COMM 108 SYLLABUS

Oral Interpretation of Literature Syllabus

FALL 2012 - UNITS: 3.0 INSTRUCTOR: James Floss E-MAIL: jmf2 @ jfloss.com
TIMES/CRN: 41210, Tu/Th 12:30 - 1:50pm; SCIA564 TYPE: Lecture
OFFICE: Hs. 54 Rm. 5 (HSU) Office Extension: 826-5422; Voice Mail available
OFFICE HOURS: TT 10:30 to 11:30am. See my teaching schedule to make appointments for other times.

UNIVERSITY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The Arts and Humanities seeks to integrate intellect, imagination, sensibility and receptivity in reflection upon human experience. Courses in Area C should assist and inspire students to cultivate and refine their affective and cognitive responses so they can consciously recognize and embody their experiences and their expressions of human existence. Through studying and responding to the great works of human imagination, and through experiencing individual aesthetic and creative processes, students can gain balance through integration of their intellectual, emotional, and creative responses, thereby, enhancing their understanding and appreciation of human life. All courses shall accomplish the following in a discipline-specific manner.

To understand human experience through the development of the ability to recognize and test relationships between particular instances and facts, and general principles and concepts.
To develop and/or increase one's subjective responses to humanistic and/or artistic works, including analysis of disciplinary standards of judgment (contemporary and/or historically) in humanistic and artistic areas.
To highlight varied factors in the personal nature of human beings' production and response to artistic and humanistic works including (but not limited to) gender, culture or ethnicity.
To provide an understanding of the nature and scope of perspectives and scholarship within the arts/humanities and to appreciate the importance of these perspectives and scholarship toward understanding of human experience.

ASSESSMENT OUTCOMES

Upon completing this requirement, students will be able to:

apply discipline-specific vocabulary and central discipline-specific concepts and principles to a specific instance, literary work or artistic creation
respond subjectively as well as objectively to aesthetic experiences and will differentiate between emotional and intellectual responses
explain the nature and scope of the perspectives and contributions found in a particular discipline within the Arts and Humanities as related to the human
experience, both individually (theirs) and collectively
discuss the intellectual, historical, and cultural elements of written literature through their study of great works of the human imagination

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Oral Interpretation of Literature is both a course of study about and a workshop into the performances of texts. Oral Interpretation is the artistic, aesthetic, and carefully considered sharing of our personal study and understanding of a literary selection with an audience. In this class, you will choose literature that is meaningful to you, and through a process of analysis, planning and rehearsing, effectively share that meaning with an audience. The objectives of this class are:

To stimulate a deeper and fuller response to the experience of literature.
To acquire the ability to interpret a literary selection with integrity.
To communicate an interpretation to an audience with believability, honesty, and artistry.
To learn and practice the basic techniques of studying prose, drama and poetry through performance.
To learn more about yourself as a result of the interpretation experience.
To improve listening skills.
To be able to accept and give constructive criticism.

This course explicitly contributes to students' acquisition of skills and knowledge relevant to HSU Learning Outcomes. The HSU outcomes are listed below: HSU graduates will have demonstrated:

Effective communication through written and oral modes.
Critical and creative thinking skills in acquiring a broad base of knowledge and applying it to complex issues.
Competence in a major area of study.
Appreciation for and understanding of an expanded world perspective by engaging respectfully with a diverse range of individuals, communities, and viewpoints.

HSU graduates will be prepared to:

Succeed in their chosen careers.
Take responsibility for identifying personal goals and practicing lifelong learning.
Pursue social justice, promote environmental responsibility, and improve economic conditions in their workplaces and communities.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

REQUIRED TEXT
Roles in Interpretation by Judy Yorden, 5th Edition, is required for this class, available in the Bookstore. Please study the accompanying schedule for required readings--it is very important that each student be familiar with the chapters indicated by the dates stated. A required packet of auxiliary materials, evaluation forms and an assignment description is both available for purchase through the Bookstore or can be accessed through the class web site.

Quizzes: Students will be quizzed periodically on the required readings. Quizzes will be generated from questions that students bring to class. While not required, each student is encouraged to compose two or three quiz questions (and their answers) from the lessons due the next class period. The instructor will choose from the submitted questions for that session's quiz. Students will receive an extra credit point for each submitted question (up to three) and another point each time their question is chosen. If duplicate questions are submitted, the first one selected will receive the extra credit.

PERFORMANCES
Each student will perform five times during the semester; the first being not graded. The readings are:
Introductory Reading: a 1 to 2 minute reading of any literary selection (not graded, but worth 10 points)
Drama Duo Performances: a 5 to 7 minute performance of dramatic literature with one or two classmates
Prose Fiction Performances: a 5 to 7 minute performance of prose fiction of your choice
Poetry Performances: a 4 to 6 minute performance of a poem (or poems) of your choice
Final Performance: a 4 to 6 minute performance, any genre, solo or as a group (class final)
Students should expect to spend four to five hours outside class for selecting, analyzing, writing about and rehearsing for each performance other than the Introductory Reading.

WRITINGS
Several writing assignments will come due throughout the semester; they fall into two categories: Written Justifications of Performance Choices (intent papers) and Performances Critiques. Each performance assignment (except the introductory reading) will require written justifications of your choices, intents and purposes. Intent papers must be handed in on the day you perform; they will not be accepted late. The particulars for each writing assignment can be found in the packet or on the web. After each full round of performances, an 800-word critique can be due written in standard academic prose. It is expected that course-specific terms be used in all papers to demonstrate your mastery of course topics. An additional critique of a dramatic performance outside of the classroom can also be accepted. There are four opportunities for critical papers but only two should be submitted by the end of the semester. Late submissions will be accepted up to a week late, but with a penalty of 10 points.

GRADING
All course requirements are worth a number of "points." While the performances (and class participation) will receive letter grades, each letter grade is equivalent to a number of points. A total of 1,000 points are needed for an "A". Your final grade is determined by the total number you earn throughout the semester. The following table shows the number of points course requirements are worth:

Note that this adds up to 1,050 points. The extra 50 points are a contingency buffer. As you will read, the attendance policy is rigid and there are many writing requirements. You can "spend" your extra points any way you please: missing a class session for a personally important reason or not turning in a paper when other course work overwhelms. For performances, you will receive an evaluation form indicating your strongest and weakest points, along with a letter grade. The grades are recorded as points according to the table below. If you miss your performance date and slot for a non-medical reason, your final score for that performance will be docked 10 points.

ATTENDANCE
Attendance is particularly important in a class like this. You will learn much from the ideas and performances of your classmates, and you have a responsibility as an audience member to respond to them. If you attend every class, you will receive 100 points. Each missed class (up to 4) will reduce this total by 25 points.

Classes missed	0	1	2	3	4
Attendance points	100	75	50	25	0

Exceptions will be made for substantiated medical excuses only. Because there are many reasons other than medical why you might miss class, extra credit is built into the syllabus. If you get far behind due to too many missed classes from crises, extra-mural activities, or the like, extra credit projects can be negotiated at my discretion. You can have an absence removed by seeing an outside spoken word event (book readings, poetry slams, Poets on the Plaza, storytelling, etc.). Up to 4 absences can be removed. Just submit a paragraph or two about the event and how it related to Oral Interpretation. Every time you come to class late, or every time you need to leave class early, an additional five points will be deducted from your attendance score.

FINAL EXAM: There is no final exam, but there will be a Final Performance. For this performance, students will prepare and present a selection of prose (fiction or non-fiction), poetry, drama or Readers Theatre. You can work solo or with partners; each individual's contribution should be between 4 and 6 minutes.

FINAL GRADE
The final grade you receive will be based on the total number of points earned throughout the semester, according to this table for:

Point Spread	Final Grade
950 - 1000	A
900 - 949	A-
850 - 899	B+
800 - 849	B
750 - 799	B-

Point Spread	Final Grade
700 - 749	C+
650 - 699	C
600 - 649	C-
550 - 599	D+
500 - 549	D
under 500	F

Academic honesty: Students are responsible for knowing policy regarding academic honesty. For more information, visit: Academic Honesty Policy (http://www.humboldt.edu/studentrights/academic_honesty.php) or HSU Catalog (http://sorrel.humboldt.edu/registrar/catalog/).

Students with Disabilities: Persons who wish to request disability-related accommodations should contact the Student Disability Resource Center in House 71, 826-4678 (voice) or 826-5392 (TDD). Some accommodations may take up to several weeks to arrange. Student Disability Resource Center (http://www.humboldt.edu/disability/).

Add/Drop policy: Students are responsible for knowing the University policy, procedures, and schedule for dropping or adding classes. Schedule Adjustments (Adding or Dropping) (http://sorrel.humboldt.edu/~reg/students/regulations/schedadjust.html).

Emergency evacuation: Please review the evacuation plan for the classroom (posted on the orange signs) , and review Campus Emergency Preparedness(http://www.humboldt.edu/emergencymgmtprogram/campus_emergency_preparedness.php) for information on campus Emergency Procedures. During an emergency, information can be found campus conditions at: 826-INFO or Emergency Conditions (http://www.humboldt.edu/emergency).

Attendance and disruptive behavior: Students are responsible for knowing policy regarding attendance and disruptive behavior: Class Attendance and Disruptive Behavior (http://www.humboldt.edu/studentrights/attendance_behavior.php).

INTRODUCTORY READING	10	Critiques (two of the four below @ 30)	60
DRAMA DUO PERFORMANCES	125	Critique of Drama Perfs.	—
PROSE FICTION PERFORMANCES	125	Critique of Outside Drama Perf.	—
POETRY PERFORMANCES	125	Critique of Poetry Perfs.	—
FINAL PERFORMANCE	125	Critique of Prose Perfs.	—
Intent Paper for Drama	30	Class Participation	50
Intent Paper for Poetry	30	Attendance	100
Intent Paper for Prose	30	Quizzes	200
Literature selection forms (4 at 10 points each)	40	TOTAL	1050