Rules of the Road for Poetry and Drama 2103-001, and Shakespeare Survey 3233-001:
Tests: Besides the obligatory midterm and final examination, you'll have at least two additional tests, in order to help your overall grade. As well, I reserve the right to give you periodical quizzes in order to make certain that you're doing the reading and not falling behind. Please remember that all works on the syllabus should be read and prepared for the first appearance on the schedule.
Papers: The real test of your thinking abilities and application of what you've learned lies with the paper. If you need a "refresher" on the basic, argument paper, please check elsewhere on this website (either from the Homepage, under "Sample Papers," or under "Sample Pages" at the Classes page; if in doubt, ask; and recall that we have a writing lab in the room next to the Department, with graduate assistants who can help. However, have some ideas and some completed work prior to asking for their assistance. Don't wait until the last minute to begin work on what demonstrates how you "think" and represents your abilities at demonstrating an understanding of the course material).
You may choose to do either one paper, 5 to 8 typed pp, or two papers, 3 to 5 pp. each (if you want help with your writing, I recommend the two papers; they must, of course, be on our syllabus and from different plays). The first paper will be due on the day of the midterm examination, with the second due on the last class. If you elect to do one paper (from the syllabus), it's due the last class. You need not let me know which you prefer, unless seeking advice.
But I offer one caveat: too often students will fail to do the minimum required for the paper, whether doing two or one, thus throwing away the semester; so, let me repeat: a minimum of three, full pages for two papers, and a minimum of five, full pages for one (for instance, if, in doing one paper, you manage to get to page 5, that isn't enough--the top of page 6 is where you should finish). Your paper should be double-spaced, 12-pt. font throughout (even citations), one-inch margins on all pages, with the exception of the first page, where, with your name, course and section, and date in either the upper-right or left upper-corner of the page, the title (after double-spacing) centered on the page, and your first paragraph then following after a double-space, your margin may be two to two and half inches from the top of the page.
Please mark all pages after the first with your last name, a comma, followed by the page number in the upper-right corner. Please don't "fudge" (you know what I mean) with regard to margins or type font--see? this is what I mean about most of this should be commonsense, and will remain so for most of you; but, just in case ... (what can I say--the last few semesters have had some bumps in the road with wide-eyed innocence). Questions? Go to the section on sample papers for Shakespeare, for instance, or to any of the sample papers on this site--such as sample essays. Look at the homepage, under classes (such as Shakespeare Survey, or Poetry and Drama, or other classes for advice for many topics, ideas, or tips).
[O.K. Now we're into the tough areas, which should never need stating in college, but, unfortunately, that's no longer the case. So, I offer the following, and all you'll need to know for classroom deportment on this page, as MY guarantee that we're on, so to speak, the same page. I have some horror stories from the past two years you wouldn't believe, so I'm taking the trouble of seeming like the Scrooge/Grinch of ASU, especially if it will help make up for the last four semesters.]
Attendance: It matters not if you're a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior: attendance in my classes is mandatory. On a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule, you may miss no more than SIX classes, which includes being on time. This represents two weeks of the semester; to miss more means failure. While I realize that sickness, personal problems, and other issues arise with students, if any of these prevents you from attending all but six classes you can't fairly say you've taken this course, so you must drop and take it when sickness, personal problems, etc. don't preclude your being physically in the room. No exceptions will be made.
If you must come late (and, by the way, more than 10 minutes means you shouldn't come at all), take the first seat closest to the door; don't crawl over folks for your "usual" seat. Take care of all bathroom, pill-taking, nose-blowing, water-getting, etc. needs before class. It's disruptive to have students leave the room and then return.
If you are involved in a university-sponsored event, such as athletics, forensics, etc., you need to let me know your schedule and the classes you will miss by the end of week two. Please remember that, while work for these absences may be made up, the absences for class must come out of your six allowable days--so, plan ahead.
Cell Phones: NO, NON, NADA, NEIN, NYET, NO-HOW, NO-WAY, NO NO, Nooooohhhh. That means don't bring one to class, think about one while in class, or have a relative or friend within calling distance who even owns one. If I see a cell phone, smell a cell phone (and I have the ability), or much less hear one, I'll send your email address, home information, and anything your friends tell me about you to every telemarketer, spam-merchant, and salesperson in the known world--and that's just for starters ... I'm currently working on the nasty stuff. (That's in addition to failing you and posting your name on a secret professors' list of troublesome, cell-phone-using students: WOW, will you be in trouble!).
No sleeping, ETC., That means no eye-resting, heads on the desk, against the walls, or anything that remotely seems like sleeping or meditation: you'll be dropped before awakening. And please, no matter how important your friends are or how attractive that person is next to you, Do Not talk unless asking a question in class, called upon, or telling me the room is on fire (but please, first raise your hand).
At this point, if I haven't sufficiently scared you, I'm not doing something right; or, consider students and faculty from other universities who may have accidentally ventured to this page: they're wondering what kind of students do they have there? The usual: for most of you, none of this becomes necessary--it's for the five, six, or so I still can't forget from the unusual past few semesters.
As for the course-assigned texts, which you'll find listed on the main syllabus page, all should be available at the ASU campus bookstore. However, if you have one or more of the plays, poems, or an anthology that contains them, that's fine. In some circumstances you may have a problem finding a citation/passage to which I make reference, but that's not often a problem with plays and poems, as it would be with fiction. In addition, if you wish to have an anthology of plays or poems and want a recommendation for a text, let me know.
Under the heading of the ever-popular extra credit—how do I get it, use it, benefit from it?—it’s easy: memorize at least ten lines from one of the plays or poems on our syllabus and recite it in class (a little stumbling won’t count against you; and you need not perform—just show me that you took the trouble and that you’ll remember a little something from the class. You may do this twice for extra credit (from different works).
My office is Wilson 313-D (within the English & Philosophy Department office); email me at wnarey@astate.edu, or call 972-2625; or -3043. Please don’t ask me to return phone calls or respond to voice emails; if you will, either see me during usual office hours or make an appointment (it never hurts to set a time beforehand, given that anything--a meeting or some other event may take me out of the office for a while) . My office hours are 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Monday and Wednesday, and 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., Friday.