English 314 --- Elly van Gelderen Fall 2000
Class: MWF: 12:40-1:30
Office: 226 C
e-mail: ellyvangelderen@asu.edu; homepage
Office Hours: MW, 11-12 noon; 6-7 pm and by appointment
Class: MWF: 12:40-1:30
Teaching Assistants: Lutfi Hussein and Johanna Wood
Required Text: Grammar of English, or Sleeping in mine orchard, a serpent stung me, Course packet. Available at: Alphagraphics (122 East University) and Online available.
Objectives: The aim is to examine the major syntactic structures of English and to analyze them. Topics include categories, phrases, functions, types of verbs, clauses, and finiteness. The student will acquire understanding of and facility with syntactic arguments, e.g. arguing why an adjective is `correct' in a particular position, what differentiates an object from an adverbial, and explaining ambiguous sentences. The course stresses that it is more important to be able to argue something than just memorize some rules. For that reason, the text leaves a number of issues unresolved. Some general issues such as prescriptivism vs descriptivism, varieties of English, and innatism are discussed as well.
Evaluation:
4 Homework Assignments @15 points each: 60 points 2(10 minute) quizes @ 5 points: 10 In-class exam # 1: 20 In-class exam # 2: 30 In-class exam # 3: 30 Final exam: 50 Total: 200 points |
See schedule below for dates of homework etc! Students are responsible for the material in the text and from the class lectures. Points will be converted into a Grade as follows: 200 - 180: A; 179 - 160: B; 159-140: C; 139 - 120: D; 119 - 0: E. Students are welcome to discuss homework assignments, but answers should be their own. During exams, students are not allowed to confer with fellow students or use memory aids of any kind. Late homework will only be accepted under extremely exceptional (well-documented) circumstances. If a student has to miss an exam due to similar circumstances, the instructor must be contacted as early as possible.
Organization
Mondays and Wednesdays, there will be lectures, discussion, and exercises; Fridays, the group will be split up and practise analyses. There are several kinds of preparations and assignments. Students are expected to (a) read the assigned chapters before class as well as attempt the exercises at the end of each chapter, (b) practise additional exercises in Friday classes, (c) hand in homework assignments, participate in the quizes and exams. Students will only be evaluated on the basis of (c). The format of (c) will be based on the format of (a) and (b).
The textbook is also available online (see above) and, for those of you who are interested, it is possible to replace one homework assignment by a 300 word analysis of the e-text (e.g. how is the e-text different from the hard copy).
This course is unlike many other English classes. You don't have to read a lot but you need to practise. |
Tentative Schedule - English 314
Week: Date: Readings and assignments:
1 21 Aug Discussion of outline; introduction
23 Aug Read chap 1; start chap 2
25 Aug Review chap 1 and do class exercises
2 28 Aug Chap. 2
30 Aug Chap. 2
1 Sept Chap 2; class exercises;
3 4 Sept LABOR DAY: NO CLASS
6 Sept Chap. 3
8 Sept Homework # 1 is due; class Exercises
4 11 Sept Chap 3
13 Sept Chap 3; Quiz #1
15 Sept Exercises
5 18 Sept Review chaps 1-3; sample exam
20 Sept Exam # 1 (chaps 1-3)
22 Sept Discussion of exam
6 25 Sept Chap 4
27 Sept Chap 4
29 Sept Chap 4; class exercises
7 2 Oct Chap 5
4 Oct Chap 5
6 Oct Homework # 2 due; Chap 5
8 9 Oct Chap 6
11 Oct Quiz # 2 (about chaps 4-5); Chap 6
13 Oct Chap 6
9 16 Oct review chaps 4-6 and sample exam
18 Oct Exam # 2 (chaps 4-6)
20 Oct Chap 7; Exercises
10 23 Oct Chap 7
25 Oct Chap 7 and 8
27 Oct Chap 7 and 8
11 30 Oct Homework # 3 due; chap 8
1 Nov Chap 8
3 Nov Chap 8
12 6 Nov Sample Exam Chaps 7-8
8 Nov Exam # 3 (Chaps 7-8)
10 Nov No class: Veterans' Day
13 13 Nov Chap 9
15 Nov Chap 9
17 Nov Chap 9; Exercises
14 20 Nov Chap 10; Homework # 4 due;
22 Nov Chap 10
24 Nov No class: Thanksgiving
15 27 Nov chap 10-11
29 Nov Chap 11
1 Dec Chap 11; exercises
16 4 Dec Review chaps 1-11; sample final
8 Dec
from 12:20-2:10 Final Exam (chaps 1-11)