ENL 6256 WILDE, BEARDSLEY, &  LATE-VICTORIAN SEXUAL POLITICS

Dr. Chris Snodgrass; 4336 Turlington, 376-8362; 278-8362; snod@english.ufl.edu
 

 
BASIS FOR EVALUATION AND FINAL GRADE

This course will try specifically to organize your efforts around developing tangible professional skills, particularly the production of a strong conference paper (i.e., a 10-page paper) that can be the realistic basis for a publishable professional article.

To facilitate these ends, within the first two or three weeks of the course each of you (with assistance from me, if you’d like) will survey the readings for the semester and choose a clearly defined and manageable project with the specific idea of turning the results into first-rate conference paper (and eventually a submittable journal article) on a particular work or aspect of a figure’s work.

During the term you will be responsible for, and my evaluation of your performance will be based on, the following specific work:

     (1)  assembling and working through an appropriate bibliography relevant to your chosen project;

     (2)  submitting and discussing with me a rough draft of the resulting term paper (optional);

     (3)  producing the final 8- to 12-page conference paper (but with endnotes/footnotes in addition);

     (4)  submitting each week, separate from the term project, three “hypotheses” or summarizing insights, regarding all or part of the week’s assigned reading.  Each written hypothesis should be no more than one-half page in length (single-spaced).  Alternatively, you can submit “unorganized”; intermittent reader-response notes to the readings (no more than five single-spaced pages in length).

     (5)  preparing for and participating in discussions of the scheduled course material.

Categories 1-3 above will together count toward approximately 50% of your grade (with the final term paper comprising by far the most important element).  Categories 4-5 will together count toward the remaining approximately 50% of your grade.

SEEK HELP AND ADVICE

I am not referring in this heading to the widespread belief that graduate school invariably drives students into psychotherapy.  Nor do I assume that anyone who has made it into a nationally-ranked graduate program should already know “the ropes,” and calling attention to one's naïveté only alerts the faculty to the fact that they have made a grave error in admitting you.  I am here to help you, not judge you.  If you are confused or uncertain about virtually anything to do with either this course or your graduate studies in general, I HOPE YOU WILL FEEL FREE TO SPEAK WITH ME AT ANY TIME — PARTICULARLY (AND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE) IF YOU ARE HAVING ANY PROBLEM.  Part of my job is to not only teach you something about the Victorian period specifically, but also try to help you survive the process generally.

My office is in 4336 Turlington Hall.  I am very willing to meet by appointment at any mutually convenient time or place.  Therefore, I tend to hold scheduled off hours only within narrowly defined times.  My scheduled OFFICE HOURS this term (except when the inevitable unexpected diversions intervene) will be during 10th and 11th periods on Thursdays (the two hours immediately before class) and as long as anyone wants to stay immediately after class Thursdays.  If you cannot see me during my office hours of after class, please telephone (best) or e-mail me for an appointment at another time.

Syllabus