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Literature and Graphic Design, 1900-2000
ENGL 197 - Spring 2002,  Alan Liu


Image of TypewriterThere are two "assignment clusters" in this course, each pairing a critical essay with a practical project. Except in the case of Paper 2, all assignments are due in class on the specified date. Assignments defined as "due in class" will not be accepted unless the student is present during that class. (Requests for extensions for valid reasons must be made to the instructor at least one week in advance of the due date of an assignment.) There are no exams in the course.


Assignment Cluster 1: Paper 1
Weight: 20% of final grade
Due: 5/7/02

Write a critical essay on one of the works, authors, or designers covered in the section of the course on "The Modernist Moment." In the field of English literature, a "critical essay" is an essay that does more than summarize, describe, or paraphrase. Instead, the essay thinks about the works so as to build an argument about the issues at stake that is both analytical and interpretive. Some of the best critical arguments are those that study some tension, contradiction, or puzzle. That is, they do not start off with a single, inflexible thesis and then proceed to flatten everything in their path to demonstrate that thesis. Rather, they note that an issue or work seems to turn upon an important inner tension (e.g., "the Modernists value stark clarity and precision," but "the Modernists also value obscurity and ambiguity") and then try to think through the implications or premises of that tension. The most important thing is to identify an issue that matters in the works, and then to find a way to use evidence (close study of particular passages, metaphors, or other features; detailed consideration of the historical or social context of a work; etc.) to offer a better understanding of the work.


    The essay should have a useful title, notes, and a bibliography. For the notes and bibliography, you are free to follow any standard reference style recognized by the humanities, social sciences, or sciences (so long as you are consistent). If you have no reason for choosing one style over another, then by default please follow the documentation style set out in the MLA Handbook (the dominant style guide for publications in the field of English literary studies; available at the bookstore). For other styles, consult the Chicago Manual of Style. For links to online citation guides,see Karla's Guide to Citation Style Guides (includes the MLA guide to citing works on the Web). When citing works in the Course Reader, please consult the full citations included in the reader.

 

Assignment Cluster 1: Project 1
Weight: 20% of final grade
Due: 5/7/02

Create a visual or physical work (e.g., picture, design, model, mobile, photograph, collage, art "box," recording or sound work, "installation," video, etc.) to accompany one of the works studied in the section of this course titled "The Modernist Moment." You may use any media you wish for the project (graphical, physical, audio, digital, Web page, etc.) even if the media form was not available during early 20th-century Modernism. The project may deal with the same work or one of the works you discuss in Paper 1, but it can also deal with a different work. The goal of the project is to "express," "interpret," "comment upon," or even "criticize" the principles of the original work. The project must have a title; and it must be accompanied by a brief explanation of what you think you are doing. (If possible, create the title and explanation in a format that can be mounted with your project, as if it were the explanatory placard in a museum exhibit.)

The project will be graded for both its conceptual strength and its craft or execution.

 

Assignment Cluster 2: Project 2
Weight: 30% of final grade
Due: 6/6/02

Create a Web page (combining textual and visual work) to accompany one of the works studied in the section of this course titled "The Postmodernist Moment." The project may deal with the same work or one of the works you discuss in Paper 2, but it can also deal with a different work. The goal of the project is to "express," "interpret," "comment upon," or even "criticize" the principles of the original work. The project must have a title; and it must be accompanied by a brief explanation (either on the Web page or on a linked page) of what you think you are doing.

The project will be graded for both its conceptual strength and its craft or execution. However, for students who are just beginning with Web-authoring or digital graphics work, the "craft or execution" part of the grade will be very minor. (That is, you will be curved up if you are starting behind others in technical skill.)

Students new to Web authoring or digital graphics work are welcome to attend special workshops as well as regular office hours during the quarter run by graduate students in the English Department's Transcriptions Project [TBA].

Also, all students in the course will have access both to the English Department's Transcriptions computer studio (South Hall 2509) and the campus Instructional Computing labs (Phelps Hall) to assist in their assignment. These facilities make available such programs as Dreamweaver for Web-authoring and Photoshop or Fireworks for digital graphics work.


For resources on Web authoring and design, see Transcriptions Guides to Web Authoring.

 

Assignment Cluster 2: Paper 2
Weight: 30% of final grade
Due: 6/10/02

Write a critical essay (8 pages) on one of the works, authors, or designers covered in the section of the course on "The Postmodernist Moment." (See under Paper 1 for definition of "critical essay." See also under Paper 1 for requirements for title, notes, and bibliography.)

 

 

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