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School of Humanities and Social Sciences
English
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Mission |
Outcomes |
Assessment |
Faculty |
Student Work |
Departmental Learning Goals and Objectives
Students will demonstrate the extent to which they have
satisfied the mission of the English program by assembling
portfolios that provide evidence for the attainment of each of
the following goals and their corresponding objectives. Courses
and experiences that provide primary opportunities to fulfill
each goal are identified below. Qualitatively superior evidence
is preferred over sheer quantity of activity in any of the
categories. A panel of English faculty will evaluate the
evidence for each goal and rate how well the criteria for each
goal have been satisfied (4 = Excellent; 3 = Good; 2 = Average;
1 = Acceptable; 0 = Not acceptable). The average scores for all
four goals will count 20% toward the course grade in Senior
Seminar.
| Goal I:
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To know (a) major writers,
(b) genres in English, American, and western and
non-western world literatures, (c) historical contexts,
and (d) cultural contexts.
Primary courses: Surveys—English 315-316; Earlier
British Periods—320, 330, 340; Major Authors—325,
335-336, 337; Later British Periods—350, 360, 361; Early
American—380, 381; Later American—382, 383, 384; Genres
and Author Groups—375, 475; Ethnic and Women’s
Literature—364, 365, 366, 370, 373, 384, 469.
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| Objectives: |
The student should be able
to demonstrate an understanding of the following:
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a. |
Style and Theme. Compare
the stylistic and thematic characteristics of two or
more authors;
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b. |
Genre. Write an analysis of
the characteristics of a particular genre;
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c. |
Historical Context.
Demonstrate knowledge of the historical context or
literary period of the work or author being examined.
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d. |
Cultural Context. Point out
the gendered, ethnic, and racial concerns in that work.
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| Criterion: |
Ability to
compare the stylistic and thematic elements of two or
more authors; explain the techniques and literary
contexts of at least one genre; discuss the historical
context or literary period of at least one author;
explain the gendered, ethnic, and racial concerns in at
least one work.
Examples of Evidence: Show one sample paper from one
course that fulfills Goal I. |
| Goal II:
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To analyze, interpret, and compare literary works in a written
argument. Student’s written literary analyses should demonstrate
a high level of understanding both of textual form and theme and
should contain a cogent thesis as the core of a well- organized
argument.
Primary courses: All upper-division courses in composition and
literature.
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| Objective: |
The student should be able to
investigate the relationship between a text’s formal
elements and its theme.
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| Criterion: |
Evidence such as essay
examinations, reports, and papers will demonstrate that
students can show the relationship between a text’s
formal elements and its theme in (for example) a work of
fiction and a poem.
Example of Evidence: Choose the paper that best fulfills
Goal II; this paper will not be used as evidence to
fulfill any other goal. |
| Goal III:
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To understand the history of theory and criticism, to utilize
the range of contemporary critical approaches to literature, and
to apply the specialized vocabulary of the discipline in written
work.
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| Objective: |
The student should be able to analyze
critically through multiple theoretical approaches a
wide range of texts.
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| Criterion: |
Evidence such as essay
examinations, reports, and papers will demonstrate that
students can apply multiple theoretical approaches to
various texts.
Example of Evidence: The student will choose one paper
from English 300 or any other upper-division literature
course in which particular literary approaches were
elicited. |
| Goal IV:
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To comprehend the structure of the English language and the
basic principles of second language acquisition.
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| Objectives: |
The student should be able
to:
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a. |
Analyze linguistic elements
such as phonemes, morphemes, phrases, and clauses in
terms of their form and function. Note: Goal IV applies
only to students who complete the English Teacher
Preparation Program.
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b. |
On second language
acquisition. To be announced.
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| Criterion: |
Criterion:
Evidence such as essay examinations, reports, and papers
will demonstrate that students can identify language
elements and explain the relationships between elements.
Example of Evidence: The student may submit one sample
from examinations, papers, or projects from English 319
or 418. |
| Goal V:
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In their written work, students will show their awareness of how
writing is a process, their understanding of audience, purpose,
and various rhetorical forms, and a mastery of the conventions
of standard written American English.
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| Objective: |
The student will submit multiple drafts
of a single paper demonstrating an ability to adjust
rhetorical form, purpose, and audience of the writing
task and an understanding of standard written American
English.
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| Criterion: |
Criterion: Evidence such as
essay examinations, reports, and papers will demonstrate
that students can consistently write effective prose.
Example of Evidence: The student may submit multiple
drafts of the same paper or one paper in final form that
has undergone multiple drafts. |
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