COURSE INFORMATION

Course Title: American Literature I
Course Prefix, Number, and Section Number: ENGL 2327.341
Semester/Year of course: Fall 2025
Semester start and end dates: August 25-December 13, 2025
Modality: Online with one exam that must be completed at the NCTC Testing Center
Semester credit hours: 3

Course prerequisites: English 1301 or its equivalent.

Catalog Description. A survey of American literature from the Civil War to the present. Students will study works of prose, poetry, drama, and fiction in relation to their historical and cultural contexts. Texts will be selected from among a diverse group of authors for what they reflect and reveal about the evolving American experience and character. Prerequisite: ENGL 1301 or equivalent.  

Textbooks & Materials: This course uses an OER (Open Educational Resources), and the link can be found on the course homepage in Canvas. Please use this button in Canvas to navigate to course reading assignments and other materials.

---

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name of instructor: Kristen Weinzapfel, M.A., M.Ed.
Office location: Gainesville 502
Telephone number: 940.668.3342
E-mail address: kweinzapfel@nctc.edu or through Canvas inbox

Office Hours: Monday 11-12, 1-4, TR 11:30-12:30 and 2-4 or by appointment

---

SYLLABUS CHANGE DISCLAIMER

The faculty member reserves the right to make changes to this published syllabus if it is in the best interest of the educational development of this class. Any such changes will be announced as soon as possible in person and/or writing.

---

SUMMARY OF COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

List of graded assignments: See Course Summary below.

Graded Assignments: Article Reviews:/Major Assignments 50%, Minor Assignments 20%, and Proctored Exam 30% = 100% total

Late work policy:  A major writing task is due on the day listed on Canvas. I leave assignment dropboxes open until assignments have been graded. Once I grade assignments, the dropbox is permanently closed. Once a dropbox is closed, it cannot be opened unless prior arrangements have been made. Absolutely no late work will be accepted after December 1.

If the proctored exam is not completed during the established week, it cannot be made up and a grade of zero (0) will be entered into the gradebook.

---

COURSE POLICIES

Academic Integrity Policy: Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. See Student Handbook “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct [FLB- (LOCAL)]” #18.

Disciplinary Actions [Student Handbook, #5] “When cheating, collusion, or plagiarism has occurred beyond any reasonable doubt, the instructor may give the student or students involved an “F” on a particular assignment or in the course. [See Scholastic Dishonesty FLB (Local)] The instructor shall make a written report of the incident and the planned action to his Department Chair. The Department Chair shall report the incident and action to the appropriate instructional dean who shall review the case, notify the student and, if necessary, take further action. This may involve either probation or suspension of the student or students in question. If such disciplinary action is deemed necessary, the Dean of Student Services shall be notified, and the action shall be taken through that office.”

Use of AI is considered plagiarism, so please do not use AI without permission from the instructor.

Attendance Policy: Attendance, in both online and face-to-face courses, is required.  Because this course progresses very quickly, I reserve the right to block from this course students who fail to complete assignments for more than one week. Students who are blocked MUST contact the registrar's office and withdraw from the course, or they will receive a semester grade of F. 

Withdrawal Policy: A student may withdraw from a course on or after the official date of record. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate and complete a Withdrawal Request Form. The last day to withdraw from the course with a “W” is November 3.

Learning Outcomes. Students who successfully complete English 2327 will meet the following learning outcomes:

• Identify key ideas, representative authors and works, significant historical or cultural events, and characteristic perspectives or attitudes expressed in the literature of different periods or regions.
• Analyze literary works as expressions of individual or communal values within the social, political, cultural, or religious contexts of different literary periods.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the development of characteristic forms or styles of expression during different historical periods or in different regions.
• Articulate the aesthetic principles that guide the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities.
• Write research-based critical papers about the assigned readings in clear and grammatically correct prose, using various critical approaches to literature.

Core Objectives: 

• Critical Thinking Skills (CT)- to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information
• Communication Skills (COM)- to include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication
• Social Responsibility (SR) - to include intercultural competency, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities
• Personal Responsibility (PR)- to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making [Rev. 5-2014 THECB]

---

COLLEGE POLICIES

Student Handbook: Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the Student Handbook.

ADA Statement: NCTC will adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Office for Students with Disabilities to arrange appropriate accommodations.  See the OSD Syllabus Addendum.

Student Services: NCTC provides a multitude of services and resources to support students.  See the Student Services Syllabus Addendum for a listing of those departments and links to their sites.

---

USEFUL INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

Basic Needs: Any student who faces challenges securing food or housing and believes this may affect their performance in the course is urged to contact the Dean of Students, Dr. Roxanne Del Rio (rdelrio@nctc.edu) for support. Furthermore, please notify me if you are comfortable doing so. This will enable me to direct you to additional resources for support.

Career Services Center. The NCTC Career Services Center is the place you can go for educational and career planning. Services include Career/Degree Exploration, Job Search Tools and Resources, Resume and Professional Portfolio Development, Interview Skills, and Preparation. Our Career Advisors partner with you in making your educational journey an efficient process towards a rewarding career: http://nctc.site/career-services/index.html. (Links to an external site.)

Completion Center. The NCTC Completion Center is a comprehensive student engagement program that increases retention and completion rates of first-time, low-income students. Services include Success coaching to address students’ academic and non-academic challenges and issues; Success Seminars, and centralized career readiness and job placement program: http://nctc.site/student-services/completion-center/index.html (Links to an external site.). 

Counseling and Advising. Support Services, Counseling and Advising staff offer a variety of services to current and prospective students, such as College 101, placement testing, academic advising and course registration, transfer assistance, and College Success seminars (Time Management, Study Skills, Test Anxiety, Choosing a Major, Learning Style Strategies, Career Exploration) and much more: http://nctc.site/counseling-advising/index.html. (Links to an external site.)

Course Content in Canvas: All course content is housed in this Canvas shell and all work must be submitted here. While dual credit students might use a different online course management system, all NCTC coursework must be submitted here.

Disability Accommodations: The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students with disabilities. OSD counselors and advisors also provide strategies for academic success; individual, career, and academic counseling services; referrals to campus and community services; and assistance with admission and registration. Students with disabilities do not need to disclose their disabilities to college officials if they are not requesting any accommodations. OSD is federally funded through the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Federal Grant.

New Students: Accommodations require advanced preparation.  Please make your request before the semester begins. Documentation is required before any accommodations can be provided.  Depending on your diagnosis, this documentation should come from a medical doctor, psychologist, or other licensed or properly credentialed professional.

Current Students: Contact the OSD at the beginning of each semester well in advance of registration.

Contact Us: Please reach out to us to schedule an intake or if you have questions or concerns. Wayne Smith, OSD Manager, kwsmith@nctc.edu, (940) 498-6207 Yvonne Sandmann, OSD Advisor, ysandmann@nctc.edu, (940) 668-3300 

Early Alert and CARES. The NCTC Early Alert program assists students who are at risk of failing or withdrawing from a course. Faculty and staff may refer students through the Early Alert process at any point in the semester in an effort to provide appropriate intervention and access to support services. Examples of behaviors that could prompt an Early Alert referral could be missing assignments, failing tests, excessive absences, or personal circumstances impacting academic performance. A student submitted as an Early Alert will be contacted by an academic advisor or success coach through text, phone, and/or via their NCTC e-mail address to discuss any current challenges, as well as helpful resources and success strategies-we, want our students to finish strong and know that education is a partnership! The NCTC CARES (Campus Assessment Response Evaluation Services) Team is concerned not only about our students' academic success, but also their emotional and physical well-being. The CARES Team promotes a safe learning environment for students, faculty, and staff and is committed to taking a proactive approach in helping our students succeed by addressing the mental, emotional or psychological health and safety of the NCTC community. As a student, you have the ability to report concerning behavior that could impact your own safety or the safety of another NCTC student, such as stalking, harassment, physical or emotional abuse, violent or threatening behavior, or self-harm. Visit the NCTC CARES site to also locate campus and community resources, or email counseling@nctc.edu to get in touch with a member of the CARES Team directly.  As always, if you feel there is an immediate threat to your own safety or welfare (or to another student), please call 911 immediately: http://nctc.site/cares-team/index.html. (Links to an external site.)

Email Correspondence: I reserve 24 hours to respond to students’ emails during the week. Emails sent to me become my personal property, and I may disclose them to third parties if I determine it’s necessary.

Evaluation

• “A” Work: This writing is excellent and demonstrates excellence in development, organization, style and tone, and mechanics. There is clear evidence of the writing process (invention, drafting, revision, editing, and proofreading).  A =90-100
• “B” Work: This is good work and delivers substantial information—that is, substantial in both quantity and interest-value. It is well-developed and unified around a clear organizing principle that is apparent early in the piece. There is evidence of the writing process.  B=80-89
• “C” Work: This is an average piece that is generally competent in its development, organization, style, and tone, and mechanics. It meets the needs of the assignment, has few mechanical errors, and is reasonably organized and developed. This piece also shows some evidence of the writing process. C=70-79
• “D” Work: This is below-average work that lacks development and is not effectively organized to facilitate the reader’s understanding. The paper also shows little or no evidence of the writing process.  D=60-69
• “F” Work: This work fails in all aspects of the evaluation criteria.  There is no evidence of the writing process, and the paper fails in all aspects of development, organization, style, and mechanics. F (work submitted and attempted) F = 0-59

Financial Aid. Financial Aid offers financial resources for students that qualify, visit the financial aid offices for more information: http://nctc.site/financial-aid/index.html. (Links to an external site.)

Grade Appeals and Incomplete Grades: Students can read more about the college's grade appeal processes and procedures for assigning incomplete grades by visiting the Academic Catalog.

Library: Students can access online and physical resources from the NCTC campus library by visiting the library website. Students can access research databases and can locate research help including tutorials and study guides, information on the hours of operation for each of the campus libraries, our online catalog, our intra- and inter-library loan services, and NCTC library policies. Go to NCTC Onelogin to access Library Databases.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism, which should be avoided at all costs, includes the following student actions:

1. Unintentionally or inadvertently turning in someone else's ideas, opinions, theories, or work as your own as the result of failing to document sources both internally and in the Works Cited.
2. Copying words, ideas, or images from someone without giving credit; Failing to put a quotation in quotations marks.
3. Giving incorrect information about the source of information, quotations, or images.
4. Changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit.
5. Copying so many words, ideas, or images from a source that it makes up the majority of the student's work, whether or not the student gives credit.
6. Giving your paper, discussion board posts, or reflections to a classmate to use as his/her own.
7. Having another person write, type, edit, or revise any parts of your writing assignments.  
8. Using Chatgpt or similar programs to complete your work.

Please be aware that the department takes plagiarism very seriously. You may not use someone else’s Writing Assignment or buy one from a “professional” source. Failure to follow the proper guidelines for documentation constitutes plagiarism. Considering the severity of the issue, if you ever have any questions or concerns regarding plagiarism, please consider this an open invitation to visit with me about the issue. If I discover that a student has committed intentional plagiarism, the Writing Assignment that has plagiarized materials will receive a zero, and it will be recommend to the English Department Head that the student fails the course.

AI Use: Generally speaking, students are not authorized to use artificial intelligence and related products, like large language model applications, to produce work for this class. AI use has the same repercussions as any other form of plagiarism. AI generated writing may only be used with the instructor's consent and essays using AI generated content will be treated in the same way as any other form of academic dishonesty. Avoid using Grammarly Pro or other similar products, as these will rewrite sentences and generate vague and inauthentic writing. Repeated use may result in an academic dishonesty report and removal from the course. If a student uses AI for any portion of research or brainstorming, this must be cited using MLA style. Failure to cite sources will result in a failing grade. If you have any questions regarding AI usage, please contact instructor. Using ChatGPT or any AI generation tool, which includes websites that reconstitute or "humanize" AI writing, will result in a failing grade. Your instructor is well versed in the ways students write. Do your own work.

Here's how to document if using AI to brainstorm or generate topics:

Document AI Use:

AI Use Statement (For short assignments like discussion boards):
Include a brief statement in the Comment box explaining how you used AI.

• • Example: AI Use Statement: I used ChatGPT to brainstorm essay topics and refine the thesis statement. All final writing and analysis are my own.

MLA Citation (For essay documentation):

Essays using AI require documentation in accordance MLA, https://style.mla.org/citing-generative-ai/Links to an external site.

• • MLA in-text citation format: (“first few words from prompt”)
    • Example: ("Explain antibiotics")
  • MLA Works Cited entry format: “Text of prompt” prompt. AI name, Day Month version, publisher, Day Month Year, link.
    • Example: “Explain antibiotics” prompt. ChatGPT, 16 Feb. version, OpenAI, 16 Feb. 2023, chat.openai.com.

Professionalism: Your college courses are also opportunities for you to learn what it means to be a “professional” in your field. Therefore, I expect you to act like a “professional” student in this course. Consider these suggestions:

• • Prepare and participate meaningfully in online discussion boards.
  • Be assertive. (An assertive student exhausts all available resources of information before contacting me. In other words, read the assignment sheet carefully before e-mailing me to ask how many sources are required in your paper, and if you are unsure how to cite a source, look it up in your handbook or a credible, online source—such as The Purdue Owl or a handbook.)
  • Consider the quality (and effort) of required drafts, notes, and daily assignments.
  • Turn in writing assignments on time and as assigned.
  • Mind the quality and tone of email correspondence.

Pregnant and Parenting Students:  Any student who, because of their pregnancy or parenting status, may require special accommodations to meet course requirements should contact the Student Parent Liaison (studentparents@nctc.edu). Students may also self-report by visiting www.nctc.edu/caresLinks to an external site. and submitting a report for Pregnant & Parenting Students.

Student Rights & Responsibilities: NCTC Board Policy FLB (Local) Student Rights and Responsibilities states that each student shall be charged with notice and knowledge of the contents and provisions of the rules and regulations concerning student conduct.  These rules and regulations are published in the Student Handbook published in conjunction with the College Catalog.  All students shall obey the law, show respect for properly constituted authority, and observe correct standards of conduct.

Source Use: Any source used for an assignment must be verifiable and cited correctly using proper MLA formatting. This includes accurate attribution of the author’s name, the correct title of the article or text, and a working link if the source is digital. Additionally, direct quotations and paraphrases are not interchangeable. A direct quote must be taken word-for-word from a legitimate, cited source, and a paraphrase must be your own rewording of the source’s actual ideas. Inserting direct quotes from non-existent or fabricated sources and then attempting to “pivot” to a paraphrase after being questioned is considered academic dishonesty. Failure to provide valid and traceable sources (whether due to fabricated information/quotes, incorrect attribution, or broken links) will result in a zero for the assignment and a warning. A second offense will result in the student being dropped from the course. If the drop date has already passed, the student will instead receive an "F" as their final grade. No exceptions, and students will not be allowed to redo the assignment for credit! Academic integrity is a core expectation of this course, and students are responsible for ensuring all source usages meet these standards. Your best bet is to use research from the NCTC databases. If I am unable to verify or locate the full-text source, you will not be given credit for the assignment.

Student Success Center. The Student Success Center is designed to help all students at NCTC develop tools to achieve their academic goals. The center links students to FREE tutoring, including a Writing Center, a Math Lab, and free online tutoring.  The program helps students acclimate to the college by providing free interactive online workshops. For more information, please visit your nearest Student Success Center. Student Success offers academic coaching, tutoring, including a Writing Center, and a Math Lab to assist new students to acclimate to the college by providing computer lab services for prospective students. First-generation students can also participate in TRIO, which offers specialized services. http://nctc.site/student-services/student-success/tutoring/ (Links to an external site.) 

Testing Service Center. The mission of NCTC Testing Services is to provide high-quality testing services that adhere to the professional standards and guidelines to meet the needs of students, faculty, and community members. http://nctc.site/testing-center/index.html (Links to an external site.) 

You will be required to take one proctored exam, so please make note of this information.

Timely Care. Get on-demand support from counselors, doctors, nurse practitioners, and more. 

Withdrawing from a Course: Students can learn more about the withdrawal policy and procedure by visiting this website: http://nctc.site/current-students/helpful-forms.html (Links to an external site.).  The last day to withdraw with a "W" is November 3, 2025.

Writing Assignments: All major writing assignments are required.  If you fail to turn in one of the major tasks, you cannot pass the course. I reserve the right to administratively drop any student who does not submit all major assignments.

 

QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS

The student should contact the instructor to deal with any questions, concerns, or complaints specific to the class.  If the student and faculty are not able to resolve the issue, the student may contact the chair or coordinator of the division.  If the student remains unsatisfied, the student may proceed to contact the instructional dean.

Name of Chair/Coordinator: Lisa Smart
Office Location: Corinth 171
Telephone number: 940-498-6282, ext. 4961
Email address: lsmart@nctc.edu

Name of Instructional Dean: Mary Martinson
Office Location: Gainesville
Telephone number: (940) 668-7731, ext. 4377
E-mail address: mmartinson@nctc.edu