Graduate Studies Reports Access

Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - CRW6726
Tracking Number - 5328

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Current Status: Approved by SCNS - 2016-07-01
Campus: Tampa
Submission Type: New
Course Change Information (for course changes only):
Comments: elective for Creative Writing (MFA). To GC. Approved 5/11/16. Good example of how to indicate diff topics in repeatable course. To USF Sys 5/18/16; to SCNS after 5/25/16. Nmbr 6940 approved as 6726, Eff 7/1/16


Detail Information

  1. Date & Time Submitted: 2015-11-18
  2. Department: English
  3. College: AS
  4. Budget Account Number: 1223000
  5. Contact Person: Rita Ciresi
  6. Phone: 49570
  7. Email: rciresi@usf.edu
  8. Prefix: CRW
  9. Number: 6726
  10. Full Title: Practicum in Literary Editing and Publishing
  11. Credit Hours: 3
  12. Section Type: I - Internships (Including Practicum)
  13. Is the course title variable?: N
  14. Is a permit required for registration?: Y
  15. Are the credit hours variable?: N
  16. Is this course repeatable?: Y
  17. If repeatable, how many times?: 1
  18. Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): Pract. Edit and Publishing
  19. Course Online?: C - Face-to-face (0% online)
  20. Percentage Online: 0
  21. Grading Option: R - Regular
  22. Prerequisites: None
  23. Corequisites: None
  24. Course Description: Introduction to the publishing industry, including book publishing, literary magazines, editing, agents, book design and packaging, book marketing and publicity, interviewing, and book reviewing. Students assist in publication of a literary magazine.

  25. Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course: Replacing Selected Topics with Permanent number; already listed in program
  26. What is the need or demand for this course? (Indicate if this course is part of a required sequence in the major.) What other programs would this course service? This course is currently offered once per year (as selected topic). As it provides hands-on experience in editing and publishing, it is in high demand by MFA students.
  27. Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times? Yes, 3 or more times
  28. What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.) MFA or PhD in Creative Writing. Graduate faculty status.
  29. Objectives: The course is designed to do three things:

    1) Give students hands-on experience in the production of a literary magazine.

    2) Introduce students to the business side of the literary world, including publishing, agents, copyediting, book publicity and marketing, writing book reviews, and conducting interviews.

    3) Give students the opportunity to pursue a literary project that will help advance their careers.

  30. Learning Outcomes: As a result of successfully completing this course, a student will be able to:

     Understand the production process of a literary magazine.

     Evaluate manuscripts based on their suitability for publication.

     Understand the current state of the publishing industry.

     Understand the careers available in the publishing industry.

     Know how to write a book review.

     Know how to conduct a literary interview.

     Know how to write a query letter to an agent or editor.

     Understand the fundamentals of copyediting.

     Understand the fundamentals of InDesign software.

     Understand the principles of book design.

  31. Major Topics: Book publishing, literary magazines, editing, agents, book design, book packaging, book marketing and publicity, interviewing, book reviewing, the production of a literary magazine.
  32. Textbooks:  Mayra Calvani, The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing

     The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition

     Sarah Anne Johnson, The Art of the Author Interview

     Travis Kurowski, ed., Paper Dreams: Writers and Editors on the American Literary Magazine

     Michael Larsen, How to Write a Book Proposal

     John B. Thompson, Merchants of Culture: The Publishing Business in the Twenty-First Century

  33. Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases:
  34. Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy: Saw Palm production work: 50%

    (meeting deadlines, soliciting work as needed, reading submissions,

    sending acceptance/rejection notes, keeping up with all work related

    to Saw Palm)

    Final Project: 30%

    Book Review or Interview: 10%

    Places to Stand piece: 5%

    Query Letter: 5%

  35. Assignments, Exams and Tests: • Saw Palm Editing and Production. Students will have full responsibility for editing and producing our literary magazine, Saw Palm: Florida Literature and Art. You’ll hold two editorial positions; these will be determined before the beginning of the semester. One position will involve reading submissions in poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. The other position will involve one of the following: publicity, art/photography/comics, or design/production/web. Most of the editing and production work for Saw Palm will take place outside of class. However, portions of some class meetings will be devoted to Saw Palm-related issues, including selected readings from the submissions. Since I’m also a reader for Carve Magazine, we’ll take a look at some recent Carve submissions and see how the editors responded. Saw Palm will go to the printer by the end of the semester.

    • Final Project. The final project is an opportunity to pursue a writing-related interest or career. It should be a substantial work that will help to establish you in your chosen field. Some possibilities: editing an anthology, conducting an extended and publishable interview with an author or someone in the publishing industry, writing book reviews for publication, starting a new literary magazine, starting a new publishing company, establishing a copyediting or book packaging business. You’re encouraged to think big. Follow your passions and consider your career options. The project will require my approval early in the semester, and you’ll present your ideas to the class for feedback. Bigger projects may take longer than a semester; in that case, we’ll work out a plan for how much you should accomplish by the end of the class, along with a plan for completion. At the end of the semester you’ll present your work to the class.

    • A Places to Stand in Florida piece. Students will contribute one piece (under 500 words) to Saw Palm’s Places to Stand in Florida feature. You’re encouraged to go somewhere in the state you’ve never been and write about it.

    • A Book Review or Interview. Students will write either a short book review or interview for publication. You can write these for Saw Palm or for any other publication.

    • A Query Letter to an Agent or Editor. Students will write a query letter to pitch a manuscript to an agent or editor. The manuscript might already be complete, or it might be one you hope to complete in the near future. You’ll need to research the markets and make a list of at least ten appropriate agents or editors you’d submit the letter to.

    • A Brief Copyediting Assignment. After an introduction to copyediting, students will be given a short text to copyedit.

    • A Brief InDesign Project. After an introduction to InDesign software, students will be given a project to complete in class using InDesign.

  36. Attendance Policy: You are permitted two absences for any reason. A third or fourth absence will lower your final course grade by one full letter grade each. A fifth absence will cause you to fail.

    Course Attendance at First Class Meeting – Policy for Graduate Students: For structured courses, 6000 and above, the College/Campus Dean will set the first-day class attendance requirement. Check with the College for specific information. This policy is not applicable to courses in the following categories: Educational Outreach, Open University (TV), FEEDS Program, Community Experiential Learning (CEL), Cooperative Education Training, and courses that do not have regularly scheduled meeting days/times (such as, directed reading/research or study, individual research, thesis, dissertation, internship, practica, etc.). Students are responsible for dropping undesired courses in these categories by the 5th day of classes to avoid fee liability and academic penalty. (See USF Regulation – Registration - 4.0101,

    http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm)

    Attendance Policy for the Observance of Religious Days by Students: In accordance with Sections 1006.53 and 1001.74(10)(g) Florida Statutes and Board of Governors Regulation 6C-6.0115, the University of South Florida (University/USF) has established the following policy regarding religious observances: (http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/acadaf/gc10-045.htm)

    In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. It’s the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information.

  37. Policy on Make-up Work: Late assignments will be marked down one letter grade unless prior arrangements are made with instructor.

    USF Statement on Academic Dishonesty, Plagiarism and Cheating (from the 2015-2016 Graduate Catalog): “Academic integrity is the foundation of the University of South Florida system’s (University/USF) commitment to the academic honesty and personal integrity of its University community. Academic integrity is grounded in certain fundamental values, which include honesty, respect and fairness. Broadly defined, academic honesty is the completion of all academic endeavors and claims of scholarly knowledge as representative of one’s own efforts. Knowledge and maintenance of the academic standards of honesty and integrity as set forth by the University are the responsibility of the entire academic community, including the instructional faculty, staff and students.”

    Definitions of violations of academic integrity include:

    “Plagiarism: Plagiarism is intentionally or carelessly presenting the work of another as one’s own. It includes submitting an assignment purporting to be the student’s original work which has wholly or in part been created by another person. It also includes the presentation of the work, ideas, representations, or words of another person without customary and proper acknowledgement of sources. Students must consult with their instructors for clarification in any situation in which the need for documentation is an issue, and will have plagiarized in any situation in which their work is not properly documented.” For more on this policy, consult the 2015-2016 Graduate Catalog.

    Possible Academic Sanctions and Grading Guidelines:

    Authority of an instructor and the appropriate Chair or Assistant/Associate Dean’s office may result in any of the following sanctions:

    • Warning to the student

    • Voluntary withdrawal by the student from the class(es)

    • Temporary exclusion and/or permanent dismissal from the instructor’s classroom or academic area, program, or college, pending an expedited appeal.

    • Academic sanction, including assignment of a final grade – if the final determination is a dismissal from class, the grade assigned for the class will depend on the student’s status at the time of dismissal. If the student had a passing grade in the class at the time of dismissal, a grade of "W" will be assigned for the course. If the student had a failing grade in the class at the time of dismissal, a grade of "F" will be assigned for the course. These grades will become a part of the student’s permanent record. In addition, if the academic disruption results in dismissal from more than the classroom or academic area of the incident, this grading policy may be applied in all classes affected.

    If you have additional questions, please see the Office of Graduate Studies information on plagiarism here: http://www.grad.usf.edu/plagiarism.php

  38. Program This Course Supports: Creative Writing, MFA
  39. Course Concurrence Information:


- if you have questions about any of these fields, please contact chinescobb@grad.usf.edu or joe@grad.usf.edu.