Latinx Lit: Syllabus and Course Overview

60 vocabulary flashcards drawn from the Latinx Lit lecture notes.

Brightspace

Online learning platform for course content, announcements, labs, and submissions.

Syllabus

The course outline including goals, schedule, assessments, accommodations, and resources.

Latinx Lit

Intro course on Latinx literature and culture in the US, focusing on prominent writers.

Three class hours

The weekly instructional hours allocated to the course.

Three credits

Academic credit value for the course (3 credits).

Mexican American literature

Literature by Mexican American authors within US Latinx tradition.

Dominican American literature

Literature by Dominican American authors within US Latinx tradition.

Puerto Rican literature

Literature by Puerto Rican authors within US Latinx tradition.

Claire Jimenez

Author referenced in readings; noted for the work Whatever Happened to Ruthie Ramirez.

Ruthie Ramirez

Character referenced in Claire Jimenez's work as discussed in class.

Elaine DaVaez

Author mentioned in the Latinx Lit readings.

Whatever Happened to Ruthie Ramirez

Book by Claire Jimenez listed in the readings.

Brownsville Bread

Short text read in Latinx Lit; a book treated as a narrative about Brownsville.

Whatever Happened to Lucy Ramirez

End of semester reading text in the Latinx Lit list.

The Poet X

Elizabeth Acevedo's novel in verse about a teen girl's coming of age.

The House on Mango Street

Sandra Cisneros novella composed of lyrical vignettes about a young Latina girl.

Noquería

Collection of short stories by Cynthia Paleo included in readings.

Cynthia Paleo

Author of Noquería listed in readings.

Junot Díaz

Dominican American author of short stories such as The Sun, The Moon, The Stars.

The Sun, The Moon, The Stars

Short story by Junot Díaz studied in class.

Judith Ortiz Cofer

Author of The Myth of the Latin Woman.

The Myth of the Latin Woman

Essay by Judith Ortiz Cofer exploring stereotypes of Latina women.

The Wounds of Latinx

Course reading addressing issues and experiences of Latinx people.

Novel in verse

A novel written as poetry; The Poet X is an example.

Vignette

A short, evocative scene or sketch, used in The House on Mango Street.

Young Adult literature

Literature written for and marketed to young adult readers.

The four required texts

The Poet X, The House on Mango Street, Brownsville Bread, and Whatever Happened to Lucy Ramirez.

New York Public Library

Public library system; a potential source for borrowing texts.

Library card

Card required to borrow library materials.

Amazon

Online retailer where books can be purchased.

Barnes & Noble

Retail bookstore for purchasing texts.

ThriftBooks

Online marketplace for used books.

On-campus library reserves

Copies of books placed on reserve for quick access in class.

Reading PDFs online

Some readings are provided as online PDFs.

Part 1 of The Poet X (92 pages)

First part of The Poet X runs about 92 pages.

Week of September 8

Week when Part 1 of The Poet X is scheduled to be read in class.

The Poet X Part 1 length

Part 1 of The Poet X is about 92 pages long.

Purchase books

Students are expected to purchase the required texts.

The Poet X structure

The Poet X is divided into three parts.

The House on Mango Street is a novella

A short novel composed of vignettes about a young girl in a Latino neighborhood.

New York Public Library on campus

The library system is coming to campus to provide access.

21st-century Latinx authors

The course focuses on Latinx writers from the 21st century.

Course themes

Identity, culture, gender, sexuality, migration, relocation, and class.

Writing Center

Campus resource for brainstorming, drafting, and improving writing.

Accommodation services

Campus office providing academic accommodations with documentation.

504 plan

Disability accommodation plan under Section 504.

IEP

Individualized Education Plan for accommodations.

Academic integrity

Policy requiring original work and proper citation.

Plagiarism

Act of presenting someone else’s work as your own.

AI as a tool

Use of AI as an aid with proper citation, not a substitute for writing.

In-class writing

Short writing activities conducted during class.

In-class presentations

Oral presentations conducted in class; often at end of term.

Quizzes

In-class quizzes; typically not eligible for makeup when absent.

Pop quizzes

Unannounced quizzes; usually no makeup.

Attendance policy

Rule requiring regular attendance; up to three unexcused absences allowed.

Unexcused absences

Absences without approved excuse; count toward attendance penalties.

Excused absences

Absences with approved justification; may affect participation scoring.

Three latenesses equal one absence

Three late arrivals count as one absence.

Office hours

Scheduled times to meet with the professor outside class; Wednesdays and Fridays.

Official email address

The instructor’s official email to use for class communications.