Assignments

Participation (20%)
This class is conducted as a discussion seminar, therefore a close reading of the weekly texts is essential and active class participation is mandatory. This includes both the assigned novel and the supplementary material. It is important to note that I am more concerned about quality than quantity. You will be expected to make notes as you read and bring these to class, along with any questions you may have about the themes and ideas. Your engagement with the material will have a direct affect on your understanding of the concepts we are covering in this class.

Short writing assignments (10%)
During the semester you will write be expected to write 2-4 page book reviews of the first three assigned novels. These reviews should demonstrate your ability to use creative critique on the assigned text.

Critical Review (20%)
The critical review is a 5 page writing assignment that requires you to write a critical analysis in which you will summarize and evaluate a scholarly argument. You will select an article that connects to the theme of our class readings and provide a reasonable summary and interpretation of the article’s main argument.

Final Project Over Optional Novel (50%):
Presentation of Reading (20%)
You will create a 15-minute presentation that summarizes the main themes and ideas of the optional novel you choose. You will choose from one of four dates for your presentation. A document will be created in the shared Google Drive for you to sign up.

Research Paper: (30%)
You will write an 8-12 page final paper on your optional novel after submitting a 1 page research proposal and an annotated bibliography that contains at least five sources that may be helpful to your research.

Specific prompts will be provided for each of these assignments.