Homework, Daily work, and Exams
Classes
| Scholarship | Byron
Chronology | Links
DAILY WORK, HOMEWORK, AND QUIZZES Oral Presentations. Readings are assigned to individual students for class presentation [see numbers in square brackets on reading schedule], but all students should come to class prepared to ask cogent questions about materials included in the readings. Students are free to trade readings to better suit individual schedules: to do so, just contact the person who has already been assigned that reading to see if s/he is amenable to a trade. I do not need to be notified until after a trade has been agreed upon.
Oral Presentations on readings should provide a 2-minute precis of the major ideas / argument in that reading.
Do not provide a point-by-point recap--all of your classmates will have read the reading, so a paragraph-by-paragraph summary will bore and distress them. You might start your planning with a point-by-point summary, but by the time you offer the class your presentation, you should have refined that down to a precis.
Typically we will have two forms of daily work or homework: brief oral presentations on readings or short writing assignments.
The reports are to make sure that we all "got" the same thing from the reading...and to add another perspective to the larger conversation about texts and scholarship we will be having all semester. So, value your colleagues and give them the best possible "introduction" to your article.
Even though this is a short (very short) report, don't underestimate your preparation. Have your report all planned out when you arrive to class; don't flip through pages trying to find the sentence you wanted to quote (that just wastes time). Instead, prepare and prepare thoroughly. This should be a polished artifact, not an off-the-cuff chat.
All of the skills in 5340 are professional ones, giving you experience at doing the things you will be expected to know and do as literary professionals. Time limits are pervasive: you have 50 minutes to teach a MWF class, you have 20 minutes (or 15) for a scholarly presentation. These reports are 2 minutes long.
Time yourself in advance; make full use of the time, but don't go over. The perfect report uses fully 120 seconds. To "help" you keep to your allotted time, I will have my stopwatch with me, and, if necessary, I'll cut you off at 2 minutes. In doing this, I will be behaving no differently than the moderator at a conference panel who watches time and tells you when you are out of it. Be polite and professional: give a 2 minute report. Short Writing Assignments- All short writing assignments must be word-processed.
- Assignments to be completed at home will be brought to class for discussion, so print out a copy to use in class.
- In some cases, assignments will be distributed electronically to the class, either via email or through a web-based discussion board.
Our class web-based discussion board is available at http://wb.engl.ttu.edu/~5340
- Assignments completed in class should be completed on the classroom computers.
Classes | Scholarship | Byron Chronology | Links | English Dept. | Texas Tech
Last revised 9.25.09
Questions: contact Dr. Ann R. Hawkins