ENGL 801 "Introduction to Graduate Studies"

Fall 2024 ~ Tuesdays, 7:05-8:45 p.m. CT and asynchronous 

Schedule of Classes | Online Discussion

 
Professor Karin Westman
108B English/ Counseling Services; 532-2171
Office Hours: M, W 9:00-10:00 a.m. and by app't
westmank@ksu.edu

 

Required Texts
Shelley, Frankenstein. 1818. Norton Critical Edition. 3rd ed. (2021)
Parker, How to Interpret Literature, 4th Ed. (2020)
Graff and Birkenstein, "They Say / I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing (2021)
Gibaldi, MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 9th Ed. (2021)
Cayley, Thriving as a Graduate Writer: Principles, Strategies, and Habits for Effective Academic Writing (2023)
Film: Vertigo (1958) | Additional book: Tan, The Arrival (2006)
Additional readings available on Canvas.


Course Description
As the catalog explains, ENGL 801 provides a foundation for the M.A. in English, serving as an intensive introduction to "the methods and aims of advanced-level research and scholarship in language and literature." We will read and talk about literary periods, literary genres, current conversations in English studies, and various kinds of texts.


Course Modality: We will meet in a HyFlex modality, with some enrolled in person and some enrolled online via Zoom. On Tuesday evenings (7:05-8:45pm), we will meet synchronously. For the balance of each week’s work, you will complete an asynchronous activity (due by 11:59pm on Fridays).


Course Objectives

ENGL 801 is designed to help you develop the following skills:


Class Participation: Given the learning outcomes for ENGL 801, this class will foreground discussion. Class participation is therefore expected and will count for 20% of your final grade. This portion of your grade includes your contributions to our discussions in class (in large and small groups) and to our asynchronous online discussions (further information below). Your goal is to be an active presence in the class: you should complete the reading assigned for each class session, think carefully about what you have read, and be ready to share your ideas -- in class and online.



Attendance: Your attendance is important, but I recognize that the unexpected will happen, especially during the ongoing pandemic. If you miss more than one class session, please contact me, so we can discuss your progress and identify the best path forward.


Online Discussions: As part of your class participation and to practice informal analytical writing, each week, each student is required to post at least one paragraph-length comment about the materials we're reading and discussing in class. These posts are intended to help you do the following:
I will read these discussions and assess a grade (at the end of the semester) based on the thoughtfulness of your comments, their ability to foster discussion among your classmates, their responsiveness both to our readings, and their ability to "translate" scholarly discussions for a general audience. I'll provide some weekly question prompts as I follow these conversations, and I may also participate, but I see the message board primarily as a way for you to raise issues we haven't addressed -- or addressed fully or to your satisfaction -- during our regular class meetings. I will offer models of successful comments early in the semester.


Writing Assignments: ENGL 801 is predominately a skills class, so you will be practicing various writing skills over the course of the semester. Writing assignments will include the following:



Reserve, Online, and Video Resources: Along with one required film, I will refer you to additional resources available on reserve at K-State Libraries, online, or on video to complement our readings and discussions.


Conferences: I want you to succeed in this course, and I am happy to meet with you about your work and your progress. I encourage you to see me before writing assignments are due, or if you have questions about material we discuss in class. Please feel free to schedule a meeting during office hours (M, W 9:00-10:00 a.m. and by app't) or contact me by phone or email to meet in person, by phone, or on Zoom.


Email: I highly recommend email as a way of touching base with me about your work for the class -- a kind of virtual office hours. You can send me queries about readings, writing assignments, or anything else that could be handled with a quick exchange of messages. I check my email throughout the day, but please remember that I am not perpetually online.

Chat GPT/Generative AI: As with other forms of technology, it is likely true that Chat GPT and other Large Language Models (LLMs) that we are calling generative AI will have uses for research and writing practice. One of the central purposes of this class, however, is to help you practice and develop as a writer of graduate level work in English. At the core of that work is the principle that writing is a form of thought. It is one of the main ways that we work through our ideas, that we consider other sources, and that we engage, in detail, with texts of all different kinds. In other words, writing is a process and a method rather than a product. Given our goals, the use of Chat GPT or other AI technology detracts from the class’s purpose to help you develop as a writer and scholar. If there is a way in which you would like to use Chat GPT or AI as part of your writing process, you must meet with me first to discuss it. If such a use is approved, it must be cited in your work.

Honor Code: Kansas State University has an Honor System based on personal integrity, which is presumed to be sufficient assurance that, in academic matters, one's work is performed honestly and without unauthorized assistance. Undergraduate and graduate students, by registration, acknowledge the jurisdiction of the Honor System. The policies and procedures of the Honor System apply to all full and part-time students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate courses on-campus, off-campus, and via distance learning. The honor system website can be reached via the following URL: www.k-state.edu/honor. A component vital to the Honor System is the inclusion of the Honor Pledge which applies to all assignments, examinations, or other course work undertaken by students. The Honor Pledge is implied, whether or not it is stated: "On my honor, as a student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work." A grade of XF can result from a breach of academic honesty. The F indicates failure in the course; the X indicates the reason is an Honor Pledge violation.

Health and Wellness Statement: As your professor, I value your health and wellness. As an upper-level seminar, this course will require a substantial amount of work, and it will challenge you with both complex ideas and difficult texts. That said, learning requires balance between hard work, rest, and fun. Given these dynamics, I have structured the course and the work to provide a learning arc, but if you need extra time or are struggling with anything, please do let me know, and we can discuss accommodations. Some of our best thinking happens in the quiet and open time enabled by rest, so I want to make sure to provide at least some time to step back and reflect on our readings even as we keep pace with our explorations. If you are having any difficulties, you can always come to me, or seek out any of the university’s resources, which are there to provide help.

Students with Disabilities: At K-State it is important that every student has access to course content and the means to demonstrate course mastery. Students with disabilities may benefit from services including accommodations provided by the Student Access Center. Disabilities can include physical, learning, executive functions, and mental health. You may register at the Student Access Center (k-state.edu/accesscenter) or to learn more contact. If you are a student enrolled in campus/online courses through the Manhattan, Olathe, or Global campuses, contact the Student Access Center at accesscenter@k-state.edu, 785-532-6441; for K-State Polytechnic campus, contact Academic and Student Services at polytechnicadvising@ksu.edu or call 785-826-2974. Students already registered with the Student Access Center: please request your Letters of Accommodation early in the semester to provide adequate time to arrange your approved academic accommodations. Once SAC approves your Letter of Accommodation it will be e-mailed to you,  and your instructor(s) for this course.  Please follow up with your instructor to discuss how best to implement the approved accommodations.

Expectations for Student Conduct: All student activities in the University, including this course, are governed by the Student Judicial Conduct Code as outlined in the Student Governing Association By Laws, Article VI, Section 3, number 2. Students who engage in behavior that disrupts the learning environment may be asked to leave the class.
 

Mutual Respect and Inclusion in K-State Teaching and Learning Spaces: At K-State, faculty and staff are committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and supportive learning environment for students from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. K-State courses, labs, and other virtual and physical learning spaces promote equitable opportunity to learn, participate, contribute, and succeed, regardless of age, race, color, ethnicity, nationality, genetic information, ancestry, disability, socioeconomic status, military or veteran status, immigration status, Indigenous identity, gender identity, gender expression, sexuality, religion, culture, as well as other social identities.

Faculty and staff are committed to promoting equity and believe the success of an inclusive learning environment relies on the participation, support, and understanding of all students. Students are encouraged to share their views and lived experiences as they relate to the course or their course experience, while recognizing they are doing so in a learning environment in which all are expected to engage with respect to honor the rights, safety, and dignity of others in keeping with the K-State Principles of Community https://www.k-state.edu/about/values/community/.

If you feel uncomfortable because of comments or behavior encountered in this class, you may bring it to the attention of your instructor, advisors, and/or mentors. If you have questions about how to proceed with a confidential process to resolve concerns, please contact the Student Ombudsperson Office. Violations of the student code of conduct can be reported here https://www.k-state.edu/sga/judicial/student-code-of-conduct.html. If you experience bias or discrimination, it can be reported here https://www.k-state.edu/report/discrimination/

Wearing of Face Coverings: Kansas State University does not require masks while indoors on university property, including while attending in-person classes. For additional information and the latest on K-State’s face covering policy, see https://www.k-state.edu/covid-19/guidance/health/face-covering.html.


Statement Regarding Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Harassment: Kansas State University is committed to maintaining academic, housing, and work environments that are free of discrimination, harassment, and sexual harassment. Instructors support the University’s commitment by creating a safe learning environment during this course, free of conduct that would interfere with your academic opportunities. Instructors also have a duty to report any behavior they become aware of that potentially violates the University’s policy prohibiting discrimination, harassment, and sexual harassment (PPM 3010). 

If a student is subjected to discrimination, harassment, or sexual harassment, they are encouraged to make a non-confidential report to the University’s Office for Institutional Equity (OIE) using the online reporting form. Incident disclosure is not required to receive resources at K-State. Reports that include domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, should be considered for reporting by the complainant to the Kansas State University Police Department or the Riley County Police Department. Reports made to law enforcement are separate from reports made to OIE. A complainant can choose to report to one or both entities. Confidential support and advocacy can be found with the K-State Center for Advocacy, Response, and Education (CARE). Confidential mental health services can be found with Lafene Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). Academic support can be found with the Office of Student Life (OSL). OSL is a non-confidential resource. Academic support can be found with the Office of Student Life (OSL). OSL is a non-confidential resource. A comprehensive list of resources is available at https://www.k-state.edu/oie/resources.html. If you have questions about non-confidential and confidential resources, please contact OIE at equity@ksu.edu or (785) 532–6220


Statement of Copyright: Copyright 2024 as to this syllabus and all course materials and lectures. During this course students are prohibited from selling notes to or being paid for taking notes by any person or commercial firm without the express written permission of the professor teaching this course. In addition, students in this class are not authorized to provide class notes or other class-related materials to any other person or entity, other than sharing them directly with another student taking the class for purposes of studying, without prior written permission from the professor teaching this course

 
Grading:
Class Participation 20%
In-class 10% | Postings 10%
Two Abstracts 10%
Responses 15%
Paper #1 15%
Paper #2 30%
Annot. Biblio 5% | Abstract 5% | Paper 15% | Revision Plan 5%
Public Scholarship 10%


Schedule of Classes (Subject to change.)

Note: All assigned reading should be completed by the date listed.

[CP] = Online class pack, posted to Canvas 

[A] = Asynchronous class meeting

August T 20 Introduction to ENGL 801; Cayley, Thriving as a Graduate Writer (1-38) [CP]
The Profession: What's at Stake in Literary Studies?
  Altick, "Vocation" (3-13); Graff, "The Scholar in Society" (343-362) [CP]
   

F 23 [A]

 Robbins, "John Guillory's Nonalignment Pact"; Guillory, "We Cannot All be Edward Said"; Parry, “What’s Wrong with Literary Studies?”; Serpell, "The Banality of Empathy"; Zunshine, "Why Fiction Does It Better" [CP]
 
Close Reading, Ways of Reading
T 27 Wheatley, "On Being Brought From Africa to America"; Cowper, "The Negro's Complaint" [CP]; Parker, How to Interpret Literature: "New Criticism" (11-42); "Structuralism" (43-86); "Deconstruction" (87-113); "Reader Response" (354-378)
Response paper (2 pp.) on Wheatley due to Canvas by start of class
   

Young, "On Being Brought from Africa to America" from "Homage to Phillis Wheatley"; Parker, How to Interpret Literature: "Historicism and Cultural Studies" (268-296); Garber, Manifesto: "Historical Correctness: The Use and Abuse of History for Literature" (45-69) [CP]
W 28 Reminder: Meet the Track Heads for 1st Year graduate students, 3:30 p.m., ECS 231 and Zoom
 

F 30 [A]

 Rossetti, "Goblin Market" [CP]
September T 3 Rossetti, continued; one of the following chapters from Parker, How to Interpret Literature: "Psychoanalysis" (114-150); "Feminism" (151-190); "Queer Studies" (191-228); "Marxism" (229-267); "Postcolonial and Race Studies" (297-353); "Environmental Criticism and Disability Studies" (379-407)
Response paper (2 pp.) on Rossetti and your selected chapter due to Canvas by start of class
  W 4 Reminder: Graduate Committees and Writing Projects for 2nd Year graduate students, 3:30 p.m., Zoom
  F 6 [A] Entering the Conversation: "From Close Reading to Persuasive Argumentation."
Preparation for Paper #1 (4 pp.): Soyinka, "Telephone Conversation" (Option #1) and Atwood, "Spelling" (Option #2) [CP]; MLA Handbook, "Formatting Your Research Project," "Mechanics of Prose," and "Principles of Inclusive Language" (1-93); The MLA Style Center, "The Formatting of a Research Paper" [CP]; Gibaldi, MLA Handbook 7th Edition: "Thesis Statement" (42-3) [CP]; Graff and Birkenstein, "They Say / I Say"... (47-56; 107-148)
T 10 Soyinka, "Telephone Conversation"; Atwood, "Spelling" [CP]
Paper #1 (Option #1 and Option #2) due to Canvas by start of class with completed Self-Evaluation Form
F 13 [A] Shelley, Frankenstein (5-110)
T 17 Frankenstein (111-168);  from the 3rd Norton Critical Edition: Brantlinger, “The Reading Monster” (451-460); Mellor, from “Frankenstein, Racial Science, and the Yellow Peril” (483-491); Morton, “Frankenstein and Ecocriticism” (523-538). Also: Lepore, “The Strange and Twisted Life of ‘Frankenstein’” [CP]
F 20 [A] Entering the Conversation: "MLA International Bibliography and MLA Style."
MLA Handbook, "Documenting Sources: An Overview," "The List of Works Cited," and "Citing Sources in the Text" (95-286); Gibaldi, MLA Handbook, 7th edition: "Conducting Research" (8-30) [CP]; Guest Speaker: Sara Kearns, Academic Services Librarian
T 24 Entering the Conversation: "Finding the Critical Imperative" and "Writing an Abstract"
Graff and Birkenstein, "They Say / I Say"... (19-46); read and identify thesis claim and sub-claims of Rose, "Custody Battles: Reproducing Knowledge about Frankenstein" [CP]
 
Textual Scholarship and Scholarly Editing
  Textual editing of Frankenstein: from the 3rd Norton Critical Edition: Shelley, “Introduction to Frankenstein, Third Edition” (217-222); "From The Frankenstein Notebooks" (244-247); Robinson, "Texts in Search of an Editor: Reflections on The Frankenstein Notebooks and on Editorial Authority" (248-254); James, "Changes Between the 1818 and 1831 Editions of Frankenstein" (254-294); Mellor, "Choosing a Text of Frankenstein to Teach" (295-301)
U 26 Abstract of Clark, "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Protagonist" (245-268) [CP] due to Canvas by 11:59 p.m.
F 27 [A] Guest Speaker: Philip Nel, The Annotated Cat
Seuss, The Cat in the Hat and The Cat in the Hat Comes Back and The Lorax [CP]; brief annotation exercise due to Canvas.
October T 1 Guest Speakers: Greg Eiselein and Anne Phillips, Norton Critical Edition of Little Women; brief textual studies exercise due in class.
Guest Speaker: Abby Knoblauch: Young, "Should Writers Use They Own English?"; LeMesurier, "Winking at Excess: Racist Kinesiologies in Childish Gambino's 'This Is America'"; Fish, "What Should Colleges Teach?" [CP]
  F 4 [A] Guest Speaker: Mark Crosby, Blake Archive http://www.blakearchive.org/blake/
Kirschenbaum, "What is Digital Humanities and What's It Doing in English Departments?"; Benton, "Authoritative Online Editions" [CP]
 
Boundary Crossings (1): Genre
T 8 Children's Literature, Cross-Reading, and Audience: Clark, "Kiddie Lit in Academe" (149-157); Byatt, "Harry Potter and the Childish Adult"; Green, "Letter to the Editor"; Pullman, "Carnegie Medal Acceptance Speech"; Michals, "Essay on why English departments should teach and embrace young adult fiction"; Capshaw, "Digging Up Whiteness" [CP]
  Cobley, "Genre"; Murfin, "Genre"; Abrams, "Genre"; Goldman, from On Drama: Boundaries of Genre, Borders of Self (1-10); Rothman, "A Better Way to Think about the Genre Debate" [CP]
U 10 [A] Entering the Conversation: "Print and Online Resources for Scholarly Research"
Gibaldi, MLA Handbook, 7th edition, “Research and Writing” (1-50) and “Plagiarism” (51-61)
Paragraph-length description of selected research topic due to Canvas by 11:59 p.m CT.
F 11 No class -- Wildcat Pause Day
T 15 Cultural Studies and Film: Veritgo(1958); Mulvey, "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema"; Jackson, "The Invention of the Male Gaze"; Ravetto-Biagioli, "Veritgo and the Vertiginous History of Film Theory" (101-141); Greven, "The Dark Side of Blondeness: Vertigo and Race" (59-79) [CP]
F 18 [A] Entering the Conversation: "Interventions: Identifying Your Critical Imperative"
Graff and Birkenstein, "They Say / I Say"... (57-106); list of five scholarly resources (print or online, formatted in MLA style) for your proposed topic due in class.
T 22 Entering the Conversation: "Refining Your Focus and Developing Your Thesis Claim"
Abstract of and response to one scholarly article for your paper due in class
Redefining Realism and Representation: Le, "Love and Honor and Pity and Pride and Compassion and Sacrifice"; Thomas, from The Dark Fantastic; Díaz, “MFA vs. POC”; Grossman, Young, and Spahr, "Who Gets to Be a Writer?"; Muhammad, "Can Black Literature Escape the Representation Trap?"; Sinykin and So, "Has the DEI Backlash Come for Publishing?" [CP]
F 25 [A]

Entering the Conversation: "Writing an Abstract"
Writing Workshop: Draft abstract due to Canvas by 9:00 a.m. CT

  T 29 Shaun Tan, The Arrival (2006). Critical readings on The Arrival: Tan, from Viewpoint Magazine (2006), Buuck and Ryan, "Looking beyond the Scenes: Spatial Storytelling and Masking in Shaun Tan's The Arrival"; Koçak and Sarıkaya, "Graphic Polyphony in Shaun Tan's The Arrival"; Dudek, "Silent Sequences and Ontological Entanglement in Shaun Tan's The Arrival and Pat Grant's Blue" [CP]
Response on critical readings (2 pp.) due to Canvas by start of class.
November F 1 [A] Draft Abstract and Annotated Bibliography for Paper #2 due to Canvas by 11:59 p.m. CT
 

 

 Boundary Crossings (2): Literary Periods, Anthologies, and the Canon
  T 5 Entering the Conversation: "Integrating Other Voices into Your Argument" Bring working thesis claim for Paper #2 to class.
  Hayot, "Against Periodization"; Sehgal, "Is Amazon Changing the Novel?" [CP]
F 8 [A] Entering the Conversation: "Outlining and Drafting"
Writing Workshop: Your introduction with your thesis, your outline, and your "Works Cited"due to Canvas by 9:00 a.m. CT
T 12 Entering the Conversation: "Revising"
Writing Workshop: Bring your full paper and your "Works Cited" to class.
U 14 Paper #2 (10-12 pp.) and revised abstract due by 11:59 p.m. CT to Canvas with completed Self-Evaluation Form.
F 15 [A] "Roundtable: Reviews of The Longman Anthology of British Literature and The Norton Anthology of English Literature" (195-214); Morris, "Who Gets to Decide What's in the Canon?" [CP]
 

 

Speech Acts
T 19 Entering the Conversation: "Public Writing"
Dumitrescu, "What Academics Misunderstand about 'Public Writing'"; Gruner, "The Little Suffragist Doll: Cotton, White Supremacy, and Sweet Little Dolls"; Jaffee, "On the Great Exhibition"; Alexis, "Stop Using the Phrase 'Creative Writing'"; Nel, "Dancing on the Manhole Cover: The Genius of Richard Thompson"; Conniff, "What the Luddites Really Fought Against"; Roles, "Fraudulent Fruit in 'Goblin Market'" [CP]
Bring your "hook" for your Public Scholarship writing to class
F 22 [A] Entering the Conversation: “Preparing for a Conference Presentation”: Tobin, “How to Make the Most of an Academic Conference” [CP]. Guest speaker: Traci Brimhall. [CP]
Public Scholarship Writing due to Canvas by 11:59 p.m. CT
   
T 26 No Class -- Thanksgiving Break
F 29

No Class -- Thanksgiving Break
December T 3 Panel Presentation
Reflections on ENGL 801 and Literary Studies
  F 6

Revision Plan for Paper #2 due to Canvas by 11:59pm CT

  

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Department of English | Kansas State University
Email: westmank@ksu.edu
Last updated 18 August 2024