Overview of ENGL 151L with tips about how to do well and an overview of the schedule and assignments.

1. English 151L
Spring - 2022
Highlights from the Syllabus
detailed schedule & policies in the full syllabus

2. Hi! Welcome to the class.
I am Kathryn Gordon (you may see Elizabeth
in a few places – same person!)
My email is kgordon@northampton.edu
Backup e-mail is walk33@gmail.com
Office hours: Monday 9am-11am
& by Appointment
Office hours by phone or zoom
or tell me about your app
Phone: 518/669-7765 (texts ok)

3. The Book
Norton Introduction to Literature (Portable),
13th edition. ISBN: 9780393420463.
Author: Mays. Publisher: W. W. Norton.
Note that the 12 edition is the wrong
edition but the same color. GET THE
13TH EDITION.
My apologies for not being able to assign
the 12th, of which there are more used
copies for sale. The department requires
me to use the new edition.

4. Get the book ASAP
You need the book from Week 2. Find a way
to have the book at the start. Give yourself the
tools you need to succeed. Let me know
ASAP if you can’t get the book.

5. Part of the course 1,000 Point Scale Extra Points Pace
Essays 110 points each = 330
semester total = 33% of the
grade.
See guidelines for Extended
essay option worth 25 more.
Due in weeks 5, 12 and a few
days after the last week
(week 15)
Forum discussion 20 points per week = 300
semester total = 30% of the
grade.
Option for 10 extra points each
week. Occasional Bonus Points
Opps including 40 points “What
We Said” looking back.
One forum with 3-4 threads
per week. Forum closes
Sunday midnight. Visit 2+
times for best results.
Response Journal 30 points per week = 375
semester total = 37.5% of
the course.
Creative option each week =
+20. Look for some Double
Post weeks for extra 30.
One per week. Always open.
No late penalty. No more
than 2 “catch-up” posts in a
week.
Bonus Point
Opportunities
Semester maximum is 100
points. Range from 10-40.
Find in lectures; essay feedback;
and emailed announcements.
Self-paced. No more than 2
per week including exam
week.

6. Q & A about Bonus Points
Q: What if I have enough points for an A before the end of the semester?
A: You can skip the last essay, or other work. You earned it. But please do stay around in the
discussion forum.
Q: Do I have to try to earn bonus points?
A: No. Bonus points are not in the grading scale. You can earn none and still get an A. Bonus
points provide a buffer should experience a crisis during the semester or a very busy period.
Plus, less experienced writers who score low on essays can still do well in the course. Because
Bonus Points.
Q: What is the maximum bonus points I can earn?
A: 100 points or 10% of the overall grade.
Q: How come we can turn in only 2 Bonus Point opportunities in a week?
A: I don’t want people disappearing and then bulking up on points at the very end. It would be
unfair to those with busy schedules who don’t have time to do much extra work at the end
yet have worked steadily all along.

7. Schedule Note
Our weeks run Monday morning through
Sunday midnight. If you prefer your week to
end on Friday or Saturday, great. You’ll
always be early and I’ll score your work first.
Avoid weekend-only forum posting. If you
must do most of your forum posts on the
weekend, post in the next week when you
can (i.e., early rather than late). This way
more of the class hears what you have to say.
Not all forum threads are related to the
reading / viewing so it’s a good idea to read
them early. And they may help focus your
reading / viewing.

8. Overview of the Schedule
Forum closes Sunday midnight
(except in weeks when essays are
due, when it’s open until the end
of Tuesday)
Journal posts should be done
each week but the deadline is
flexible. So somewhat self-paced,
just no more than two in a week.
Most Bonus Point Opportunities
can be done any time. Just no
more than two in a week.
Individual BPO’s in essay
feedback should be done within
a week after you receive the
feedback.

9. Essays: When, Where
and How
Essays are due Sundays at midnight. One-hour grace period. Sunday a bad
day for you? Give yourself an earlier due date. I’ll read yours first.
Turn in essays through the Learning Content folder for the week when the
essay is due. It’ll be on top & easy to spot. Email is the back-up turn in.
I can read most formats. See details in essay guidelines.

10. If you have to turn an essay in late
 Don’t panic! The late penalty is only 10 points, or 1% of the
overall grade. You can make that up easily.
 Do get moving! Essays are accepted late for only one week.
 If you have to quit on an essay, don’t quit on the course.
The 3 essays are different. One may be hard for you, the
next easier.
 You could miss or opt out of a whole essay and still earn an
A or B in the course. There are many ways to earn points.
Don’t quit.

11. Forum Posting
To earn 20 weekly points, aim for 3-4 posts totaling about 800 words. Best practice is to post
early in the week and come back to read replies and add more. Finish by Sunday midnight.
Weekend-only posts may earn less points. Good rule: if you come to the course for anything,
post something. Not all forum threads are about the reading / viewing.
Posts should be interactive:
 Comment directly on assigned reading. Quote the reading and other
students’ posts
 Connect someone’s post to the reading, your life, world events
 Compare and contrast posts
 Point out a theme running through the posts that week
 Ask questions of the other students. Answer questions
 Use people’s names
Mine is not a post-once, reply-twice type forum.
Take more time, get more back.

12. Forum posting continued
Good communication is
a sign of respect. Casual
is fine. Texting-type
shortcuts are ok, but be
readable
You can edit or even
delete your own posts.
A few typos are ok. I
mafe them
Weak typist/speller? Try
writing in your word
processing software and
cutting and pasting into
the forum
Our studies will
generate lively
discussions.
Disagreement is fine.
Disrespect is not
I read/skim all posts
and reply to many
Lively discussions will
result in more Bonus
Point Opportunities

13. Response Journals
Up to 30 points each post
Aim for one post per week on the assigned reading.
Two catch-up posts accepted in any week
Learn and practice skills needed in the essays
Other students cannot see journal posts
We cycle through 3 types of responses: React &
Reflect, Compare & Contrast, Analyze a Quote

14. Mid-term and final
 there is no mid-term
 & no final
 (0:

15. My teaching approach
I revise the course often to make it more:
 Interesting, Enriching, Inclusive
 Fair & Bias-free
 Challenging but Supportive
 Low-stress
 Useful to you in your career and life goals
I respect my students. You work hard, often juggling one,
two, even three jobs while caring for family and carrying
heavy course loads. I’m here for you, not you for me. I take
pride in my work.

16. Quotes from recent course evaluations
Loved this course. You can tell she [Prof Gordon] really loves what she does and cares about her students!
Quite frankly, I yawned when I selected this course. I thought for sure it would be boring. As it turned out,
of all the courses I took this semester, I enjoyed this one most.
What I most appreciate is that Prof. Gordon selected a variety of literary types which made the course very
interesting. She also helped us engage in thought provocating [sic] discussions.
The course outline doesn't appeal to just one type of student. There's an area for everyone to excel in:
weekly discussions, quizzes, essays, a free-write response journal, and a creative blog. Professor Gordon
definitely doesn't make it easy for you to fail. While you do have to maintain a steady work ethic, there's
always a desire to be part of the class and let your voice be heard.
What an amazing online class experience! I wish all professors were as helpful as you. I really felt like you
cared about helping us understand the material and you were always giving us tips throughout the week to
help us!

17. Earn Bonus Points already!
Explain the use of brackets on the previous slide.
They are used twice. Earn 10 points for a clear
answer in a well-written email. Research may be
needed. Informal citation expected. (Mention
where you found the info.)
Most Bonus Point Opportunities can be turned in at any time during the
semester. Please include a brief cover letter explaining what points you’re
trying for. Clear cover letter = more points. If I have to search to remember
what was asked for = less points. Communicate clearly. I offer many Bonus
Point Opps and add new ones unique to your class, so help me help you get the
most points as fast as possible by communicating clearly what you are sending
and why. Cover letters are used in business and academia to introduce
important communications and attachments.

18. These are highlights from the syllabus presented in
a way that I hope is
 Clear
 Encouraging
 Inviting
 Low stress
Send questions and comments any time to
kgordon@northampton.edu or 518/669-7765.
I do not mind texts. Texts are fine

19. About me: Born in Queens, raised in upstate NY then Lauderhill, Florida. U of
Michigan Grad. Author of 2 published books (as Kathryn A Gordon) and, um, I
forget how many unpublished. I started teaching at NCC in 2005 while also
teaching at the U of Scranton. I live now near Albany NY. I discovered slam
poetry 12 years ago and have been slamming regularly since. I also paint.
Albany NY’s Nitty Gritty Slam team after a big win
in Buffalo. I’m on the end, right side.

20. Let’s all make it to
the end of the
semester.
Everyone starts
with 25 bonus
points. Because
zero is so, well,
zero. Let’s go!