ENGL 3906: Methods of Literary Study

Course Purposes and Philosophy

This course is designed to give you training and practice examining literary texts from a variety of theoretical and critical approaches. It also provides an introduction to literary research and training in the conventions of writing in the discipline of English Studies. The course is intended for the second- or third-year English major.

We will be looking at several different kinds of texts including the novel, short story, and film as we examine a variety of critical analytical approaches to literature, as the best way to understand how a critical approach can be used to understand a text is to see examples. We will focus on several critical approaches as we discuss the primary texts. Each student will be required to write a research paper using a particular critical approach to analyze one of the longer texts we have discussed. This research paper will use MLA Documentation (6^th ed).

Course Objectives:

1. understanding of the basic theoretical concepts underlying contemporary approaches to literature and of the major differences between them;

2. understanding of the aims of literary criticism; knowledge of key forms and terminology of literary criticism; ability to read the writings of literary scholars and critics with understanding and appreciation;

3. knowledge of the methods and materials of literary research; ability to conduct literary research according to established procedures and to use such research effectively and responsibly;

4. ability to generate and articulate personal responses to literary and critical texts, and to explain the premises and assumptions underlying such personal responses;

5. ability to write a critical essay that states a clear thesis and supports it persuasively, integrating literary research with personal ideas.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
When I figure final grades, I will consider all of your class work: attendance, participation, in-class writing assignments, longer writing assignments, midterm, and final. In determining final grades, each course requirement carries the following weight:

READING
The most important work in this course will be careful, patient, thorough reading of the assigned texts. You will need to finish assigned readings by the date indicated on the reading schedules, and—to receive credit for participation—texts must always be brought to class on the day they are to be discussed. I encourage you to take reading notes on each text, and to mark passages we discuss in class.

WRITING PROJECTS
Formal writing (done outside of class) must use MLA format, be word-processed, free from mechanical errors, double-spaced, and printed in "best quality" using a standard 12-point font and 1-inch margins. You must keep a copy of any work you hand in, and retain graded work until the end of the semester. All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date, and must be turned in on time to receive full credit. Papers left in the professor's box, or dropped off by students who do not remain in class, will be considered late. Do not submit work electronically.

Essays
Specific instructions for the essay projects will be distributed in class and via the class Web site. Your essays are yours: find something to write about that you are interested in and want to know more about. Please consult with me early and often as you work on your assignment. I will be happy to read and comment on drafts as you go along. Also, you are welcome to consult the writing tutors at the Tutoring Center (40 CCtr). The research essay is due on 4/25/06 though please note that a complete, typed draft must be brought to class on 4/18/06 for an in-class peer-editing workshop.

Examinations
The midterm and final examinations (open book and note) will consist of identification questions as well as essays of analysis and synthesis. You will be given a number of short identification questions, as well as several brief excerpts from the required readings on our syllabus. You will be asked to answer all of the identification questions and to explicate your choice of the excerpts. Please note that make-up exams cannot be given except in the case of documented university, medical or family emergency.

Daily Writings
To help record attendance, to prepare for class discussions and to demonstrate how carefully you are reading the assigned works, you will spend a few minutes each class period writing about the day's assignment. Each brief exercise (e.g., a paragraph of reaction to the day's reading or a quiz) will be graded on a five- to ten-point scale. To allow for the few occasions you might have to miss class, you may skip two writing exercises without penalty or, if you do them all, your two lowest scores will be dropped from your average for the semester. No make-up writings can be given.

Individual and Group Presentations
As part of a group you will participate in preparing a handout and leading discussion for Toni Morrison's Beloved. You will also individually present an overview of your research project to the class at the end of the semester.

A Cautionary Note About Plagiarism
Be extremely careful to acknowledge the sources that have influenced your work. Should you incorporate the ideas, general phrasing, or exact words of any other source without properly crediting the author(s), you are guilty of plagiarism. The penalty for plagiarism in this course is severe: you will fail the course and the Dean will be notified of the reason for your failure. See also the Student Academic Integrity Policy in the UMD Catalogue.

ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION
In general, I will generously reward students who contribute week after week to class discussions with intelligent, thought-provoking comments that demonstrate careful reading of the texts and thoughtful attention to what others have said. Students who skip a lot of class, don't bring to class the texts being discussed, or don't seem to listen to what others have to say and never say anything themselves, should expect a lower grade for participation. Thus, lack of preparation for class, irregular attendance and/or distracting behavior (sleeping, eating, checking e-mail, etc.) will hurt your grade; good attendance and active participation in class discussions will improve your grade. As a rule, all electronic communication devices (phones, pages, cd- and tape-players, etc.) must be turned off during class, and food is not allowed in the classroom.

I expect good attendance of everyone, and I take role religiously, as your attendance is absolutely essential to the learning that happens in this course. I do understand, however, that every once in a while circumstances may make it impossible for you to attend. If you miss one or two classes during the semester, don't worry about it. If you miss more that, you may want to start worrying about how your attendance might hurt your grade. Also remember that late arrivals or early departures may cause you to miss announcements, quizzes and/or important class material—and will also detract from your attendance/participation grade for the class. If you do have to miss a class, or arrive late, it is your responsibility to obtain class materials, assignments and information from myself and/or colleagues. Please keep me posted regarding unavoidable absences by a brief note or (preferably) by e-mail (csigler@d.umn.edu).

E-MAIL
As of August 2001, university-assigned student e-mail accounts (your d.umn.edu account) are the University's official means of communication. This means that the university makes you responsible for regularly checking your account, as most university, college and class updates and announcements will be made via e-mail. E-Mail is also the best and surest means to contact this professor.

COURSE WEB SITE
Copies of the class syllabus, course handouts and several short readings will be available to download through the ENGL 3906 Web site. The course Web site also provides information about a number of online resources to help you with research, writing, and revision. These include links to literary history, theory, culture and author sites, research and style guides, and online dictionaries and writing tools.

HOW TO LEARN FROM AND DO WELL IN THIS COURSE

Read with energy, interest, and pleasure. Approach reading as an exchange of questions between yourself and the text. Mark up that book (forget about resale!).
Come to class prepared to engage with your texts, your colleagues, and me—that is, read the assigned works by the first date they are listed on the schedule and be ready to discuss them.
View your writing as a craft, a discipline, and a process. Begin writing assignments before you actually start writing the essay. Come into my office to discuss ideas, research, drafts, and rewrites. Also use your colleagues as readers and sources of feedback.
If you ever have questions or concerns about readings, assignments, grades, or anything else connected with the course, please feel free to consult with me about them. I enjoy talking with students, and I don't want anxiety or uncertainty about grades to interfere with your learning or enjoyment in the class.
If you have any disability, either temporary or permanent, that might affect your performance in this class, please let me know as soon as possible so that I may adapt materials or testing to provide for equitable participation. The UMD Access Center (8217) can also provide information and assistance.

CRITERIA FOR GRADES
A = excellent written work (essay, examinations): superb content and expression; perfect score on most daily writing exercises; informed, active participation in class discussions (no more than two absences).
B = superior written work—exceeds average, but room for improvement; 80-89% average on daily written exercises; informed, active participation in most class discussions (no more than 3 absences).
C = written work that meets average standards for UMD students, but some problems with content and/or expression; 70-79% average on daily writing exercises; informed, active participation in class discussions (no more than 4 absences).
D = significant problems with any or all course components (writing projects, examinations, daily writing exercises, participation in class discussions).
F = performance that does not meet minimum standards for state university students.
I = incompletes are given only in the following very limited circumstances: a student must directly contact the professor to request an "I"; no more than one or two weeks of class, or one or two assignments can have been missed; a student must already be in good standing; s/he must have a documented family or medical emergency; s/he must arrange a schedule with the professor for making up the missed work that is acceptable for both professor and student.

MINNESOTA STATE "TEACHING COMMUNICATION ARTS/LITERATURE" LICENSURE STANDARDS

STANDARD	EVIDENCE WITHIN THE CURRICULUM	EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING
12a: Research methods encompassing content;	Readings, lecture, practice of research methods, tour of and practice using text and online library resources, discussion of different types of research materials and online sources.	Library resources worksheet; annotated bibliography; peer-editing workshops; research paper; individual presentation to class and annotated handout on research findings. .
6c: tools of interpretation including literary devices, critical theories, and various methods of analysis, interpretation, presentation, and evaluation of literature;	Lecture, reading and class discussion of different literary and critical texts, theories, methods and devices; use of one theoretical approach in the research paper; group discussions of literary and critical texts; preparation of an individual presentation and handout; preparation with group of presentation on a novel using one critical approach.	Close textual analysis paper; research paper using critical theory; annotated bibliography commenting on critical essays related to research text; short in-class analytical and reader-response writings; midterm and final examinations; group presentation using critical theory.
6d: how to help students respond to, interpret, and evaluate texts in a variety of ways, including text-centered and reader-centered approaches.	Reading and discussion of literary texts; reading and discussion of critical essays about each text; small group activities; e-mail and online discussion; preparation of presentation on one novel and approach; preparation of individual presentation on research findings.	Presentation to class and formal lesson plan and handout for one critical text and approach; e-mails to class analyzing symbols within literary texts; short in-class analytical and reader-response writings responding to questions about assigned literary or critical readings; formal written responses using different critical approaches.

Click here for the Spring 2006 reading and assignment schedule.