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Add/drop deadline = Sep. 5 | Advising weeks = Nov. 5-16 |  Withdrawal deadline = Nov. 16 | Classes end Dec. 7

Core Objectives of the Freshman Preceptorial                 

Through the reading and assignments of the preceptorial, as well as the individual mentorship of the preceptor-advisor, the Freshman student will be guided to achieve the following:

·        A foundational level of competence in college-level critical thinking, reading skills and oral expression appropriate to a liberal arts education;

·        College level competence in critical-analytical writing (English prose that is well organized and persuasive and free of mechanical errors).  In addition to a variety of shorter writing assignments in the Fall, during the Spring semester students will compose a 10-15 page critical essay (“Freshman Essay”) that demonstrates the ability to integrate (compare/contrast) the preceptorial readings and appropriately document sources;

·        Formulation and understanding of the connections between the three or more disciplines represented in the preceptorial theme, which in turn models the interrelatedness of all humanistic study.

·        Development of a mentoring relationship with his or her academic advisor (preceptor) that facilitates a successful adjustment to college.

Readings for IDS1006, Freshman Preceptorial- Fall, 2007
The Search for the Good Life: Love, Knowledge, and Wealth
Scroll down for links to related online resources. 

Preceptorial Library Resources on Electronic Reserves
Suggested Writing Guidelines for Preceptorial Papers
How to understand and avoid Plagiarism

Each instructor will determine specific readings and assignments including, but not limited to, the following sources: 

   1. Mary Shelley, Frankenstein. 1818 text- Norton Critical Edition, ISBN 9780393964585.
   2.  Richard Dawkins, River Out of Eden. Basic, ISBN 9780465069903.
   3. Plato, Symposium, Hackett, ISBN 9780872202320.
   3. Holy Bible.- edition at the bookstore is the Compact Bible, Zondervan, ISBN 9780310912361.
   4.  Qur'An, Tahrike Tarsile Quaran, ISBN 9781879402294.  
   5.  Mariama Ba, So Long a Letter, Heinemann, ISBN 9780435905552.
   7.  Lao-Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Hackett, ISBN 9780872202320.
   8.  Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Weatherhill, ISBN 9780834800793.
   9.  Confucius, Analects, Penguin, ISBN 9780140443486.
   10.  Sijie, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, Anchor, ISBN 0385722206.
   11.  Hansberry, A Raisin in the Sun, Random House, ISBN 0375508333.

Weeks 1-2

Introduction to course; follow-up advising; Library Orientation Tours

Shelley, Mary,  Frankenstein:  the 1818 Text, Contexts, Nineteenth-Century Responses, Modern Criticism.  New York:  W. W. Norton, 1996

Weeks 3-5
Secular Readings on Love and Knowledge

Dawkins:  River out of Eden

Dawkins, Richard.  River out of Eden.  New York:  HarperCollins, 1996.

Plato- Symposium and Republic

Plato. Symposium. Tr. Alexander Nehamas and Paul Woodruff. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1989.

Plato. Symposium. Tr. Benjamin Jowett. Champaign: Project Gutenberg, 1995.

     NetLibrary.

     Manhattanville Coll. Lib., Purchase, NY. 3 July 2004  <http://www.netlibrary.com>.

Plato:  Allegory of the Cave (Book 7 of Plato's Republic)

Click here for more on Plato

Diachronic Love Poetry- determined by each instructor

Weeks 6-8
Sacred Readings on Love and Knowledge

Bible- Genesis, Song of Songs, I Corinthians: 13, 1st Epistle of John

The Holy Bible.  New Revised Standard Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1989.

New Revised Bible.  University of Virginia.  http://etext.virginia.edu/rsv.browse.html

King James Bible. Second Version, 10th Edition. Champaign: Project Gutenberg, 1992. 

    NetLibrary. Manhattanville Coll. Lib., Purchase, NY. 3 July 2004 \

         <http://www.netlibrary.com>.

Available Versions.  BibleGateway.com.  2005:  Gospel Communications International. 

     <http://bible.gospelcom.net/versions/> (Multiple languages and versions)

Click here for more on Christianity

Qu'ran- Surahs 1, 112,  4 and 3:31-32,  2:165, 30:20-27

The  Qur'an. Tr. Abdullah Yusaf Ali. 3rd ed. Elmhurst: Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an, Inc., 1998.

The Holy Qur'an. Tr. M.H. Shakir. Mountain View: Wiretap, 1995. NetLibrary.  Manhattanville

     Coll. Lib., Purchase, NY. 3 July 2004  <http://www.netlibrary.com>.

Quran Time.  2005:  Medyatext.com.  <http://www.qurantime.com/> (from Turkey)

Click here for more on Islam

Weeks 9-12
Readings from other cultures on Love and Knowledge

Creation ideas from other cultures, selected by individual professors

Tao Te Ching and Analects

Lao Tzu.  Tao Te Ching. Tr. Stephen Addiss and Stanley Lombardo.  Indianapolis:  Hackett, 1993.

Confucius.  Analects.  Tr. D. C. Lau.  New York:  Penguin, 1998.

Suzuki:  Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

Suzuki, Shunryu. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind.  New York:  Weatherhill, 1999.

Weeks 13-15
Wealth 

Bible:  Matthew 5-7, Epistle of James

Qu'ran:  

Andrew Carnegie:  Gospel of Wealth

• Full Online version from the Stanford University Library, via Google Books

• A shorter version posted on the Swarthmore College web site

Sijie:  Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

Sijie, Dai.  Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress.  Tr. Ina Rilke.  New York:  Anchor, 2001.

Hansberry:  A Raisin in the Sun

Hansberry, Lorraine.  A Raisin in the Sun.  New York:  Vintage, 1999.

(12/10-12/14)  Exam Week

Plato - Allegory of the Cave and Symposium