English 304 English Literature, 1760 to Present Fall 2000 Syllabus

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Course:  Eng 304-01, MWF 11:30-11:20
Credit Hours:  3
Professor:  Dr Kevin Binfield
Office:  Faculty Hall 7B7
Office Hours:  MWF 0830-1030; M 1430-1630; W 1700-1800, 2100-2200 (and by appt.)
Office Phone:  762-4541
Email:  kevin.binfield@murraystate.edu
AOL Instant Messenger: ksbinfield (during workday)
ICQ: 46941900 (during workday)

Course Title:
English Literature, 1760 to Present

Course Description:
English literature from Burns to Thomas, with emphasis placed upon major writers.  This course is a continuation of ENG 303, but the latter is not a prerequisite.

Purpose:
The purpose of English 304 is to enable students, through studying works of British literature written between 1760 and the present, to read and write about that body of literature and to discuss its cultural milieu in a disciplined manner informed by a basic understanding of a variety of critical approaches and their methods.

Course Objectives:
By the end of this course, a diligent student should be able to
1) demonstrate an understanding of the Romantic, Victorian, and Twentieth-Century periods of British Literature;
2) be able to describe each period's primary characteristics, according to wide scholarly consensus;
3) demonstrate familiarity with each period's canonical authors and a representative sampling of their work;
4) be able to recognize and discuss intelligently the most important themes and techniques employed by the major authors during the various periods;
5) be able to apply basic techniques of literary interpretation to works in various genres in oral and written forms.

Prerequisites:
English 101 and 102 (or English 104) and Humanities 211 and 212; love of literature; curiosity; humility; good humor.

Instructional Activities:
Reading, writing, lecture, and both Socratic and student-guided discussion and queries will be the primary methods of instruction.  Most participative activities will emphasize critical thinking--identifying and resolving some problem regarding a particular work of literature, criticism, or theory.  Have regular and frequent access to the internet and your email account because any instructional method may be conducted electronically via email or the course homepage.  Writing will follow a process model, which entails drafts, revision, peer critiques, and sharing your paper at various stages with a group or with the class as a whole.

Laboratory and Other Activities:
You will be expected to view at least two film versions of literary works outside of ordinary classtime as assigned and to participate in small work group activities at times determined by your group.  You have the option to attend any student-led or professor-led review sessions.

Content Outline:
The course will be organized around four blocks--an introduction to periodization and literary genres and techniques, followed by studies of the Romantic, Victorian, and Twentieth-Century periods.

Course Requirements:
1) Two critical papers of four pages in length (25% each);
2) Mid-term examination (20%);
3) Final examination (30%).
One of the critical papers can be replaced by a major project or presentation, the details of which will be posted on the Projects page of the course website.

Grade Scale:
A=100-90, B= 89-80, C=79-70, D=69-60, E=59-0

Absence and Integrity Policies:
Each absence over four results in the subtraction of three points from the final course grade.  Every absence counts.  Missed in-class graded work may not be made up. If you miss an examination, the grade-weight for that exam will be made up by substituting a multiple of the grade-weights for the other coursework; however, no student may miss both the mid-term and final exams without failing the course.
Academic dishonesty will result in failure of the course and other sanctions imposed by the University. Consult the academic integrity policy posted on my office door.