GENG222: GENRES (section 1, class number 15925, meeting time MWF 10:10-11:00)

Description: In this course we will focus on a humanistic examination of some major philosophical and social themes in speculative fiction. Also, while reading and discussing this diverse collection of both relatively contemporary and more historical works that may be categorized as "speculative," we will be led to consider the cultural factors that influence ideas about genre, about literary "greatness," and about canonicity in the humanities. More generally, we'll challenge our own first responses to readings and hone our ability to evaluate literature and its potential as a gateway to new ideas and insights. We'll explore some connections between literary works and other creative works and/or intellectual pursuits. Finally, through these efforts, we'll work on improving our basic ability to approach ANY text (ie. not just "literature") and, in fact, any communicative act critically, developing basic vocabulary and skills in the techniques of such analyses.

Required novels, including ISBN numbers: (Note -- If you choose to get other editions of any of these texts, you should be aware that page numbers for syllabus references and class discussions may not correspond. )
Beukes, Lauren. Moxyland. Angry Robot, ISBN 0857660047.
Bryant, Dorothy. The Kin of Ata are Waiting For You. Random House, ISBN 0679778438
Card, Orson Scott. Ender's Game. Mass Market Paperback, ISBN 0812589041.
Dick, Phillip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. ISBN 9780345404473.
McCarthy, Cormac. The Road. Vintage Books, ISBN 978-0-307-27792-3.
Stephenson, Neal. Snow Crash. Bantam Doubleday Dell, ISBN 0553380958.
(One additional novel may be chosen by the class as its "class choice" reading.)

Recommended references:
A good, comprehensive dictionary-- You are expected to look up the meaning of any words in our reading with which you are unfamiliar before class discussion. (There is also a link to the OED online at the bottom of this webpage.)
A writing guide such as the MLA Handbook that includes citation guidelines. (There is also a link at the bottom of this webpage to the JMU library's page with a few MLA citation style examples.)

Additional required readings:
Short stories and supplemental materials will be made available online on Blackboard (under the course documents heading for our course) and/or be distributed in class. Check the "readings" section of the syllabus regularly for new readings.

Work, Grading, and Attendance: Assignments (12%), Two Papers (22% each), Midterm (22%), Final (22%).

All work must be submitted on time and in-class and all exams must be taken at scheduled times unless I determine that your circumstances warrant an alternative accommodation. ( You must make requests in advance when at all possible and as soon as possible in other, extraordinary circumstances). All papers and exams must be submitted to pass this course unless, again, I determine that it is appropriate to make an accommodation.
Attendance at regular classes is strongly recommended but not absolutely required, unless I inform the class in advance of a special case.
About assignments --
First, GENG222 is designated as a "writing infused" course. This means students must be required to write a minimum of 5000 words. In this particular course, in addition to the writing assigned as formal papers and as essay components of the midterm and final exams, writing will also occur very regularly in a variety of at-home and in-class assignments.
At-home assignments (i.e., ones you bring to class already completed), depending on their size, will be announced at least one class period before they are due and will be posted as links at the bottom of this webpage no later than the evening of that same day. These assignments must be typed unless otherwise specified. Note that assignment links are named and ordered by the date they are due. If you miss a class, you are responsible for checking these links and doing any assignment due the next class period.
Some additional assignments will also be done in-class, and these may not be announced in advance. Make-ups for these in-class assignments may be made available, at my discretion, for excusable absences.
In general, while I collect and look at both at-home and in-class assignments, they will be graded only as an acceptable effort (full credit) or an unacceptable effort (no credit). In other words, you won't be penalized for incorrect information or writing mistakes, but you must (of course!) make a careful attempt at all parts of the assignment to get credit. You are allowed to miss or skip one assignment (but not one directly related to one of the graded papers or otherwise described as required) without affecting your overall assignment grade.
Notes:
In addition to being a 200-level course for English majors, this course also fulfills the General Education literature course requirement (cluster two, group three). As part of JMU's commitment to the idea that some breadth in the humanities is expected of anyone holding a university degree, every undergraduate JMU student must take at least one literature course. The shared academic objectives that shape this requirement regardless of which particular literature course a student chooses to take are described here.
Of course, all your work for this course is also subject to the JMU Honor Code. If you are not very familiar with the details of this honor code, you should review it before any assignments are due. I take academic integrity very seriously. If you have any uncertainty about plagiarism or any other aspects of the honor code relevant to this course, see me for clarification.
Finally, please read the course policies page for additional details about grading and other issues.

Daily Schedule: This is a tentative schedule for what will be discussed in each class period, for when papers will be due, and for when exams will be given. You should have readings done BEFORE the class date on which they will be discussed. The topics listed are designed to give you perspective for your reading and to help begin class discussions. Topics, short story choices, supplemental readings, and paper and exam dates may be modified to support the direction and duration of class discussions, so check this schedule frequently. (Schedule changes may also need to be made for snow days or other unforeseen events.) Links to smaller assignments, with their due dates, will be posted below this schedule throughout the semester.

Look Here for At-Home Assignments and Information:

• Assignment 1 - in class on 1/9/12
• Due 1/11/12
• Due 1/20/12
• Due 1/23/12
• Assignment 5 - in class on 1/30/12
• Due 2/1/12
• Due 2/8/12 (may not be skipped- related to first paper)
• Assignments 8 and 9 - debate preparations and debate participation
• Assignment 10 - in class on 2/15/12
• Assignment 11 - in class on 3/16/12
• Due 3/21/12
• Assignment 13 - in class on 3/23/12
• Due 4/6/12
• Assignment 15 - in class on 4/11/12
• Due 4/13/12 (may not be skipped- related to first paper)
• Assignment 17 - in class on 4/23/12 (On Chapter 11 of The Minotaur...

LOOK HERE FOR FINAL EXAM EXTRA CREDIT OPTIONS:Final Extra Credit Options

LOOK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON TOPICS AND GUIDELINES FOR THE SECOND PAPER: Second Paper Topics and Guidelines

LOOK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON TOPICS AND GUIDELINES FOR THE FIRST PAPER: First Paper Topics and Guidelines