Required Text
Mermin, Dorothy and Herbert Tucker, eds.  Victorian Literature 1830-1900.  Fort Worth:  Harcourt, 2002.

Recommended Reading
A number of helpful reader’s companions and collections of essays on the Victorian period have been placed on 3-day reserve at the library (see separate handout).  These resources will prove particularly valuable as you begin work on your research paper.  See also the informative links section of this Web site.

Requirements and Grading

• Two papers:  one 4 to 6 pages (15%), the other 8 to10 pages (25%).  The long paper must cite at least three secondary sources (articles or books--not Web sites).  Assignment sheets with suggested topics will be passed out during the quarter.     
  
  
• 5 response papers, 1-2 pages long.  See handout for details (10%)
   
• Periodic, unannounced reading quizzes (10%)
  
  
• A mid-term exam (20%) and a final exam (20%).
  
  
• Active, constructive participation in group work and class discussion (10%).  Please keep in mind that this is not a lecture course; thus, the quality of your learning experience will depend largely upon how actively you engage the course material.   You are expected to bring the appropriate text for each class and to contribute to our discussion.  See the “Class Participation” handout for some specific suggestions on how to participate effectively.

House Rules
Attendance: You are given two unexcused absences to use at your discretion, except on days when a paper is due or an exam is scheduled: in fairness to those students completing the work on time, I must verify any excuse that results in an extension. If you have used up your two absences and an emergency occurs that requires you to miss class, you must provide appropriate documentation to excuse the absence. Absences will be excused only for the six types of reasons given in the Student Handbook and in the Tiger Cub. See me during office hours to discuss any work that you missed: that is, please do not ask me before the following class about work missed or send me an e-mail requesting a recap of the previous day's discussion and assignments. Students with more than two absences will have one full grade (1.0) deducted from the final grade for each additional unexcused absence.

Late papers/missed exams: Papers and other assignments are due at class-time on the days noted below. A paper turned in after the due date will be penalized one letter grade for each day that it is late. If illness or another emergency prevents you from turning in a paper on time or attending an exam, I expect you to notify me the day the emergency occurs: if you do not, the assignment will be penalized for lateness. If you miss a quiz or arrive for class while a quiz is in progress, you will have to make up the quiz during my office hours or at a scheduled appointment. It is your responsibility to arrange a prompt make up of any missed quiz; if not made up by the end of the day of the next class meeting, the quiz will be counted a zero (e.g, a quiz missed on a Thursday must be made up by the following Tuesday).

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