The information posted on this site addresses the syllabus information required by Texas House Bill 2504.  The syllabus handed out in class will contain more information than is noted here, including the class withdrawal policy, class participation requirements, scholastic dishonesty, and other important information.  The entire syllabus is posted on the Blackboard site for this course. And, the entire syllabus will be handed out in class.

[Thank you to Theresa (Terry Stewart) Mouchayleh for the wording of this disclaimer.]

This course differs from the regular World Literature I primarily because it allows small group discussion, research and reading driven by student interest, guest speakers, and portfolio work. There are no exams in this class.

Information from Honors FAQ

http://www.austincc.edu/honors/faq.php

How do I become a participant in the Honors Program?
Fill out an application, which can be downloaded from our website or obtained from the Honors Program Office (223-6555).

How do I register for an Honors class?
Because of the restricted nature of Honors courses, registration is a two step process. First, contact the Honors Program with by phone (223-6555) or by e-mail (honors@austincc.edu) and let us know for which course you would like to be cleared. This may be done any time after course schedules have been released. The second step is the regular registration process. Once you have been “cleared,” the registration system will let you continue as if it were a normal course.

Why must I be "Cleared" before I may register?
Because enrollment for Honors courses is restricted, students must be "cleared" before they may register for these courses to verify their membership in the Honors Program.

Is it necessary to obtain the individual instructor’s permission in order to register for a course?
No. You simply follow the two step registration procedure outlined above.

What are the criteria to enter the Honors Program?
To be in the Honors Program at Austin Community College, you must have filled out an application for us (available on our website, via fax, or at our office), and ONE of the following criteria must be met:

• Top 10% of high school graduating class
• Cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 or higher
• ACT score of 26 or higher
• SAT score of 1170 or higher
• *Cumulative college GPA of 3.25 or higher

*Student must have completed nine (9) hours of college coursework. 

What can I expect in a typical Honors course?
You can expect an engaging and intellectually challenging class in an intimate setting, taught by outstanding faculty who emphasize active learning through the use of in-depth class discussion, projects, research, presentations, or other activities designed to promote scholastic excellence.

World Literature: Ancient World through 17th Century Honors, Policy Statement, Spring 2023

Course Information

Course Name: World Literature: Ancient World through 17th Century Honors

Section: ENGL 2332.700

Synonym: 55978

Course Time and Location: TTH 1:30-2:50, RGC 1317

Instructor Name: Dr. Wendy Lym

Email: wlym@austincc.edu

Office and Office Hours: See Button on Blackboard for Office Hours

Office Phone: 512-223-3357

PLEASE REVIEW THE DEPARTMENTAL SYLLABUS OR ON BLACKBOARD UNDER COURSE DOCUMENTS. ALL CONTENT OF THE MASTER SYLLABUS FOR LITERATURE CLASSES APPLIES TO THIS COURSE. SPECIFIC POLICIES FOLLOW.

Specific Polices for Prof. Wendy Lym

Text and Supplies

The Harper Collins World Reader—Antiquity to the Early Modern World, Mary Ann Caws and Christopher Prendergast, 1994 edition

I have a class set of textbooks. Students will check out their text to use for the semester. I will need them returned at the end of the semester. If you want to purchase the textbook, you will need to locate it through a used books website.

Prerequisites

Please note that this is a sophomore level class, Honors class; you must have 2 semesters of Composition to qualify as well as be submitted to the Honors program.

What Will We Study?

The course will draw on some of the oldest literary traditions as we explore food, wine, intoxication, eroticism, lust, and mysticism as reflected in the literatures of Ancient Greece, Egypt, Japan, China, India, and Europe. We’ll divide the semester into three sections—Section I: The Senses, Food & Wine (experiences of the body); Section II: Sex (sensuality and sexuality seen in the relationship of the body and the soul); and Section III: Transcendence (the ascension of the spirit). We will address the universalities of the common human experiences tied to having a physical body that feels and a mind that seeks meaning.

Class Structure

Classes will combine reading, brief lecture, much discussion, student research, writing, and presentations. Failure to read for class seriously cripples your capacity to understand the material; plus, you are Honors students so I expect you to be prepared. Together, we will unpack the form, structure, language, and style of poetry and prose—both the sacred and the (possibly?) profane.  And, you will create a unique portfolio, a semester-long project, that includes several short analytical responses to readings as well as a research-based analysis of Sense, Sex, or Transcendence as understood and aesthetically represented in one ancient civilization’s literary texts. In addition, art, creative writing, and other exercises (including interpretive dance!) will be encouraged.

Our course syllabus may be adjusted based on the schedules of guest lecturers. Should any changes be made, I will give you advance warning.

Standards of Behavior Contract

To remain in this class, all students must agree to adhere to the Standards of Behavior Contract, which will be provided on the first day of class. Violation of the contract will lead to a student’s immediate removal from the course.

Email and Communication

Please ensure that you check your ACC email account or that you have your ACC email forwarded to your regular account. I often use Blackboard to send emails, and Blackboard only records the ACC email account. 

I do not share IG, Snapchat, or Facebook with students. I am happy to Linked-In with you or you can follow me on Twitter and I will follow you back (but I almost never post anything.)

The best way to contact me is email.

Blackboard

Accessing Blackboard is a requirement for this course because I use Blackboard liberally. You can find the link to Blackboard on the ACC homepage in the lower right corner. Use of Blackboard requires an ACC EID. Obtain one and become familiar with Blackboard the first week of class. All course documents (including this one) can be found on Blackboard in the Course Documents folder. I also use Blackboard for class announcements, sample exam answers, changes to the syllabus, etc. You should check Blackboard before class to ensure that you have the most recent information. I post grades as well, so you can monitor your progress in class.

Grade Scale

Paper 1                                                            10%

Paper 2                                                            10%

Paper 3                                                            10%

Portfolio                                                          30%

Major Research Paper                                      30%

Presentation                                                     10%

All assignments will be given a numerical grade of 0-100 points. A percentage of that grade will be used to calculate your final average. This class relies heavily on grades that you receive at the end of the semester, which is fitting for an Honors class because you get to accumulate good work over the course of the term.

Course Requirements

Class attendance is critical, especially when we have guest speakers.

Short Papers— These papers are approximately 300-500 words, word-processed, double-spaced, and contain proper citation of primary source material. No need for secondary source material. They are due at the beginning of class. I will not accept papers via email nor will I accept a late paper.

Paper 1, Sensuality: application of aesthetic principles to poetry, essay, or creative nonfiction

Paper 2, Sexuality: close textual analysis of poetry, emphasis on imagery and figurative language

Paper 3, Transcendence: synthesis, analysis, and argument responding to an essay (nonfiction), poem or dramatic dialogue

Portfolio— This will include the three short papers as well as additional reader responses, summaries, reviews, creative writing, and visual argument; the Portfolio can be as formal or as informal as you like. It requires a Table of Contents and tabs would be helpful. I expect the Portfolios to contain a minimum of 10 pages. Please exercise your creativity!

Major Research Paper— This major research paper requires the development of a research question and a minimum of 4 outside resources on a topic chosen by the student. It should be word processed, double spaced, and contain MLA citation. The minimum word count is 1250 (that’s 5 pages).

Presentation— You will prepare a brief oral, in-class presentation of your research findings for your classmates—and for me.                                                       

Missed or Late Work

I do not accept late papers or other assignments. If you know you need an extension, ask for one at least 1 full class period before the due date. Reasons I grant an extension include: waiting for a library book, developing a new tangent that you just thought about, and serious illness or personal crisis.

Scholastic Dishonesty

Should I detect scholastic dishonesty, I will take action. I wish that I did not have to include this in my syllabus, but I must. If I catch plagiarism—even a single sentence—in your work, you may instantly fail the course. If you use online study sites, including Wikipedia and Sparknotes, to enhance your understanding of a text, you are at serious risk for unintentionally plagiarizing because plagiarism includes taking another person’s ideas and making them your own without citing the source. Even unintentional plagiarism will be penalized.

Use of Phones

Please do not text message during class; turn your phones to silent or vibrate. If you need to send a text or make a call, then kindly step into the hall to do so. I will do the same. Thank you.

Use of Laptops

If you wish to use laptops during class, please stay off of social media sites. There’s pretty good research that says that hand written notes are much better than notes on a laptop, so pleases consider that.

Backing Up Your Work

Back up your work by emailing it to yourself, uploading it to your Google Docs, and/or using some other online storage method, such as the cloud. Better safe than sorry. Every semester, someone loses their work—a preventable tragedy.

Covid

If you or someone in your household becomes ill due to Covid 19, please do not work on this class. Instead, notify me via email.

If you were exposed to Covid, think you were exposed to Covid, are having some Covid-like symptoms, DO NOT COME TO CLASS. Instead, if you are feeling healthy, follow along on Blackboard.

Masking is a great idea if you are feeling a little under the weather or aren’t sure if you are getting sick or its allergies. I will mask periodically when I teach because I sometimes hang out with people who are sensitive to getting very sick, so I mask a few days before I see them. Masking is not a big deal—I consider it good manners to mask when you might be contagious with something but you aren’t testing positive for anything and you want to come to class. It’s an extension of the old adage, cover your mouth and nose when you talk.

Text and Supplies

The Harper Collins World Reader—Antiquity to the Early Modern World, Mary Ann Caws and Christopher Prendergast, 1994 edition—I will provide that

Please note that the syllabus will adjust as guest speakers commit to times.

This literature course explores how ancient literary texts from across the globe explore the universal questions of existence, pleasure, sense, and meaning. Students will use literary analysis and critical thinking skills to unpack the form, structure, language, and style of poetry, prose, and fiction.  

Course Objectives

·         To provide a working knowledge of the characteristics of various literary genres.

·         To develop analytical skills and critical thinking through reading, discussion, and written assignments.

·         To broaden a student’s intercultural reading experience.

·         To deepen a student’s awareness of the universal human concerns that are the basis for literary works.

·         To stimulate a greater appreciation of language as an artistic medium and of the aesthetic principles that shape literary works.

·         To understand literature as an expression of human values within an historical and social context.

Course Student Learning Objectives

·         Identify characteristics of different genres

·         Write about and discuss elements of poetry, novel(s), short stories and drama and how the elements relate to the theme and work as a whole

·         Read and discuss works of literature from various world cultures

·         Identify and discuss universal themes and human conditions in poetry, novel(s), drama and short stories

·         Identify and discuss a historical and social context that affects a work of literature

English Department Student Learning Outcomes

·         Write clearly, coherently and effectively about various genres in literature

·         In discussions and writing, address the culture and context of the work of literature

·         Analyze literature by addressing theme, character, conflict, setting, point of view, language, tone and sound, as appropriate to the work

Core Curriculum Learning Outcomes

·         Content – Uses compelling and relevant content to illustrate mastery of the subject.

·         Organization – Presents information in a unified and coherent manner with thesis clearly stated and supported.

·         Sources and Evidence – Effectively utilizes a wide variety of relevant and credible materials with citations (when required).

·         Writing Conventions (grammar/spelling/usage/punctuation/formatting) – Uses language that communicates meaning to readers with clarity and fluency.