University of Houston Downtown 
Dr. Merrilee Cunningham, PhD. 
Cunninghamm@uhd.edu. 

Credit Hours: 3(without capstone option)
Home page: http://www.uhd.edu/~cunningm

Office:1038S
Office Hours: Almost all the time, but certainly an hour before and after class.
Office Phone: 713-221-8107 
Office Fax : 713-226-5205

1. develop further critical reading and analytic skills by reading epic as well as lyric poetry
2. be able to trace the development of modes, styles, and verse forms chronologically.
3. Increase our understanding and familiarity with some of the greatest poetry ever written.
4. Comprehend the complexities of psychological, historical, neo-historical, feminist, new, social criticism as they relate to the poem.
5. Learn to read and analyze individual literary poetic texts within a cultural and historical context.
6. Improve writing and analytic skills, particularly the skill of writing literary analyses in essay form, using the conventions of the university academic community
7. demonstrate how to write cogent, extended library interpretations incorporating critical sources acquired through library research and documented correctly and adequately using the MLA style of documentation

Our studies require:
That you come to class. Your absence and tardiness will adversely effect the people with whom you are working (and your own grade.) Group activity will be a regular part of your class work. I take a very dim view of students who do not participate to their best ability in this class and absent or silent people are not fully participating. If you must choose between being late and not coming at all, of course, come to my class late and I will make every attempt to prevent your being embarrassed as you enter an unlocked door.
Do not, however, mistake my social grace and unwillingness to publicly embarrass you for approval.

1. Appropriateness of response to the topic.(If the essay doesn't address the topic, the grade is ).
2. Appropriateness and strength of specific proofs and fact related to the theories and claims asserted.
3. Originality of essay.
4. Grammatical Correctness.
5. Clarity and rhetorical level of writing style.
6. Detailed textual evidence used in essay.
7. Conceptional sophistication of essay.
8. Adherence to the conventions of academic writing, including thesis, organization, proofs, structure.
9. Use of correct documentation for secondary sources.

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Grades:

Participation, including any quizzes 200 points

During several classes, I will give a quiz over the day's reading assignment. To be eligible to take a quiz, you must be present at the time of the quiz, which is usually, but not always, the beginning of class. Students who arrive after or leave before I administer a quiz will not be allowed to take the quiz. There will be no opportunities to make up missed quizzes. Quizzes are the instructor's deliberate attempt to reward those who read the assignment before class and then attend the entire class. They are a wonderful way for a struggling student of poetry to help his or her cause.

Midterm - 200 points

The midterm examination will consist of short answer and short essay questions. Before the exam I will hand you a review sheet and study questions. Essay responses should be organized clearly with a thesis, support the answer with a variety of relevant specific references to the readings, and demonstrate your skills in critical reading and thinking.

Final - 200 points

The final will be in the same format as the midterm examination, but will include the material since the midterm in the identification section and refer to all material covered in the essays. A study guide will be provided.

Annotated Bibliography for paper - 50 points

This is due one week before the research paper and will illustrate an understanding of the state of research on your subject.

Short Painter-Poet Paper - 50 points - an Essay on Blake, Lennon, Rossetti, Cat Stevens, or any poet who also paints. See handout for further explanation and opportunities.

Long Paper - 200 points

An extended study, due at the end of the semester, the ticket to entrance into the final examination, but due the week before the final exam, this is a serious piece of scholarship for the course.

Plagiarism:

"Mine honor is my life; both grow in one;
Take honor from me, and my life is done."

King Richard II, William Shakespeare

You will fail the course if you plagiarize. Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of ideas (Whether paraphrased, summarized or quoted) by a writer who seeks to pass off those ideas as his or her original thought. If you fail to document or attribute a source of the idea, even if you restate another writer's ideals, you have plagiarized. A serious university offense, plagiarism may be punished by failure or expulsion. Students who plagiarize on the research paper will receive an F on the paper.

To avoid plagiarism, you must document your papers using MLA citation format. We will not cover this format in class, since this format is covered in English 1302, a prerequisite for taking this class, but if you do not know how to document your paper, I would be happy to teach you by taking you personally through the system. The same is true of CD-ROM databases in the library or in the computer center.

Late Assignments:

All assignments in this class must be submitted on time, even if you are absent. Late assignments are taken at the discretion of the instructor and carry a minimum penalty of 10% of the grade to be deducted for each and every late assignment.

Individual Needs:

I will make every attempt to maximize accessibility. I will be available before and after class and during office hours, which will be posted on my office door. If you have problems understanding the assignments please seek to talk to me about those assignments. Talk to me often. Get involved in the course and the course material.