COURSE UNIT TITLE

Offered By

American Culture and Literature

Level of Course Unit

Second Cycle Programmes (Master's Degree)

Course Coordinator

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR LEMAN GIRESUNLU

Offered to

American Culture and Literature

Course Objective

This course focuses on American literary works and trends from the years 1960-70s onwards.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Recomended or Required Reading

John Mullan, How Novels Work / Jane Smiley, 13Ways of Looking at the Novel/ Thomas Pynchon, The Crying of Lot 49 / Paul Auster The New York Trilogy/ Paul Auster, Invisible/ Paul Auster, Sunset Park/ Jonathan Franzen, Freedom/ Marge Piercy, Woman on the edge of Time/ Margret Atwood, The Handmaid s Tale/ Marge Piercy, He, She, It/ Ursula le Guin, Left Hand of Darkness/ Octavia Butler, The Parable of the Sower/ Jonathan Lethem, As She Climbed Acrosss the Table
Supplementary Book(s):
References:
Materials: All supplementary books and references in various formats are to be added and updated in the Course Sakai online platform.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

1) All selected teaching material; written and visual are notified prior to the semester. Syllabi maybe altered with due notice.
2) Students are expected to attend class prepared for a rigorous class discussion.
3) All assigned homework and book reports are due prior to the start of classes.
4) Grades are deducted from late papers.
5) Students are expected to adhere with the academic code of ethics.

Assessment Methods

Further Notes About Assessment Methods

Assignments: Students will be expected to prepare two book reports. There will be two in class examinations (midterm and final) in addition to which a final research paper (10 pages minimum) will be due, during the finals week. Midterm in-class exam: will cover material studied in-class, and will expect responses to major discussions in the area. Book reports : Students will be expected to elucidate upon major arguments concerning their assigned books; offer a critical examination of the text, and evaluate the work within contemporary debates. Book reports will be presented in class, as well as submitted in print format . Two book reports will constitute of the total grade which will add up to the in-class exam counting towards the Midterm grade.Research paper : (10 pages minimum in MLA style). Final paper should focus upon a major issue in American culture displaying an understanding of past, and present methodologies in the area of American Studies contributing to the process of meaning making. The topic of analysis should display proper scholarship, abiding by academic standards of research and code of academic ethics. Final in-class exam : will cover material studied in-class, and will expect responses to major discussions in the area. Weekly book presentations and subsequent class discussions comprise of active participation to class. Prior to the submission of the final paper students will submit their proposal , and paper drafts at due times indicated in the syllabus.

Assessment Criteria

Book reports are expected to display accurate understanding of reading assignments; and to display rigorous academic research placing the work into critical perspective.
2) Book reports are submitted (typed), to the class instructor prior to due class discussions/presentations.
3) Paper proposals should display the aim and scope of the research to be conducted.
4) Paper proposals should be inclusive of an annotated bibliography.
5) Paper proposals are submitted in written to the class instructor at due date.
6) Paper draft assessment monitors student progress during research, and offers guidance.
7) Final paper projects are expected to display genuine synthesis of theoretical material along issues proposed.
8) Final paper projects should be inclusive of a bibliography page.
9) Final paper projects should be submitted in MLA format.
10) Final paper projects, all class assignments, and conduct should abide by academic rules of ethics.

Language of Instruction

English

Course Policies and Rules

1) Class attendance is compulsory (%70)
2) Students who have already fulfilled attendance, but have failed the course on an earlier year, and are regarded by university rule and regulations exempt from participation to the class, are still expected to stay informed of current semster's course content, as it may be subject to alteration.
3) All student conduct, projects, class assignments, should adhere with academic rules of ethics.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

Faculty of Letters

Office Hours

To be anounced

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes