Attendance and participation are required.

       This seminar depends upon your participation for its success. More than three unexcused absences will affect your grade. If you are absent more than
       five times you may be required to withdraw.

Daily assignments.

       Daily discussion/response questions will be posted on the Webboard:

                                            (http://webboard.wesleyan.edu:5000/~engl1122001f)

        Log in with email name and WESID.

       You should look at them before every class since they will sometimes serve as the basis for discussion. You may also post informal responses on the
       Webboard and read other students' responses.

Writing. This is a "special emphasis on writing" course.

       On alternate class days you will be assigned to post a 1-2 page essay on the Webboard before class. This may be a response to one of the questions
       or an original exposition of your own ideas about the day's readings or topic. In either case it should be a carefully written essay with a coherent
       thesis. Although there are roughly 11 eligible writing opportunities in the semester for each group, you need write only seven short essays.

       There are also two short and three longer essays assigned in the course of the semester. The first is a brief piece of landscape description due the secvond day of class.  The second is a "creative" work, due instead of any reading on September 26.  The third is an analytic essay, due Monday, October 29.  The fourth is a brief position paper on wilderness, due November 14.  The last is a final paper, reflecting back on the course.

        There is no final exam or research paper in this course.

Grading.

       Webboard assignments and the two short papers will count for half your writing grade; longer papers will count for the other half.  Class participation will also affect your grade.  If you really shine in class your grade may be raised a step.  If you are consistently inattentive and ill-prepared, your grade may be lowered a full letter.  This difference reflects the importance of full, engaged classroom discussion in this course.