When you finish this course, you should be able to answer the following questions.  How do we define YAL (young adult literature) as distinct from both children's literature and adult literature? Do YA literary texts have the same literary value as adult literary texts?  What constitutes high quality in YAL?   

Requirements:  

The final grade for this course will be based on a portfolio of reflective and critical writing (80%), a  Webpage (10%), an oral presentation (5%), and class participation (5%).  More information on these assignments are available on the Assignments page. 

Attendance: Regular attendance and participation are expected.  Absence in excess of two weeks' class meetings will result in lowering of the final grade by at least one letter grade.

Grading: Portfolio evaluation enables students to grow as authorities and writers throughout a course and to present their best possible work for final evaluation. Students may obtain plenty of written feedback throughout the semester and may meet as often as practical with the instructor for additional individualized feedback.

The Honor Code: It is expected that the writing each student turns in is her or his own and that material drawn from sources--whether quoted, paraphrased, or summarized--will be clearly documented. For definitions of plagiarism and examples of material that should be cited, see Bridgewater College's Plagiarism Policy.  Instances of plagiarism will be reported to the Honor Council.  If you have questions about plagiarism or need help with citing, please consult a Writing Center tutor or sign up for a Writing Center workshop on writing from sources.

Alexander Mack Memorial Library: There is a small but growing collection of literature for young adults and criticism of YA literature.  Journals devoted to literature for children and young adults are the Horn Book Magazine and The Lion and the Unicorn.  The College subscribes to The Horn Book Guide Online, which is available from the library's homepage.  Some materials may be placed on reserve.