GEK1040: Why Literature?

A/P Philip Holden (email: ellhpj@nus.edu.sg)

[ Introduction and Description | Schedule and Readings | Assessment and Policies | Related Resources ]

Project

The project will constitute a large proportion of your marks for the module, and you need to devote time to it over most of the second half of the semester. In my experience, the best projects are ones which are conceived early and worked on gradually: those which are rushed at the last minute tend to be poorly conceived and presented.

You will be asked to submit a project proposal by week 8 of the class. I will give you feedback on it via email.

You have a choice of two possibilities:

1) A conventional essay, which must follow academic conventions in terms of presentation and documentation, about a topic drawn from our readings and discussions in the semester. Topics might include any of the following:

An evaluation of a particular approach to Literature discussed in Unit 2, illustrated by references to literary texts studied in the module or other texts of your choice.
A discussion, with examples, of the relevance of Literature or literary analysis in contemporary Singapore society.
A discussion of a particular "literary text" or genre which you feel is important, arguing why this is so

2) A hypertext web site which is directed towards students in your discipline, and attempts to introduce them to elements of literary study or a particular genre of literary texts in an exciting and stimulating way.

In each case, you should aim to produce an assignment of about 2,500 words (ten pages of double-spaced A4 paper, or the equivalent number of words split between the different lexia [pages] of the web site).

Assessment criteria

1. Evidence of real critical engagement with selected primary and secondary material.

2. Evidence of original thinking beyond a regurgitation or summary of items raised in discussion and in secondary sources.

3. A clear, focused. overall sense of purpose.

4. A clear sense of audience.

5. The choice of a structure which unfolds your purpose clearly to your reader.

6. Clear and correct English expression.

7. Use of proper scholastic conventions: title, MLA style, with parenthetical citations, presence of a "Works Cited" list. For a detailed account of MLA style see:

NUS Library Website
Diana Hacker's Website. There's a very useful sample paper in Adobe Acrobat [.pdf] format here.

[Note that you may be a little more flexible here if you are producing a web site, but you will still need to have consistency throughout the site in the way you make references to primary and secondary texts and find a way of enabling students to move beyond your site to continue their studies elsewhere through following references].

Last updated: 24 September, 2003