Dr. L. Adam Mekler  English 112:001 Fall 2026

Office: Holmes Hall 228       Office Phone:  (443) 885-4032  Email@Morgan: adam.mekler@morgan.edu Secondary Class Homepage: l-adam-mekler.com/112links.htm

** Any revisions to this syllabus will be posted on our class page. ** Students MUST visit the class homepage regularly in order to remain current with assignments. All announcements posted on the web site are officially binding for all students, whether they attend class or not.  This is especially important for snow days or other unexpected cancellations of class.   Students are also responsible for all information posted on the web page, including but not limited to the attendance policy and the plagiarism policy, as well as all information transmitted during classroom discussion.

Go To Assignments For:

Aug/Sept

October

November

December

Required Texts :

Shelley, Frankenstein, Broadview, 2nd Edition (F) [available as a pdf in Canvas]
LaValle, Destroyer
Bullock, et al., The Little Seagull Handbook, 5th Edition (LSH) [available as part of the Norton Collection in the Bear Books Program]

Required Technology:
Access to a computer with internet access
Software:

• Microsoft Word (available in Office 365 for Morgan students: Visit http://portal.office.com and enter your MSU email to get it. Office 365 may be installed on personal devices only.)
• All written assignments must be submitted through Canvas in order to receive credit.
• Pdf-reading Software (such as Adobe). Most of the files for the course are presented as pdf's, so reading them will require the proper software.
• Please email or call me (or come speak with me) as soon as possible if you have any questions or concerns.
• Students are required to bring all necessary readings with them to class.
  
• Please come speak with me if you have any questions.

Purpose of Course:
This course will help you develop your writing skills, which, as we shall see, is intricately linked to the reading process, and will allow you to apply these skills to the critical and analytical discussion of texts, from a wide variety of perspectives.

Course Requirements:
Attendance/Participation. Students are expected to attend every class. If you are forced to miss class, written verification for the reason for your absence is expected. Because of the importance of regular attendance, excessive (more than six) unexcused class absences will result in a failing grade for the course. Excessive lates will also lower your grade. Be sure to check your attendance records in Canvas and Navigate360 regularly and contact your professor with any questions. (See Official Policy )
 

Reading Assignments. It is important to be prepared for class discussions. For this reason, you must complete all reading assignments before class and you will be expected to submit electronic responses to any assigned discussion questions for the readings. You are expected to arrive prepared to provide thoughtful discussions of  the daily readings, responding to questions from the instructor or your classmates as they arise.  Classroom discussion will involve the open sharing of ideas and interpretations of the literature.  Because every person's opinion is valid, we will demonstrate civility and respect for each other, taking turns to provide our observations and not interrupting each other.  Only raised hands will be acknowledged.

• Late Homework Assignments will receive half credit, but opportunities for "makeup" or "extra" credit will also be available.
  
• Extra Credit:
  • Each day for which questions are assigned, you may submit  responses to ten (10) other discussion questions for the text assigned for that day only.
  • Every two (2) sets of questions will give you credit for one (1) extra assignment, up to a possible total of two and a half (2.5) extra points to be added to your homework grade.
  • There is no half-credit:  fewer than 10 questions (unless there are fewer than 10 on the page) will receive no credit.
• All homework assignments must be submitted electronically in Canvas. In-person submissions will not be accepted.

Writing Assignments. There will be two (2) short out-of-class essays, consisting of a total of 6-8 pages of revised writing, as well as one (1) in-class essay examination.  In addition, there will be one (1) research paper, 8 to 10 pages long (2500 word minimum), including a list of works cited with at least six (6) documented secondary sources.

• Students are responsible for all assignments, even if they are absent.
• Failure to hand in an Initial Paper on time will result in the loss of a full letter grade on the Final Paper.
  • For initial drafts of the critical response and research papers, papers must be submitted to Canvas by the beginning of class.
    
• Initial Papers that are less than half the required length or which do not include an outline will receive half-credit and will cause the loss of 2/3 of a letter grade on the final paper.
• Late Final papers will lose 2/3 of a letter grade for each class day.
  • Final papers are due by the end of the business day.
    
• ** Plagiarism on any assignment will have dire consequences. **
  • Please familiarize yourself with the policy and let Dr. Mekler know if anything is unclear.
• In order to have your final research paper accepted, you must have submitted a complete library assignment for the same topic as your paper. If your topic changes following submission of your initial library assignment, a new assignment must be completed for your new topic.
  • You cannot change your topic after the due date for the library paper.

Student Conferences will be held near the end of the semester.  Failure to attend a conference WILL result in the loss of  two (2) points from the final average and will also most likely result in a lower grade on your paper, as you will not get the opportunity for necessary feedback.  Students are also certainly invited to meet with me at any time during the semester to address needs and concerns.

Group Presentations. Students will be required to participate in a group presentation (minimum of 30 minutes) during the second part of the course. Requirements for these presentations will be explained in class and can be found here .

Statement on Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require an accommodation due to a disability, please contact the Office of Student Disability Support Services (SDSS) to register. More information regarding the intake procedure can be found on the SDSS website: http://www.morgan.edu/SDSS. It is your responsibility to request an accommodation from SDSS before or at the beginning of the semester.
 
Grading:

Library Exercise	5  %
Homework	10 %	A: 90-100
In-Class Essay	10 %	B: 80-89
Group Presentation	10 %	C: 70-79
Critical Response Paper	10 %	D: 60-69
Library Assignment, Part 1	10 %	F: 0-59
Library Paper (Library Assignment, Part 2)	10 %
Final Examination	20 %
MLA-style Research Paper	25 %

Extra Credit. Students will have the opportunity to earn up to five (5) extra points to be added to their final average by successfully completing the grammar review exercises available through Inquizitive in Canvas. The actual benefit to one's grade will likely be larger though, as improving one's grammar will improve the grades one receives on the written assignments for the class. Please come speak to the instructor with any questions in this regard.

Reading List (Subject to Subtle Revision):

Aug	26	Course Introduction
	28	Course Introduction (cont.) Diagnostic/Review Test Due at 11:59 pm
	31	Discussion of Review Test Departmental Syllabus Form Due Memorandum of Understanding Acknowledgement Form Due
Sep	2	Discussion of Writing Contexts, MLA Style and Format Rhetorical and Academic Contexts: LSH 2-8 Formatting a Research Paper: LSH 197-210 Avoiding Plagiarism: LSH 143-54 MLA Documentation: LSH 156-96 (Just glance through this section, but see esp. MLA-c11, pp. 178-79, and MLAc19, p. 183-84) See Notes
	4	Reading Strategies: LSH 9-17 Writing about Literature: LSH 91-99 Homework Questions Due in Canvas
	7	** Labor Day: No Class **
	8	** Last Day to Drop the Class without a W **
	9	Hitchcock, Introduction, Cultural History of Frankenstein Homework Questions Due in Canvas Corrected Grammar Review Exercise due in Canvas
	11	Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (Background) Editor's Introduction: (F),  ix-xviii Author's Preface, (F), 47-48 Author's Introduction: (F), 353-59 Homework Questions Due in Canvas
	14	Frankenstein Background (cont.) Discussion of Aristotle Sample Responses: Introduction to Mary Shelley Questions
	16	Frankenstein, Vol. One, (F): 45-115 Homework Questions Due in Canvas
	18	Frankenstein, Vol. One, cont. Sample Responses: Volume 1 Questions
	21	Discussion of Critical Response Paper  Writing about Literature (Review): LSH 91-99 100-Word Summary of Vol. One, including Quote and Citation, Due in Canvas
	23	Frankenstein, Vol. Two, (F): 117-74 Homework Questions Due in Canvas
	25	Frankenstein, Vol. Two, cont. Sample Responses: Volume 2 Questions
	28	Discussion of Outlines and the Library Doing Research: LSH 121-33 Evaluating Sources: LSH 133-41 Discussion of Outlines  Read Hints for Critical Discussion Paper  100-Word Summary of Vol. Two, including Quote and Citation, Due in Canvas
	30	Frankenstein, Vol. Three, (F): 175-244 Homework Questions Due in Canvas Library Exercise Due
Oct	2	Frankenstein Wrap-Up Sample Responses:  Volume 3 Questions 100-Word Summary of Vol. Three, including Quote and Citation, Due on Canvas
	5	Planning and Drafting Essays Writing Processes, LSH 18-30 Developing Paragraphs: LSH 35-45
	7	Discussion of Sample Outline and Essay Please print out the sample outline and essay and bring them with you to class.
	9	In-class Essay
	12	In-class Essay, cont.
	14	Discussion of Essays
	16	Discussion of the Research Process and Evaluating Sources (Review) Evaluating Sources: LSH 133-41 "Knowing a Bad Source" Last Day to Submit Assignments or Excuses for Absences for First Part of Class or Complete the In-Class Essay
	19	Discussion of Outlines for Critical Response Paper Research Paper Topics Due in Canvas
	21	LaValle, Destroyer, Chs. 1-3 Homework Questions Due in Canvas Group Presentation
	23	LaValle, Destroyer, Chs. 4-6 Group Presentation  Critical Response Paper Outline Due in Canvas
	24	Chesapeake Shakespeare Company: Frankenstein
	26	Discussion of Critical Response Papers Read Sample Paper and bring it with you to class. Critical Response Paper Due (800 word min.) in Canvas
	27	Last Day to Drop Undergraduate Classes
	28	Read Sample Paper and Answer the Questions at the End  Please bring the sample essay and your responses with you to class.
	30	Library Assignment Discussion Bring this sheet and your LSH book with you
Nov	2	Discussion of Sample Research Papers  Read the Sample Outline & Paper and fill out an Editing Sheet  Bring everything to Class
	4	Ten sources on your topic, presented in Works Cited Format, due (Including identification of where/how the sources were found and why they were chosen) Upload the document to Canvas and bring 3 copies with you to class. Also bring five of the actual sources with you to class.
	6	Young, Black Frankenstein (excerpt) and "Black Frankenstein at the Bicentennial" Homework Questions Due in Canvas Group Presentation
	9	Synthesizing Ideas/Integrating Sources, LSH 141-54 Quote Incorporation Exercise Revised Response Paper Due (800 word min.) in Canvas
	11	Discussion of Library Paper (See Sample Paper ) Library Assignment Due in Canvas ** Deadline to Have Final Research Paper Topic Approved **
	13	Classics Illustrated: Frankenstein Homework Questions Due in Canvas Group Presentation
	16	Classics Illustrated: Frankenstein (concl.) Murray, "Frankenstein in Comics and Graphic Novels" (excerpt)
	18	Library Paper Due in Canvas
	20	Research Paper Outline Due in Canvas In addition, bring three (3) copies to class.
	23	Research  Paper Discussion ** Deadline to Submit Library Assignment for Final Research Paper Topic ** No Research Paper will be accepted if a Satisfactory Library Assignment has not been submitted.
	25	** Wellness Day: No Class **
	27	** Thanksgiving Break: No Class **
	30	Research  Paper Discussion
Dec	2	Research Paper Due in Canvas
	4	Student Conferences: No Class
	7	Student Conferences: No Class
	9	Final Research Paper Due in Canvas Final Exam Review Last Day to Submit Assignments or Excuses for Absences for Second Part of Class Research Papers will not be accepted after this date without a documented excuse for an illness that causes an absence from the final class.
	11	Final Exam: Date Subject to Change

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