This course fulfills three important requirements. It is a second-semester composition class, provides an introduction to literature, and fulfills the critical thinking requirement for CSU and for IGETC (the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum, which applies to both CSU and UC)..

What we do We read, discuss, and analyze short stories, poems, and plays. Many are recent works; some are classics from long ago. They can all be found in the textbook, Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, tenth edition, portable version, edited by X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. The edition is called "portable" because it consists of four paperbacks, focusing on fiction, poetry, drama, and writing, so you do not need to carry one big book to class every day. You may be able to rent rather than buy this text: check with the bookstore.

Course grades are based on grades for quizzes, four essays, three card reports, other work, and a mid-term and final examination. The grades on the essays and card reports together constitute slightly more than half of the course grade. Class attendance is also factored into the course grades, as is completion of the additional weekly hour by arrangement. In class, I give out more specific information on grading.