A2BK_UVOD Introduction to Literature

Faculty of Education
Autumn 2009
Extent and Intensity
0/0/12. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Ing. Mgr. Věra Eliášová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Hana Waisserová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Irena Přibylová, Ph.D.
Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: Jana Popelková
Prerequisites
It is expected the students are acquainted with basic literary theory and practice, required at the Maturita level.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to acquaint students with basic literary theory and and teach them how to use its tools in reading and analysis. The starting point will be provided by activities related to the definition of literature and the process and practice of reading. We will then proceed to more technical and practical instruments of literary theory, which assist better understanding and greater enjoyment of reading. Effective reading and writing skills would be treated as well (as such those involve drafting, rethinking, reshaping, reflecting, and rewriting). Students are expected to read and reflect on assigned readings, and will be assigned with a series of short informal assignments that develop ideas, reflect on and critique the selected texts.
Syllabus
  • 1. Paying Attention to Text (what is literature; close-reading technique, textual analysis)
  • 2. Asking Questions (analyzing and interpreting texts; literary communication; argumentation; participation in a debate)
  • 3. Critical Thinking (basic terms of literary theory, major trends in anglophone literary criticism)
  • 4. Writing About Literature (how to write research papers, issues of citation and plagiarism, major skills in the writing process such as developing ideas, outlining, drafting, organizing, arguing, comparing, contrasting)
Literature
  • Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. New York: MLA, 1984
  • Cuddon, J.A. Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms. Penguin Group, London: Penguin Books, 1991 (1977), ISBN 0-14-051227-6
  • Wellek, René, Austin, Warren. Teorie literatury. Olomouc: Votobia, 1996. (Wellek, Rene and Austin Warren. Theory of Literature. London, 1949.)
  • MEYER, Michael. The Bedford introduction to literature. New York: Bedford Books, 1987, xxv, 1782. ISBN 0-312-07115-9. info
Assessment methods
PLEASE NOTE: The course is hands-on, based on activities rather than lecturing. You are expected to work both for and in the sessions. Evaluation: in-class activities, response papers, mood-link-a, written test. The test will be based on the range of topics discussed in the lectures.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 12 hodin.
Teacher's information
http://moodlinka.ped.muni.cz/course/view.php?id=1643
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019, autumn 2020.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2009, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/autumn2009/A2BK_UVOD