State University of New York College at Cortland

English Department

ENG 204: Introduction to Drama

Course  Information

Credit hours: 3
Semester: Fall 2014

Location: OM 229

English Dept. Fax # 753-5978

Professor: Dr. Andrea R. Harbin
Office Phone: 607-753-2073
Office: Old Mail 115E

Office Hours: Tues/Thurs, 9-10; Thursday 3-4 and by appointment

E-mail: andrea.harbin@cortland.edu

Textbooks:

Norton Anthology of Drama – Shorter edition: Ed. J. Ellen Gainor.  ISBN 978-0-393-92340-7

Recommended Texts:

A writer’s guide or handbook, for example A Writer's Reference -- Diane Hacker

Catalog Description:

 (B) Introduction to basics of theatrical literature. Notes: Successful completion of CPN 100 or CPN 102 is prerequisite to all courses in English. CPN 101 or CPN 103 may be taken concurrently with any 200-level literature course. For English and adolescence education majors, ENG 203 is prerequisite for 300-level literature courses. Fulfills: GE 7; LASR. (3 cr. hr.)

Course Attendance Policy:  Attendance in this class is mandatory.  Much of the work of the course involves class discussions of the plays. Your final grade will be lowered one-third letter grade for every class hour missed beginning with the third class you miss.  If you know that you will be absent for some good reason, let me know ahead of time so that we can make other arrangements.  Students who miss more than six classes will automatically fail the course.

Evaluation of Student Performance:

1) Response Papers/Discussion Board postings (10%): Response papers will be due occasionally throughout the semester and will explore one or more of the works that we’re discussing. These should be 1-2 pages in length and will not be graded. As long as the paper meets the assignment requirements and the student has made an honest effort to address the topic thoroughly, the paper will receive full credit.  I will ask you to post so these responses as a part of a discussion on Blackboard.  Quiz scores will also contribute to this portion of the grade.

2) Paper/Project  (35%):  For this paper, we’ll examine drama from a functional standpoint as well as a literary one. Because drama is meant to be seen and not just read, it is helpful to imagine how a particular scene might be staged as we are trying to figure out what the play means. There is not, of course, only one way to stage any play. This assignment lets you stretch your creative muscles a bit now that you’ve worked on your analytical muscles.  Length 4-6 pages.

3) Midterm (35%)The midterm will consist mainly of passages from the plays.  You will need to identify the passage and discuss the thematic importance of the passage.  It may also contain short IDs.

4) Final Performance and analysis (10%) In lieu of a final exam, you and a group of your peers from class will be performing a scene from one of the plays we have studies.  This can be either a “stage” production, or a film version.  Your group will also submit a short analysis (2-3 pages) explaining the production choices that your group made and what you hoped to achieve with them.  I will not be grading the acting here, but I will be grading production (given our time and budget constraints), and your production plan.

5) Participation (10%)  Class participation and discussion is an essential part of the course.  To receive full credit for participation, you must do all readings and come prepared to discuss them.  This means active participation in the class.  Merely attending class will not give you participation credit.

Grade Weights:

• Class participation: 10%
• Short writing assignments and quizzes: 10%
• Paper: 35%
• Midterm Exam 35%
• Final Performance and Analysis 10%

Course Goals and Objectives:

The primary goal of this course is to introduce students to the basics of theatrical literature. Drama, of course, goes beyond what is on the written page.  As we discuss these plays, we will also be discussing how they might be produced, and how those production choices might influence the audience’s understanding and/or appreciation of the work.  This consideration of not only textual but performance issues will culminate in your own brief and thoughtfully planned productions of scenes from the plays we have studied.  

Your Responsibilities to the class:

• Come to class.  If you miss class because of a serious illness, you should bring a note from the doctor or health center.  Missing class to catch planes, go to weddings, etc. will not be excused.
• Come on time. For the class to function, all members must be present.  Late arrival disrupts the work of the class.  
• Turn in assignments on time.  All assignments will be due at the beginning of class on the day that they are due.  

• Late policy: Late papers will be dropped a half letter grade per class period late unless you have arranged an extension with me before the due date. Extensions will only be given in extreme cases of illness (with a doctor’s note) or other emergencies, but you need to communicate with me in advance. Papers that are more than one week late will not be accepted. If in doubt, come talk to me.

• Participate in class discussions.  This class depends on the intellectual interaction of its members. Because of this, class discussion is worth a full 10% of your grade.  Just showing up will not get you points here.  You must contribute to the intellectual work of the class by reading and thinking about the texts and contributing those thoughts to the greater discussion.
• Read everything.  You will be responsible for everything on the syllabus, both in class discussions and in the exams.  You should have read the assignment before coming to class on the day the work is listed on the schedule.
• Don’t plagiarize.

Academic Integrity:

Class discussions are intended to stimulate thinking and writing collaboratively, but your essays, weekly papers and exams must represent your own work. Please review the academic integrity policy. When in doubt, cite. I encourage you to use the Academic Support and Achievement Program (ASAP) and any other kind of feedback on drafts you can get. I am required to report any instances of cheating or plagiarism in my classes, no exceptions.

Plagiarism means using the exact words, opinions or factual information from another person without giving that person credit. Writers give credit through accepted documentation styles, such as parenthetical citation, footnotes, or endnotes; a simple listing of books and articles at the end of a document is not sufficient. Plagiarism is the equivalent of intellectual theft and cannot be tolerated in an academic setting."

Further information on academic integrity can be found in the College Handbook at: http://www.cortland.edu/handbook/hb08_10/part3.html#Anchor-CHAPTER-55306

Blackboard:  We have a Blackboard course set up for this class, and I will post the syllabus and all assignments on it.  If you lose an assignment, please check there first.  

Nota Bene: Syllabus subject to revision