Introduction to Literature: LITE 105
Instructor: Craig Mack
Kellogg Community College
My office is in the C Building, RM 401-I.
Email is the best option to use to contact me: mackc@kellogg.edu. You need to use your KCC email address (given to all students for free when you register for your first class at Kellogg Community College). My spam filters will not recognize other email addresses.
I will check my email at least once per week day. While I do check email during most weekends, I am not always able to respond immediately. I will reply to emails within two (2) business days; therefore, an email received on Friday will prompt a response on Monday at the earliest.
Voice mail is the next way to contact me.
Office phone: 269-965-3931 ext 2352
I will check my voice mail at least once per day during the work week. I do not regularly check my voice mail over the weekend.
We can schedule an office appointment as needed, so please let me know.
Please post all questions about the course (including computer based ones) in the Class Operations forum. I will respond to those questions within 48 hours during the work week. When you do post a question, please feel free to email me to alert me to go and look for your inquiry. I will not respond to the email but will to the post. All questions you might have should be posted because if you have the question, so will other students–we can answer many inquiries at once. Also, if you know the answer to someone’s question, do not wait for me to respond–go ahead and post the answer
The only exception to this guideline is if you have a question about a specific item on a quiz/exam or a personal issue, such as an illness. Then you should email me directly.
The best place to look for answers to small questions is your classmates or your group members. Email them if you need an answer within 24 hours. Use the Send Email option (with your KCC email address) located under Tools. If you have posted to the Discussion Board, emailed your group members, and looked through the assignments and syllabus and are still confused, email me directly.
For Technical Support questions, please contact the Help Desk–Information Services Dept or call (269) 965-4148 or visit the library on the main campus, where the Help Desk is located.
Hours of summer operations: M-R: 8 AM to 5 PM
Fri: 8 AM to noon
Click here for a map of their location
The Help Desk will only help with NON-Content questions. Computer or Internet issues–not assignment questions. Please make sure you are using the Discussion Boards for class related questions.
There are also screen casts of common problems at https://www.kellogg.edu/is/helpdesk/support/screencasts/screencast.html
Catalogue Description:
Prerequisite: COMPASS reading score of 70, or a “C” in STSK 98 or 99, TSRE 50, 55, or 75.
Studies in critical reading and appreciation of the major forms in fiction, poetry, and drama. Required course for English majors and minors.
The class is designed to help students develop a deeper understanding of literary forms and view them in a variety of contexts. Class analysis of texts will range from reader response to historical criticism and issues of gender bias, cultural views, and authorial intent be discussed.
Upon completion of this course, successful students will:
- Discuss readings and resources by creating reading analysis papers
- Analyze a poem and/or short story; a novel and/or play in writing
- Summarize literature resources in writing to share with the class
- Demonstrate understanding of literature, assessed in quizzes and exams
- Discuss and appreciate a variety of literary texts
- Develop stronger analytical and critical readings skills
- Write and communicate more effectively
- Recognize and use a variety of literary themes, concepts, and interpretive strategies
- Experience then human experience through various perspectives, voices, and eras on a local and global scale
The Seagull Reader: Poems, Stories, Plays. 3rd ed. Ed. Joseph Kelly ISBN: 978039398104
This is a three volume box set
Textbooks can be purchased at https://bookstore.kellogg.edu or in person at the KCC Bookstore on main campus. They may also be available through Barns and Noble or Amazon.
Have your textbooks with you each time you log on to the class site.
The course goals, grading policies, expectations, and learning outcomes are clearly outlined in this document. Know and understand this information; it is crucial to your success in this course.
We will follow the College policies regarding participation conduct. I expect students to create an atmosphere of respect. No name calling, interrupting, or foul language is allowed. Be prepared with an open attitude that is professional and shows that you are ready to learn. Students are expected to participate actively in all class discussions (well though out posts).
Regular online participation is imperative. Important material is discussed each week, and it is crucial that you plan to log on multiple times per week in order to succeed in this class. Since it is an Internet class, students are expected to have reliable access to the Internet before class begins that will last throughout the semester in order to succeed in the class.
Placement in LITE 105 presupposes a basic competence in English grammar, mechanics, punctuation, and spelling. Analysis posts, exams, and papers will not receive a high grade merely because it is grammatically error-free, but it will also not receive high marks if it is flawed in these areas.
Regular participation is imperative. This class is an inter-active one where student participation is a driving force. Attendance will be taken through the meeting of assignment deadlines–this is how the instructor can tell if you are actually still working on the material in the class. If students miss multiple deadlines with no contact/explanation with the instructor, they will not be able to earn enough points to pass the class and may be withdrawn from the class.
Consequence for Choosing not to Complete the Course Work:
At the end of each unit, students who have not completed all unit requirements will be encouraged to withdraw from the course. Assignments are due as per the syllabus, and even if you are out of town or experience technical difficulties, you are responsible for turning in all work on time.
Grades will be computed on a point system. At the end of the semester, the total number of points earned will be divided the the total points possible for the semester. This will determine the percentage. There is no extra credit for the course.
| Assignments | Point Values |
| 2 Exams, 100 pts each | 200 |
| 2 Essays, 100 pts each | 200 pts |
| 4 Rough Draft Sets (Posts and Responses), 10 pts each set | 40 pts |
| 10 quizzes, 5 pts each | 50 pts |
| 16 Analysis Sets (Posts and Responses), 10 pts each set | 160 pts |
| Total | 650 pts |
Grade Computation:
Grades will be computed on a point system. At the end of the semester, the total number of points earned will be divided by the total number of points possible to determine a percentage.
| 100-93% = A | 86-83% = B | 76-73% = C | 66-63% = D |
| 92-90% = A- | 82-80% = B- | 72-70% = C- | 62-60% = D- |
| 89-87% = B+ | 79-77% = C+ | 69-67% = D+ | 59% and below = F |
Late Work:
Consult the Course Calendar for all assignments and due dates. All assignments, quizzes, exams, and papers are due BY midnight on the date indicated. Please refer to the Course Calendar every time you log in as a reminder of what is due and what assignments are up coming.
If students post or submit an assignment later than midnight (yes, that means at 12:01 a.m.), the assignment can only earn 1/2 credit at the most. For example, if you take a quiz after midnight, you can only earn up to 5 points, even if you answer all the questions correctly. Since this is an Internet class, and WiFi connections are everywhere, there will be very few accepted excuses for missing a due date.
Students are required to complete and submit ALL work to avoid being withdrawn from the course.
As a person who takes classes online, I strongly suggest that students work one to two days in advance of the scheduled deadlines. Do not go overboard (don’t try to complete all class work in the first three weeks of the semester), but a small cushion will help. Then, submit the work ON THE DUE DATE–not before. If due dates continually clash with work schedules, remember you do have all day to submit before or after a shift and if you have the work done the day before it’s due, it will be a simple matter to submit it on time. This approach allows for unexpected life events and for technology crashes.
Assigned Readings: Readings from the textbooks and the Lecture Links (these are NOT optional readings) are essential to this course. Students must commit to completing these on time or risk falling behind in the course. Reading assignments may be given on a need-to-know basis, meaning that the reading assignment is integral to the next written assignment.
Analysis Sets: Peer interaction and discussion is an essential component for this class. For this to work, we need to do two things: think about the texts carefully and respond thoughtfully to the text. Analysis sets will generally focus on a specific work or two.
Each set has two components: an analysis post (generally 275 words or more) and reply posts (THREE) (100 words or more).
Replies can be to other replies. This can generate an ongoing discussion, which will develop a deeper analysis of the text.
If we are going to feel open to share our interesting–and therefore risky–ideas and interpretations, we need to know that our audience is not hostile, closed-minded, or thoughtless. So, we must dedicate ourselves to being friendly, open, and thoughtful. The Forums will be run as “monitor lite”–I will not generally reply nor correct posters. This is your area to discuss the readings openly, argue with each other about what the stories mean, and try to come to some type of agreement (or not).
If it does become apparent that I need to remove posts, the offender and I will be having meetings with the Chair of the English department.
A note regarding the organization of postings within forums: If you are following up on an idea or responding to someone, please post your contribution to the same thread by hitting “Reply.” It is important to use the reply button because creating unnecessary new threads only makes it difficult for people to follow the discussion.
Essays: The three essays are a chance to delve more deeply into the readings. They comprise the majority of the grade for the class. Each will be 3-4 pages in length.
The instructor can give a grade of W after an excessive absence warning has been issued (see Attendance). Please note that a grade of W in a course affects scholarships, financial aid, and athletic eligibility. Students may withdraw at any point, using the dates below as a guide:
Last date to drop: 18 May
Last date to withdraw: 16 Jun
Plagiarism is using another person’s writing dishonestly. If you submit for a grade any work written by an author (professional or non-professional) from any source (published journals or blog entries) other than yourself, you are guilty of academic dishonesty. Kellogg Community College Academic Integrity Statement: The Kellogg Community College policy on Academic Integrity is spelled out in the student handbook. If it is suspected that you are cheating, fabricating, or plagiarizing, there may be serious consequences. The incident will be documented and may be reported to the academic chair and /or program director for possible disciplinary actions up to and including course, program, or college expulsion.
Instructor Syllabus Rights Statement: Information contained in this syllabus was, to the best knowledge of the instructor, considered to be correct and complete when distributed for use at the beginning of the semester. However, this syllabus should not be considered a contract with Kellogg Community College and any student, nor between the instructor and any student. The instructor reserves the right, acting within the policies and procedures of Kellogg Community College, to make changes in the course content or instructional techniques without notice or obligation.
Kellogg Community College Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 Statement:
Kellogg Community College does not discriminate in the admission or treatment of students on the basis of disability. KCC is committed to compliance with the American Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. See Student Handbook for information about student services.
