river oaks [english]

Your final exam will cover the following: Realism -- Information from pages 376-384, including general info about Douglass The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn -- remember the Study Guide Research Methods -- Finding, Evaluating & Citing sources Ambrose Bierce -- "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" & "The Devil's Dictionary" Modernism -- Information from lectures and introductory essays As usual, the exam will include a variety of question types (multiple choice, matching, fill-in-the-blank, short answer & identification) and, of course, a short essay.

To reinforce the lectures this week, and to cover information we won't have time to get to, I've assigned some readings in the big red book -- pages 494-500, 628-632, & 706-710 . Taken together, the essays cover everything you need to know for the "Modernism" portion of your final exam. Primarily, I want everyone to understand the "big picture," the development of literature in America as it enters the 20th century. As your book states, "[Modernism], swept along by disillusionment with traditions that seemed to have become spiritually empty, called for bold experimentation and a sweeping rejection of all traditional themes and styles" (495). The Modernist movement directed most everything that followed, propelled by Ezra Pound's edict to Make it new! For more information than you'd ever care to know on the subject of Modernism (including several links to even more information), look at this Wikipedia page. Finally, listen to/watch...

As promised, here is the link to Ambrose Bierce's The Devil's Dictionary . No, it's not about the devil. First published in 1906 as The Cynic's Word Book , it's a satirical dictionary with alternate definitions for common words. Your assignment is to copy & paste five definitions into a word processor (or you can type it). Please use a different letter for each word. In other words, no two words should start with the same letter. Look through the list and pick words that pique your interest.

Hello, and welcome Freshmen. As promised, I've added links to the Ad Council , makers of many of the PSA's you've seen growing up, and also two Frontline episodes -- Merchants of Cool and The Persuaders . We'll be talking about marketing as we are reading The Gospel According to Larry , and I thought these sites might help give you a broader understanding of the industry.

By now, you've all experienced the frustration of searching the internet for sources. It's a large place, and using Google alone (with keywords only) is not sufficient for finding everything you'll need for your paper. As you learned at ULM, the best way to find articles on topics pertaining to literature is to go through a database that collects articles in that field. Usually, these databases are subscription based, and this is why access is often restricted. However, one free service that I've found useful is Find Articles . Like JSTOR or other databases, Find Articles collects articles from (mostly popular) periodicals. You can search their database using keywords and print out full text articles. Note that when you use an article found through Find Articles, or any other database, you must include that information in the citation for the source. We will have citation workshops in class on Wednesday and Thursday. Finally, one last resource I just learned abou...

I just want to remind you, once again, that you must take careful notes when conducting your research. Duke's library has a page on avoiding plagiarism that I'd like for you all to read. Here's another site from Louisiana Tech's online writing center . A general rule is to always print out a copy of whatever you are working with. In fact, you are required to turn in a copy of every source you use with every quote and paraphrase highlighted. Also, for every source you use in your paper, we'll create a notecard with a citation and summary. This information will be used to compile an Annotated Bibiliography , something you have to do in many classes in college. Basically, an annotated bibliography is a list of citations of your sources (as they will appear in the Works Cited page) with a summary of each source, focused only on the material you used from that source. I've linked an example for you.

I hope you all got something out of our trip to ULM's library . I encourage all of you to utilize the resources they have available to us. Especially useful is JSTOR -- a collection of full-text periodical articles. Although we do not have access from off-campus without an ID, you can access the database from the terminals in the library, view records and take notes. You can also access the library's catalog from off-campus, so if you plan to visit the library you can save time by writing down call numbers before you go. I would like to schedule a time to meet those of you who are interested at ULM. Let's set up a time. As noted, not all of the services ULM offers are open to the public. For that reason, I encourage all of you to get a library card from the Ouachita Parish Public Library . With your card, you will have remote access to Galenet and other resources. As promised, I've linked the Duke site mentioned in the clinic. Remember that the sites linked i...

Now that the first draft of the research paper has been completed, it's time to begin gathering evidence from secondary sources. As noted in class, we are simply adding evidence to your first draft, and that evidence will come from your book and from sources "outside" of the book. We'll soon discuss the process of finding and evaluating those sources -- in class, and on Monday at ULM's library. To get us started, I'd like for you to check out Purdue's Online Writing Lab , perhaps the most extensive source online for resources related to writing. I've linked the portion of the site titled "Using Modern Language Association (MLA) Format." You'll find information there that reinforces the concepts I've discussed so far. In addition, I would like for you to view and print out the sample research paper found on Diane Hacker's website. Her handbooks are used regularly in college classrooms around the country, and the site is a ...

We've talked a good bit about whether or not the novel is racist, and most of the class seems to agree that it is a product of its time. For example, it can be argued that the use of the N-word adds to the realism (or authenticity?) of the book. For more insight into the problem of racism in the 19th century (and beyond), check out The Authentic History Center's Teaching Diversity website. Prepare to be offended. According to the site, "these items reflect the history and societal values of the time period in which they were produced." However, it is hard to look at some of these images objectively, through a modern "lens." If you think the images are offensive, or if you think the images are funny (or a mixture of both), I want you to think about why . The images certainly don't represent reality, as in the way things actually are , but the stereotypes are very real. I would like you to form your own opinion. Please respond to the images in...

For those of you who are interested, here's an essay by Twain on the subject of lynching . The essay is critical and serious, and relates to Colonel Sherburn's argument in Chapter 22 (page 123 for those reading the Modern Library edition). It's worth the read if you can stomach it. Twain's The United States of Lyncherdom

Yes, we are back to work now. All of you have work to do, so get busy. English I -- You should be finished with Act Two. Quiz on Thursday . We'll get started on the video project fairly soon. Groups have not been selected yet, and I'm still deciding whether ot not you will have a choice. Once selected, groups will draw scenes from a hat. English III -- You're supposed to have read through Chapter 20. This weekend we'll move on. Quiz on Thursday .

Now that we have begun reading the book, it's time to look ahead to the assignments leading up to the big paper . First, here's a Study Guide that will help guide you in your reading. In addition to keeping up with the reading, each of you are required to keep a vocabulary log , looking up unfamiliar words as you come to them, and defining them in the context of the book. I'll explain further when I hand out the assignment. The first assignment due is the article summary . You've already received the handout. Learning how to summarize effectively is one of the first skills you need to master. It teaches you to avoid quoting except when absolutely necessary, which will help you maintain a fluid style throughout your paper. You will be synthesizing , or combining, several sources around a singular thesis, so your writing must act as the glue that holds them together. Next, we'll learn how to cite a source, cross-referencing a piece of information with the cit...

Before I forget, the Huckleberry Finn books are in (Modern Library edition). Get your copy now, if you don't already have one. It's best (although not cheapest) to get the same edition; otherwise, we'll all be on different pages. Plus, we're going to read some essays from the Modern Library edition. We'll start the book soon, and afterwards begin to talk about the research paper. For some background, check out the "Huck Finn Homepage" and the companion site to Mark Twain , a film by Ken Burns.

We are now accepting submissions for the 2004/2005 edition of MUSINGS. You can send your writing or artwork to the staff via email (rylands@mac.com) or by giving it to me at school. Also, if anyone is interested in making a monetary donation to MUSINGS, I have sponsorship forms available: Calliope ~ muse of epic poetry (100$ or more) Erato ~ muse of romantic poetry (50$ or more) Thalia ~ muse of idyllic poetry (10$ or more) Any amount is welcome. Thanks.

Hello everybody. Feel please feel free to ask questions, to post announcements, or to make random observations.