American University of Madaba (AUM)

Faculty of Languages and Communication

Course Syllabus
Fall Semester 2020/2021

Course Title: English Short Story

Course Number: 0702338
Semester Credit: 3
Requisites: 0702231

Instructor: Lama Nusair, Assistant Professor, PhD Literature and Cultural Studies
Contacts: l.nusair@aum.edu.jo
Link to course: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-
join/19%3a6d814c1c305a4df7ac7b509b25681b93%40thread.tacv2/1602678263029?context=%7b%
22Tid%22%3a%2254009897-d86e-4c74-9288-
0c08321ae4f3%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22d9ae9112-68bb-4b47-934d-ca3571c568ac%22%7d

Link to office hours: Office hours online

Logistics:

Hour/Day Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Saturday

08:30-9:45 English English short Shakespeare Shakespeare
short story story

10-11:15 World Lit. World Lit. Intro to Lit. Intro to Lit.

11:30-1:00 Office Hours Office hours Office Hours Office hours

Office hours online Office hours Office hours
Office hours
online online
online

Course Description

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This course aims at acquainting students with major narrative devices and formal techniques of the
short story. Students can come to appreciate narrative methods such as plot, characterization, setting,
point of view, theme, figures of speech, dialogue, etc. through detailed analyses of various narrative
forms, mostly short stories. These formal elements of literary narratives will also be looked at as
collaborating to induce pleasure in the act of reading, and as manifesting and interacting with active
cultural processes.

Course Objectives

The main objective of this course is to help students to think more critically about the genre of fiction
especially in its manifestation in short stories. It also provides them with a close reading and analysis
to understanding with depth all aspects of the selected short stories such as plot, theme, narrative, and
characterization, style, etc.

Intended Learning Outcomes

This course is designed to encourage students to do the following:

Knowledge and Understanding:
• Read and comprehend a short story, and other literary works.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the authors and their representative texts.
• Acquire a big number of words, expressions, and terms.
• Develop his/her linguistic skill.
Cognitive Skills:
Have a better critical mind.
Develop his/her critical ability
Analyze a literary text from the point of view of theme, plot, and characterization.
Structure ideas and arguments, both orally and in writing, in a sustained and logical fashion, and
support them with relevant examples.
Differentiate between opinions, intentions, and facts.
Detect and recognize the style and range of the language used depending upon the social and
cultural context in which it is used.
Recognize all forms of figurative language
Communication Skills (personal and academic):
• Use language more effectively
• Have lively discussion about various cultural topics.
• Develop any potential for writing, perhaps creative works.
Transferable Skills:
Determine how literary texts are impacted by context whether cultural, historical, or political.
Perceive affinities and continuities within the period itself and from other earlier periods. Note
significant details in literary texts.
Cite evidence to prove a point.
Recite Poetry
Annotate poetry
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 Expand vocabulary
Compare and contrast literary texts.
Read for enjoyment.

References
Hills, Rust. Writing in General and the Short Story in Particular: An Informal Textbook. Boston:
Houghton Miffin Compay, 1977
file:///Users/lamanusair/Downloads/L.%20Rust%20Hills%20-
%20Writing%20in%20general%20and%20the%20short%20story%20in%20particular_%20An
%20informal%20textbook-Houghton%20Mifflin%20(1977).pdf

Scholes, Robert. Elements of Fiction: An Anthology. Oxford: Oxford U P, 1981

DiYanni, Robert. Fiction: An Introduction. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2000
O'Connor, Frank. The Lonely Voice: A Study of the Short Story 2003
Norton Literature online http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/literature/OpenSite.htm

Throughout the semester, additional readings may be distributed in-class or email by the instructor.
Penalty for Cheating, Plagiarism and Mobile Phone Usage:
AUM has strict rules and harsh penalties (including expulsion from the university) about cheating,
plagiarism and mobile usage. There is absolutely no tolerance for academic dishonesty in this
course. If any sort of cheating and/or plagiarism is detected, then that assignment will not be
evaluated and receive a zero mark.
Attendance Policy
Lecture attendance is mandatory.
Mandatory attendance is needed to develop a strong sense of community in a classroom, and to foster
a healthy sense of participatory classroom filled with discussion and activities and to help build self-
discipline among students.
Students are expected to attend all class sessions of courses in which they are enrolled. A prior
approval is required for class absence, except for emergencies. A student who is absent from more
than 15% of the total contact hours in a course fails the course. In the case of a student who
misses more than 20% of the contact hours in a course, but submits a valid medical report or excuse
approved by the instructor, the chairperson and the dean, shall be considered as having withdrawn
from the course, and shall be subject to withdrawal regulations.
Attendance is taken within the first couple of minutes at the beginning of each class, starting at random
points on the class list (so no one will always go first). If a student’s name is called and is not present
at that time, s/he will be considered late. Please note that three late attendances = one absence.
Classroom Conduct
Since every student is entitled to full participation in class without disruption, all students are expected
to come to class prepared and on time. With the exception of those with a medical condition
explained in a doctor’s note, students must remain for the entire class period. All phones or other
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electronic devices must be put away and silenced class (computers and tablets for note-taking or other
classwork are permitted). Covered beverages – but not food – are permitted in the classroom.
Points will be deducted for disruptions (talking, phone use and leaving class early).

Assessment Overview

Description Weight Due

Punctuality, Preparedness and Participation 10% N/A
Mid-Term 30% Week 9
Final Project 20% Weeks 13-15
Final Exam 40% Week 16-17 (TBA)

Course Schedule (subject to change by announcement)

Wk Basic and support material to Resources Homework/reports and their due

be covered dates

1 Oct 19- An introduction

22
Syllabus discussion and overview

2 Oct 26- The Short Story: an introduction In-class discussions, questions

29 and answers

The Story of an Hour by Kate

Chopin
3 Nov 2-5 The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Online group discussions
Poe
4 Nov 9- Nabokovs Signs and Symbols Assignment: write your own short
12 story, discussion a theme of your
choice. Due Nov. 16th

5 Nov 16- Kafka’s A Common Confusion In-class discussions, questions

19 and answers
6 Nov 23- Lawrence’s The Rockinghorse In-class discussions, questions
26 Winner and Kafka’s A Hunger and answers
Artist

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 7 Nov 30- Tolstoy’s Three Questions and Presentations
Dec 3 Chekov’s The Looking Glass

8 Dec 7- Revision before the midterm

10
9 Dec 14- Dec 24 & 25 Christmas holidays
17 Midterm exam (Dec 7-17)
10 Dec 21- Return exams & go through Qs; Exam In-class discussions, questions
24 Murakami’s The Second Bakery papers and answers
Attack and Mansfield’s The Fly

11 Dec 28- Woolf’s Blue and Green and The In-class discussions, questions
31 Mark on a Wall and answers
th
12 Jan 5-8 Holiday - Wed, Jan 6 Online group discussion
Woolf’s Blue and Green and The
Mark on a Wall
13 Jan 12- Joyce’s Araby and Eveline Online group discussion
15
14 Jan 19- Presentations and final
22 project
15 Jan 26- Revision for final exam.
29
16 Feb 1- Final Exams (Feb 1-10)
– 10 Portfolio containing all writing assignments and a guided written reflection
17

Assignments and Grading

Midterm (30 points): The exam will have a variety of questions to test different skills. There will be
knowledge and understanding questions to assess the basic knowledge and skills you have acquired,
cognitive and analytical questions to check your ability to recognize and analyze information, as well
as a practical skills question so you can apply your knowledge in solving unfamiliar problems. You will
be assessed on the information provided as well as language structure, spelling, cohesiveness, and
argument.
Final (40 points): This will follow the same format as the midterm exam, but will be more
comprehensive.
Quizzes, participation, and attendance (10 points): Students are asked to come prepared to class
so that we may have an active, engaging discussion rather than it being a lecture where you sit and
take notes as you stifle a yawn.
Presentation / Project (20 points): Students are asked to work on a project relevant to the subject
matter of the course. The project may be pair or group work, but every team member’s input must be

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obvious and clearly explained. Projects can include, but are not limited to, writing a short story or writing
an essay about one.
Format for Written Assignments and E-mail

All written assignments must have a title page that includes the following information:

1. Your name and AUM Student ID#

2. Title of the assignment, course title and section
3. Instructor's name and date submitted
All e-mail sent by the student must have the following information in the subject line:

1. Purpose of e-mail (e.g., Request to send syllabus, Assignment’s Name/Topic, etc.)

2. Course title and section days.

Evaluation Criteria
The final project is an opportunity to demonstrate the following:

Criteria Excellent Good Fair Poor Scor

(5) (4) (3) (2) e

Historical Reference to There is some Reference to There is

/Cultural the historical reference to the the historical little
backgroun and social historical and background reference,
d of the social is made, but if any, to
novel background is background, there is the
clear and but the link is some historical
strongly used not strongly confusion backgroun
to make a link highlighted to and lack of d of the
between the support the connection novel and
arguments. between the no link
events in the events in the between
novel and the novel and the events
background, the social and the
particularly the background. social
Poor Law of backgroun
d of the
1834. Victorian
society.

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Discussion Discussion is Discussion is Discussion There is
& clear and good but not does not little
argument moves enough to show clarity discussion;
arrive at the of the arguments
logically and conclusions purpose of are weak
convincingly mentioned. the essay. It and very
from one point Analysis is also lacks few
to another. brief. A few depth and substantiat
Quotations examples are sound ions from
provided to judgment. the novel to
from the novel clarify each Arguments support
are well used point. More are not them.
to support the practice is clearly There is
arguments. needed to presented, almost no
The overall improve the and there is reference
experience in slight to
analysis is research. reference to resources.
convincing References are the novel in
and insightful, not correctly the way of
suggesting cited. substantiatio
good potential n. There is
little
for reference to
independent resources
research. used.
Resources
used are
properly cited.

Language Language is Language is Language is Language

suitable and fairly good and well below is awkward
renders the renders the the standard and seems
meaning in required for to be an
meaning general but with such obstacle.
clearly. Words some awkward research. A Words
are well words. lot of chosen are
chosen to Sentences are repetition of not
serve the limited in vocabulary, appropriat
variation. There and e, and
purpose. are some sentences slang and
Sentences are instances tend to follow colloquial
varied and are where limited words are
suitable for the language patterns. often used.
ideas betrays the Awkward Sentences
efforts to words and are not
expressed. express the sentences varied and
idea. are easily seem to
spotted. follow one
pattern.

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Grammar & There are no There are some Spelling and There are
Mechanics spelling or spelling and grammatical many
grammar grammar mistakes are spelling
mistakes, but sometimes and
mistakes, and commas, found in the grammar
punctuation periods, and text. errors.
and quotation Quotation Commas,
capitalization marks are used marks are periods,
are used correctly most not always and
of the time. used, and quotation
correctly. capitalization marks are
is sometimes left out.
not properly Capital
applied. letters are
used
incorrectly.

Total

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