Five-Year Review of General Education Courses
Department: _English______Course Prefix and Number: _Engl 341______
Course Title: _20th-Century American Fiction______
Instructor(s): _Peterson______
This form was completed by: _Gary Totten______
Date: _12/19/07______
Campus phone #: _1-7158______E-mail: ______
A. Is this course intended to be continued to be offered as a General Education course?
Yes: __X___No: _____
(If no, please delete the next three questions and progress to identifying how the
General Education outcomes selected for this course were met during the previous
five-year period.)
B. Will any of the General Education outcomes previously identified for this course
be deleted?Yes: _____No: __X___
If so, please identify the learning outcome(s) to be deleted: ______
C. Which General Education learning outcomes will be continued? ______
D. Will any General Education learning outcomes be added for this course?
Yes: _____No: __X___
If General Education learning outcomes are to be added, this form must be
accompanied by a “General Education New Course Template”.
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Outcome #1: (Students will learn to)
Communicate effectively in a variety of contexts and formats.
What methods of evaluation have been used to determine if, and how effectively, this outcome has been met?
Course writing assignments (one-page papers and discussion questions), course exams, and written and oral presentation of research project.
What assignments, test questions, and/or projects included in the attachments (and referenced in the rubric for Student Learning Outcome #1) have addressed this outcome?
The one-page papers utilizing (in at least three papers) a critical theory, short answer and essay responses on course exams, discussion questions, and the course research project.
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Outcome #6: (Students will learn to)
Integrate knowledge and ideas in a coherent and meaningful manner.
What methods of evaluation have been used to determine if, and how effectively, thisoutcome has been met?
Course exams, research project, and writing assignments (one-page papers and discussion questions).
What assignments, test questions, and/or projects included in the attachments (and referenced in the rubric for Student Learning Outcome #6) have addressed this outcome?
Short answer and essay questions from course exam, research project guidelines, discussion question guidelines, and one-page paper guidelines.
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If this course was previously approved for the Cultural Diversity or Global Perspectives category please provide a short description and examples of how this course has fulfilled, and will continue to fulfill, the following definitions:
Cultural Diversity: Cultural Diversity focuses on the personal, interpersonal, and social effects of students encountering the effects of differences among a variety of cultures.
This course includes multicultural and women authors, for example, Chester Himes and Susan Paretsky, and uses critical theory to investigate how various texts portray class, race and ethnicity, gender, and sexuality.
In such texts, students investigate the representation of culture and experience by women and people of color and also encounter and critique the dominant culture’s assumptions about gender and sexuality, socioeconomic status, and race and ethnicity. Students are introduced to critical theories emphasizing cultural diversity, such as cultural/new historical theory, feminism, and queer theory. Students also read scholarly articles discussing cultural diversity in course texts. Students are required to apply the critical theory and the ideas from the critical articles to their writing about and their study and discussion of course texts (see guidelines for one-page papers in the syllabus and questions on the attached Midterm Exam).
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Outcome 1
General Education Outcome 1: Communicate effectively in a variety of contexts and modes, using a variety of communication skills.
In order for a course to meet General Education Outcome 1, student products should be substantial and should constitute at least 50% of the course grade. The course must require that students produce at least three pieces in two of the following three categories: writing, oral presentations, or visual communication. Students should receive structured feedback and at least one revision should be required.
Communicate effectively in a variety of contexts
The student has demonstrated the ability to communicate effectively
1. For a variety ofpurposes(to inform/ persuade/ evaluate, etc.) / N/A No Somewhat Yes√Evidence:
Students complete writing assignments and answer exam questions that require them to communicate for a variety of purposes. For example, in their one-page papers, students must make a claim about a text, using a critical theory in at least three of these papers, and argue persuasively to support their claim (see description of one-page papers in the syllabus). On exams, students must explain their understanding of course texts and concepts; for example, question #3 on the open-book analytical short answer section of the attachedMidterm Exam asks students to evaluate whether new historical or cultural criticism best exemplifies the critical method of aparticular scholarly article, while questions #5 in the same section asks students to explain how feminist or psychoanalytic theory might be used to analyze relationships in Chandler’s The Big Sleep.
2. With different kinds of audiences (peers, public, individuals, groups, etc.) / N/A √ No Somewhat Yes
Evidence:
3. In different kinds of communication forums (dialogues, committees, public speeches, various publications, electronic communication [email, web pages], etc.) / N/A √ No Somewhat Yes
Evidence:
4. Using different kinds of formats (formal presentation, progress report, final report, news story, etc.) / N/A No Somewhat Yes √
Evidence:
Students are required to organize information into different formats. In their one-page papers, they are asked to formulate an argument in a standard academic essay (see description of one-page papers in the syllabus). In their research projects, they incorporate secondary sources into their scholarly argument, again in standard academic essay format (see attached Research Project guidelines), but they are then asked to organize that information into an oral presentation of the material, using either an interactive or discussion-based format (see attached Research Project Presentation guidelines).
5. Other. Please specify. / N/A √ No Somewhat Yes
Evidence:
Evidence= evidence from student activities in course; Revised 10/21/04; Expires 10/21/09;
Communicate effectively in a variety of modes
The student has demonstrated the ability to communicate effectively
1. Using oral communication / N/A No Somewhat Yes √Evidence:
Students are required to demonstrate effective oral communication, as part of a collaborative group, in the oral presentation of their research projects (see Research Project Presentation guidelines attached).
2. Using written communication / N/A No Somewhat Yes √
Evidence:
Students are required to demonstrate effective written communication in their one-page papers, in their written research projects (see Research Project guidelines attached), and on exam questions (see sample questions on attached Midterm Exam). Students must also demonstrate effective use of language in composing discussion questions that comply with the guidelines for crafting such questions (see attached Discussion Question guidelines).
3. Using visual communication (charts, graphs, illustrations, etc.) / N/A √ No Somewhat Yes
Evidence
4. Other. Please specify. / N/A √ No Somewhat Yes
Evidence:
Evidence= evidence from student activities in course; Revised 10/21/04; Expires 10/21/09;
Communicate effectively using a variety of skills
The student has demonstrated the ability to communicate effectively
1. Finding topics, arguments, and evidence appropriate for speech/written document/ situation / N/A No Somewhat Yes √Evidence:
In their one-page papers (see description of one-page papers in syllabus), students must find evidence in the primary texts to support their argument about the text. This evidence must also support the critical theory they are applying, in terms of content and methodology.
2. Organizing ideas in a coherent structure / N/A No Somewhat Yes √
Evidence:
In their one-page papers (see description of one-page papers in syllabus), students are required to organize their ideas into the coherent structure of a standard academic essay, with an introduction and thesis, body paragraphs of support, and a concluding paragraph.
3. Composing language effectively to convey meaning / N/A No Somewhat Yes √
Evidence
Students will need to compose language effectively into sentences and paragraphs to convey meaning (including explaining, persuading, and evaluating arguments) in all writing assignments, including one-page papers, research papers (both written and oral version), and on exams (see attached guidelines for Research Project/Presentation and sample Midterm Exam). Students must also use language effectively to compose appropriate discussion questions that avoid “yes/no” or rhetorical questions (see attached Discussion Question guidelines).
4. Employing an appropriate university-level vocabulary / N/A No Somewhat Yes √
Evidence
Students must employ appropriate university-level vocabulary on all writing assignments. As a specific example, they must learn and be able to use the university-level vocabulary of various critical theories (including cultural/new historical criticism, feminist theory, or queer theory) in their one-page papers and on exams (for example, see the last question regarding queer theory on in-class essay portion of the attached Midterm Exam).
5. Demonstrating the grammar, spelling, usage, mechanics, and structure of standard English / N/A No Somewhat Yes √
Evidence
As with any college-level writing assignment, all writing assignments in this course require students to demonstrate an understanding and the proper use of grammar, spelling, usage, mechanics, and structure of standard English.
6. Presenting the text or speech effectively as finished product or performance / N/A √ No Somewhat Yes
Evidence
7. Other. Please specify. / N/A √ No Somewhat Yes
Evidence:
Evidence= evidence from student activities in course; Revised 10/21/04; Expires 10/21/09;
Outcome 6
Outcome 6: Integrate knowledge and ideas in a coherent and meaningful manner.
Integrate knowledge and ideas in a coherent manner.
The student has demonstrated the ability to
1. Identify and organize information relevant to a question or issue. / N/A No Somewhat Yes √Evidence:
On course exams, students must identify and organize information relevant to questions relating to course content. For example, see the second to last question in the in-class essay question of the Midterm Exam (attached), which asks students to use cultural theory to identify and organize information allowing them to analyze various cultural discourses, such as capitalism, urbanization, or individualism, in course texts. Students are asked to provide specific textual details in their answers. In crafting discussion questions for the class, students must also identify information that is relevant to the issue they wish to ask about and to organize it in a way that avoids merely asking class members to perform “information retrieval” or to “guess the right answer” (see attached Discussion Questions guidelines).
2. Synthesize information to address a question or issue from a variety of sources (such as personal observation, scholarly journals, monographs, electronic media). / N/A √ No Somewhat Yes
Evidence:
3. Integrate a variety of perspectives and points of view to address a question or issue. / N/A No Somewhat Yes√
Evidence:
In their one-page papers, students must integrate their own point of view with theoretical perspectives such as cultural/new historical criticism, feminist theory, psychoanalytic theory, or queer theory to address the question of meaning and interpretation in course texts (see description of one-page papers in syllabus).
4. Other. Please specify. / N/A √ No Somewhat Yes
Evidence:
Evidence= evidence from student activities in course; Revised 10/21/04; Expires 10/21/09;
Integrate knowledge and ideas in a meaningful manner.
The student has demonstrated the ability to
- Identify significant patterns
Evidence:
- Identify significant patterns
Evidence:
3. Evaluate the significance of various points of view and perspectives relevant to a question or issue. / N/A No Somewhat Yes√
Evidence:
Students must evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various scholars’ perspectives and arguments as they complete the Research Project (see Research Projectguidelines, attached). In incorporating these critical views into their own papers, students would need to judge the significance of the authors’ points of view and perspectives relative to the text under discussion. Students’ ability to evaluate the significance of the information they encounter is apparent in the detail and persuasiveness of the argument that they present in their papers.
4. Integrate information to gain new insights relevant to a question or issue. / N/A No Somewhat Yes√
Evidence:
In their oral presentations of their research, students must integrate information in a way that allows them, and the class as a whole, to gain new insights relevant to the issue upon which they are presenting and how it informs specific class texts. In preparing this presentation, students must integrate their own interpretations of a text, their understanding of theoretical, cultural, and aesthetic information presented in the critical articles, and the interpretation of that information offered by the author of the critical article, in order to demonstrate how they (the students) are engaging in a dialogue with the scholarly discourse of the discipline (see Research Project Presentation guidelines, attached).
5. Integrate perspectives and points of view to gain new insights relevant to a question or issue. / N/A No Somewhat Yes√
Evidence:
In their one-page papers, students must adopt the perspectives and points of view of various critical theories, in relation to the interpretation of course texts, and use these perspectives to convey new insights about the texts (see the description of the one-page papers in the syllabus).
6. Other. Please specify. / N/A √ No Somewhat Yes
Evidence
Evidence= evidence from student activities in course; Revised 10/21/04; Expires 10/21/09;
ENGLISH 341: TWENTIETH-CENTURY FICTION
SPRING 2007
Department Office: 320 Minard / 413B FLC
My Office: 320G Minard / Course #: 10866
My Phone: 701.231.7156 / 3 credits
Email:
Office Hours: TR 9.30-10.30, by appointment
Required Course Materials
- Auster, Paul. The New York Trilogy (City of Glass).
- Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep.
- Collins, Max Allan. Road to Perdition.*
- Hammett, Dashiel. The Maltese Falcon.
- Himes, Chester. Cotton Comes to Harlem.
- Highsmith, Patricia. Strangers on a Train.
- Mosley, Walter. Devil in a Blue Dress.
- Paretsky, Sara. Indemnity Only.
- Tyson, Lois. Critical Theory Today. 2nd ed.
- Other material, distributed in class, through Blackboard or Docutek, as appropriate.
- A grammar/style/citation handbook (with MLA citation information) and a dictionary, if you don’t have these materials already. A personal stapler.
- Funds for printing, photocopying, and/or DVD rentals.
*Road to Perdition is not yet available; I am trying to secure enough copies for the class and/or to put on reserve.
Course Description & Objectives
This course is approved as one of NDSU's A (Humanities) courses.
Catalogue Description: Selected fiction reflecting social, psychological, and literary trends in the 20th century. Includes multicultural and women authors, as well as experimentations in genre.
This section of English 341 takes as its unifying principle the investigation of the predominance of crime fiction in literary, popular, and visual texts examined within English Studies. The course focuses on recurring themes and issues found in these various texts which may also be classified, stylistically, as noir. To this end, the course uses critical theory to investigate how various texts portray class, race and ethnicity, gender, and sexuality.
Learning Objectives:
(General)
- Practice skills of analysis, evaluation, and interpretation. Provide opportunities to express analytical thinking as written and oral communication. Recognize elements of narrative (e.g. plot, setting, character, theme, point of view, symbol, and style) and their function in select texts.
- Develop a critical vocabulary for the critical study of literature and apply relevant theoretical approaches.
- Understand major developments in the American narratives—prose and visual—in the twentieth century. Consider the historical, cultural, and artistic influences on American literary and visualtexts. Recognize the diverse perspectives presented in literature.
(For this specific section)
- To gain perspective on the development of crime fiction and film in the U.S. and trace that development from its classic period in the 1930s and 1940s to the present.
- To see how popular American crime and fiction and film has often provided a medium for articulating anxieties and questions about class, race, and gender in U.S.culture. More generally, to develop an understanding of the ways in which popular fiction and film participate in cultural discourses.
General Education Outcomes:
The following General Education outcomes will be met through a research project and presentation.
- Outcome One: Communicate effectively in a variety of contexts and formats.
- Outcome Two: Locate and use information for making appropriate personal and professional decisions.
- Outcome Six: Integrate knowledge and ideas in a coherent and meaningful manner.
English Department Outcomes:
English Department outcomes will be introduced through lectures and practiced in group work and through discussion. Students skills in these areas will assessed primarily though an exam, written work, and a research project and presentation.
- Outcome Two: English majors will be able to read (analyze, interpret, critique, evaluate) written and visual texts.
- Outcome Five: English majors will be familiar with a variety of theoretical lenses, learning to recognize them at the 200-level and learning to use them by the 400-level.
COURSE POLICIES
Academic Conduct: All interactions in the course should be civil and show respect for others. Student conduct at NDSU is governed by the Code of Student Behavior: <
ADA/Students with Special Needs
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, I encourage students with disabilities or special needs and who require special accommodations to contact me as soon as possible so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
Attendance: Important parts of the work for this course will be done in groups and discussion, including explanation/application of terms and concepts which will be used to illuminate course texts. This means your consistent, engaged presence is important to your success and to that of the class as a whole.