[ Great Exp. | Dracula | Frankenstein | Posthuman | BNW | 1984 | Poetry | Sir Gawain | Dr. Faustus | Macbeth | IRP | Richard III ]
Office Hours
If you need extra help, have any questions, would like tutoring on your compositions, or need to make up a quiz, come see me in room 331 during my office hours, which are as follows:
Monday-Friday: 7:15 - 7:45 a.m.
Wednesday Help Night: 2:50 - 3:50 p.m.
B-day M-Blocks
Monday-Friday: 7:15 - 7:45 a.m.
Wednesday Help Night: 2:50 - 3:50 p.m.
B-day M-Blocks
Course Syllabus
This course has been approved by the College Board as the equivalent of a college freshman course in English
Literature and/or Composition. In fact, most colleges will award credit for students who score a 3, 4 or 5 on the AP® exam. Is the test difficult? Of course. The good news is: This course is designed for you to succeed on the AP exam.
LINK: For more info on the AP Test
The Advanced Placement® English Literature and Composition course is just as the title denotes: reading, writing, thinking, imagining, and then more writing and reading; a cycle of individual reading and study, group discussion, culminating in various modes of writing.
This course will not only prepare you for the AP® exam; it will prepare you well for the demands of college reading and, more importantly, it will expose you to outstanding literature as well as hone your analytical writing and critical thinking skills. Contrary to what some may think, the study of literature is a practical pursuit that will help you develop valuable skills for college entrance exam-taking, university studies, professional work, and life in general.
Literary Analysis
Since your pre-requisite for admission to this course is Honors American Literature, the goals of AP® English Literature and Composition are to survey certain important forms of British literature--novels, short stories, poems, and plays--and to introduce you to some techniques for achieving a critical appreciation of literary art.
Critical appreciation means having informed, intelligent reasons for liking whatever literature you like and being able to articulate those reasons clearly, persuasively, and interestingly, especially in writing. Vital for critical appreciation is the ability to "interpret" a piece of literature. Critical interpretation basically means formulating a coherent, interesting account of what a piece of imaginative literature means, what it's trying to do to or for the reader, and what technical choices the author makes in order to try to achieve the effects he or she wants. We will be learning how to interpret through methods of literary analysis by examining plot, character, setting, point of view, tone, theme, symbol, etc. Not coincidentally, the AP English Lit and Comp exam focuses on exactly that: literary analysis.
Critical Reading
In order to prepare for the level of work you will be expected to complete in AP® English Literature & Composition, you are expected to read all the assigned readings in their entirety. You should not read SparkNotes, Shmoop, CliffsNotes, or any other “student study guides” in lieu of reading these primary texts. I am not interested in what the writers of SparkNotes and CliffsNotes have to say about the literature. I want to hear what you think. Strive to analyze and interpret the literature on your own so that you will be prepared to think critically about other works you will encounter throughout the school year. You will not succeed in this course if you plan to read SparkNotes instead of reading and studying the actual books.
LINK: Reading list for AP English Literature & Composition
During this course we will explore four general eras of British Literature: Medieval, Elizabethan/Jacobean, Victorian, and Modern (20th century). The reading list is carefully chosen to explore diverse forms of imaginative literature: novel, short story, narrative verse, play, and poem.
Annotation: Although not mandatory, I highly recommend that you buy your own copies of all assigned books so that you can practice the art of active reading. In order to learn to read actively, you are strongly encouraged to “make a book your own” (Adler) by taking full advantage of annotation – underlining, highlighting, and taking notes in the margins.
Most of the required books are available in new and used copies for just a few dollars from Amazon.com Marketplace. I have a number of used paperback copies of each work available for purchase for $5 each. If you do not want to buy your own personal copies, you will be provided with a school-owned copy or a digital text.
Literary Response Journal (LRJ)
Throughout the year you will be completing a series of informal writing assignments that complement the reading you are doing. You are required to purchase a NON-spiral-bound composition notebook and bring it to each class -- beginning with the fourth class of the first quarter. These will be collected and graded periodically throughout each quarter, typically on the day of a unit exam. They must be neat, legible, and properly respond to the prompt in order to receive full credit.
Each LRJ assignment is worth 25 points. If you are completing these assignments thoughtfully, neatly, and legibly in 2-3 pages, these will be “easy points.” If you forget to bring your LRJ to class on a day you have an LRJ assignment, you will receive a Code 15 – that means the maximum number of points you can receive on that assignment is 15/25.
Formal Writing Assignments
As I mentioned earlier, writing is integral -- and thus very important! -- to this course. Writing assignments focus on the critical analysis of literature and include three types of essays:
• expository: writing to understand
• analytical: writing to explain
• argumentative: writing to evaluate
Although literary analysis makes up the bulk of the course, you will also have the opportunity for creative writing in the form of short stories, plays, film scripts, and/or poetry.
Writing instruction includes attention to developing and organizing ideas in a clear, coherent and persuasive language -– this is called “composition,” and it includes the study of the “elements of style.” In this course, we will build on what we know about the five-paragraph structure, and move beyond that to more sophisticated, college-level writing.
The writing that you produce in this course is designed to reinforce your reading. Since reading and writing stimulate and support one another, they are taught together. Most writing involves developing an argument using a thesis statement or presenting an analysis at length. In-class writing assignments will help you write effectively under the time constraints that you will encounter on essay exams in other high school courses and later in college courses in many different disciplines, including English.
Research Papers & Projects
In the second quarter you will be completing a research project on a controversial issue in the field of biotechnology or scientific experimentation as it relates to literature. This will fit in with our reading and study of Frankenstein and Brave New World. As a part of this unit we will be studying rhetoric – the art of argument and persuasion -- and research skills, the ability to successfully incorporate others' ideas into your own analytical writing. In the fourth quarter you will complete your capstone writing assignment -- the Independent Reading Project (IRP). For more information on that, click onto the IRP link from any page.
Grading & Evaluation
You will be evaluated on preparation, participation, written assignments, projects, and exams, each with varying degrees of grade value. Each quarter’s grade will be determined by a combination of all work completed as follows:
Class Participation (10%)
You are expected to be prepared to participate in class discussions each day, typically on the assigned readings. This is an important component of this class. Each quarter you will be given the opportunity to evaluate your own class participation. This includes punctuality, attendance, preparedness, contribution to discussions, attentiveness, and respect. If you are well-prepared and regularly participate, making substantial contributions you can earn a 100% on your class participation grade. Note well: every time you are tardy to class, you will be docked at least 2 percentage points. And if you miss five or more classes during a quarter (even if these absences are "excused") I reserve the right to give you a 0% for class participation. Missing a quarter of the classes in a grading period is unacceptable except in extenuating circumstances such as long-term illness or injury.
Homework & Quick Quizzes (30%)
This category includes three primary types of assignments/assessments:
1. LRJ assignments: 25 points each
2. Quick Quizzes/Seminar Sheets: 45 points each
3. Data Sheets: 45 points each
Since most of the reading of plays and novels is completed at home, you will be regularly taking reading quizzes. These brief 15-minute assessments serve primarily to check for comprehension and motivate you to follow the reading timeline provided. They will be simple and straightforward as long as you have done the reading. In addition to our guided seminars, they provide a springboard for analytical class discussion on the readings. Again, being prepared with the readings is essential.
During each literature unit you will prepare analytical notes on a data sheet, which you will be allowed to use on your unit exam and respond to three LRJ prompts.
Unit Exams (40%)
“Unit exams” will be given at the end of each unit, novel or play we study. These normally consist of multiple choice, extended response prompts, and/or essay questions. A unit exam typically take most of a 90-minute block and includes AP® exam-style assessments. You will typically have two unit exams per quarter.
Essays (20%)
Your essays in this course will follow a process of annotation, formulation, draft, evaluation, and revision. Almost all of them will be drafted in-class under time-constraints of 45-50 minutes, in order to simulate the A.P.-exam limitations. These in-class drafts will typically be evaluated and revised before a final print copy is turned in for scoring according to a composition rubric.
You will only be eligible for full credit on your essays if they are turned in on the due date at the time they are collected (or before class if I allow you to submit them to me electronically). Late essays will receive a 20% deduction for each school day (A or B day, depending on the class block) it is late, up to three days. Essays that are not turned in by the third day will receive a 0%. You must have your essays printed out and stapled before you come to class. If you do not, you will receive a late grade. I will not allow you to “go down to the printer.”
Not ready at beginning of class period: maximum 90% credit
One day late: maximum 80% credit
Two days late: maximum 60% credit
Three days late: no credit
Example: If you turn in an essay two days late (60% max credit) and your original grade would have been a 90%, you will receive a 50% instead. Lesson: Turn all essays in on-time.
MoeCampus & Class Blog:
Assignments and homework will be found on MoeCampus and detailed on the Class Blog. Students remain responsible for any assignment given verbally in class, regardless of what MoeCampus may say. Get used to checking in with the class blog every day!
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism will result in a “0” as your grade for any assignment. Period. Incorporating Sparknotes, Cliffnotes, Shmoop, or any other study aid content is plagiarism and will result in a “0” .
According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to “plagiarize” means
· to steal and pass off the ideas or words of another as one's own; and
· to use another's work without crediting the source.
Another important point is that as you progress in your education the standards become higher. As a high school student
(and later, in college) you are expected to have your own ideas, to read information and explain it in your own words. If you complete an assignment by copying material, you are not showing that you understand something, only that you can repeat what someone else has to say. This does not show that you understand.
Absences & Make-Up Work:
Excused absences from school are obviously not counted against you, however, if you miss more than five classes per quarter (for any reason, excused or unexcused), I reserve the right to give you a 0% on your class participation grade for that quarter.
Any assignment that is due on the absent day must be presented on the day you return. You are responsible for any assignment, test, or material missed during the absence (notes should be sought from classmates, and tests must be made up outside of class, e.g, during M-Block or before school in my room, room 331).
Very important: It is your responsibility to make up all quizzes, tests, and exams you miss. These will NOT normally be made up during class time, since this would mean that you will miss even more of the class. You are required to make arrangements to take make up quizzes during M-block or between 7:15-7:45 on either the first or second morning of your return from absence. For exams, you are required to make arrangements to take the make-up on the Wednesday following your return, after school, typically from 2:50-4:20. Any quizzes or exams not made up within a week of your return to school will turn to a zero.
If you have an unexcused absence, you will receive no credit for any work that is due that day in my class.
Class Guidelines
Class Materials:
Laptops must be brought to class daily but they must remain closed until it is time to use them. All necessary pens, paper, pertinent handouts, texts and your LRJ must be present. Being unprepared will lower your participation grade.
You must come to each class with 1) laptop, 2) pencil, and 3) pen. If you need to "borrow" a pencil or pen from me in order to take or grade an exam or quiz, you will be docked five points on that quiz or test!
To be purchased:
Three-ring binder to hold handouts, composition notebook (for Literary Response Journal), loose-leaf paper, pens (red, black, and blue) and pencils.
Classroom Rules and Procedures:
1. You must arrive on time, be seated, and be prepared to begin class by the bell. Four tardies per quarter will result in a detention slip. You will not be given extra time to take quizzes, tests, or exams that are distributed at the beginning of
class.
2. You should come to class with a positive attitude and be prepared to participate in class discussions. You should not come to class with outlandish sports equipment! Example: If you arrive with a baseball bat, lacrosse stick, shoulder pads, football helmet, etc. you will be asked to leave. When you return without your sports paraphernalia, you will be marked tardy.
3. Laptops should remain closed unless or until you are instructed otherwise. If your laptop is open when the bell rings you
will be considered tardy and will not be given any class materials (e.g., test, exam, etc.). Continued problem with this will result in a detention slip, blue slip, or other appropriate disciplinary measures.
4. No food or drink or candy is permitted in the classroom. On those nasty, hot days, I'll allow bottled water.
5. Cell phones and other music players may not be used or on your desk during class. Keep them off and out of sight (in book bag or pocket). If I see them or hear them, I reserve the right to give you a detention.
6. You may not use your laptop for any purpose other than the assigned task at hand. That means no gaming, no emailing, and no completing homework for other courses during my class. I will not be playing laptop cop, but anyone not abiding by this simple rule will be given either a school detention or an "off task dock," which means you will be docked one percentage point off your final quarterly grade for class participation.
7. You must remain in your seat during class unless you have permission from me to be up and moving around. Contributions to class discussion are always encouraged but you must raise your hand and be recognized before speaking.
8. Unruly, rude, or inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated in the classroom. In-lieu detentions or blue slips may result.
All other handbook policies, including dress code and other pertinent policies of behavior, etc. will be enforced. Infractions will result in detention or other disciplinary measures.
My Great Expectations
Since this is an Advanced Placement® course, I have high standards for all written work you turn in. You should re-read this course syllabus carefully, especially the "Classroom Rules and Procedures."
This syllabus is not for show; I do mean it, and I will enforce it. If you want to improve your writing and are willing to put in extra time and effort into it, you'll find much success in this class. Do not plan on whipping off papers the night before they're due, running them quickly through the spell-checker, and handing them in full of sentences that make little sense. I draw no distinction between the quality of one's ideas and the quality of the verbal expression of those ideas. You'll be graded on both.
Literature and/or Composition. In fact, most colleges will award credit for students who score a 3, 4 or 5 on the AP® exam. Is the test difficult? Of course. The good news is: This course is designed for you to succeed on the AP exam.
LINK: For more info on the AP Test
The Advanced Placement® English Literature and Composition course is just as the title denotes: reading, writing, thinking, imagining, and then more writing and reading; a cycle of individual reading and study, group discussion, culminating in various modes of writing.
This course will not only prepare you for the AP® exam; it will prepare you well for the demands of college reading and, more importantly, it will expose you to outstanding literature as well as hone your analytical writing and critical thinking skills. Contrary to what some may think, the study of literature is a practical pursuit that will help you develop valuable skills for college entrance exam-taking, university studies, professional work, and life in general.
Literary Analysis
Since your pre-requisite for admission to this course is Honors American Literature, the goals of AP® English Literature and Composition are to survey certain important forms of British literature--novels, short stories, poems, and plays--and to introduce you to some techniques for achieving a critical appreciation of literary art.
Critical appreciation means having informed, intelligent reasons for liking whatever literature you like and being able to articulate those reasons clearly, persuasively, and interestingly, especially in writing. Vital for critical appreciation is the ability to "interpret" a piece of literature. Critical interpretation basically means formulating a coherent, interesting account of what a piece of imaginative literature means, what it's trying to do to or for the reader, and what technical choices the author makes in order to try to achieve the effects he or she wants. We will be learning how to interpret through methods of literary analysis by examining plot, character, setting, point of view, tone, theme, symbol, etc. Not coincidentally, the AP English Lit and Comp exam focuses on exactly that: literary analysis.
Critical Reading
In order to prepare for the level of work you will be expected to complete in AP® English Literature & Composition, you are expected to read all the assigned readings in their entirety. You should not read SparkNotes, Shmoop, CliffsNotes, or any other “student study guides” in lieu of reading these primary texts. I am not interested in what the writers of SparkNotes and CliffsNotes have to say about the literature. I want to hear what you think. Strive to analyze and interpret the literature on your own so that you will be prepared to think critically about other works you will encounter throughout the school year. You will not succeed in this course if you plan to read SparkNotes instead of reading and studying the actual books.
LINK: Reading list for AP English Literature & Composition
During this course we will explore four general eras of British Literature: Medieval, Elizabethan/Jacobean, Victorian, and Modern (20th century). The reading list is carefully chosen to explore diverse forms of imaginative literature: novel, short story, narrative verse, play, and poem.
Annotation: Although not mandatory, I highly recommend that you buy your own copies of all assigned books so that you can practice the art of active reading. In order to learn to read actively, you are strongly encouraged to “make a book your own” (Adler) by taking full advantage of annotation – underlining, highlighting, and taking notes in the margins.
Most of the required books are available in new and used copies for just a few dollars from Amazon.com Marketplace. I have a number of used paperback copies of each work available for purchase for $5 each. If you do not want to buy your own personal copies, you will be provided with a school-owned copy or a digital text.
Literary Response Journal (LRJ)
Throughout the year you will be completing a series of informal writing assignments that complement the reading you are doing. You are required to purchase a NON-spiral-bound composition notebook and bring it to each class -- beginning with the fourth class of the first quarter. These will be collected and graded periodically throughout each quarter, typically on the day of a unit exam. They must be neat, legible, and properly respond to the prompt in order to receive full credit.
Each LRJ assignment is worth 25 points. If you are completing these assignments thoughtfully, neatly, and legibly in 2-3 pages, these will be “easy points.” If you forget to bring your LRJ to class on a day you have an LRJ assignment, you will receive a Code 15 – that means the maximum number of points you can receive on that assignment is 15/25.
Formal Writing Assignments
As I mentioned earlier, writing is integral -- and thus very important! -- to this course. Writing assignments focus on the critical analysis of literature and include three types of essays:
• expository: writing to understand
• analytical: writing to explain
• argumentative: writing to evaluate
Although literary analysis makes up the bulk of the course, you will also have the opportunity for creative writing in the form of short stories, plays, film scripts, and/or poetry.
Writing instruction includes attention to developing and organizing ideas in a clear, coherent and persuasive language -– this is called “composition,” and it includes the study of the “elements of style.” In this course, we will build on what we know about the five-paragraph structure, and move beyond that to more sophisticated, college-level writing.
The writing that you produce in this course is designed to reinforce your reading. Since reading and writing stimulate and support one another, they are taught together. Most writing involves developing an argument using a thesis statement or presenting an analysis at length. In-class writing assignments will help you write effectively under the time constraints that you will encounter on essay exams in other high school courses and later in college courses in many different disciplines, including English.
Research Papers & Projects
In the second quarter you will be completing a research project on a controversial issue in the field of biotechnology or scientific experimentation as it relates to literature. This will fit in with our reading and study of Frankenstein and Brave New World. As a part of this unit we will be studying rhetoric – the art of argument and persuasion -- and research skills, the ability to successfully incorporate others' ideas into your own analytical writing. In the fourth quarter you will complete your capstone writing assignment -- the Independent Reading Project (IRP). For more information on that, click onto the IRP link from any page.
Grading & Evaluation
You will be evaluated on preparation, participation, written assignments, projects, and exams, each with varying degrees of grade value. Each quarter’s grade will be determined by a combination of all work completed as follows:
Class Participation (10%)
You are expected to be prepared to participate in class discussions each day, typically on the assigned readings. This is an important component of this class. Each quarter you will be given the opportunity to evaluate your own class participation. This includes punctuality, attendance, preparedness, contribution to discussions, attentiveness, and respect. If you are well-prepared and regularly participate, making substantial contributions you can earn a 100% on your class participation grade. Note well: every time you are tardy to class, you will be docked at least 2 percentage points. And if you miss five or more classes during a quarter (even if these absences are "excused") I reserve the right to give you a 0% for class participation. Missing a quarter of the classes in a grading period is unacceptable except in extenuating circumstances such as long-term illness or injury.
Homework & Quick Quizzes (30%)
This category includes three primary types of assignments/assessments:
1. LRJ assignments: 25 points each
2. Quick Quizzes/Seminar Sheets: 45 points each
3. Data Sheets: 45 points each
Since most of the reading of plays and novels is completed at home, you will be regularly taking reading quizzes. These brief 15-minute assessments serve primarily to check for comprehension and motivate you to follow the reading timeline provided. They will be simple and straightforward as long as you have done the reading. In addition to our guided seminars, they provide a springboard for analytical class discussion on the readings. Again, being prepared with the readings is essential.
During each literature unit you will prepare analytical notes on a data sheet, which you will be allowed to use on your unit exam and respond to three LRJ prompts.
Unit Exams (40%)
“Unit exams” will be given at the end of each unit, novel or play we study. These normally consist of multiple choice, extended response prompts, and/or essay questions. A unit exam typically take most of a 90-minute block and includes AP® exam-style assessments. You will typically have two unit exams per quarter.
Essays (20%)
Your essays in this course will follow a process of annotation, formulation, draft, evaluation, and revision. Almost all of them will be drafted in-class under time-constraints of 45-50 minutes, in order to simulate the A.P.-exam limitations. These in-class drafts will typically be evaluated and revised before a final print copy is turned in for scoring according to a composition rubric.
You will only be eligible for full credit on your essays if they are turned in on the due date at the time they are collected (or before class if I allow you to submit them to me electronically). Late essays will receive a 20% deduction for each school day (A or B day, depending on the class block) it is late, up to three days. Essays that are not turned in by the third day will receive a 0%. You must have your essays printed out and stapled before you come to class. If you do not, you will receive a late grade. I will not allow you to “go down to the printer.”
Not ready at beginning of class period: maximum 90% credit
One day late: maximum 80% credit
Two days late: maximum 60% credit
Three days late: no credit
Example: If you turn in an essay two days late (60% max credit) and your original grade would have been a 90%, you will receive a 50% instead. Lesson: Turn all essays in on-time.
MoeCampus & Class Blog:
Assignments and homework will be found on MoeCampus and detailed on the Class Blog. Students remain responsible for any assignment given verbally in class, regardless of what MoeCampus may say. Get used to checking in with the class blog every day!
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism will result in a “0” as your grade for any assignment. Period. Incorporating Sparknotes, Cliffnotes, Shmoop, or any other study aid content is plagiarism and will result in a “0” .
According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to “plagiarize” means
· to steal and pass off the ideas or words of another as one's own; and
· to use another's work without crediting the source.
Another important point is that as you progress in your education the standards become higher. As a high school student
(and later, in college) you are expected to have your own ideas, to read information and explain it in your own words. If you complete an assignment by copying material, you are not showing that you understand something, only that you can repeat what someone else has to say. This does not show that you understand.
Absences & Make-Up Work:
Excused absences from school are obviously not counted against you, however, if you miss more than five classes per quarter (for any reason, excused or unexcused), I reserve the right to give you a 0% on your class participation grade for that quarter.
Any assignment that is due on the absent day must be presented on the day you return. You are responsible for any assignment, test, or material missed during the absence (notes should be sought from classmates, and tests must be made up outside of class, e.g, during M-Block or before school in my room, room 331).
Very important: It is your responsibility to make up all quizzes, tests, and exams you miss. These will NOT normally be made up during class time, since this would mean that you will miss even more of the class. You are required to make arrangements to take make up quizzes during M-block or between 7:15-7:45 on either the first or second morning of your return from absence. For exams, you are required to make arrangements to take the make-up on the Wednesday following your return, after school, typically from 2:50-4:20. Any quizzes or exams not made up within a week of your return to school will turn to a zero.
If you have an unexcused absence, you will receive no credit for any work that is due that day in my class.
Class Guidelines
Class Materials:
Laptops must be brought to class daily but they must remain closed until it is time to use them. All necessary pens, paper, pertinent handouts, texts and your LRJ must be present. Being unprepared will lower your participation grade.
You must come to each class with 1) laptop, 2) pencil, and 3) pen. If you need to "borrow" a pencil or pen from me in order to take or grade an exam or quiz, you will be docked five points on that quiz or test!
To be purchased:
Three-ring binder to hold handouts, composition notebook (for Literary Response Journal), loose-leaf paper, pens (red, black, and blue) and pencils.
Classroom Rules and Procedures:
1. You must arrive on time, be seated, and be prepared to begin class by the bell. Four tardies per quarter will result in a detention slip. You will not be given extra time to take quizzes, tests, or exams that are distributed at the beginning of
class.
2. You should come to class with a positive attitude and be prepared to participate in class discussions. You should not come to class with outlandish sports equipment! Example: If you arrive with a baseball bat, lacrosse stick, shoulder pads, football helmet, etc. you will be asked to leave. When you return without your sports paraphernalia, you will be marked tardy.
3. Laptops should remain closed unless or until you are instructed otherwise. If your laptop is open when the bell rings you
will be considered tardy and will not be given any class materials (e.g., test, exam, etc.). Continued problem with this will result in a detention slip, blue slip, or other appropriate disciplinary measures.
4. No food or drink or candy is permitted in the classroom. On those nasty, hot days, I'll allow bottled water.
5. Cell phones and other music players may not be used or on your desk during class. Keep them off and out of sight (in book bag or pocket). If I see them or hear them, I reserve the right to give you a detention.
6. You may not use your laptop for any purpose other than the assigned task at hand. That means no gaming, no emailing, and no completing homework for other courses during my class. I will not be playing laptop cop, but anyone not abiding by this simple rule will be given either a school detention or an "off task dock," which means you will be docked one percentage point off your final quarterly grade for class participation.
7. You must remain in your seat during class unless you have permission from me to be up and moving around. Contributions to class discussion are always encouraged but you must raise your hand and be recognized before speaking.
8. Unruly, rude, or inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated in the classroom. In-lieu detentions or blue slips may result.
All other handbook policies, including dress code and other pertinent policies of behavior, etc. will be enforced. Infractions will result in detention or other disciplinary measures.
My Great Expectations
Since this is an Advanced Placement® course, I have high standards for all written work you turn in. You should re-read this course syllabus carefully, especially the "Classroom Rules and Procedures."
This syllabus is not for show; I do mean it, and I will enforce it. If you want to improve your writing and are willing to put in extra time and effort into it, you'll find much success in this class. Do not plan on whipping off papers the night before they're due, running them quickly through the spell-checker, and handing them in full of sentences that make little sense. I draw no distinction between the quality of one's ideas and the quality of the verbal expression of those ideas. You'll be graded on both.
