Dear Student,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into English 108P, Popular Potter. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and requirements.
Now that we are no longer concerned with nurturing iconoclastic heroes, capable of defeating You- Know-Who but incapable of passing their N.E.W.T.s, the Ministry has mandated students must develop their critical reading and writing skills. As a class we will engage in a variety of exercises designed to familiarize students with critical reading strategies and various approaches to literature through J. K. Rowling’s seven volume study of Harry Potter and his role in the Second Wizarding War.
Possible questions to be addressed include: What constitutes a literary reading of a text? What is a close reading? How might a theoretical approach open up a text? What makes a Muggle-born author’s version of events so compelling? How has knowledge of the wizarding world shaped Muggle culture, and—bless them—how have they responded?
Students will be evaluated through a combination of O.W.L.s and practical experience (which should not require trips to the infirmary, unlike the pedagogical practices in some other classes). Written assignments will require students to engage with various literary forms and devices. In particular, students will engage with history (which Muggles call mythology, folklore, and fairy tales), theory, and genre. Students of various houses are expected to collaborate peacefully to produce strong and focused writing.
Yours Sincerely,
Professor J. Harris (she/her) Hagey Hall 147a
Contact by owl or email: jennifer.harris@uwaterloo.ca Office hours: online, as per your request
All students should have a copy of each of the following
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
*Any editions excepting those published by Edwardus Lima, which should be bound and apparated immediately to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Objects
Ministry Approved Requirements
Apparition (20 ¾ %)
Apparition has three important components, determination, deliberation, and destination. Ideally you will master all three. There is little point in getting somewhere if you are missing your head--isn’t that right Mr. Goyle?
Determination (10 ¾ %)
Attendance. You will show up to class, whether online* or in person. If you miss more than three classes and fewer than five, you will receive a Troll grade for attendance. If you miss half or more classes, you will receive a Troll grade for the course as a whole. Peeves cannot be used as an excuse more than once.
*Online Attendance: as we are suffering from plague and pestilence, you are encouraged to stay home if not well. If this is the case, your online attendance is measured by your participation in the online discussion section for that missed day within one week of missing class.
Deliberation (10 %)
You will be prepared for class; will participate in large and small group discussions, will stay on task during group work, and will contribute to the work of your House. You will be awake and alert in class and interested and invested in your own learning as well as the learning of your classmates. This means you, Malfoy.
You will read the novels. If you have already read them, you will read them again for this class. You will not imagine, nor will you behave as if watching the movies could possibly substitute for reading the bloody books. This means you, Ronald Weasley.
The Quibbler Internship (20%)
You will adapt an article about a contemporary news event in our Muggle world from the last two months, rendering it in the style of a Quibbler article of approximately 500 words. You will then conduct a 750-word analysis of your work in formal academic language, demonstrating how you deployed terms and concepts we are covering in class. The analysis should be a developed literary analysis, not point form or summative. The article must be approved by your professor; MLA Style is required.
The Scaffold (30%)
This is a longer academic essay with a peer-review component. More details will appear once we determine how best to create a new assignment that cannot be summoned by the magical spell known as ChatGPT. MLA Style is required.
N.E.W.T. (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test, 30%)
Otherwise known as a final exam, usually held in a large recreational hall on campus. It tests your knowledge of the key concepts, literary terms, and contextual materials presented during lectures, as well as your ability to make connections between them and the novels. If you should require special accommodations, please contact AccessAbility Services sufficiently in advance.
Spoiler Alert
*This course is designed to easily move online, should pestilence or instructor illness cause this. WEEK 1
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
January 9, 11
WEEK 2
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
January 16, 18
WEEK 3
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
January 23, 25
WEEK 4
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
January 30, Feb 1
WEEK 5
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
February 6, 8
WEEK 6
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
February 13, 15
Feb 13: Bring draft of Quibbler Assignment to class Assignment 1, The Quibbler Internship, due on Feb 15
READING WEEK: February 18-26 WEEK 7
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
February 27, March 1
WEEK 8
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
March 6, 8
WEEK 9
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
March 13, 15
Peer Review Groups for The Scaffold Assignment will be created
WEEK 10
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
March 20, 22
March 21: The Scaffold Assignment: Upload draft paragraph and thesis to Peer Review Discussion topic
WEEK 11
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
March 27, 29
March 28: The Scaffold Assignment: Upload completed peer reviews to Peer Review Discussion topic and submit to Peer Review Dropbox
WEEK 12
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
April 3, 5
April 10: The Scaffold Assignment due
Rules and Regulations
Late Work
Late assignments will be docked 5% the first day and 2% every subsequent day. After one week, late assignments will not usually be accepted.
Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Electronic Devices
- Laptops and comparable technologies to assist note-taking are permitted in class. You are expected to close any other programs except those which facilitate note-taking. Please do not record classroom lectures or activities without permission.
Institutional-required statements for undergraduate course outlines approved by Senate Undergraduate Council, April 14, 2009
Decree for Academic Integrity
In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of
Waterloo community are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. See the UWaterloo Academic Integrity webpage and the Arts Academic Integrity webpage for more information. Cordially refrain from asking Hermione Granger for help with your homework.
Decree of Discipline
A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity, to avoid committing academic offences, and to take responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course professor, academic advisor, or the Undergraduate Associate Dean. (Please note Argus Filch is not authorized to make such decisions.) When misconduct has been found to have occurred, disciplinary penalties will be imposed under Policy 71 – Student Discipline. For information on categories of offenses and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71 - Student Discipline. For typical penalties check Guidelines for the Assessment of Penalties.
Regulations on Grievances
A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances, Section 4. When in doubt please be certain to contact the department’s administrative assistant who will provide further assistance.
Ministry Policy on Appeals
A decision made or penalty imposed under Policy 70, Student Petitions and Grievances (other than a petition) or Policy 71, Student Discipline may be appealed if there is a ground. A student who believes he/she has a ground for an appeal should refer to Policy 72, Student Appeals.
Ministry Liaison Office for Students with Disabilities
The AccessAbility Services office, located on the first floor of the Needles Hall extension (NH 1401), collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please register with the AS office at the beginning of each academic term rather than wait for the Room of Requirements to appear.
Mesdames Bermingham and Ashdown, Purveyors of Aids to Conscientious Students, are proud to present the Writing and Communication Centre
The Writing and Communication Centre works across all faculties to help students clarify their ideas, develop their voices, and write in the style appropriate to their disciplines. Centre staff offer one-on- one support in planning assignments and presentations, using and documenting research, organizing and structuring papers, and revising for clarity and coherence. You can make multiple appointments throughout the term, or drop in at the Library for quick questions or feedback. To book a 50-minute appointment and to see drop-in hours, visit their page. Group appointments for team-based projects, presentations, and papers are also available. Please note that writing specialists guide you to see yourwork as readers would. They can teach you revising skills and strategies, but will not proof-read or edit for you. Please bring hard copies of your assignment instructions and any notes or drafts to your appointment. Despite popular perception, it is not unplottable.