SOLUS is Queen’s Student On-Line University System. You’ll have access to a SOLUS account once you become a Queen’s student. You’ll use SOLUS to register for courses, add and drop courses, update your contact information, view financial and academic information, and pay your tuition.
Introduction to Literary Study
ENGL 100/6.0
An introduction to literary study, with an emphasis on the formal analysis of a diverse range of poetry and prose. Specific content and approach vary from section to section, but all sections share the goals of developing sensitivity to genre, cultivating writing skills, and providing students with a set of literary terms and critical techniques as a foundation for further literary study.
Please note: This course is typically offered every term
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to do the following:
- Identify and explain the hallmarks of the four main literary genres;
- Identify, analyze, and employ the language of literary analysis when discussing texts (this language includes terms such as metaphor, irony, pathos, parody, rhetoric, and ideology);
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of key critical theories (such as psychoanalysis, Marxism, feminism, and queer theory);
- Evaluate the importance of gender, class, race, and geographical location such as categories for literary analysis;
- Demonstrate a sound knowledge of grammar, punctuation, diction, and syntax;
- Compose original arguments that evaluate, analyze, and synthesize primary and secondary texts, and that do so within a structural framework that includes a thesis statement, strong topic sentences, textual evidence, and a compelling conclusion.
Description
ENGL 100 is designed to introduce students to the main genres of literary study. In The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms, Chris Baldick defines genre as “a type, species, or class of composition,” and “a recognizable and established category of written work employing such common conventions as will prevent readers or audiences from mistaking it for another kind.” Genre means different things in different contexts, and one genre often contains within it various subgenres. For example, within the genre of the novel, there are numerous subgenres: the spy novel, the historical novel, the romantic novel, the campus novel, the gothic novel, the detective novel, and others. There are even sub-subgenres. For example, within the subgenre of the detective novel, there are numerous sub-subgenres: the “hard-boiled” detective novel, the “whodunit,” the English village mystery, the “cold-case file,” and others. Genre is a fundamental way of thinking about literary texts, and it will provide an organizing principle for ENGL 100. The many genres, subgenres, and sub-subgenres of literature provide readers with a dynamic sense of the richness and variety of literature in English.
Terms
Fall-Winter 2020-2021
Course Dates:
Sept. 8, 2020 - April 9, 2021
Exam Dates:
N/A
Evaluation
80% - Written Assignments via Essays (1000 words x 4)
20% - Class Participation via Discussion Forums
**Evaluation Subject to Change**
Instructor
Dr Robert G. May (mayr@queensu.ca)
Textbooks and Materials
ASO reserves the right to make changes to the required material list as received by the instructor before the course starts. Please refer to the Campus Bookstore website at http://www.campusbookstore.com/Textbooks/Search-Engine to obtain the most up-to-date list of required materials for this course before purchasing them.
Required Books
Unit 1: The Novel
- Margaret Atwood. The Handmaid’s Tale. [1985].
- Mary Shelley. Frankenstein. [1818].
Unit 2: The Drama
- William Shakespeare. Richard III. [ca. 1592].
- Richard Brinsley Sheridan. The School for Scandal and Other Plays [1777].
- Tennessee Williams. The Glass Menagerie [1944].
Unit 3: The Essay
- Philip Lopate, ed. The Art of the Personal Essay.
Unit 4: Poetry
- J. Paul Hunter, et al., eds. The Norton Introduction to Poetry. Ninth Edition (Campus Bookstore Custom Courseware)
Reference Book
- Sharon Hamilton, Essential Literary Terms.
Time Commitment
To complete the readings, assignments, and course activities, students can expect to spend on average, about 10-12 hours per week (240 hours total) on the course.
Summer 21: May - July
Course Dates:
May 10 - July 30 , 2021
Exam Dates:
August 3 - 7
Evaluation
50% - Essays, 1000 words (x4)
10% - Close Reading Forums (x4)
10% - Live Online Chat
30% - Proctored Final Exam
**Evaluation Subject to Change**
Live Sessions
This course has required live sessions (e.g. webinars, synchronous activities). Please consult the Timeline in the first week of class.
Final Examination
Students must write their exam on the day and time scheduled by the University. The start time may vary slightly depending on the off-campus exam centre. Do not schedule vacations, appointments, etc., during the exam period.
Instructor
Professor Robert May (mayr@queensu.ca)
Textbooks and Materials
ASO reserves the right to make changes to the required material list as received by the instructor before the course starts. Please refer to the Campus Bookstore website at http://www.campusbookstore.com/Textbooks/Search-Engine to obtain the most up-to-date list of required materials for this course before purchasing them.
Required Books
- Lisa Chalykoff, et al., eds. The Broadview Introduction to Literature (2nd edition, 4 volumes packaged together)
- J.A. Cuddon, ed. The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory
- Paul Headrick, A Method for Writing Essays About Literature (3rd edition)
Time Commitment
To complete the readings, assignments, and course activities, students can expect to spend on average, about 9 - 10 hours per week (120 hours per term) on the course.
Course Resources
About SOLUS
About OnQ
onQ is Queen's online learning platform. You'll log into onQ to access your course. All materials related to your course—notes, readings, videos, recordings, discussion forums, assignments, quizzes, groupwork, tutorials, and help—will be on the onQ site.
About Credit Units
Queen’s courses are weighted in credit units. A typical one-term course is worth 3.0 units, and a typical two-term course is worth 6.0 units. You combine these units to create your degree. A general (three-year) BA or BSc requires a total of 90 credit units.
Computer Requirements
To take an online course, you’ll need a high speed internet connection as well as a microphone and speakers to be able to watch videos, hear sounds, and participate in interactive online activities. A webcam is recommended but not necessary.
System Requirements:
Computer Specifications
- Windows 8.1 or newer
- OSX 10.13 (High Sierra) or newer
- Dual Core 2 GHz processor
- 4 GB RAM
- Soundcard
- USB Headset
- Webcam
Supported Browsers
- Chrome (preferred - latest version)
- Firefox (latest version)
- Safari is not recommended as it causes several known issues in onQ
- Edge is not recommended as it causes several known issues in onQ
Internet Connection
- Wired high speed access: Cable or better
- Wifi is not recommended
Java
- Latest version
Media Player
- Flash (latest version)
Adobe Reader
- Latest Version
Dates/Deadlines
The deadlines for new applications to Queen’s Arts and Science Online courses are in our Upcoming Application Dates section.
Grading Scheme
The information below is intended for undergraduate students in the Faculty of Arts and Science. Academic Regulations in other Faculties may differ.
| Letter Grade | Grade Point |
| A+ | 4.30 |
| A | 4.00 |
| A- | 3.70 |
| B+ | 3.30 |
| B | 3.00 |
| B- | 2.70 |
| C+ | 2.30 |
| C | 2.00 |
| C- | 1.70 |
| D+ | 1.30 |
| D | 1.00 |
| D- | 0.70 |
| F | 0.00 |
GPA Calculators
Have your SOLUS grade report handy and then follow the link to the Arts and Science GPA calculators.
How does this affect my academics?
See the GPA and Academic Standing page.
Follow the link above for an explanation of how the GPA system affects such things as the Dean’s Honour List, requirements to graduate, and academic progression.
Frequently Asked Questions on the Grading Scheme
Please follow this link to the FAQ's
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees vary depending when you start, your year, faculty, and program. Fees for Summer Term 2018 first-year Distance Career Arts & Science Domestic students are as follows: for a 3.0-unit course, $685.90; for a 6.0-unit course, $1371.80 See also Tuition and Fees.
Campus Bookstore
All textbooks can be purchased at Queen’s Campus Bookstore.
Non-Queen’s Students
All Queen’s Arts and Science Online courses are open to students at other universities. Before applying as a visiting student, request a Letter of Permission from your home university that states that you have permission to take the course and apply it to your degree. See also Apply.
Academic Integrity
Please see Queen’s policy statement on academic integrity for information on how to complete an online course honestly.
