ENGL 321
The Study of Fiction

1. Catalog Entry

ENGL 321. The Study of Fiction
Three hours lecture (3).

Prerequisites: Completion of English general education requirements.

A study of fiction as a literary genre, with its own specific types and critical theories. General Education credit—Humanities.

2. Detailed Description of Content of Course

This course is intended to introduce students to fundamental components of narrative and to enhance their appreciation for the diversity of story types, styles, and traditions. Students will read a wide range of representative short stories and novels. In order to contextualize this primary material, secondary readings may include biographical, historical, and cultural sources.

3. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

ENGL 321 uses a wide variety of instructional strategies which may include any number of the following: lecture; discussion; web-enhanced instruction; collaborative group work; oral presentations; group-led discussions; informal writing activities such as in-class focused writing assignments, responsive logs, discussion questions; film and other audio-visual resources related to literary works, authors, and relevant contexts; library instruction to reinforce students’ information literacy and knowledge of available resources; peer writing groups for feedback on drafts of essays; individual or group conferences with the instructor for feedback on drafts of essays.

4. Goals and Objectives of Course

The fundamental goal of this course is to enhance students’ understanding of and appreciation for works of fiction. To that end, students who have successfully completed this course will be able to:

• identify and use a number of reading strategies to respond to and analyze works of fiction;
• identify the major components of a work of fiction: narrative point of view, characterization, dramatic structure, setting, theme, etc.;
• analyze how authors have blended those components to create an aesthetic whole;
• identify and use a number of literary critical strategies in the formal analysis of works of fiction;
• identify inter-textual connections, in both form and content, among works of fiction;
• access electronic and printed sources pertinent to the study of the assigned works and apply those sources to the close reading of primary texts.

5. Assessment Measures

ENGL 321 uses a variety of assessment measures, which may include a number of the following:

• informal writing activities such as readers’ logs and discussion questions;
• in-class oral presentations and group-led discussions;
• reading quizzes and examinations on the assigned readings; formal critical essays such as explication, analysis, comparison/ contrast;
• research projects on works, authors, or contexts relevant to the course;

creative options such as imitations or revisions or sequelization of any of the assigned works.

6. Other Course Information

NONE

7. Review and Approval