Syllabus

ENGL 4960 Internship, Fall 2025

ENGL 4970 Thesis, Fall 2025

MW 3:30-4:45 p.m., Arts & Sciences 338

4960 Internship

Director Confirmation

Ask your internship director to send me an email confirming your internship, or forward me such correspondence.

Journal

At various points in the semester, you will reflect on your internship experience by composing 1-2 page entries that summarize what you have done and consider the skills and ideas you have learned.

Director Evaluation

Ask your internship director to send me an email evaluating your performance, or forward me such correspondence.

Presentation

You will share your internship experience and reflections with the class in a 10 minute presentation. Sign up here.

Portfolio

You will create a portfolio comprised of resume, a 1 page cover letter, a 2 page reflection on your internship experience, and 3-6 internship artifacts such as memos, reports, articles, and so forth.

4970 Thesis

Topics and Outlines

In class on Wednesday, August 20, thesis students will participate in a brainstorming workshop designed to generate possible topics for their thesis.

 

Thinking about all of your literature and film classes taken so far, respond to the following questions.

  1. What subject matter was the most intellectually exciting to you?
  2. What subject matter was the most emotionally and psychologically exciting to you?
  3. What subject matter was the most philosophically, religiously, and ethically exciting to you
  4. What subject matter was the most culturally exciting to you?
  5. What subject matter was discussed in class but you still have deep and abiding questions about?
  6. What subject matter discussed in class did you ever think, "I want to take an entire class on this topic?"
  7. What subject matter did you write about in a paper but have much more to say about?
  8. What subject matter did you write about in a paper but want to conduct further research on?
  9. What subject matter did you love to read/watch and think about but never had the opportunity to write about in a class?

After reflecting for a few moments on your responses to questions 1-9, select one subject matter to delve into.

  1. What do you already know about it in terms of patterns and ideas?
  2. What have you already read about it in terms of patterns and ideas?
  3. What questions do you have about it in terms of patterns and ideas?
  4. What do you not know about it in terms of patterns and ideas that you've heard associated with it but don't yet fully understand?
  5. What other primary texts of literature or film do you already know you need to read or watch in order to better understand the subject matter?
  6. What other critical interpretations do you already know you need to read in order to better understand the subject matter?
  7. What do you want to read, learn, or experience about the subject matter?
  8. What are the theoretical approaches that you have already applied to the subject matter?
  9. What are the theoretical approaches that you would like to apply to the subject matter?

After reflecting on your responses to the previous questions, outline a standard five-paragraph essay.

  1. Introduction/Thesis
  2. Main Idea 1
  3. Main Idea 2
  4. Main Idea 3
  5. Conclusion

If the three main ideas are sufficiently complex and significant to merit 8-10 page interpretations and explications (complete with evidence and quotations from the primary texts, ideas and quotations from the secondary research, and theoretical underpinning), then you have a 25-40 page thesis.

 

On Monday, August 25, bring three topics and outlines to class for feedback regarding viability for a potential thesis; and submit the three topics and outlines to GeorgiaVIEW > Assignments > Thesis: Topics and Outlines at the end of the class period.

Proposal

After finalizing your topic, compose a proposal that briefly contextualizes your subject, summarizes the multipart argument of your planned thesis, and states the significance of your examination. The OWL provides further guidance about abstracts, which are, in essence, proposals written after the project has been completed.

 

On Wednesday, September 3, submit your 250 word thesis proposal to GeorgiaVIEW > Assignments > Thesis: Proposal.

 

After you have finalized your thesis, you will revise your proposal of what you planned to write into a abstract of what you did research and argue.

Annotated Bibliography

Compose a 15 source, MLA formatted annotated bibliography comprised of list of scholarly journal articles and scholarly book chapters found using University Library Research Methods. Each annotation should be approximately 100 words long and describe 1) the topic of scholarly discussion, 2) the main idea, meaning, or conclusion as it relates to the work of literature, and 3) how the source helps your understanding of the work of literature. The OWL provides additional strategies of summarization, evaluation, and reflection as well as sample annotations.

 

On Wednesday, September 10, submit your annotated bibliography to GeorgiaVIEW > Assignments > Thesis: Annotated Bibliography. You will receive feedback on the quality of research and annotations; and you may revise and resubmit the bibliography.

Work in Progress

At three points in the semester, you will share your work in progress with other thesis students and participate in a workshop designed to provide peer feedback and writing support.

You will share the origins, methodology, and key interpretations of your thesis with the class in a 10 minute presentation. Sign up here.

Thesis

On Thursday, December 11, you will submit your 25-40 page thesis and 250 word abstract to GeorgiaVIEW > Assignments > Thesis: Thesis.

 

© Alex E. Blazer 2025