Honors LSIC 179
Our Stories: Autobiography in American History
Fall, 2007
Dr. Ellen Holmes Pearson
Office: New Hall 219
828-251-6651
Email: epearson@unca.edu
Office hours:
Mon/Wed 9-10 a.m.; Tu/Th
10-11 a.m.
Or by appointment
Objective: This course will examine the life stories of Americans from the colonial period to the 20th century. We will use a broad definition of autobiography that includes many forms of personal narratives: memoirs, diaries, journals, and captivity narratives, among others. Our subjects will be “famous” Americans, such as Benjamin Franklin and Frederick Douglass, as well as ordinary Americans who were placed in extraordinary circumstances – or who led rather ordinary lives. Through these narratives we will examine the constructions of identity and cultural meanings of history and memory within the context of American history. In addition to providing you with a strong conceptual background and interpretations of autobiography in American history, we will also help develop your critical thinking, reading, and writing skills through textual analysis and written interpretation of historical works. This course also serves as an introduction to academic life at UNCA, and to that end we will help you to become an active member of the campus community, develop personal responsibility in your choices and goals, and learn about campus resources.
This class has been designated a writing-intensive course. We will follow the process of drafting and revising a scholarly essay. The draft will undergo peer review before revision and submission of a final draft. In addition to this paper, we will practice writing in several different forms, including short in-class writing exercises, take-home examinations, and two research/reflection papers.
Grades will be based on the following criteria: 1) One take-home midterm and one take-home final 2) One preliminary draft of a 5-6 page comparative essay 3) One final draft of a 5-6 page comparative essay 4) Peer review of two classmates’ paper drafts 5) One reflection/research essay based on a service learning experience. Expectations for this essay will be discussed in class 6) One reflection essay. Expectations for this essay will be discussed in class 7) class participation
Assignments and exams are worth a total of 755 points, distributed as follows: Midterm Exam: 100 points; Final exam: 100 points; First draft of comparative essay: 75 points; final draft of comparative essay: 100 points; peer review of two classmates’ paper drafts: 75 points; service learning reflection/research essay: 125 points; Reflection essay: 80 points; Class participation: 100 points.
Final grades are calculated as follows: 755-702 = A; 701-680 = A-; 679-664 = B+; 663-627= B; 626-604 = B-; 603-589 = C+; 588-551 = C; 550-529 = C-; 528-513 = D+; 512-476 = D; 475 or below = F. (There is no D- in the UNCA grade scale.)
If you do not complete one or more of the assignments or if you do not turn in the midterm or the final, you will receive an F for the class. No exceptions. I do not tolerate any form of academic dishonesty (plagiarism or cheating). Make certain you know the university’s policies regarding Academic Honesty, (see UNCA Catalog or Student Handbook) and understand that I do not bend these policies. Only under extraordinary circumstances do I allow deadline extensions for any written assignments. To receive permission for an extension, the student must contact me before the scheduled assignment deadline except in cases of emergency. In cases of emergency, I require documentation, such as doctor’s or other appropriate written excuse. Unexcused late papers will be penalized one-half grade level per day beyond the deadline, including weekends. I do not comment on late papers. I do not accept emailed papers, all papers must be submitted to me in hard copy. If you do not place the assignment in my hands, and then it mysteriously disappears from the place of delivery, I will count it late for each day after the due date until I receive a copy. I do not consider an assignment “received” until I personally lay eyes on it; therefore, if you place a paper in my box or slip it under my door after I depart for the day, the assignment will not be counted as “received” until I see it when I return to the office.
Midterm and Final Exams will consist of take-home essay questions. Expectations for the exam will be discussed in class. If you miss an exam due date because of illness or emergency, I require a doctor’s or other appropriate written excuse before I agree to accept late exams.
Service Learning Project: In addition to our in-class activities, the ACT in Asheville Day, and other learning “field trips,” we will also participate in a class-specific service learning activity. You may choose between: a group cleanup and maintenance day in the South Asheville “colored” Cemetery; or, you may perform service work for a resident or residents of Aston Towers, a low-income senior-citizen residence in downtown Asheville. We will discuss the details of these activities in class. Service learning is a key component to our education at UNCA, in order to help students to develop a sense of civic responsibility and community commitment. We will combine the service learning project with a reflection/research paper that will also be discussed in more detail early in the semester.
This particular project is designed with the following objectives in mind: to help you draw connections between what you learn in the community and what you learn in the classroom; to expose you to some of Asheville’s history; to acquaint you with a part of Asheville and its people that you may not have encountered otherwise; to help you to practice your research and writing skills; to acquaint you with oral histories as one kind of primary source – and one kind of autobiography.
Disability Services: If you have a documented disability of which I need to be aware, please bring me the paperwork as soon as possible so that we can make any appropriate accommodations. If you have any questions, contact Ethan Fesperman in the Academic Advising Office.
Responsibilities and Expectations: As professor, my responsibility is to come prepared to class, facilitate your learning of our topic, evaluate your work, return graded assignments in a timely manner, and be responsive to your needs and interests throughout the semester. As students, your responsibility is to come prepared to class, put forth an effort in learning our topic, complete all assignments as scheduled, and be communicative about your needs and interests throughout the semester. I also expect each student to exhibit civil and professional behavior during class sessions. I consider chatting, ringing cell-phones, and other disruptive behavior unprofessional, and consistent practice of such unprofessional behavior will result in a poor class participation grade regardless of your contributions to discussion. Turn off cell-phones and other noise making devices before entering the classroom. If you must, because of a family member’s serious illness, impending birth, or other extreme emergency, leave a cell-phone on during class, please inform me of the situation before the class period begins.
Class discussions: A considerable portion of this class will consist of dialogue concerning the reading assignments and class activities. This format has several ramifications for you as a student. First, you must recognize that you learn as much from other students as you do from me. Consequently, it is very important that you come to class prepared for discussion and take notes on the discussions, so that you remember what we discussed. Second, listening skills are important. If you wish to be heard, you must listen; if you wish to have your ideas taken seriously, respect the ideas of others. Finally, this class will require reflection and questioning. It is not enough just to have an opinion, you will need to support that opinion with evidence and sound reasoning. There are no “dumb” questions – sometimes voicing a half-formed idea provokes a productive discussion that allows the group to arrive at a richer understanding of the material we are examining.
Class Participation: Each student in the class must take responsibility for her/his learning experience. I provide additional incentive to learn with the class participation portion of the grade. You earn the class participation grade for a combination of consistent attendance, listening, and contributing. If you arrive late to class (meaning after I have taken attendance) you will be counted absent. I take attendance at all classes, and after your third absence, I calculate your class participation grade by dividing the number of absences by the total number of class periods in the semester (for example, 3 absences in 30 class periods = 10% off your class participation grade,) and then I factor in participation. I make note of those who participate regularly – and those who do not. Students with perfect or near-perfect attendance who do not participate regularly in discussion can receive as high as a C+ on their class participation grade. To receive an “A” class participation grade, you must be present consistently – that means both mental and physical presence – and make substantive contributions to discussion. As you move through the semester, regularly ask yourself these questions: are you involved? Are you making an effort to honestly and coherently reflect on the ideas? Are you supportive of your fellow students? There are at least three indicators of lazy class participation (and of course, these three indicators help me determine your participation grade): lack of critical thinking; lack of reflective engagement; lack of civility toward your fellow students and professor. On the other hand, I respect and reward thoughtful, reflective, engaged, civil students with a sense of humor and a willingness to explore ideas.
Discussion Forum: We will also be using the OnePort Message Board each week to participate in a discussion forum pertaining to the readings and lectures. Your participation in forum discussions will count for a portion of your class participation grade. See Contributors’ Requirements for specific expectations.
Always bring copies of the assigned readings and textbooks to class, you will need them.
Campus Email: I may, under certain circumstances, communicate with you via the Campus email. You should check your campus address daily, or, if you prefer to use another email account, forward your UNCA account. If you need assistance, go to the computer center. It is your responsibility to make sure you receive and read all communications regarding this course. Note that many “outside” email accounts are flagged as Spam by the university system. I delete spam messages without reading them. If you cannot use your UNCA account for some reason, it is best to call me rather than trying to send a message from an “outside” email address.
Withdrawals/incompletes: I do not allow late withdrawals, so make sure you know the deadline for withdrawal without a grade. I also do not grant incompletes unless you meet with me before the final day of class and have a compelling and documented reason.
ASSIGNED TEXTS: The following texts are available at the Bookstore:
Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, David W. Blight, ed.,
(Bedford/St. Martin Press)
Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Louis P. Masur, ed. (Bedford/St.
Martin Press)
Timothy B. Tyson, Blood Done Sign My Name (Three Rivers Press)
The above texts are required. You will also be responsible for other readings that will be available via links from my web syllabus or through the library’s electronic reserve (also known as “e-res.”) Text and primary document readings will form the basis of our weekly discussions. These discussions will be an important part of your class participation grade (see above), and the information we cover in the discussions will also figure prominently on the exams.
For a copy of these course policies and a full class schedule, go to my webpage: http://facstaff.unca.edu/epearson/. Once you have accessed my webpage, click on the link to “LSIC 179: Our Stories” to get to all documents for the class. Bookmark that address. You will want to check the class schedule frequently. I will post any announcements, schedule changes, or assignment changes on the class webpage and/or class schedule. Should class be cancelled for whatever reason, I will try to communicate urgent information via email, and I will post any further information or changes on the class webpage as soon as possible.