Faculty Resources

Sophomore Literature

Preamble

Sophomore literature is not a survey of national or international literatures.

Justification:

National and international surveys and introductions are the goals of specific 3000-level courses (3340, 3351, 3352, 3361, 3362) designed primarily for English majors. The sophomore literature courses (with the exception of 2350) are designed primarily for non-English majors. They make no pretense of extensive "coverage."

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Goals

  • 1. To encourage students to see that literary studies matter and to foster enjoyment of literature, as students engage with ideas and beliefs in ways that extend beyond the English classroom.
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  • Justification:
  • Sophomore literature serves a different population than many other English courses. Because most students taking sophomore literature are not English majors, and may not take another English course at UTA, these courses provide students with what may be their only exposure to literary studies. One positive outcome might be to get interested students to reconsider the options of majoring or minoring in English. But equally important, sophomore literature is an opportunity to make students pursuing other majors aware that literary studies are relevant to personal, social, and political life.
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  • Implementation:
    1. From an anthology, separate paperbacks, course packet or combination of these, select engaging readings that raise significant aesthetic, cultural, and / or social issues.
    2. (Optional) Organize the course around a significant theme or question designed to engage the students.
    3. Assign note-card, journal, or response-paper writing assignments that ask students to relate relevant sections of (a) reading(s) to their beliefs and experiences.
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    5. None of these activities would be counted toward the 10 page (2,500 word) writing assignment.
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  • 2. To help students recognize that literature does not occur as isolated literary events, but as complex dialogue within cultural and historical contexts.
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  • Justifications:
  • Considering how literature is affected by social/political concerns within a culture--such as author's ideology and audience expectations--will improve students' critical thinking skills and help them to reach beyond surface-level meaning. (Note: Although establishing a cultural context is one of the goals, the emphasis is on the literature; there is no pretense of offering a thorough study of the culture.)
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  • Implementation:
    1. Introduce cultural and historical contexts for each work studied; these introductions may be presented in lectures, readings, or Web sites or a combination of these, which may be followed by class or group discussion. The context material may include relevant material on events, values, social movements, and non-print culture forms (e.g., painting. music, photography, film, TV, the Internet).
    2. Students will demonstrate an awareness of the importance of historical and cultural contexts in the construction and/or reception of (a) literary text(s) through written analyses (e.g., examinations, writing assignments)
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  • 3. To develop students' ability to read critically by studying a variety of literary elements such as form, structure, and style.
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  • Justification:
  • Sophomore literature builds upon and extends the critical reading skills introduced in 1301 and 1302. By familiarizing students with an awareness of different genres and some elements of literature, we provide them with additional vocabulary and tools to enhance their ability to read critically.
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  • Implementation:
    1. Include at least three genres of literature*
    2. Include at least six authors*
    3. Students will demonstrate an awareness of the importance of elements such as form, structure, and style through written analyses (e.g., examinations, writing assignments).
    4. *2303 courses that focus on a particular genre do not have to fulfill these requirements.
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  • 4. To enable students to demonstrate their understanding of and their ability to analyze literary texts both orally and in writing.
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  • Justification:
  • UTA core curriculum requirements stress proficiency in written and oral communication. Preparation of written and oral assignments requires students to engage intellectually with texts and ideas and to articulate their thoughts, opinions, and judgments clearly and effectively, Furthermore, these assignments allow students to practice the oral and written presentation proficiencies that are valued by future employers.

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Implementation

Oral analyses:

This goal can be fulfilled in a variety of ungraded and/or graded activities that complement class discussions including, but not limited to, discussion of questions related to Goals 1, 2, and/or 3 in the forms of: small-group discussions, panel or skit presentations followed by discussion, or individual presentations followed by discussion.

Written analyses:

  • In-class writing:
    1. At least two examinations, each of which must include one question relating to Goals 1, 2, and/or 3 that requires at least a 1-3 page essay (250-750 words).
    2. (Optional) Other forms of in-class writing assignments may include short-answer exams, free-writing exercises, note-card responses, journal writing, short response essays, and close-reading analyses.
  • Out-of-class writing:
    1. A minimum of 10 pages (2,500 words) achieved through two or more assignments that relate to Goals 1, 2, and/or 3. These assignments may focus on one text or offer comparative analyses; they may focus exclusively on primary sources or require inclusion of critical sources. The writing requirement may be fulfilled in a variety of ways including: ten, five, or three short papers; or a five-page reader-response paper and a five-page close-reading or historical/cultural context paper.
    2. (Optional) Other forms of out-of-class writing assignments may include free-writing exercises, note-card responses, journal writing, response papers, and close-reading analyses.

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