Schedule (updated March 30)

Introductions

1/21

In Class: Course introduction, syllabus review, poetry discussion, brief introduction to "Is There a Text in This Class?" by Stanley Fish

What is English Studies?

1/26

Reading: "Is There a Text in This Class?" by Stanley Fish
In Class: No class meeting due to weather, complete written activity prior to 1/18 class (distributed via email)

1/28

Reading: Re-read "Is There a Text in This Class?" by Stanley Fish and complete activity
In Class: Lecture and discussion

Linguistics

2/2

Reading: What Language Is by John McWhorter (Introduction)
In Class: Workshop to prepare discussion of McWhorter

2/4

In Class: Guest Speaker - Professor Rich Epstein, student-led discussion of McWhorter

Rhetoric

2/9

Reading: "How Many 'Rhetorics?'" by Wayne Booth
In Class: Workshop to prepare discussion of Booth

2/11

In Class: Student-led discussion of Booth

"Catch Up" Week

2/16 (No class meeting)

Reading:

• Humanities Graduates Can Find a Great Job. It’s Time to Make This Fact Known.
• College majors with the best and worst job prospects — art history beats finance
• The rise of the English major: BlackRock COO wants to recruit liberal arts analysts that ‘have nothing to do with finance or technology’

2/18

In Class: Discussion and activity addressing the value of degrees in English and other humanities fields

Composition Studies

2/23

Reading: "Learning the Uses of Chaos" by Anne E. Berthoff
In Class: Workshop to prepare discussion of Berthoff

2/25

In Class: Student-led discussion of Berthoff

Communication

3/2

Reading: "Foundations of Communication Theory" by Littlejohn, et. al.
In Class: Workshop to prepare discussion of Littlejohn et. al.

3/4

In Class: Guest Speaker - Professor Allison Page, student-led discussion of Littlejohn et. al.

Exam Week

3/9

Reading: Review readings and all other materials
In Class: Exam Review Session

3/11

Exam 1

3/16 - 3/18 Spring Break

Literary Studies

3/23

Reading: Literary Analysis: The Basics by Celena Kusch (introduction), Severance through page 50
In Class: Workshop to prepare discussion of Kusch

3/25

Reading: Severance through page 100
In Class: Student-led discussion of Kusch

Literary Studies, Severance

3/30

Reading: Severance through page 200
In Class: Discussion of novel, practice with literary analysis

4/1

Reading: Finish Severance through page 250
In Class: Discussion of novel, in-class literary analysis activity

4/6

Reading: Finish Severance
In Class: Discussion of novel, in-class literary analysis activity

Film Studies

4/8

Reading: "Film Language and Elements of Style" from The Story of Movies
In Class: Slides, discussion, and activity/quiz

4/13

Reading: "Film Language and Elements of Style" from The Story of Movies
In Class: Slides, discussion, and activity/quiz

Literary and Cultural Studies

4/15

Reading: "Literary and Cultural Studies" by Jonathan Culler
In Class: Slides, discussion, and activity/quiz

4/20

Reading: "Literary and Cultural Studies" by Jonathan Culler
In Class: Slides, discussion, and activity/quiz

Creative Writing

4/22

Reading: "The Ecosystem of Story" by Jeff Vandermeer
In Class: Slides, discussion, and activity/quiz

4/27

Reading: "The Ecosystem of Story" by Jeff Vandermeer
In Class: Slides, discussion, and activity/quiz

Exam Week

4/29

Reading: Review readings and all other materials
In Class: Exam Review Session

5/4

Exam 2