English 200C: Reading Literary Forms
Fall 2024
“Speculative Literature and Technology”
Class Meets: M/T/W/Th 11:30am-12:20pm
Classroom: Smith Hall 407
SNL: 14897
Instructor: Deane Wilson (She/They)
Email: dgwilson@uw.edu
Office: Padelford Hall, room B402
Office Hours: W 2-4pm (in person); Th 8:30-10:30am (virtual).
For zoom office hours, please use this link:
https://washington.zoom.us/j/4103883551.
Drop-ins are welcome, but you may also schedule a meeting here: https://calendly.com/marywilson-4a_b/15m
CATALOG DESCRIPTION
Covers techniques and practice in reading and enjoying literature in its various forms: poetry, drama, prose fiction, and film. Examines such features of literary meanings as imagery, characterization, narration, and patterning in sound and sense.
EXPANDED COURSE DESCRIPTION
Welcome to English 200C, Reading Literary Forms! In this course we will read and analyze different forms of literature—including poems, short stories, novels, and films—organized around our course theme: speculative literature and technology. We’ll encounter texts that speculate about networked societies, ecological crises, and sentient machines. We’ll consider how the fear and promise of technology has shaped dystopian and utopian visions of the future, and we’ll interrogate how/why speculative literature has come to play such a central role futural thought. Questions we will address include: How do popular narrative genres—like novels and films—guide our thinking about present and emerging technologies? How can literary representations of technology help us explore and expand the category of the “human?” And finally, what can dystopian narratives teach us about the social, ecological, and political challenges of our present?
Since this is a “W” course, you will write two formal essays this quarter, each with a first (rough) draft and a final draft. You will also contribute regular Q&A discussion posts and replies, which will provide you with low-stakes opportunities to develop your analysis of our class readings. Though this is a literature course, our emphasis on composition and analytical skills will serve you throughout your academic and professional career.
REQUIRED TEXTS (*Please purchase a physical copy the edition listed below.)
- Butler, Octavia. Parable of the Sower. International Edition, Headline, 2019.
- Ishiguro, Kazuo. Klara and the Sun. Vintage, 2022.
- Course Reader. ((Digital copy available on canvas. Print copy will be available from Professional Copy Print, 4200 University Way N E Seattle, https://www.procopyprint.com/.)
ASSESSMENT
Essay One (4-5 pages) 1st Draft: 5%
Essay One Final Draft: 20%
Essay Two (5-7 pages) 1st Draft: 5%
Essay Two Final Draft: 20%
In-Class Participation: 20%
Reading Quizzes: 5%
Q/A Posts and Replies (7 of each due over the quarter): 25%
- (7 Q/A Posts: 15%; 7 Q/A Replies: 10%)
*Please note that the assignments are not weighted on Canvas, therefore you will need to calculate your grade using the above weight distribution. As I input assignment grades, Canvas will automatically compute your course grade according to the following scale.:
97% or higher: 4.0
95-96: 3.9
93-94: 3.8
92: 3.7
91: 3.6
90: 3.5
89: 3.4
88: 3.3
87: 3.2
86: 3.1
85: 3.0
84: 2.9
83: 2.8
82: 2.7
81: 2.6
80: 2.5
79: 2.4
78: 2.3
77: 2.2
76: 2.1
75: 2.0
74: 1.9
73: 1.8
72: 1.7
71: 1.6
70: 1.5
69: 1.4
68: 1.3
67: 1.2
66: 1.1
65: 1.0
65% or lower: 0
ASSIGMNENTS
- Q/A Posts (250-350 words):
Purpose and Submission: Throughout the quarter you are required to submit a total of 7 Q/A posts to Canvas. These posts will provide you with frequent, low-stakes opportunities to hone your analytical writing skills. These posts will also give you an opportunity to engage with your peers beyond the classroom, and you may decide to develop one of your posts into a paper topic. You can select which days to contribute, but you must submit your post by 5pm on the night before the reading is due. You may only submit one post per week.
Content: Your Q&A post should begin by asking a question about the assigned reading. Then, it should investigate that question, offering possible answers that are informed by evidence from the text. While your Q/A post can refer back to previous sections of the book, the majority of your post should focus on analyzing one or two specific passages from the reading due the next day. Your Q/A post must cite directly from this section of the reading, and include the page numbers where the passages appear.
You can shape your questions however you want, but here are some possible question types to help get you started:
- What is the relationship between A and B (according to the reading and to me)?
- How does this text define--or invite us to think about--X, and why is this significant?
- How does this text represent Y, and why is this significant
- What does Z symbolize in this text? What are the stakes of Z?
- How can we use this text to help us understand X [current event]?
Grading: Q/A posts will receive a completion grade. If your post does not meet the required word count, does not engage with direct quotations from the text, or is not primarily focused on the section of reading assigned for the next day, you will lose points. You will not receive written feedback from me on these posts. However, I will refer to your posts in our class discussions and aim to shape our discussions around your questions, and may (with your permission) ask you to share them in class.
- Q/A Responses (150-200 words):
In addition to submitting a total of 7 Q/A posts to Canvas, you are required to submit at least 7 responses to your classmates posts over the course of the quarter. Your response should go beyond saying you "agree" or "disagree" with the assertions made by your peer; instead, it should extend, build upon, or respectfully challenge your classmate's post, all with the aim of furthering your/our thinking about the text. As with the Q/A posts, you may decide when would like to submit your response.
- Essays:
This quarter you will write two essays that analyze and make an argument about one of the texts (or films) we will be reading/viewing this quarter. Because this is a “W” course, each essay will have a first (rough) draft and a final draft. You will receive feedback from me and from your peers on your rough drafts, and I will give you written feedback on your final drafts. Your rough drafts will be given a completion grade provided that they meet the word-count and follow the instructions outlined in the assignment; your final drafts will receive a formal grade.
- Participation:
This is a discussion-based literature class, which means that your participation is vital to your success in this course. The process of writing about literature does not begin when you sit down to write your first draft. Instead, it begins when you think creatively and critically about a text, asking questions, exploring difficulties, and testing your ideas in group conversations. Our class discussions will model the methods of reading, inquiry, and analysis that your papers should employ, so your regular participation will allow you (and your peers) to succeed in your written assignments and get the most out of this class.
In the context of this class, “participation” means:
- Completing the assigned reading by the due-date listed on the syllabus
- Bringing a copy of the assigned readings to class
- Participating in large class discussions and small group discussions
- Listening attentively, taking notes, and responding thoughtfully and respectfully to peers
- Completing peer review for both essays
- Finishing informal assignments, including in-class writing and reading quizzes
If there is anything I can do to make you feel more comfortable participating in our class discussions, please communicate this to me at any point during the semester. Regular absences will affect your participation grade, since you will not be there to contribute to class discussions.
- Reading Quizzes
You may be asked to complete brief, in-class reading quizzes approximately once a week. The purpose of these quizzes is to encourage accountability to the readings and help you stay on track throughout the quarter. These quizzes will not be challenging; they will typically consist of a few questions that should be easy to answer as long as you did the reading, and I will make adjustments when necessary. Your lowest 2 quiz scores will be dropped.
NOTES ON CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Some of our course texts contain potentially disturbing material that relates to systemic and interpersonal violence of different kinds (racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, and more). Depending on your own proximity to systemic violence and other factors, you will likely find some of this material difficult to cover. I encourage you to be compassionate to yourselves and each other as we work through these difficult materials together, and to and do what you need to do to take care of yourselves throughout the quarter. This might mean closing the book and turning your attention to something else, leaving class in the middle of a difficult discussion, or opting not to come to class on a given day. If you find it too difficult to work with one of our course texts, please acknowledge that difficulty and let me know so I can arrange an alternative assignment for you.
LATE WORK POLICY
If you think you will not be able to complete an assignment on time, please let me know within 3 days of the due-date so we can arrange an extension. However, be aware that late submissions of paper drafts may cause you to miss out on peer and/or instructor feedback, regardless of whether or not you’ve been granted an extension. Since receiving feedback is an important part of the writing and revising process, try to submit all drafts and assignments on time. If you do not receive an extension, late assignments will lose half a grade point for each day they are late. (For example, an ‘A’ paper that is one day late will receive a A-, and so on, with a maximum loss of four full grade points.)
ELECTRONICS POLICY
The use of cell phones is not permitted in class, so please make sure that your phone is silenced and put away at the beginning of each class. Laptops and tablets may be used for notetaking, but be aware of their potential to distract you—as well as myself and your peers—from class discussions. If I suspect that you are using your laptop for purposes other than class work, your class participation grade will be impacted significantly.
If you do use a laptop for note-taking, I encourage you to follow these tips on laptop etiquette:
- *Look away from your laptop when you are not actively taking notes.
- Close all unnecessary windows and applications at the beginning of class, including your browser. This will help you avoid distractions.
- Do not use your laptop to check your email or browse social media or other websites. If you are tempted to do so, disable your wifi.
CONTACTING ME
For questions regarding due dates, office hours, or assignment details, please be sure to check the syllabus before emailing me, since it is likely to contain the information you're looking for. For all other inquiries, feel free to reach out to me at dgwilson@uw.edu. I will respond to emails within 24 hours of receiving them. If I do not respond, feel free to email me again, as your email may have been buried among others.
ACCESSIBILITY CLAUSE
If you need accommodation of any sort, please let me know so that I can work with the UW Disability Resources for Students Office (DRS) to provide what you require. More information about accommodation may be found at http://www.washington.edu/students/drs. Outside of documented needs for accommodation, I recognize that we all think, communicate, and learn differently. Please begin thinking about your individual learning needs and communicate with me as soon as possible about how best this course can accommodate them.
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS
“Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at the Registrar’s website: https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/
Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form found here: https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
The University of Washington Student Conduct Code (WAC 478-121) defines prohibited academic and behavioral conduct and describes how the University holds students accountable as they pursue their academic goals. Allegations of misconduct by students may be referred to the appropriate campus office for investigation and resolution. More information can be found online at https://www.washington.edu/cssc/facultystaff/academic-misconduct/.
PLAGIARISM POLICY
The University of Washington Student Conduct Code defines plagiarism as “the submission or presentation of someone else's words, composition, research, or expressed ideas, whether published or unpublished, without attribution. Plagiarism does not encompass unacknowledged submission or presentation of information that is generally known and widely accepted by educated members of a discipline. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:
a)The use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment; or
b)The unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or acquired from an entity engaging in the selling of term papers or other academic materials.”
Here's what you can do to cover yourself against plagiarism or collusion:
- Most cases of plagiarism are accidental and result from an imperfect understanding of what counts as plagiarism. Be sure to read the university’s definition of plagiarism and associated policies, here: https://students.nursing.uw.edu/policies/student-policies/plagiarism/
- At any stage of your writing, keep your drafts, notes, papers, and research materials. If a question of plagiarism arises, you'll have a paper trail to documents your work.
- Don't use editing services, including AI based-services. Don't ask anyone, even family or friends, to edit your paper or help you write it. You need to do that work yourself.
- If you need additional help with your writing, contact the Odegaard Writing Center, where trained professionals are there to help you without colluding in plagiarism. Link here: https://depts.washington.edu/owrcweb/wordpress/
- Do not use AI to generate ideas or text for your assignments. In most cases, AI-generated writing is noticeably different from student writing and will likely raise suspicions of plagiarism. See the “policy on the use of AI” below for more details.
- Last but not least, ask me if you have any questions about honesty.
POLICY ON THE USE OF AI
The assignments in this class have been designed to challenge you to develop creativity, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills. Using AI technology will limit your capacity to develop these skills and to meet the learning goals of this course. For this reason, the use of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, when working on assignments is forbidden, except in specific instances which I will discuss with you in class. Otherwise, be advised that the use of AI will be considered as a serious instance of academic misconduct.
DEPARTMENTAL COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND JUSTICE
The UW English Department aims to help students become more incisive thinkers, effective communicators, and imaginative writers by acknowledging that language and its use are powerful and hold the potential to empower individuals and communities; to provide the means to engage in meaningful conversation and collaboration across differences and with those with whom we disagree; and to offer methods for exploring, understanding, problem solving, and responding to the many pressing collective issues we face in our world--skills that align with and support the University of Washington’s mission to educate “a diverse student body to become responsible global citizens and future leaders through a challenging learning environment informed by cutting-edge scholarship.”
As a department, we begin with the conviction that language and texts play crucial roles in the constitution of cultures and communities, past, present, and future. Our disciplinary commitments to the study of English (its history, multiplicity, and development; its literary and artistic uses; and its global role in shaping and changing cultures) require of us a willingness to engage openly and critically with questions of power and difference. As such, in our teaching, service, and scholarship we frequently initiate and encourage conversations about topics such as race and racism, immigration, gender, sexuality, class, indigeneity, and colonialisms. These topics are fundamental to the inquiry we pursue. We are proud of this fact, and we are committed to creating an environment in which our faculty and students can do so confidently and securely, knowing that they have the backing of the department.
Towards that aim, we value the inherent dignity and uniqueness of individuals and communities. We acknowledge that our university is located on the shared lands and waters of the Coast Salish peoples. We aspire to be a place where human rights are respected and where any of us can seek support. This includes people of all ethnicities, faiths, gender identities, national and indigenous origins, political views, and citizenship status; nontheists; LGBQTIA+; those with disabilities; veterans; and anyone who has been targeted, abused, or disenfranchised.
CAMPUS RESOURCES
wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House
Intellectual House is a longhouse-style facility on the UW Seattle campus. It provides a multi-service learning and gathering space for American Indian and Alaska Native students, faculty, and staff, as well as others from various cultures and communities to come together in a welcoming environment to share knowledge. https://www.washington.edu/diversity/tribal-relations/intellectual-house/
D Center
Not to be confused with Disability Services, the D Center is the Disability and d/Deaf Cultural Center at the UW. The D Center is a space where students can study, organize, rest, and attend events and programs focusing on supporting and celebrating disability and D/deaf communities at the UW and beyond! It is located in the Husky Union Building--Room 327. https://depts.washington.edu/dcenter/
Q Center
The University of Washington Q Center builds and facilitates queer (gay, lesbian, bisexual, two-spirit, trans, intersex, questioning, same-gender-loving, asexual, aromantic) academic and social community through education, advocacy, and support services to achieve a socially-just campus in which all people are valued. For more information, visit https://sites.uw.edu/qcenter/
Odegaard Writing & Research Center
The Odegaard Writing and Research Center (OWRC) offers free, one-to-one, 45-minute tutoring sessions for undergraduate, graduate, and professional writers in all fields at the UW. We will work with writers on any writing or research project, as well as personal projects such as applications or personal statements. Our tutors and librarians collaborate with writers at any stage of the writing and research process, from brainstorming and identifying sources to drafting and making final revisions. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please see our website (https://depts.washington.edu/owrcweb/wordpress/) or come visit us in person on the first floor of Odegaard Undergraduate Library.
CLUE Writing Center
The CLUE is a drop-in writing and tutoring center open from 7pm-midnight all days except Friday and Saturday throughout the quarter. For more info, check out their website: https://academicsupport.uw.edu/clue/