Midterm
Weight: 20% of final grade
Due: Monday, August 25, 2003

The midterm will test you, very simply, on your handle on the material. Those of you who have done the reading and attended class regularly ought to do fine. There will be four parts: 1. matching words, character names, and short phrases to each other. 2. identifying the title, author/director, date/decade and 1-2 sentence significance of short phrases, character names, words. 3. identifying the same for quotations. The quotations will be representative of their works; they ought to be recognizable to anyone who has read and retained the stories, novel and films. 4. a choice of one out of two essay questions. The questions will address the broader theoretical issues encountered in the course so far and will require that you refer to specifics from 2-3 works in your response.

First Paper
Weight: 20% of final grade
Due: Monday, August 11, 2003

Rough Draft of Final Paper
Weight: 10% of final grade
Due: Tuesday, September 9, 2003

The rough draft should be as complete a draft as possible, for the best possible results of Tuesday's peer review exercises. Students unable to attend Tuesday's class should email me IN ADVANCE for self-review exercises to get full credit for the rough draft. If you don't email in advance, you'll receive 1/3 of a grade off for each day after Tuesday. Failure to complete draft review and revision exercises will result in no credit for 10% of your final grade. The rough draft is extremely important for your time management, your development of your ideas and your overall final draft quality. Please let the instructor know if you have any problems completing the rough draft by Tuesday.

Final Paper/Web Assignment
Weight: 15% of final grade
Due: Thursday, September 11, 2003

Mainstream Option: Please write a 5-6 page essay covering 2-3 works from our syllabus; if you are addressing one of the novels, there's no need to include a second work. Each novel is rich enought o stand up to a 5-6 page inquiry on its own. You essay should be thesis-driven with a strong, single-topic paragraph structure. Focus on some argument about a theme, and use the texts to support your argument.

Alternative 1, for those interested in the LCI English major specialization, and/or Web site construction: Write the same kind of essay, but make it 4-5 pages. Put the essay on a Web site that uses the Internet medium to augment your argument. What makes a Web site different from an essay on paper? Use those differences, such as links, images, sound, to add intellectual umph. Those of you interested in this must see me ASAP to set up a Website-design tutorial.

Alternative 2, for the creatively-inclined: Write a science fiction story of at least 5 pages. In addition, write a 2-page essay offering some theoretical connections between your story and some issues and texts in the course. Be sure your essay includes a thesis argument and strong, organized, single-topic paragraph structure.

Tips: Think about answering an analytical question that has spurred some excitement over the past few weeks. OR, start by thinking about your favorite works on the syllabus. Why did you like them? What kinds of questions and ideas did the story give you? Any connections to other works?

Technicalities: Use 12-point, standard font (no Courier), MLA style, including a works cited page, and no cover page (to save paper.) Late papers will receive 1/3 of a grade off for every day they are late, including weekends. The rough draft is due Tuesday, Sept. 9 and the final draft Thursday, Sept. 11.

Final Exam
Weight: 25% of final grade
Due: Thursday, September 11, 2003

Participation and Attendance
Weight: 10% of final grade

Film Viewing
Due: Weekly

August 6, METROPOLIS
August 13, 2001, A SPACE ODESSY
August 20, TWELVE MONKEYS
August 27, BRAZIL
September 3, eXistenZ
All films will be available on reserve in the Kerr Hall Learning Lab the week they’re assigned.