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Home My WebLink AboutLIT-1071 Bergen Community College Division of Humanities Department of English Course Syllabus LIT 107: Science Fiction Instructor: Office: Phone: E-mail: Office Hours: Course Description Science Fiction provides a survey of the genre through the analytical study of short fiction, novels, and other media ranging from the 19th to the 21st centuries. Students will explore the dominant themes of the genre as a whole, including its use as a vehicle to challenge existing social attitudes and structures, to interrogate the relationship between humankind and emerging technology, and to speculate on the nature of humanity in relation to the wider cosmos. Credits: 3; Lecture 3 Prerequisite: None General Education course Student Learning Outcomes As a result of meeting the requirements in this course, you will be able to: l. Identify major works and figures in the history and development of science fiction. 2. Engage in close analysis of works of science fiction in various forms, including novels, and short stories. 2 3. Identify, interpret, and compare and contrast specific themes, motifs, and trends in works of science fiction. 4. Analyze the role of science fiction as a means of responding to and shaping social and historical trends. 5. Produce a properly formatted written evaluation of selected works; demonstrate competency in both research methodologies and literary analysis. Assessment of Student Learning Students will be required to do the following: 1. Demonstrate understanding of material by completing short writing assignments such as summaries, journals, reading responses, reading comprehension questions, quizzes, etc. (SLOs 1-5) 2. Write at least two multi-paragraph, academic critical response essays of at least 750 words that analyze science fiction works by authors from various historical and cultural contexts. (SLOs 2-5) 3. Complete a midterm examination and a final examination in class. (SLOs 1-3) 4. Participate actively in class discussions necessary for the understanding of key themes and concepts (SLOs 1,3,4). 5. Write an 5-7 paged, multi-source research paper that adheres to proper MLA documentation style and best practices of academic research (SLOs 2-5). Course Texts and/or Other Study Materials The Wesleyan Anthology of Science Fiction ISBN-13 : 978-0819569554 Text is available in the campus bookstore. Go get it! 3 Assignments Essays (30%): Papers must be typed, double spaced, 12pt Times New Roman, with your last name and page number in the upper right corner, a header in the upper left and a title in the center. All paraphrases and quotations must include in -text citations and a Works Cited page. Papers missing any of these elements will be marked down. The paper (4-6 pages) will be due in mid-October. Research Paper (20%): All students will write a final research paper of 8-10 pages in length on a topic of the student’s choosing related to the course material. Papers might focus on a single author, a movement or trend within the science fiction genre, a recurring theme that crossed time periods and works, or anything else of scholarly significance to the study of science fiction. Topics will be developed in concert with the instructor. Research papers must include at least 4 scholarly secondary sources. Policy for Late Papers: For every day an essay is late your grade will be lowered ½ a grade. For example, for an A paper one day late, you receive a B+, for a B+ paper a day late, you receive a B. For a B paper a day late you receive a C+, and so on. Late papers will not be accepted after one week. Midterm and Final (40%): The midterm and final will be objective identification essays meant to demonstrate your comprehension of the course material. I will provide passages from the required texts. Students will be expected to identify the title and the author of the excerpt, and to explain the thematic significance of the passage to the work as a whole. More information will be given in the lead up to each exam. Grading Policy Grading: 1 Short Essay 20% Research Paper 30% Midterm 20% 4 Final 20% Participation (includes Workshopping, Discussions) 10% Grading Scale 100-90 A 89-85 B+ 84-80 B 79-75 C+ 74-70 C 69-60 D 59 and below F Statement on Plagiarism From BCC’s Student Code of Conduct, pp. 8-9: Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty and may be a violation of U.S. Copyright laws. Plagiarism is defined as the act of taking someone else’s words, opinions, or ideas and claiming them as one’s own. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment of their authorship. It also includes materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials. examples of plagiarism include instances in which a student: • Knowingly representing the work of others as his/her own; • represents previously completed academic work as current; • Submits a paper or other academic work for credit, which includes, words, ideas, data or creative work of others without acknowledging the source; and/or • uses another author’s exact words without enclosing them in quotation marks and citing them appropriately 5 We will go over how to properly use sources and how to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offense and will result in not only failing the paper and possibly the course, but the incident will be reported to the Dean of Student Life and Conduct and the violation put on record. Available Online and On-Campus Resources Office of Testing and Tutoring at the Meadowlands LYN 202 https://bergen.edu/tutoring/tutoring-testing-center-at-the-meadowlands/ The Writing Center and Tutoring Center L-125 https://bergen.edu/tutoring/writing- center/ OWL (Online Writing Lab) http://www.owl.english.perdue The English Language Resource Center (ELRC) C- 212 https://bergen.edu/tutoring/english-language-resource-center/ The Library https://bergen.edu/library/ MLA Formatting Guides https://bergen.libguides.com/citationguides/mla Library Research Guides https://bergen.libguides.com/index.php?b=s Free Time Computer Labs https://bergen.edu/technology-assistance/computer-lab- availability/ The Center for Student A-118 (Academic, Career, International, and Transfer Counselors) https://bergen.edu/center-for-student-success/ Academic Support https://bergen.edu/academics/pathway-scholars- program/academic-support/ Personal Counseling HS-100 https://bergen.edu/health-wellness-and-personal- counseling/personalcounseling/ The Writing Center: The Writing Center is located on the second floor of the Meadowlands campus in room L202 or on the first floor of the main campus in room L125. Writers work closely with peer and professional tutors on all facets of the writing process. Visit the Writing Center early for help with essays, and research papers. Attendance Policy Your attendance is integral to the success of the class and your success in the course. You are allowed three absences regardless of the reason. After three absences your grade will be penalized at the instructor’s discretion. Please speak to me about any extraordinary circumstances that might prevent your adherence to this policy. 6 ADA Statement Bergen Community College is committed to ensuring the full participation of all students in its programs. If you have a documented disability (or think you may have a disability) and, as a result, need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this class, complete course requirements, or benefit from the College’s programs or services, contact the Office of Special Services (OSS) as soon as possible at 201 - 612-5270 or www.bergen.edu/oss. To receive any academic accommodation, you must be appropriately registered with OSS. The OSS works with students confidentially and does not disclose any disability-related information without their permission. The OSS serves as a clearinghouse on disability issues and works in partnership with faculty and all other student service offices. Course Schedule Unit 1: Man or Machine: A.I., V.R., and The Mirror of Human Consciousness Week 1 Intro Star Trek: TNG, “Measure of a Man” Week 2 Asimov, “Reason” Eileen Gun, “Computer Friendly” Week 3 Dick, “We Can Remember it for You Wholesale” Gibson, “Burning Chrome” Unit 2: Imagining Extra Terrestrials Week 4 Wells, The War of the Worlds Week 5 Clarke, “The Sentinel Kress, “Out of All Them Bright Stars” 7 Week 6 Chiang, “The Story of Your Life” Menosky, “Darmok” Imagining first contact. Week 7 Film: Arrival Midterm, details TBA Unit 3: Future (Im)perfect: Envisioning Utopian and Dystopian Futures Week 8 Wells, “The Star” Bradbury, “There Will Come Soft Rains” Week 9 Le Guin, “Nine Lives” Butler, “Speech Sounds” Week 10 Chiang, “Exhalation” Unit 4: Humanity Amongst the Cosmos Week 11 Herbert, “Seed Stock” Week 12 Robinson, “Arthur Steinbach Brings the Curveball to Mars” Week 13 Interstellar Week 14 Final Exam Week 15 Work on Final Paper, Due last day of semester