COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

You are expected to attend class regularly, to participate in discussion (in class and/or via the course newsgroup, columbia.spring.engl3180), to write three essays (two 4-5-page essays and one 5-6-page essay), and to complete the final examination.

If you find yourself unable to complete an assignment by the due date, you must speak to me at least 24 hours in advance--notes in my box and messages on my voice mail don't count. I will consider granting extensions within the final 24 hours before an assignment is due only under extraordinary circumstances. Work that is late without an extension will be penalized at the rate of 1/3 of a grade per day.

I strongly encourage you to consult with me as you write your essays. I'm happy to speak to you about ideas, about tentative outlines, and about rough drafts. However, I will not accept revisions beyond the initial due date of the paper except in catastrophic cases.

All essays must be typed, double-spaced, on white paper in standard fonts. Please don't use very small or very large fonts to squeeze or stretch out your essay. The page guidelines apply to standard 12-point fonts. Papers should follow the new MLA guidelines for essays; see the English department guide to the preparation of papers, The Borzoi Handbook or The MLA Handbook for details.

I will calculate your grade based on the following formula:

papers:                 60%
final exam:                 30%
class participation: 10%