ENG 102 (018) Page 1

Mr. Tyler Efird

Email: tefird@utk.edu
Office Hours: MW 4:00-5:00 PM; T/Th 5:00-6:00 PM
Office hours will be held at the Starbucks in Hodges’ Library

English 102 (Inquiry into Violence)

TEXTBOOKS AND COURSE MATERIALS
Glenn, Cheryl, and Loretta Gray. Hodges’ Harbrace Handbook. 16th ed. Boston: Thomson,
2007.
Rhetoric of Inquiry. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford/St.
Martin’s, 2009.
Spiegelman, Art. Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale: My Father Bleeds History. New York: Pantheon,
1986.
---. Maus II: A Survivor’s Tale: And Here My Troubles Began. New York: Pantheon, 1991.
College Dictionary (recommended)

***Additional required readings will be posted on Blackboard. You will be expected to

have read these materials before every class, bringing your printed copy to class for
discussion. You will need to make sure that you have enough money on your Volcard
account in order to print these required materials.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course seeks to strengthen skills in research and academic writing, introduced in
English 101, by experimenting with ways to create and explore diverse critical inquiries using
various research methods, while also creating our own insightful research papers that
appropriately respond to the critical conversation surrounding our topics of choice. In this
particular course, we will take as our focus an exploration of the various historical and cultural
implications of violence, as well as the factors that shape our understanding of violent and
traumatic events. How we as societies and individuals make sense out of violence and trauma
gives critical insight into the values and ideas that we hold crucial and important for our dealings
with others, as well as in attempting to account for our selves in/and the world around us. This
course will focus, then, primarily upon the diverse ways in which humans “narrate” (I use this
term very loosely) and remember violence and violent events. As such, we will evaluate how we
account for violence academically and artistically, as well as personally and culturally. It is my
intention that students further not only their abilities in managing conventions of academic
writing and argumentation, but also that they increase their understanding of why we narrate
violent and traumatic events in the various ways that we do. Through this evaluation, I hope that
students will gain a growing awareness of the implications for ethical interaction among
individuals and across cultures in a world marked, obviously, by violent and traumatic events.
With that being said, we will be viewing and reading violently graphic movies and reading
selections; therefore, you should enroll in another 102 course if you are not willing to study these
kinds of materials.
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Conferences and office hours will also be offered as a means of providing students with
additional, one-on-one assistance in working through the writing process. By the end of the
semester, students should be capable of performing the following:

1. Read and evaluate both literary and academic texts, giving attention to the various
ideas and potential research questions that may arise from the texts.
2. Using a variety of sources (both primary and secondary, along with research
databases), as well as methods (ethnographic and hands-on research, textual research,
etc.), in the research process.
3. Writing effective analyses of the arguments of others (whether through paraphrase,
summary, or skillful quotation), as well as writing their own persuasive arguments
that both take into account the various relevant rhetorical situations at hand and also
integrate multiple viewpoints, counterclaims, and evidence within a clear, insightful
essay
4. Forming essays that skillfully utilize the rhetorical and argumentative strategies
indicative of college-level academic writing

COURSE EVALUATION
Two different components will go into the formulation of your final grade in this course.
These are as follows:

1. Essays (80% of total grade)

Students are expected to write three researched essays during the extent of the
semester. These essays will require students to integrate useful and relevant
information into their papers beyond what they simply know already before the
research process. All essays will be evaluated according to the grading criteria
outlined in the sheet attached to this syllabus, as well as for how effectively these
meet the standards of the specific assignment. Also, your use of invention strategies,
rough drafts, outlines, etc. (turned in alongside of the final paper on the due date) will
only increase the likelihood of receiving a grade more indicative of the effort put into
forming the paper. Therefore, you should turn in all of the materials relevant to your
essay from the beginning of the assignment to the finished product. Inclusion of
these supplemental materials is not required, but only works toward your benefit. All
essays will be expected to be written in MLA format, and, when necessary, must
include a works cited page. Furthermore, all essays and supplemental materials
should be placed in a folder before being turned in to me.
2. Reading Responses/In-class Writing/Class Participation (20% of total grade)
I will require that you submit four reading responses, throughout the semester,
addressing the issues presented in a particular reading assignment from our course
schedule. Both academic and literary selections, along with the movies we will be
viewing, are considered appropriate for reading response material. You have the
choice of which reading assignments you would like to respond to, but your responses
must be turned in on the date that we will be discussing that particular reading
assignment in class. Also, at least one response must be performed for a movie, and
you must turn in one response paper per month. For these reading response
assignments, you will write a one-page response in MLA format that seeks to move
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beyond simply summarizing the ideas presented by the reading but is capable,
instead, of critically examining the issues at hand. Things to consider may include:
how effective is the author’s argument/position? what areas does s/he ignore, or
neglect to take into account, that may be pertinent to the issue examined? how might
s/he go about articulating a fuller examination of the issue? (and, additionally, for
literary selections and movies, what seems to be the author’s/filmmaker’s
intent/message, or what is it that the various characters seem to be articulating?).
While exploring these questions, you will also need to formulate your own arguments
in your reading responses. Do you agree or disagree with the author/filmmaker?
Why? Do you have an entirely different take on the issue? If so, what is it? These
are just some areas to take into consideration when you form your response.
Occasionally, I may ask students to present these in class if I find class discussion too
stagnant. In other words, everyone please feel free to talk.
Also, I will occasionally require that students write in class in response to a
particular assignment, prompt, etc. These, obviously, will not be graded as rigorously
as the other written assignments required in this class; however, you are still expected
to approach the topic seriously and insightfully.
Lastly, each and all students are expected to participate in class discussions by
remaining attentive throughout, as well as by making thoughtful contributions that
both respond to and stimulate the class conversation.

Grade Percentages of Course Assignments

20% Essay I
25% Essay II
35% Essay III
20% Reading Responses, In-class writing, and class participation
100%

Grading Scale
A 4.0 (93-100) C 2.0 (73-76.9)
A- 3.7 (90-92.9) C- 1.7 (70-72.9)
B+ 3.3 (87-89.9) D+ 1.3 (67-69.9)
B 3.0 (83-86.9) D 1.0 (63-66.9)
B- 2.7 (80-82.9) D- 0.7 (60-62.9)
C+ 2.3 (77-79.9) F 0 (0-59.9)

*** Students should note that I will use a grading scale ranging from A to F in evaluating
all written assignments; however, if your combined course grade at the end of the semester
is below a C (below a combined score equivalent to a 73), you will receive a NC (No Credit)
for your final grade and will have to take English 102 again.

COURSE POLICIES

Attendance and Truancy

You should plan on attending every class session. I will be taking attendance at the
beginning of each class. No more than four unexcused absences will be allowed of each student.
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If you are absent more than four class periods (without legitimate medical, personal, familial, etc.
excuses), you will automatically receive a NC for this course. By this point in your life, you are
out on your own with all of the responsibility that this entails. Come to class and do what is
expected of you. Furthermore, failing to regularly attend class discussion keeps you from being
fully informed and may increase the prospects of a substandard performance on your essays.
Also, students who regularly attend class and make a substantial effort towards contributing to
class discussions will receive more benefit of the doubt. As far as your truancy and tardiness are
concerned, being late for class once or twice is certainly understandable, but beyond this, your
tardiness has become an issue and will not be tolerated. Whenever you are late to class, it is your
responsibility to ensure that I don’t mark you absent for that day; however, if you make a habit
out of showing up late, I will automatically mark you absent. When possible, please make an
effort to inform me in advance of any class dates that you know you will not be able to attend.

Assignments

Late Papers
Essays are due on the assigned dates by the end of class on those particular days. Late
essays will significantly detract from the paper’s grade. Each day beyond the due date that the
essay is late will result in a deduction of a letter grade from my final evaluation of the paper.
Obviously, conflicts and unforeseen circumstances do occasionally arise. If this is the case, and
you anticipate that you will not be able to complete the assignment on time, please make sure
that you contact me no later than the day before the paper’s due date to arrange for an extension.
Either come to my office hours to inform me or send me an email; however, an unanswered
email does not qualify as notification of my approval for your paper extension. I must have
responded to your email, notifying you of my approval, before you will be allowed to turn in
your paper beyond its due date without grade deduction.

Paper Revisions
I will allow for revising on Essay I. The choice to revise is solely your on and is not
required, though I would recommend doing so if you stand to gain significantly. The due date
for revisions is on the course schedule below, but I may alter it if necessary. Also, I will not be
giving any assignments in this class in regard to extra-credit, so be sure to do all of the required
work.

Conferences
Before the submission of Essay I, I will require a mandatory conference for each student.
I will set aside class dates at this time in which you will not have to attend class but will be
expected to attend your conference with me in order to discuss your paper. I will be passing
around a sign-up sheet later on so that you may find a conference time that works with your
schedule. Failure to attend this conference will result in the significant deduction of points from
Essay I. After the completion of the first paper assignment, I will no longer require conferences,
but I will make room for optional conferences later in the semester. On these dates, students will
not have to attend class, but do have the option of signing-up for a conference time to discuss
their paper.
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Plagiarism
You are expected to do your own work and to write your own original essays. Any use
of the ideas, thoughts, and arguments of other authors must be acknowledged and cited, or
directly quoted with acknowledgement if you plan on using direct citations from their texts. You
should also familiarize yourself with the University’s official policy regarding plagiarism from
Hilltopics, which reads as follows:
Students shall not plagiarize. Plagiarism is using the intellectual property or
product of someone else without giving proper credit. The undocumented use of
someone else’s words or ideas in any medium of communication (unless such
information is recognized as common knowledge) is a serious offense, subject to
disciplinary action that may include failure in a course and/or dismissal from the
University.
I will automatically give a zero to any student paper that is suspected of plagiarism or containing
non-documented work and materials of others, unless the student can convincingly reassure me
of his or her paper’s authenticity by demonstrating proof of the entire process taken in forming
the paper. If a paper is suspected of plagiarism and its author cannot substantiate its originality,
not only will it be given a zero but further action may be taken by referring the student’s
misconduct to proper university officials. Furthermore, I retain the ability to assign the student a
NC for the entire course if s/he is proven to have plagiarized.

Disability Services
The following is an official statement from the University’s Office of Disability Services
regarding students with disabilities:
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a documented
disability or if you have emergency information to share, please contact the Office
of Disability Services at 2227 Dunford Hall, 974-6087. This will ensure that you
are properly registered for services.
If you do have a disability that may affect your learning in this class, please contact me in private
as soon as possible after you have officially consulted the Office of Disability Services in order
to discuss accommodations and effective measures we can take.

Writing Center
THE WRITING CENTER provides free, one-to-one help to all writers. The trained tutors offer
constructive feedback during any stage of the writing process. While the Writing Center is not a
proofreading service, the tutors will help students with anything related to their writing,
including grammar, brainstorming, organizing, polishing final drafts, and more. No appointment
needed—just walk in.
English 104 is a 1-credit elective open to all 102 students who would like individualized help
with their reading, writing, and research assignments. Enroll via CPO through August 28.
Students who wish to enroll during the week of August 31 – September 4 may do so by obtaining
an add slip from the Writing Center.

Locations & Hours:

HSS 212: Mondays, Tuesdays, & Wednesdays 9 – 7; Thursdays 9 – 6; Fridays 9 – 3
The Commons, Hodges Library: Sundays 5 – 7; Mondays TBA; Wednesdays 7 – 9
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Website: http://web.utk.edu/~english/writing/writing.shtml
E-mail: writingcenter@utk.edu

COURSE PAPERS AND DUE DATES

Essay I: Hands-on/Ethnographic Research

This paper will require you to perform some hands-on research in the formation of your
argument and analysis. Choosing either to interview, survey, observe, or use a combination of
these, students will evaluate how violence is perceived by those around them. However, in order
to focus the scope of inquiry here, you will be expected to narrow your research to a specific
aspect concerning how individuals and/or groups confront and view the violence around them.
For example, an inquiry into how sports and sports culture integrate violence into various events
and interactions, as well as how athletes account for and regard this violence and lifestyle. Also,
you might choose to explore violence on television and movies in general, or a particular
television program or movie. Why is violence used and how is it portrayed? How are we meant
to perceive it? How do we in fact perceive it? Why do the individuals around you view these
programs or movies the ways that they do? Ultimately, the intent is to explore a specific facet of
violence directly impacting either your own life or those around you and evaluate the various
ways in which this violence is perceived and how it affects individuals. Required length for the
paper will be 3-5 pages. MLA format.

Paper due: Tues., Sept. 28

Essay II: Historical and Contextual Research

Essay II will require students to choose a particular primary artifact(s) of interest

regarding some aspect of violence before the year 1980, evaluating how historical, cultural, and
contextual factors surrounding the artifact(s) contribute to the understanding of violence and how
it affects societies and/or individuals. You will need to approach your research by performing
either a synchronic or diachronic evaluation, or one that integrates both analytic methods. For
instance, you might choose an event like the Salem Witch Trials, exploring what happened and
what contributed to the event, as well as why violence was perceived as the solution
(synchronic). Then, to further this study, you might evaluate how the violence of the Salem
Witch Trials was not only perceived then (synchronic) but throughout the centuries that
followed, whether by society as a whole, artistic depictions, or both (diachronic). Other inquiries
might concern a film that depicts a particular violent incident, event, ritual, etc., either
contemporary with the film or removed historically from it (just as long as the film is also before
1980). You might, then, go about attempting to answer some of the following: How does the
film depict this violence? Why does it depict it this way? Do you feel its accurate, successful,
etc.? What historical and contextual factors contribute to how the film’s creators decided to
approach their depiction? What is the film essentially attempting to portray or explain about
ourselves and/or violence? For this paper you will be required to find at least two historical
accounts (4-6 sources total), and the paper will be 5-7 pages required. MLA format.
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Paper due: Thur., Oct. 28

Essay III: Argument/Research Paper

This assignment connects the skills acquired in the previous paper assignments, and
essentially, seeks to further our course’s conversation concerning how violence impacts
individuals and cultures, and how they account for this violence; however, now you must place
your stakes in a contemporary and current debate. Essentially, what this boils down to is the
tasks of finding a current issue (involving violence to some degree [I’m flexible with this]) in
which people tend to disagree and of arguing your position within this debate, while using
credible sources to help you in formulating your specific position. For instance, if you were to
choose an issue like the war on terrorism, you might consider some of the following: is U.S.
policy in the war on terrorism effective/necessary/legitimate, or is it unwarranted and alienating
potential allies? what can be done to improve the situation, either on the home front or in Iraq
and Afghanistan (or both)? how is Obama’s policy concerning the war on terrorism more/less
effective than Bush’s? What needs to be understood is that you must explore an issue that allows
you to argumentatively immerse yourself into the conversation, and your position must have
legitimacy. 6-8 sources will be required, but this time, however, you will need to use at least
three academic sources out of the required amount. Required length will be 6-8 pages. MLA
format.

Paper due: Tues., Nov. 30

*** As the instructor of this course, I do reserve the right to change or alter the course
syllabus and assignment schedule if circumstances warrant the need to do so.

COURSE SCHEDULE

Note: RI refers to Rhetoric of Inquiry; BB refers to readings on Blackboard (in “Course

Documents”).

Thur., Aug.. 19 Course introduction and review of syllabus; what we know/believe about
violence and ethics/morality

Tues., Aug. 24 Initial in-class writing assignment; Essay I assigned

Thur., Aug. 26 “A Short Guide to Conducting Interviews, Observations, and Surveys”
(RI, p. 135-46); “Rebellion” (BB)

Tues., Aug. 31 Theories of Violence (BB)

Thur., Sept. 2 Theories of Violence (cont.); Essay I paper proposal; Group workshops

Tues., Sept. 7 Inglorious Basterds in-class viewing; “The Body of the Condemned” (BB)
Thur., Sept. 9 “Killing the God in Mexico” (BB); Apocalypto in-class viewing
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Tues., Sept. 14 300 in-class viewing

Thur., Sept. 16 Paradise Now (BB)

Tues., Sept. 21 Mandatory Conferences (no class)

Thur., Sept. 23 Mandatory Conferences (no class)

Tues., Sept. 28 Essay I due; Essay II assigned

Thur., Sept. 30 “Using Historical Inquiry Methods to Answer Research Questions” (RI, p.
211-24); “Framing Time: Synchronic and Diachronic Organization” (RI,
p. 238-40); “Evaluating Sources” (RI, p. 333-39); “Towards a Social
Ecology” (BB)

Tues., Oct. 5 “The Yarn of the Malevolent Drug-dealer” (BB); “The Musket,” from
Moby-Dick (BB); Essay II paper proposal due
Thur., Oct. 7 Fall Break (no class)

Tues., Oct. 12 “Honor and Violence in the Old South” (BB); Lynching Account (BB);
“Explaining American Violence” (BB)
Thur., Oct. 14 Shane and/or Once Upon a Time in the West in-class viewing; Western
genre discussion

Tues., Oct. 19 No Country for Old Men (BB)

Thur., Oct. 21 No Country for Old Men (BB)

Tues., Oct. 26 Optional Conferences (no class)

Thur., Oct. 28 Essay II due; Essay III assigned; Essay I revisions due (optional)

Tues., Nov. 2 Maus I

Thur., Nov. 4 Maus II

Tues., Nov. 9 The Idiot (BB); Candide, or Optimism (BB); Essay III paper proposal
Thur., Nov. 11 The Seventh Seal or The Gods Must be Crazy (BB)

Tues., Nov. 16 Bowling for Columbine (BB)

Thur., Nov. 18 Bowling for Columbine (BB)

Tues., Nov. 23 Optional Conferences (no class)

Thur., Nov. 25 Thanksgiving (no class; have ye some turkey)

Tues., Nov. 30 Essay III due

Final Exam Date: Thur., Dec. 9 12:30-2:30 PM