Syllabus
English 6601 Methods of Research, Fall 2024
T 5:00-7:45 p.m., Arts & Sciences 353
Dr. Alex E. Blazer
478.445.0964
Office Hours: TR 11:00-12:15 p.m. and T 3:30-4:45 p.m., Arts & Sciences 330 and Microsoft Teams
The graduate catalog describes ENGL 6601 as "A survey of the research methods and bibliographical tools used in literary study."
The academic profile lists this course's topics, which will include, but are not limited to:
- Bibliographical description, history of the book, and scholarly editing;
- Methods of literary research, including reference sources, the various types of scholarly publications, online materials, etc.;
- Strategies for literary research, including evaluating sources, pursuing the research process, and preparing a properly documented research project.
As a result of taking this class, students will:
- Be able to understand the general principles of bibliography, including basic concepts of scholarly editing;
- Use various reference sources to find information on specific literary research topics;
- Pursue advanced research that attends to the validity of information sources and the quality of editions, and adheres to the conventions of current scholarly publication.
This section of research methods will review the history of the profession (Guillory's Professing Criticism), introduce the history of the book (Howard's The Book), learn practices and issues in scholarly editing (articles by Greetham, Kirschenbaum, and McGann), and practice the various broad categories of contemporary literary theory (Selden, Widdowson, and Brooker's A Reader's Guide to Contemporary Literary Theory). Students will research the textual issues and history of a literary work; review a recommended book on the history of the profession, the history of the book, textual scholarship, or survey of critical approaches; research and summarize a category of contemporary literary theory; and research and apply a category of contemporary literary theory to a literary text. Finally, MA students will propose a potential masters thesis and MFA students will propose a potential journal article.
This course fulfills one of the four 6000-level graduate seminar requirements in the MA in English degree as well as the 6000-level non-MFA graduate seminar requirement in the MFA in Creative Writing degree.
required (Amazon or GCSU Bookstore)
Guillory, Professing Criticism: Essays on the Organization of Literary Study
Howard, The Book: The History of a Technology
Selden, Widdowson, and Brooker, A Reader's Guide to Contemporary Literary Theory, 6th ed.
required (miscellaneous locations)
recommended (Amazon)
Abbott, An Introduction to Bibliographical and Textual Studies
Barry, Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory, 4th ed.
Borsuk, The Book
Eagleton, Literary Theory: An Introduction
Fraistat and Flanders, eds., The Cambridge Companion to Textual Scholarship
Graff, Professing Literature, Twentieth Anniversary ed.
Guillory, Cultural Capital: The Problem of Literary Canon Formation
McComiskey, English Studies: An Introduction to the Discipline(s)
Miller, The Evolution of College English: Literary Studies from the Puritans to the Postmoderns
MLA Handbook, 9th ed.
MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing, 3rd ed.
Nicholls, Introduction to Scholarship in Modern Languages and Literatures
North, Literary Criticism: A Concise Political History
Ryan, Literary Theory: A Practical Introduction, 3rd ed.
Tanselle, Bibliographical Analysis: A Historical Introduction
Tyson, Critical Theory Today: A User Friendly Guide, 4th ed.
Assignments and Grade Distribution
Textual Scholarship Annotations, 5%
You will annotate two or three sources that examine the textual issues, publication history, or readership history in a work selected by the class.
Book Review, 20%
You will summarize and evaluate, in writing and presentation, one of our course's recommended books.
Theory Presentation, 25%
You will lead the class in a discussion one contemporary literary theory with the help of a 10 source annotated bibliography of theoretical sources that founded and/or developed the approach.
Critical Application, 25%
You will lead the class in a discussion of a work of literature applying one contemporary literary theory, with the help of a 10 source annotated bibliography of critical sources discussing the text.
Research Proposal, 25%
You will conduct research for a potential masters thesis, journal article, or research funding by composing a 20 source annotated bibliography, 2-3 page summary of findings, and 3-4 page research proposal.
Technology
We will use the course site for the syllabus schedule and assignment prompts; supporting documents include an attendance record, a course grade calculation spreadsheet, FAQ, a GeorgiaVIEW walkthrough, a guide to literary analysis, a research methods guide, and paper templates. We will use GeorgiaVIEW for assignment submission and the course packet; if you experience technical issues with GeorgiaVIEW, contact the Center for Teaching and Learning at ctl@gcsu.edu or 478.445.2520. Check your university email for course-related messages. Use an online backup or cloud storage service to not only save but also archive versions of your work in case of personal computer calamities.
Attendance
Because this liberal arts course values contemporaneous discussion over fixed lecture, regular attendance is required. In courses that meet one day per week, such as ENGL 6601, there will be a one letter final grade deduction for every unexcused absence beyond two; furthermore, any student who misses four or more classes for any reason (excused or unexcused) will be dropped from the course and fail. In courses that meet two days per week, such as GC1Y 1000, there will be a one letter final grade deduction for every unexcused absence beyond three; furthermore, any student who misses seven or more classes for any reason (excused or unexcused) will be dropped from the course and fail. In courses that meet three days per week, such as ENGL 2130, there will be a one letter final grade deduction for every unexcused absence beyond six; furthermore, any student who misses ten or more classes for any reason will be dropped from the course and fail. I suggest you use your skip days both cautiously and wisely; and make sure you sign the attendance sheets. Habitual tardies, consistently leaving class early, texting, and web surfing will be treated as absences. Unexcused absences include work, family obligations, and scheduled doctor's appointments. Excused absences include family emergency, medical emergency, religious observance, and participation in a college-sponsored activity. Do not attend class while symptomatic or testing positive for COVID-19. During isolation, retrieve class notes from a classmate and consult with me about make up work. Absences due to isolation will be considered excused if appropriate documentation from Student Health Services or Academic Advising is provided. If you continue to test positive after the date the university gave you for an excused absence, your positive test counts as an excused absence. If you have a medical condition, extracurricular activity, or job that you anticipate will cause you to miss more than four days of class, I suggest you drop this section. The university absence policy can be found here. You can check your class attendance record here.
MLA Style and Length Requirements
Part of writing in a discipline is adhering to the field's style guide. While other disciplines use APA or Chicago style, literature and composition follows MLA style. Assignments such as in-class exams, discussion board responses, informal/journal writing, and peer review may be informally formatted; however, formal assignments and take-home exams must employ MLA style. One-third of a letter grade will be deducted from a formal paper or take-home exam for problems in each of the following three categories, for a possible one letter grade deduction total: 1) margins, header, and heading, 2) font, font size, and line-spacing, and 3) quotation and citation format. A formal paper or take-home exam will be penalized one-third of a letter grade if it does not end at least halfway down on the minimum page length (not including Works Cited page) while implementing 12 pt Times New Roman font, double-spacing, and 1" margins. Each additional page short of the minimum requirement will result in an a additional one-third letter grade penalty. Before you turn in a formal paper, make sure your work follows MLA style by referring to the MLA style checklist. Feel free to use these templates that are preformatted to MLA style.
Late Assignments
We're all busy with multiple classes and commitments, and adhering to deadlines is critical for the smooth running of the course. There will be a one letter assignment grade deduction per day (not class period) for any assignment that is turned in late. I give short extensions if you request one for a valid need at least one day before the assignment is due. I will inform you via email if I cannot open an electronically submitted assignment; however, your assignment will be considered late until you submit it in a file I can open. Because your completion of this course's major learning outcomes depends on the completion of pertinent assignments, failing to submit an assignment that is worth 15% or more of the course grade within five days of its due date may result in failure of the course. Failing to submit a final exam or final paper within two days of its due date may result in failure of the course.
Academic Honesty
The integrity of students and their written and oral work is a critical component of the academic process. The Honor Code defines plagiarism as "presenting as one's own work the words or ideas of an author or fellow student. Students should document quotes through quotation marks and footnotes or other accepted citation methods. Ignorance of these rules concerning plagiarism is not an excuse. When in doubt, students should seek clarification from the professor who made the assignment." The Undergraduate Catalog and Graduate Catalog define academic dishonesty as "Plagiarizing, including the submission of others’ ideas or papers (whether purchased, borrowed, or otherwise obtained) as one’s own. When direct quotations are used in themes, essays, term papers, tests, book reviews, and other similar work, they must be indicated; and when the ideas of another are incorporated in any paper, they must be acknowledged, according to a style of documentation appropriate to the discipline" and "Submitting, if contrary to the rules of a course, work previously presented in another course," among other false representations. As plagiarism is not tolerated at GCSU, "since the primary goal of education is to increase one's own knowledge," any student found guilty of substantial, willful plagiarism or dishonesty may fail the assignment and the course. This course uses plagiarism prevention technology from TurnItIn. The papers may be retained by the service for the sole purpose of checking for plagiarized content in future student submissions.
Writing Center
Writing consultants will work with any student writer working on any project in any discipline. To learn more about Writing Center locations, hours, scheduling, and services, please visit here. Send questions to writing.center@gcsu.edu.
Required Syllabus Statements
Additional statements regarding the Religious Observance Policy, Assistance for Student Needs Related to Disability, Student Mental Health, Student Rating of Instruction Survey, Academic Honesty, Student Use of Copyrighted Materials, Electronic Recording Policy, Academic Grievance or Appeals, and Fire Drills can be found here.
- Linked readings are available in the GeorgiaVIEW course packet; readings without links are available in the physical book by the selection's author.
- This schedule is subject to change.
Week 1 |
T, 8-20 |
|
Week 2 |
T, 8-27 |
Guillory, Professing Criticism, 105-246 Howard, The Book, vii-54 |
Week 3 |
T, 9-3 |
Guillory, Professing Criticism, 247-388 Howard, The Book, 55-112 |
Week 4 |
T, 9-10 |
Greetham, "A History of Textual Scholarship" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
Week 5 |
T, 9-17 |
Greetham, "Finding the Text: Enumerative and Systematic Bibliography" (GeorgiaVIEW) Greetham, "Evaluating the Text: Textual Bibliography" (GeorgiaVIEW) Greetham, "Criticizing the Text: Textual Criticism" (GeorgiaVIEW) Greetham, "Editing the Text: Scholarly Editing" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
|
T, 9-24 |
Kirschenbaum and Reside, "Tracking the Changes: Textual Scholarship and the Challenge of the Born Digital" (GeorgiaVIEW) McGann, "Coda: Why Digital Textal Scholarship Matters; or, Philology" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
Week 7 |
T, 10-1 |
Selden, 1 New Criticism, Moral Formalism, and F. R. Leavis, 9-20 Selden, 2 Russian Formalism and the Bakhtin School, 21-34 Moore, Watchmen |
Week 8 |
T, 10-8 |
Selden, 3 Reader-Oriented Theories, 35-49 Selden, 4 Structuralism, 49-68 Poe, "Annabel Lee" |
Week 9 |
T, 10-15 |
No Class: Fall Break |
Week 10 |
T, 10-22 |
Selden, 5 Marxism, 69-99 Selden, 6 Psychoanalysis, 100-12 Breaking Bad (2008-2013) Shelley, Frankenstein |
Week 11 |
T, 10-29 |
Selden, 7 Feminism, 113-40 Selden, 11 Gay, Lesbian, and Queer Theories, 224-46 Halloween (1978) Shakespeake, As You Like It |
Week 12 |
T, 11-5 |
Selden, 8 Poststructuralism, New Historicism, and Cultural Materialism, 141-78 Selden, 9 Postmodernism, 179-98 Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray Spiegelman, Maus |
Week 13 |
T, 11-12 |
Selden, 10 Postcolonialism, Race, and Ethnicity, 199-23 Selden, 14 World Literature and Digital Humanities, 280-93 |
Week 14 |
T, 11-19 |
Selden, 12 Post-Theory, 247-61 Selden, 13 Ecocriticism, Animal Studies, Thing Theory, 262-79 Princess Mononoke (1997) |
Week 15 |
T, 11-26 |
|
Week 16 |
T, 12-3 |
|
Finals |
T, 12-10 |