The MGA Catalog describes English 4430 as "an intensive study of significant topics in World literature outside of the British or American tradition." This term the course focuses on two of the great masters of nineteenth-century Russian fiction, novelists Fyodor Dostoevsky and Count Leo Tolstoy. We will explore in depth the cultural and historical environments the works were drawn from in 1860s and 1870s Russia, while at the same time also examining important insight into the fundamental human condition for all peoples, particularly in our perpetual quest for meaning.

Student Learning Outcomes:

ENGL 4430 students will:

1) discuss a generous sampling of World literature including poems, short stories, and/or novels in the context of the authors’ cultural and national history

2) read and write critically about themes and issues in World literature

3) create formal and thematic comparisons between literary works within World literature in written responses and essays

4) analyze continuities and differences among various World societies through a reading of literary works assigned for this course.

Prerequisite

At least a "C" in English 3010.

Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Norton Critical Edition, translated by Michael R. Katz, published 2018-2019 | ISBN 978-0-393-26427-2

The Idiot, by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Barnes and Noble Classic edition, translated by Constance Garnett, published in 2004 | ISBN 978-1-593-08058-7

Anna Karenina, by Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, Wordsworth Classics edition, translated by Louise and Aylmer Maude, published in 1997 | ISBN 978-1-853-26271-5

The Death of Ivan Ilych, by Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, the Maude translation (I will provide online access to this text).

Course components

Critical responses: You will submit a minimum of five informal writings as "critical responses" to the readings. I will post critical response topics and requirements for each unit as we proceed. Note that you are required to submit only five of these responses. There will be at least fifteen critical response assignments posted over the course of the semester, so you could do the first five and have them out of the way; or you could do one response every third unit; or, if you "work better under pressure," you might do the last five responses—I do not recommend this last approach! These informal writings will be graded with an emphasis on content, but they should reflect greater care in writing style and mechanics than with your threaded discussion contributions. You may do up to two extra critical responses to replace the lowest two grades among the first five responses you submit. 

Exams: Both the midterm and the final will consist of two parts: 1) "short answers," or brief paragraph-length commentary on the significance of specific passages from our readings, and 2) essays on central themes and literary features of the works we cover. There will be one essay on the midterm and two on the final. You will have some choice in the short answer and essay portions of each exam: you might on one exam, for instance, select 7 of 10 short answer questions and 1 of 3 essay options.

The paper: In a carefully constructed and thoroughly developed essay of 8-10 typed pages (2100 word minimum), you will explore in some depth a subject you choose from a list of paper topics I will post on the web at the appropriate time. You will turn in a topic sentence outline (a paper proposal) before the paper is due as indicated on the schedule of readings and assignments. The paper must be submitted in digital form to the Brightspace (D2L) online learning management system.

Corrections: For the first two critical responses you submit and the formal paper, after your work is graded you will hand in corrected drafts with all changes highlighted. For specifics, see corrections instructions. 

Conferences: Conferences are not mandatory, particularly in an online course, but I strongly recommend them if you struggle with any aspect of the readings and at any stage of the paper-writing process—exploring topics, drafting, revising, or editing. My typical aim in paper conferences is to head off potential problems in your essays and to offer helpful, critical feedback on your work before you submit it for grading. Meeting face to face in my office is the first and best option, but for those not within easy driving distance of the Macon campus, we can do video meetings through Teams or Zoom.

Course policies

Plagiarism: Except for assignments expressly calling for collaborative effort, all written work must be entirely your own. Any unacknowledged borrowing from the writings of others will be considered plagiarism, a serious breach of academic integrity. I submit cases of plagiarism or other academic dishonesty for review by the Student Conduct Officer. The penalty for plagiarism in this class is an "F" for the entire course, not just the assignment in question. 

Note that the Department of English's more specific definition of plagiarism is operative in this class:

1. It is plagiarism to copy another’s words directly and present them as your own without quotation marks and direct indication of whose words you are copying. All significant phrases, clauses, and passages copied from another source require quotation marks and proper acknowledgment, down to the page number(s) of printed texts.

2. It is plagiarism to paraphrase another writer’s work by altering some words but communicating the same essential point(s) made by the original author without proper acknowledgment. Though quotation marks are not needed with paraphrasing, you must still acknowledge the original source directly.

3. Plagiarism includes presenting someone else’s ideas or factual discoveries as your own. If you follow another person’s general outline or approach to a topic, presenting another’s original thinking or specific conclusions as your own, you must cite the source even if your work is in your own words entirely.  When you present another’s statistics, definitions, or statements of fact in your own work, you must also cite the source.

4. Plagiarism includes allowing someone else to prepare work that you present as your own.

Note: "Someone else preparing your work" includes essay-writing services and generative artificial intelligence (AI) such as Chat-GPT, MS Copilot, Google Gemini, or any "writing assistance" programs such as Grammarly, paraphrasing tools, etc. All work in this class must be your own except where properly cited or disclosed. The use of artificial intelligence writing tools or generative AI tools is prohibited at any stage of the work process, including discussion posts, informal critical responses, midterm and final exams, and the formal paper. Stay far, far away from generative AI! If you have questions about specific online writing tools, talk with me before submitting any work that may include writing assistance you are not entirely certain about.

5. Plagiarism applies in other media besides traditional written texts, including, but not limited to, oral presentations, graphs, charts, diagrams, artwork, video and audio compositions, and other electronic media such as web pages, PowerPoint presentations, and postings to online discussions.

For more on plagiarism, follow the "On Plagiarism" link on my website.  

Withdrawal Policies: Students are encouraged to read the withdrawal policy found at https://www.mga.edu/registrar/registration/drop-add.php before dropping/withdrawing from the class. Students may withdraw from the course and earn a grade of “W” up to and including the midterm date (Wednesday, October 16th for full-session fall 2024 classes). After midterm, students who withdraw will receive a grade of “WF.” A WF is calculated in the GPA as an “F.” Instructors may assign “W” grades for students with excessive absences (beyond the number of absences permitted by the instructor’s stated attendance policy). Students may withdraw from a maximum of five courses throughout their enrollment at Middle Georgia State. Beyond the five-course limit, withdrawals result in “F” grades. 

Class Behavior Expectations and Consequences for Violations: Middle Georgia State University students are responsible for reading, understanding, and abiding by the MGA Student Code of Conduct. Student Code of Conduct, Responsibilities, Procedures, and Rights are found at  
https://www.mga.edu/student-conduct/index.php.

MGA Policy on Disability Accommodations: Students seeking academic accommodations for a special need must contact the Middle Georgia State University Office of Disability Services in Macon at (478) 471-2985 or in Cochran at (478) 934-3023. See https://www.mga.edu/accessibility-services/

“Technical Policy” (re: plagiarism detection): a plagiarism prevention service is used in evaluation of written work submitted for this course. As directed by the instructor, students are expected to submit or have their assignments submitted through the service in order to meet requirements for this course. The papers may be retained by the service for the sole purpose of checking for plagiarized content in future student submissions.

HB 280 Campus Carry Legislation: https://www.mga.edu/police/campus-carry.aspx.

End of Course Evaluations: Student evaluations of faculty are administered online at the end of each term/session for all courses with five or more students. Students will receive an email containing a link to a survey for each course in which they are enrolled. All responses are anonymous.

Keeping up with grades: Track grades periodically in Brightspace (D2L). Let me know if you have concerns about your class average or grades on specific assignments before you consider withdrawing from the course.

The extra mile—doing your best: Tutoring, in person and online, is available in the Writing Center and in Student Success Centers (SSC) on all campuses. The Macon campus Writing Center is in TEB 226 and the SSC is in the lower level of the Library building.

For subjects tutored and appointments, visit the SSC website at http://www.mga.edu/student-success-center/. On the Macon campus or fully online, you can book tutoring sessions by visiting mga.mywconline.com/. The SSC website also posts tutoring schedules for other centers across the five campuses, including the Writing Center (in Macon, TEB 226: 478-471-3542). All tutoring centers across the five campuses are free of charge. Other services at the SSC include online academic workshops and a robust website with resources for academic assistance. The centers also have computer workstations, free printing, and Internet access.

The Bottom Line: I hope every member of this class gets an A, and I will do all I can to make this happen. Don't get me wrong—the standards for "A" work are high. The number-one key to succeeding in this class is that you take responsibility for your own success, meaning that you attend to all assignments with careful, earnest diligence, that you respond positively to any setbacks and heed my feedback on all assignments, and that you seek my help as much and as often as you need it. I guarantee you have one of the most accessible professors at MGA: ask for help outside of class, and I'll do my level best to deliver. 

Addenda to the syllabus:
English 2000-4000 Grades and Grading Criteria.
English 4430 schedule of readings and assignments.