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2008/09 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

ENGL3353 Classics of Short Fiction

20 creditsClass Size: 30

School of English

Module manager: Professor Graham Huggan
Email: G.D.M.Huggan@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2008/09

This module is not approved as an Elective

Objectives

On completion of the module, students will possess an increased knowledge of the thematic orientations and formal properties of short fiction in the period from the mid nineteenth century to the present. Students will also have augmented their critical and analytical skills with respect to different kinds of short fiction, including the novella as well as the short story, and further devloped their skills in essay writing and oral presentation.

Learning outcomes
Students will have developed:
the ability to use written and oral communication effectively;
the capacity to analyse and critically examine diverse forms of discourse;
the ability to manage quantities of complex information in a structured and systematic way;
the capacity for independent thought and judgement;
critical reasoning;
research skills, including the retrieval of information, the organisation of material and the evaluation of its importance;
IT skills;
efficient time management and organisation skills;
the ability to learn independently.

Skills outcomes
Skills for effective communication, oral and written.
Capacity to analyse and critically examine diverse forms of discourse.
Ability to acquire quantities of complex information of diverse kinds in a structured and systematic way.
Capacity for independent thought and judgement.
Critical reasoning.
Research skills, including information retrieval skills, the organisation of material, and the evaluation of its importance.
IT skills.
Time management and organisational skills.
Independent learning.


Syllabus

Short fiction is often recognised by writers themselves as one of the most demanding of all literary forms; and yet until quite recently, it remained a critically neglected genre. The module will look at a wide selection of nineteenth- and twentieth-century classics in the genre, running these off against an equally broad range of critical approaches and theories, and paying particular attention to related matters of context, theme and form. While most of the texts to be considered were written originally in English, some attention will also be given to translated works that have had a considerable impact on Anglo-American traditions, for example the surrealist fables of E.T.A. Hoffmann and Franz Kafka, or the metaphysical detective stories of Jorge Luis Borges. The primary texts will be arranged in such a way as to encourage comparative thinking, e.g. along lines of sub-genre (the fantastic tale, the imperial yarn, the modernist short story), while some consideration will also be given to connections between different stories within a specified collection (the short story sequence or cycle) and to longer versions (the novella) of the short form.

One unassessed essay of 1700 words is required. This does not form part of the assessment for this module, but is a requirement and MUST be submitted. Students who fail to submit the unassessed essay will be awarded a maximum mark of 40 for the module (a bare Pass).

Teaching methods

Delivery typeNumberLength hoursStudent hours
Meetings51.005.00
Seminar101.0010.00
Private study hours185.00
Total Contact hours15.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)200.00

Private study

Teaching will be through weekly seminars (10 x 1 hour) plus up to 5 additional hours (content to be determined by the module tutor). The 5 additional hours may include lectures, plenary sessions, film showings, or the return of unassessed/assessed essays.

Private Study: Reading, seminar preparation and essay writing.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Contribution to seminars
1 x 1,700 word unassessed essay

Methods of assessment


Coursework
Assessment typeNotes% of formal assessment
Essay4,000 words100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)100.00

One unassessed essay of 1700 words is required. This does not form part of the assessment for this module, but is a requirement and MUST be submitted. Students who fail to submit the unassessed essay will be awarded a maximum mark of 40 for the module (a bare Pass).

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 24/04/2008

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