliferation of E-jobs, is a skill that will look good on a resume.

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There are no tests in this course: all assessment will be in essay/paragraph form, and all assignments will be posted in Weekly or Essay Assignment links on the course site.

You must complete all of the written assignments in order to receive a passing grade.

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Understanding of the course material will be assessed in a variety of ways, including essays (two), body paragraphs, weekly questions, and class participation (group board work). Grades for each of these will be averaged, and your final grade will be based on the average of these five separate grades.

Assessment of written work is based the clarity of your expression and the depth and range of ideas. See assignment sheets and course site for more specific instructions.

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Plagiarism is defined as taking the words or ideas of another person without documenting them. A form of academic theft, the college holds that any instance of plagiarism may result in a failing grade.

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If there is any student who has special needs because of learning disabilities or other kinds of disabilities, please feel free to discuss this with me.

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Order from the OCC Bookstore -- contact the book store (732-255-0333) about having texts mailed to you. Unless you order early or use express mail, do not use Amazon.com or B&N.com (though I like the sites, you will lose too much time waiting for the books).

1. English 257 Course Packet (Available in a PDF file on the course site itself)
2. R.V. Cassill and Richard Bausch, Editor. The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. 7th (in bookstore) or 6th Edition (probably cheaper online). New York: Norton, 2000. ISBN Number 0-393-97508-8
3. Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis. New York: Bantam, 1972. (NOTE: you must have this particular edition) ISBN Number 0-553-21369-5

Reminder: you are expected to have the texts in time to complete the first assignment.

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All readings from The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction 7th or 6th Edition except for stories with an asterisk(*) which are found in the Supplemental Readings Packet.

Note: do not wait until the due date to begin work – pace yourself. Each weekly assignment needs to be completed BY that date – it's best to work on the stories at different times (and remember to give yourself time to think).

Introductory Assignment

Assignment #1 -- A Beginning
For the specific requirements for each assignment, click on the appropriate number on the Weekly Assignments page. For instance, to complete Assignment #1, you should – before reading the stories – click on the Weekly Assignments icon, and then the Assignment #1 icon, and then (finally!) click on Before reading the stories:

Assignment #2 -- A Leap of Faith

Assignment #3 -- Fables of the Human Condition

Assignment #4 -- "I Sing of Arms and the Man"

Assignment #5 -- Modern Love?

Assignment #6 -- Family Values

Assignment #7 -- Reality: What a Concept

Assignment #8 -- Collecting Your Thoughts

Assignment #9 -- Organizing Your Thoughts

Assignment #10 -- Business as Usual

Assignment #11 -- A Second Look

Assignment #12 -- From a Woman's Point of View

Assignment #13 -- Man V. Nature

Assignment #14 -- Revenge?

Assignment #15 -- Grace: Secular and Sacred

Assignment #16 -- What's it all mean?

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Page Created by David Bordelon
Last updated 11/7/07