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English 2650.03: Technology, Media and Literature (CRN: 26225)

MWF 9-9:50AM, DPH 212
Spring 2016
Mrs. Heather Bozant Witcher, M.A.
E-mail: hbozant@slu.edu
Website: witcherengl2650.wordpress.com
Password: Witcher

Office: Adorjan Hall, 209, Cubicle B6

Office Hours: MWF 10-11am, or by
appointment

Course Description
This course will discover the mixed-media properties of literature
by exploring relationships among various mediums of technology:
text, image, sound, and touch. What does it mean to see, hear, and
touch in an age of media explosions and transitions? How do
transitions between mediums amplify anxieties about the place of
humanity in an increasingly technological world? This course will
explore how media and technology have become extensions of
humanity, whether psychically or physically. We will focus on
specific visual, acoustic, or kinesthetic dimensions of media and technology,
calling attention to the ways in which literature enables a simultaneous
reflection, production, and recording of the alterations experienced by the
human senses.

Required Texts and Materials

Stoker, Bram. Dracula. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2011. (ISBN: 9780199564095)
Trethewey, Natasha. Bellocqs Ophelia. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press,
2002. (ISBN: 9781555973599)
Vaughan, Brian K. and Fiona Staples. Saga Deluxe Edition, Vol. 1.
Berkeley: Image Comics, 2014. (ISBN: 9781632150783).
**Further poetry and short stories to be provided by instructor on the class
website.

Course Outcomes
Throughout the course, you will be asked to pursue a series of reading,
research, and writing activities. Students who complete this course will be
able to:
Generate engaged and responsive close readings of texts.
Describe and analyze the various ways in which texts reflect and help
shape wider cultural conditions.
Construct clear spoken and written arguments that demonstrate
awareness of purpose and audience.

Course Work
Course Requirements:
2 Literary Analysis Papers
35% (Paper 115%; Paper 220%)
Media Project & Presentation
25% (Project20%; Presentation5%)
Class participation (discussion, preparedness, etc.) 20%
Critical Infographics
10%
Daily Reading Quizzes
10%
Before each assignment I will provide you with the requirements of the assignment and the grading
rubric. Please read the assignment sheets carefully and ask for clarification if you are unsure
about anything.
Due Dates:
Analysis Paper 1
Analysis Paper 2
Media Project

February 12, 2016

March 23, 2016
May 4, 2016 (final exam day: 8-9:50am)

Coursework:
Class time will be spent discussing texts in a group format, so active discussion is crucial to
success in this course. To prepare for this discussion, bring any questions you have or passages
in the text that you found interesting or confusing. For daily participation, I am looking for
genuine engagement and sincere effort in all activities. Failure to actively participate on a
consecutive basis will result in the lowering of your final grade by an entire letter grade.
Critical Infographics: To help aid your ability to contribute to class
discussion and prepare for the daily reading quizzes, you will
compose a critical infographic for each literary work (5 total). You
will engage the readings and your classmates (from class
discussion). These infographics should not summarize the
readings, but record specific aspects of the reading to make
concrete connections between previous readings and discussions.
You will use these assignments to develop your close reading skills
and annotating capabilities.
Quizzes: I expect students to come to class prepared to discuss the assigned readings
thoughtfully. To ensure that the reading is being done, I will assign brief, daily reading
quizzes.

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Analysis Papers: You will complete two literary analysis
papers. These papers are meant to develop your analytical and
close reading skills as you formulate a specific argument about
a fictional work. The first paper will be a close reading of a
passage from Dracula (3 pages, due February 12). The second
paper will be a literary analysis (6-7 pages, due March 23).
Instead of a final exam, you will complete a collaborative
media project with an oral presentation (due May 4). All papers
and projects will be submitted electronically, following MLA style.

Grading
To receive a passing grade, make sure to at least meet the basic criteria of a successful
assignment, as outlined in the grading rubrics attached with each assignment sheet.
The College of Arts and Sciences grading
scale is:
A
3.9-4.0
C+
2.2
A- 3.6-3.8
C
1.9-2.1
B+ 83.2-3.5
C1.6-1.8
B
2.9-3.1
D
0.9-1.5
B- 2.6-2.8
F
0.0-0.8

The grading scale used for this course is:

A
AB+
B
B-

100-94
93-90
89-87
86-83
82-80

C+
C
CD
F

79-77
76-73
72-70
69-60
59 and
below

Class Expectations

Class Etiquette:
Readings are to be done in advance for the day listed on the course schedule. Always bring
your copies of the text (including assigned readings from the course website) to class. You
will lose participation points if your texts are not with you. Check the
course website and your SLU e-mail often for class announcements and
supplemental readings.
Active reading is an essential part of this course and will help prepare you
for the daily reading quizzes. You should be prepared for a heavy
emphasis on close reading. You should read with a pen/pencil in hand,
taking notes in the margins and underlining words as you read. These
notes will be the starting point for your class discussions and infographics, which should
help you develop ideas for your analysis papers.
Cell phones should be turned off or put on silent while in the classroom.
Texting during class will not be tolerated, and will result in a lowered
participation grade.
If you choose to bring a laptop or tablet to class for note-taking, use it
wisely. Do not check Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, chat, or any other site
that is not pertinent to class. If I see you on one of these sites, I will ask
you to close the laptop and e-mail you with a loss of your laptop
privileges, resulting in a lowered participation grade.

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Do not arrive late to class. If you cannot arrive on time, please consider taking a different section.
If you miss class, you are responsible for finding out what you missed. E-mail a classmate, but
please do not email me to ask what you missed.
Submitting Work and Late Assignments:
Assignment deadlines and specifications will be included on assignment sheets handed out in
class, and provided on the class website. You will always turn in your assignments before the
start of class on the day due.
Late Work: Assignments are due when they are due. If for some reason you feel you
cannot complete an assignment by the provided due date, please
speak with me or e-mail me (hbozant@slu.edu) in advance of the due
date, and I will grant an extension for an emergency.
Assignments will not be accepted late (without an agreed upon
extension) and will result in a failed grade. Failure to turn in an
assignment due to an absence will result in a failed grade for that
assignment because it is considered to be late.

Attendance
You are allowed three (3) unexcused absences over the course of the semester. For every
unexcused absence after that, your final grade will drop one level. So, if you earn a B for your
final grade, but have four unexcused absences, your grade becomes a B-; if your final grade is a
B but you have five unexcused absences, your grade becomes a C+, and so forth. I reserve the
right to contact your academic advisor if your absences exceed three; if you achieve six (6) or
more absences, you will receive an Absence Fail (AF)there will be no negotiations.
Be aware that I will not check with you when you have reached your three allowed absences
it is your responsibility to keep track of these absences. In all cases (including Universitysanctioned absences), your work is still due at the assigned deadline. If you know in advance that
you will miss class, drop your work off in my mailbox (Adorjan 125) so that it is not considered
late.
Excused absences include:
- Religious holidays
- Participation in SLU-sponsored activities (note from sponsor/coach is required in
advance)
- Illness (doctors note is required)
- Civil responsibilities (documentation is required)
- Unavoidable absences deemed reasonable by the instructor (documentation is required)

Concerns?
If you feel you may not be able to meet these requirements, please come see me at the
beginning of the semester to discuss your concerns. I recognize that many people are naturally
reserved and less comfortable speaking in class. While every student is still expected to
participate in class discussions, if this is a particular concern, please come and see me. Make
sure to speak with me as your concerns arise, not during the final weeks of class. I will not be
able to help you if you wait until the end of the semester.

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Conferences: I encourage you to visit me during my office hours or schedule an appointment
with me outside of my office hours to discuss your assignments or any aspects of course work.
My office hours are MWF 10-11am in Adorjan 209, and by appointment.

Assessment and Submission of Work

The Saint Louis University Department of English is committed to excellent and innovative
educational practices. In order to maintain quality academic offerings and to conform to
relevant accreditation requirements, we regularly assess our courses and programs for evidence
of student learning outcomes achievement. For this purpose, we keep on file representative
examples of student work from all courses and programs such as: assignments, papers, exams,
multimedia presentations, portfolios, and results from student surveys, focus groups, and
reflective exercises. Thus, copies of your work for this courseincluding exams, presentations,
submitted papers or other assignmentsmay be kept on file for institutional
research, assessment and accreditation purposes. All samples of student work will be
anonymized before they are used in assessment exercises. If you prefer that the Department of
English does not keep your work on file, you need to communicate your decision in writing to
your instructor.

Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is honest, truthful and responsible conduct in all academic endeavors.
The mission of Saint Louis University is "the pursuit of truth for the greater glory of God
and for the service of humanity." Accordingly, all acts of falsehood demean and compromise
the corporate endeavors of teaching, research, health care, and community service via
which SLU embodies its mission. The University strives to prepare students for lives of
personal and professional integrity, and therefore regards all breaches
of academic integrity as matters of serious concern.
The governing University-level Academic Integrity Policy was adopted in Spring 2015, and
can be accessed on the Provost's Office website at:
http://www.slu.edu/Documents/provost/academic_affairs/Universitywide%20Academic%20Integrity%20Policy%20FINAL%20%206-26-15.pdf.
Additionally, each SLU College, School, and Center has adopted its own academic integrity
policies, available on their respective websites. All SLU students are expected to know and
abide by these policies, which detail definitions of violations, processes for reporting
violations, sanctions, and appeals. Please direct questions about any facet
of academic integrity to your faculty, the chair of the department of your academic program,
or the Dean/Director of the College, School or Center in which your program is housed.
Several Internet sites offer students access to the essays of other students for research
purposes. These sites require a student to upload a paper of their own to gain access. All
students should know that if another student plagiarizes using their essay, the original
author is liable for a Class B offense: collusion. Such an offense can result in expulsion from
the University.

Title IX Statement
Saint Louis University and its faculty are committed to supporting our students and
seeking an environment that is free of bias, discrimination, and harassment. If you have
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encountered any form of sexual misconduct (e.g. sexual assault, sexual harassment,
stalking, domestic or dating violence), we encourage you to report this to the University. If
you speak with a faculty member about an incident of misconduct, that faculty member
must notify SLUs Title IX coordinator, Anna R. Kratky (DuBourg Hall, room 36;
akratky@slu.edu; 314-977-3886) and share the basic facts of your experience with her. The
Title IX coordinator will then be available to assist you in understanding all of your options
and in connecting you with all possible resources on and off campus.
If you wish to speak with a confidential source, you may contact the counselors at the
University Counseling Center at 314-977-TALK. To view SLUs sexual misconduct policy
and for resources, please visit the following web address: http://www.slu.edu/generalcounsel-home/office-of-institutional-equity-and-diversity/sexual-misconduct-policy
www.slu.edu/here4you .

Student Success Center

In recognition that people learn in a variety of ways and that learning is influenced by
multiple factors (e.g., prior experience, study skills, learning disability), resources to
support student success are available on campus. The Student Success Center, a one-stop
shop, which assists students with academic and career related services, is located in the
Busch Student Center (Suite, 331) and the School of Nursing (Suite, 114). Students who
think they might benefit from these resources can find out more about:
Course-level support (e.g., faculty member, departmental resources, etc.) by asking
your course instructor.

University-level support (e.g., tutoring services, university writing services,

disability services, academic coaching, career services, and/or facets of curriculum
planning) by visiting the Student Success Center or by going
to www.slu.edu/success.

Students with Special Needs Disability Services

Students with a documented disability who wish to request academic accommodations are
encouraged to contact Disability Services to discuss accommodation requests and eligibility
requirements. Please contact Disability Services, located within the Student Success
Center, at Disability_services@slu.edu or 314.977.3484 to schedule an appointment.
Confidentiality will be observed in all inquiries. Once approved, information about
academic accommodations will be shared with course instructors via email from Disability
Services and viewed within Banner via the instructors course roster.

Writing Services

Writing Services, housed within Academic Support, is staffed by friendly, experienced

consultants, who help SLU undergraduate students with all writing projects. Whether you
are brainstorming or working on final revisions, whether you feel you are a strong or weak
writer, the writing consultants are eager to serve as your sounding board. Our
individualized support fosters strong critical thinking and rhetorical decisionmaking. Writing Services has three locations: BSC 331; Pius Library 320-8; and Nursing
Building 114 on the Med Campus. Make an appointment online
(http://www.slu.edu/x34507.xml) or by phone (314-977-3484).

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Writing services are available for international students at the English Language Center
(ELC), where consultants are trained to help writers with second-language concerns. In
one-on-one consultations, you can develop strategies to improve your writing at any stage.
Consultants can help you with skills from brainstorming, developing, and organizing your
ideas to writing clear sentences, documenting sources, and polishing the final document.
You will find the ELC's help most effective if you schedule an appointment with sufficient
time to revise your work before the assignment is due. To make an appointment, log on to
http://myslu.slu.edu, click the "Tools" tab, and select the "SLU Appointment" icon.

Course Content Disclaimer

In this course, students may be required to read text or view materials that they may
consider offensive. The ideas expressed in any given text do not necessarily reflect the
views of the instructor, the English Department, or Saint Louis University. Course
materials are selected for their historical and/or cultural relevance, or as an example of
stylistic and/or rhetorical strategies and techniques. They are meant to be examined in the
context of intellectual inquiry of the sort encountered at the university level.

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Tentative Schedule of Readings
* This class is designed to meet the students needs. For this reason, the syllabus is subject to change
throughout the semester. The readings are listed on the days we will discuss them. So, for example, on Jan.
13, we will be discussing an article and Dracula, chapter 1, so I expect that reading to be done in time for
class.*

Date

Readings

Assignments
Anxiety: New Technologies in Society

M: Jan. 11
W: Jan. 13
F: Jan. 15

Introduction: Reading & Annotating

Dracula (Chapter 1, pgs. 5-17)
Dracula (Chapters 2-4, pgs. 17-53)

M: Jan. 18
W: Jan. 20
F: Jan. 22

NO CLASS: MLK DAY

Dracula (Chapters 5-10, pgs. 53-124)
Dracula (Chapters 11-13, pgs. 124-166)

M: Jan. 25
W: Jan. 27
F: Jan. 29

Dracula (Chapters 14-15, pgs. 166-193)

Dracula (Chapters 16-17, pgs. 193-216)
Dracula (Chapters 18-20, pgs. 216-255)

M: Feb. 1
W: Feb. 3
F: Feb. 5

Dracula (Chapters 21-24, pgs. 255-305)

Dracula (Chapters 25-26, pgs. 305-335)
Dracula (Chapter 27, pgs. 335-351)

Complete
Dracula.

infographic

for

Blurring Mediums: Dissolving Boundaries with the Arts

M: Feb. 8
W: Feb. 10
F: Feb. 12
M: Feb. 15
W: Feb. 17
F: Feb. 19

Dracula Critical Article (online)

Reading Poetry and Pre-Raphaelitism (online)
Tennyson, The Palace of Art (online)
Tennyson, The Palace of Art (online)

Paper 1_Close Reading Due

Analyzing Art
Rossetti, The Blue Closet & Morris, The Blue Closet
(online)
Criticism (online)
Complete infographic on PreRaphaelites.

New Media and Technology: Storytelling and Photography

M: Feb. 22
W: Feb. 24
F: Feb. 26

Bellocqs Ophelia, Bellocqs Ophelia-Part I

Bellocqs Ophelia, Part II-III
Bellocqs Ophelia, Photographs & Discussion

Complete infographic
Bellocqs Ophelia.

for

Technology: Extensions of Self?

M: Feb. 29
W: March 2
F: March 4

Forster, The Machine Stops (online)

Forster, The Machine Stops (online)
Reading Graphic Novels (online)
Saga (Chapter 1)

Complete infographic for

The Machine Stops.

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March 7-11

NO CLASS: SPRING BREAK (WEEK 9)

M: March 14
W: March 16
F: March 18

Saga (Chapters 2-4)

Saga (Chapters 5-7)
Saga (Chapters 8-10)

M: March 21
W: March 23
F: March 25

Saga (Chapters 10-12)

Saga (Chapters 13-14)
NO CLASS EASTER BREAK

M: March 28
W: March 30
F: April 1

NO CLASS EASTER BREAK

Saga (Chapters 15-17)
Saga (Chapter 18)

M: April 4
W: April 6
F: April 8

Viewing: Fixed (50 minutes)

Her & Fixed; Media Project Introduction
Her & Fixed; Media Project: Collaboration

Paper 2_Analysis Due

Complete
Saga.

infographic

for

(Re)Mediating Literature through TechnologyFinal Project

M: April 11
W: April 13
F: April 15

Media Project: Storyboard & Design

Media Project: Storyboard & Design
Media Project: Storyboard & Design

M: April 18
W: April 20
F: April 22

Media Project Workshop

Media Project Workshop
Media Project Workshop

M: April 25
W: April 27
F: April 29

Media Project Workshop

Media Project Workshop
Media Project Workshop

M: May 2

Media Project Workshop

W: May 4,
8-9:50am

Final Exam: Presentations

Media Project Due

Witcher ENGL 2650-03 Spring 2016