Writing about Detective Fiction ENC 1145 Fall 2014

Instructor Jennifer Enoch Section Number ENC 1145-005Instructor’s Office WMS 329 Day/Time T/TH 9:30am –

10:45amInstructor’s Office Hours

T/TH 11:00am – 12:30pmOr by appointment

Room WMS 217

Instructor’s Email jle13d@my.fsu.edu

Sherlock Holmes Investigates a case.

CCOURSEOURSE D DESCRIPTIONESCRIPTIONSince Charles Dickens’ Bleak House, arguably the first detective novel, was first published in serial form in 1852, the detective has stood as an enduring figure in American and British popular culture. From Bleak House to House M.D. to Sherlock, detectives and detective fiction reflect and critique societal values, which means that they also reflect and critique the ways that we compose and make arguments. As composition practices have evolved, so has detective fiction, taking the form of video games, audio plays, television, film, and graphic novels, while still being published in traditional novel and short story forms. This evolution will allow us to use detective fiction, as well as the figure of the detective, as a lens through which to discuss genre, modality, and research (as well as societal values). Thus, while we will discuss detective fiction, this course will explore what detective fiction can show us about composing.

Writing about Detective Fiction is divided into four units, each of which is structured around a major project. The first unit – Analyzing the Scene – will explore course’s core concepts and culminate in a paper that analyzes what detective fiction tells us about modality and genre. Our second and central unit – Detecting Mode and Genre – will allow us to assume the role of detective as we explore the discussion surrounding an issue or event and learn to conceptualize research as a process of inquiry. In our third unit – Revisiting the Scene – we will return to the course’s central themes, marrying theory to practice as we define and connect our themes. Finally, during the final week of the semester – Making Your Case - we will construct digital portfolios that allow us to make an argument about what we value as authors.

CCOURSEOURSE R REQUIREMENTSEQUIREMENTSIn this class, we will compose four major projects: three papers and an electronic portfolio. In addition, we will keep a reflective journal that will be updated biweekly, keep a course blog in which we will discuss our course readings, complete a discussion-leader project, and prepare various materials (such as readings, online conversations, structure exercises, etc) before every class. For each paper/project, we will turn in three rough drafts. All four major assignments – along with the appropriate number of rough drafts – must be completed in order to pass the class.

At the end of the semester, all work – drafts, journals, and course materials – will be compiled into an electronic portfolio upon which your final grade will be based. The portfolio must be completed and submitted in order to pass the course.

CCOMPOSITIONOMPOSITION M MISSIONISSION SSTATEMENTTATEMENTFirst-Year Composition courses at Florida State University teach writing as a recursive and frequently collaborative process of invention, drafting, and revising. Writing is both personal and social, and students should learn how to write for a variety of purposes and audiences. Since writing is a process of making meaning as well as communicating, First-Year Composition teachers respond to the content of students' writing as well as to surface errors. Students should expect frequent written and oral response on the content of their writing from both teachers and peers.

Students are expected to be active participants in the classroom community. Learning from each other and from their teachers, students are invited to give thoughtful, reasoned responses to both assigned readings and the compositions of their peers. With an emphasis on in-class discussions and workshops, First-Year Composition courses facilitate critical understandings between reading and composing.

If you would like further information regarding FSU's First-Year Composition Program, feel free to contact the program director, Dr. Deborah Coxwell-Teague (dteague@fsu.edu)

Sherlock gone postmodern

The best of pulp noir

CCOURSEOURSE O OUTCOMESUTCOMES

Rhetorical Knowledge Rhetorical knowledge is the ability to analyze contexts and audiences and then to act on that analysis in comprehending and creating texts. Rhetorical knowledge is the basis of composing. Writers develop rhetorical knowledge by negotiating purpose, audience, context, and conventions as they compose a variety of texts for different situations.

By the end of first-year composition, students should learn and use key rhetorical concepts through analyzing and composing a variety of texts

o Gain experience reading and composing in several genres to understand how genre conventions shape and are shaped by readers’ and writers’ practices and purposes

o Develop facility in responding to a variety of situations and contexts calling for purposeful shifts in voice, tone, level of formality, design, medium, and/or structure

o Understand and use a variety of technologies to address a range of audiences o Match the capacities of different environments (e.g., print and electronic) to varying

rhetorical situations

Critical Thinking, Reading, and Composing Critical thinking is the ability to analyze, synthesize, interpret, and evaluate ideas, information, situations, and texts. When writers think critically about the materials they use--whether print texts, photographs, data sets, videos, or other materials--they separate assertion from evidence, evaluate sources and evidence, recognize and evaluate underlying assumptions, read across texts for connections and patterns, identify and evaluate chains of reasoning, and compose appropriately qualified and developed claims and generalizations. These practices are foundational for advanced academic writing.

By the end of first-year composition, students should o Use composing and reading for inquiry,

learning, critical thinking, and communicating in various rhetorical contexts

o Read a diverse range of texts, attending especially to relationships between assertion and evidence, to patterns of organization, to the interplay between verbal and nonverbal elements, and to how these features function for different audiences and situations

o Locate and evaluate (for credibility, sufficiency, accuracy, timeliness, bias and so on) primary and secondary research materials, including journal articles and essays, books, scholarly and professionally established and maintained databases or archives, and informal electronic networks and internet sources

o Use strategies--such as interpretation, synthesis, response, critique, and design/redesign--to compose texts that integrate the writer's ideas with those from appropriate sources

Processes Writers use multiple strategies, or composing processes, to conceptualize, develop, and finalize projects. Composing processes are seldom linear: a writer may research a topic before drafting, then conduct additional research while revising or after consulting a colleague. Composing processes are also flexible: successful writers can adapt their composing processes to different contexts and occasions.

By the end of first-year composition, students should o Develop a writing project through multiple drafts

Jane Tennison, the best of the female detectives

o Develop flexible strategies for reading, drafting, reviewing, collaborating, revising, rewriting, rereading, and editing

o Use composing processes and tools as a means to discover and reconsider ideas o Experience the collaborative and social aspects of writing processes o Learn to give and to act on productive feedback to works in progress o Adapt composing processes for a variety of technologies and modalities o Reflect on the development of composing practices and how those practices influence

their work

Knowledge of Conventions Conventions are the formal rules and informal guidelines that define genres, and in so doing, shape readers’ and writers’ perceptions of correctness or appropriateness. Most obviously, conventions govern such things as mechanics, usage, spelling, and citation practices. But they also influence content, style, organization, graphics, and document design.

Conventions arise from a history of use and facilitate reading by invoking common expectations between writers and readers.

These expectations are not universal; they vary by genre (conventions for lab notebooks and

discussion-board exchanges differ), by discipline (conventional moves in literature reviews in Psychology differ from those in English), and by occasion (meeting minutes and executive summaries use different registers). A writer’s grasp of conventions in one context does not mean a firm grasp in another. Successful writers understand, analyze, and negotiate conventions for purpose, audience, and genre, understanding that genres evolve in response to changes in material conditions and composing technologies and attending carefully to emergent conventions.

By the end of first-year composition, students should o Develop knowledge of linguistic structures, including grammar, punctuation, and spelling,

through practice in composing and revising o Understand why genre conventions for structure, paragraphing, tone, and mechanics vary o Gain experience negotiating variations in genre conventions o Learn common formats and/or design features for different kinds of texts o Explore the concepts of intellectual property (such as fair use and copyright) that

motivate documentation conventions o Practice applying citation conventions systematically in their own work

TTEXTBOOKSEXTBOOKS & R & REQUIREDEQUIRED M MATERIALSATERIALSo The Curious Researcher: A Guide to Writing Research Papers, FSU Edition, (Ballenger,

2014)

o The New McGraw-Hill Handbook (Maimon, Pertiz, Yancy, 2014)o Access to a Computer (the university provides a number of computer labs)

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Detective Fiction?

C COURSEOURSE P POLICIESOLICIES

AttendanceThe First-Year Composition program maintains a strict attendance policy to which this course adheres: an excess of four absences in a T/Th class is grounds for failure. You should always inform me, ahead of time when possible, about why you miss class. Save your absences for when you get sick or for family emergencies. Missing a conference constitutes two absences. Part of your grade is based on class participation—if you are not here you can‘t participate!

You must arrive at each scheduled class period on time. Arriving late is disruptive and will not be tolerated. Class always begins on time, and I will close the classroom door when class begins. Should you arrive after the door is closed, you will be considered tardy. Three tardies constitute an absence.

Participation & DecorumParticipation PointsYou earn participation points by making a meaningful, good-faith contribution to the work being done in class. This work can take the form of group discussions, online forums, small group work, workshops, or individual writing. In any case, you are expected to contribute ideas and to analyze the ideas contributed by your peers. During full and small group discussions, you are expected to make thoughtful and substantive contributions. On workshop days, you are expected to provide critical, constructive feedback for your peers. During individual writing time, you are expected to write and work only on the assigned activity.

Facebook, Email, and HomeworkThe theme of this course dictates that we occasionally use email and the internet as part of our coursework and discussions. That said, please do not check email or Facebook or use the internet during class time for anything other than class purposes. In addition, you are not permitted to study or work on coursework for another course during our class time.

You must arrive each day with your homework completed and uploaded to the course blog, Blackboard, or your portfolio. You will not have time at the beginning of class to upload your work. In addition, you must come to class with the materials necessary to participate. At minimum, you must have a notebook or

laptop for taking notes and the course texts.

Flynn’s Weekly – Purveyor of Pulp Serials

Fell – Detective Fiction and Dark Humor

PhonesPlease do not answer you phone or text during class, as doing so is distracting and shows a lack of respect for your peers and for me. We are only in class for an hour and fifteen minutes, and we can all focus on work for that period of time. That said, if there is an emergency and you need to be available via telephone during class, please let me know at the beginning of class. Should you answer your phone or send a text during class, you will lose participation points for the day. If the behavior continues, you will be asked to leave class.

CivilityIn this course, we will discuss emotional, controversial, and personal issues. Such conversations can become lively, and while I encourage you to express your ideas, you must always be respectful of your peers. No disrespectful, profane, or abusive language will be tolerated in class or on our blog. Should such language be used, you will be asked to leave class.

Drafts & RevisionsThis course employs a process-based structure, which means that a significant portion of your grade is attached to the production of multiple drafts, or to the process of writing. As such, you are required to produce at least three rough drafts for each of the three major papers. Final/portfolio drafts will be considered incomplete if rough drafts are not submitted. In addition, rough and final/portfolio drafts must be submitted for all three papers in order to pass this course.

Workshops are an important component of this course. On workshop days, you are required to have your most current draft uploaded to your portfolio, Blackboard, or our course blog by class time. Should you miss a workshop day or come to class unprepared, you will lose the day’s participation points. You are considered unprepared if you do not have a draft uploaded or if you upload a draft that does not meet the draft requirements.

JournalsIn addition to your papers and electronic portfolio, this course requires bi-weekly, informal journal assignments. The journals are a space to gather your thoughts about our readings and to reflect on your own writing. Journal prompts will be provided every other week. All journal entries should be between 250-500 words and should be uploaded to your portfolio, Blackboard, or our course blog by class time on Thursdays. The journals are an informal place for you to think and to try out ideas. As such, they will be graded on completion; you will earn a grade of Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory for each journal entry.

ConferencesWe will hold individual conferences during the fourth and tenth weeks of the semester. These conferences will allow us to discuss the drafts that you are working on and your progress in class. The conferences will be held in lieu of classes during those weeks, and missing a conference will count as two absences. Although we do not hold class during conference weeks, you will be responsible for and earn participation points by completing assignments on Blackboard or our course blog.

House, M.D. – Detective Fiction Gone Medical

Drop PolicyThis course is NOT eligible to be dropped in accordance with the “Drop Policy” adopted by the Faculty Senate in Spring 2004. The Undergraduate Studies Dean will not consider drop requests for a First-Year Composition course unless there are extraordinary and extenuating circumstances utterly beyond the student‘s control (e.g. death of a parent or sibling, illness requiring hospitalization, etc.). The Faculty Senate specifically eliminated First-Year Composition courses from the University Drop Policy because of the overriding requirement that First-Year Composition be completed during student’s initial enrollment at FSU.

Academic DishonestyPlagiarism is grounds for suspension from the university as well as for failure in this course. It will not be tolerated. Any instance of plagiarism must be reported to the Director of First-Year Composition and the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Plagiarism is a counterproductive, non-writing behavior that is unacceptable in a course intended to aid the growth of individual writers. Plagiarism is included among the violations defined in the Academic Honor Code, section b), paragraph 2, as follows: Regarding academic assignments, violations of the Academic Honor Code shall include representing another‘s work or any part thereof, be it published or unpublished, as one‘s own. A plagiarism education assignment that further explains this issue will be administered in all first-year writing courses during the second week of class. Each

student will be responsible for completing the assignment and asking questions regarding any parts they do not fully understand.

ADAStudents with disabilities needing academic accommodations should in the first week of class 1) register with and provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC) and 2) bring a letter to the instructor from SDRC indicating the need for academic accommodations. This and all other class materials are available in alternative format upon request.

SSTUDENTTUDENT R RESOURCESESOURCES

Reading/Writing Center

The Reading/Writing Center, located in Williams 222-C, is devoted to individualized instruction in reading and writing. Part of the English Department, the RWC serves Florida State University students at all levels and from all majors. Its clients include a cross-section of the campus: first-year students writing for composition class, upper-level students writing term papers, seniors composing letters of applications for jobs and graduate schools, graduate students working on theses and dissertations, multilingual students mastering English, and a variety of others. The RWC serves mostly walk-in tutoring appointments; however, it also offers three different courses for credit that specifically target reading, undergraduate-level writing, and graduate-level writing. The tutors in the RWC, all graduate students in English with training and experience in teaching composition, use a process-centered approach to help students at any stage of writing: from

Jane leading her squad.

Pulp detective fiction meets

generating ideas, to drafting, organizing, and revising. While the RWC does not provide editing or proofreading services, its tutors can help writers build their own editing and proofreading strategies. Our approach to tutoring is to help students grow as writers, readers, and critical thinkers by developing strategies for writing in a variety of situations. During the fall and spring semesters, the RWC is open Monday through Thursday from 10 - 6 and Friday from 10 -2. Hours of operation vary in summer. Visit the RWC website or call 644-6495 for information.

Strozier Satellite LocationThe Strozier location serves students where it’s most convenient for them and alongside the research and advising services the library offers. Only walk-in appointments are available at this RWC location, on a first-come first-served basis, but students can sign up in advance the day of an appointment at the tutoring area. Hours vary by semester, but are updated on both the RWC website and the Strozier Library website at the start of each semester.

Digital Studio

The Digital Studio provides support to students working individually or in groups on a variety of digital projects, such as designing a website, developing an electronic portfolio for a class, creating a blog, selecting images for a visual essay, adding voiceover to a presentation, or writing a script for a podcast. Tutors who staff the Digital Studio can help students brainstorm essay ideas, provide feedback on the content and design of a digital project, or facilitate collaboration for group projects and presentations. Students can use the Digital Studio to work on their own to complete class assignments or to improve overall capabilities in digital communication without a tutoring appointment if a work station is available. However, tutor availability and workspace are limited so appointments are recommended. To make an appointment email us at fsudigitalstudio@gmail.com or visit the Digital Studio in Williams 222-B. Hours vary by semester and are updated at website.

MMAJORAJOR P PROJECTSROJECTS ANDAND G GRADINGRADING

Papers and Projects

Paper #1: Detective Fiction Analysis (5-6 pages and a 1-2 page process memo)For our first paper, we will analyze a piece of detective fiction. You are free to use one of the samples we used in class, or you can choose one of your own. Either way, your paper should answer the following questions: How does the author use mode and/or genre? How does the author use different modes to achieve different effects? How does the genre allow the author to respond to a situation? In other words, we will identify the text’s purpose or major argument and discuss how the author’s choices about genre and/or mode help him/her make that argument.

Jessica Fletcher – Old School Female Detective

Your paper should be at least five, but no more than six pages in length. You are not required to use sources other than the artifact you are analyzing, but you are welcome to do so. In addition to the text, we will compose a 1-2 page process memo that reflects on the choices made during the writing process.

Paper #2: Detective’s Notebook (2,500 words and a 2-3 page process memo)For our second paper, we will create a piece of multi-modal, multi-genre detective non-fiction. Working in pairs or groups of three, we will compose a detective’s notebook that explores an issue or event. Think of yourself as a detective investigating the issue/event and its possible outcome (if the event has already taken place, you can play

pretend!). Who are the major players? What are their positions on the event/issue

and motives? What are the major ideas being discussed? What are some possible outcomes? What might the consequences of those outcomes be? Your goal is to present, using research, a full picture of the conversation surrounding this issue or event. The assignment must be written in multiple genres (at least five) and multiple modes (at least three). You can present the project digitally or materially. Finally, you will present your work to the class. The notebook must contain at least 2,500 words of text and use at least 7 sources. In addition to the notebook, you will compose a 2-3 page process memo that reflects on your research and writing process.

Paper #3: Theory Exploration (6-8 pages and a 1-2 page process memo)For our final paper, we will discuss two of the course’s major themes: detective fiction, research, mode, and genre. Using scholarly sources (which can include course readings, but must incorporate new material as well), we will define and describe each theme and make a claim about the relationship between them. This paper – in contrast to the detective’s notebook – will be primarily textual in nature so that you have the experience of writing in multiple-modes at the college level. The paper should be at least six but no more than eight pages in length and incorporate at least five sources (at least two of which should be new material). In addition to the paper, you will compose a 1-2 page process memo that reflects on the choices made during the writing process.Final Project: Electronic Portfolio Our final project will take the form of a digital portfolio that will tell a story about who are as a writer and detective. The portfolio will include the final drafts of all papers, your process memos, and your discussion-leader material. In addition, the portfolio should include four journal entries, four blog entries, and at least four additional course activities that you identify as your best work and that support your story. The portfolio will be constructed digitally and can include images, video, music, or any other component that can help you tell your story. In other words, be as creative as you desire!

Veronica Mars – Teen Noir Detective Fiction

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency of Botswana

Discussion Leader ProjectWorking in pairs or groups of three, you will be responsible for leading the class in discussing one of our readings. Leading discussion means that you will be responsible for: 1) posting a question on our blog by class time before the class in which you will lead the discussion; preparing questions to inspire discussion in class; and preparing a 1-2 page handout for the class that summarizes the reading’s content and highlights important points. During the second week of class, you will sign up for a date that works for you. I will lead the discussion of the first two readings in order to model that is expected from the assignment.

Grade Breakdown Paper #1: 20% or 200ptsPaper #2: 30% or 300ptsPaper #3: 20% or 200ptsPortfolio: 10% or 100ptsDiscussion Leader: 5% or 50ptsParticipation: 5% or 50ptsJournals: 10% or 100 ptsTotal: 100% or 1000pts

*Points for each paper and project will be further broken down on individual assignment sheets.

Evaluation & PortfoliosThis course is graded on a portfolio system. This means that, although you will have due dates for specific drafts, the final or portfolio drafts of each paper will be turned in during the final week of class. As the semester progresses, you will compile your drafts into an online portfolio. At the end of the semester, you will add your final drafts and turn in the entire portfolio for a grade. This means that, while you will have draft due dates that structure your progress, you are free to continue to revise drafts throughout the semester until you are satisfied with the project. You will receive an in-process grade for each paper that will allow you to track your progress throughout the semester. This may be different from how you have been graded in the past, so please do not hesitate to ask questions!

The university uses the following 4-point scale when calculating grade point averages:

FSU/GPA Local Tradition 500 Point Conversion

A = 4.0 93-100% 461-500A- = 3.75 90-92% 450-460B+ = 3.5 87-89% 435-449B = 3.0 83-86% 415-

434B- = 2.75 80-82% 400-414C+ = 2.5 77-79% 385-300C = 2.0 73-76% 365-

384C- = 1.75 70-72% 350-364D+ = 1.5 67-69% 335-349D = 1.0 63-66% 315-334F = 0 0-62% 0-314

Late Work

Poe – The Originator of American Detective Fiction

Every week should be Veronica Mars weekTrue Detective – Celebrity Detective Fiction

While the portfolio system dictates that final/portfolio drafts are due during the final week of class, this does not mean that you will not have due dates. Drafts, journals assignments, discussion leader projects, blog posts, and other homework will have assigned due dates. If work is not uploaded to your portfolio, Blackboard, or the course blog by class time on its due date, it is considered late. 10% will be deducted from your grade for every day that work is late. Note that every day does NOT mean every class day. If class is at 8am on Tuesday, work is considered late if it is not uploaded by 8am, and you will lose 10%. If work is still not uploaded by 8am on Wednesday, you will lose another 10%.

A Note about Technology

Your portfolios, Blackboard, and the course blog are used extensively in this course and should be updated consistently. While we will turn in hard copies of a few assignments, assignments should be turned in digitally unless otherwise specified. As such, although we will review portfolio construction, Blackboard, and Blogger in class many times, it will be your responsibility to make sure that you understand how to use the systems. I encourage you to see me during office hours with any questions that you have about Blackboard, Blogger, or your portfolio. Please never hesitate to contact me with any problems, as doing so is better than turning in assignments late.

In order for work to be accessible via Blackboard, Blogger, or your portfolio, you will need to ensure that all assignments are typed and saved as a .DOC or .DOCX file. If you are using a program other than Microsoft Word – such as Open Office or Word Perfect – you will need to change the file type before saving and uploading work to Blackboard, Blogger, or your portfolio. If you are not sure how to do so, please come see me, and I will be more than happy to show you.

It is your responsibility to make sure that all files are appropriately saved and uploaded. Excuses for late work such as a missing flash drive, a file saved in the wrong file type, an incorrect upload to Blackboard, Blogger, or your portfolio, or work that is uploaded but not published will not be accepted. As such, please see me about technology issues. Should Blackboard or Blogger ever go down, I will announce in class and/or email alternate instructions for completing assignments.

*The policies and information in this course policy sheet are subject to change. In the event that the course policy sheet is revised, you will be notified before the change takes effect and will be provided with a new, updated copy. The Untouchables – Book, Film, Graphic Novel,

Detective Fiction?