Chabot College
Fall 2002
Course Outline for English 52B
RESPONDING TO LITERATURE
Catalog Description:
52B - Responding to Literature
3 units
Introduction to literature from the works of important authors in prose fiction, drama and poetry;
examination of the universal human issues brought to life through literature. Emphasis on works that
celebrate human experience and cultural diversity. Focus on writing in response to reading.
Prerequisite: English 52A or 1A (completed with a grade of "C" or higher). 3 hours.
Prerequisite Skills:
Before entering the course the student should be able to:
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identify, in assigned readings, main ideas and ways in which those ideas are developed;
write a sequence that is logically connected around one idea;
organize data into accurate descriptions of events observed (laboratories, field work, readings, and others);
adapt technical writing and information for a general audience;
adapt technical information for brief oral presentations;
produce writing with fewer than three errors in spelling and mechanics per page;
comprehend examination instructions and structure appropriate answers;
examine and interpret the use of language in the persuasive writing of his/her own day, such as that
used in advertising and editorializing;
9. employ basic research techniques and use the Library resources and services.
or
1. demonstrate in class discussion and compositions competence in
a. reading, summarizing accurately, synthesizing and critically analyzing works from a range of
academic contexts and cultural backgrounds
b. analyzing and comparing essays, book-length works and/or other media for structure, purpose,
audience, and effectiveness of argument
c. seeing how ideas under discussion are related and how they relate to the student's own
experience;
2. write compositions demonstrating college-level standards of academic prose by
a. defining a line of inquiry
b. developing a focused thesis or proposition
c. selecting relevant evidence and presenting it in a persuasive manner
d. anticipating the needs and assumptions of an intended audience
e. organizing the essay in the interests of purpose, coherence and clarity
f. separating fact from inference and judgment
g. identifying assumptions
h. using inductive and deductive reasoning
i. recognizing and clarifying viewpoints
j. using diction, style and tone appropriate to subject and audience;
3. demonstrate understanding of the purpose of research;
4. gather, evaluate and incorporate information from outside sources into his/her writing.
Expected Outcomes for Students:
Upon completion of the course the student should be able to:
1. respond to the human experiences expressed in the literary works and relate them to his/her own world;
2. articulate the value of literature, not only as a pleasure, but as an aid to understanding the multicultural milieu in which s/he lives;
3. evaluate, analyze, and respond in writing to literary works under study.
Chabot College
Course Outline for English 52B, Page 2
Fall 2002
Course Content:
1. Literature as an expression of human experience and the rich cultural diversity of our time
2. The relationship of fiction, drama, poetry, and film/video to the human experiences and universal
human issues the genres depict
3. Analyzing and evaluating literature
4. Writing responses to literature
Methods of Presentation:
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Large and small group discussion
Lectures
Class readings
Films
Instructor conferences
Typical Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
1. Typical Assignments
a. Using one of the short stories and one of the poems we have read in class, write an essay in
which you compare and contrast the two authors' treatments of the theme of immigration and
identity in U.S. culture.
b. Write an essay in which you consider the effect of setting on Alice Walker's "Everyday Use."
c. Other reading and writing assignments which enhance the students' identification of and with the
human problems presented in the selections
2. Methods of Evaluating Student Progress
a. Essays and other writing assignments
b. Quizzes
c. Exams, including final exam
d. Participation in class discussion
Textbook(s) (Typical):
American Voices: Multicultural Literacy and Critical Thinking, Dolores laGuardia, Hans P. Guth, eds.,
Mayfied Pub., 1993
Special Student Materials:
None
dk 11/8/01
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