Information Package
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Program of American Culture and Literature (English)

ACL176

NON-FICTIONAL NARRATIVE

Course Code
ACL176
Semester
-
Theory+Practice
3 + 0
ECTS
4
Course TypeElective Course
Course LevelBachelor's Degree
Year of Study-
Semester-
ECTS4
Name of Lecturer(s)
Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, the students;

  1. Describe types of non-fictional narratives and their characteristics in theory, form and content.
  2. Analyse different non-fictional narratives with reference to their social, cultural, political, ideological and historical context.
  3. Make critical comments on sample texts selected from a wide range of source material.
Mode of DeliveryFace to face
PrerequisitesNo
Recommended Optional Programme Components
Course DescriptionThis course is a generic and textual study, through sample texts selected from American writers, of non-fictional narrative types that are outside the traditional literary genres, and mainly comprise travel writing, biography, autobiography, letter writing, memoirs, and diary writing.
Course Contents
WEEK TOPICS
1st Week Introduction to the course
2nd Week Conference Week
3rd Week Biography and Autobiography, Nadel, Biography: Fiction, Fact & Form, Introduction, Wright, Black Boy
4th Week Autobiography: Study and critical analysis of sample texts, Backscheider, Reflections on Biography, ch. 1, Wright, Black Boy
5th Week Biography: Study and critical analysis of sample texts, Isaacson, Steve Jobs
6th Week Memoir, Alexie, "Superman and Me"
7th Week Memoir: Study and critical analysis of sample texts, Sedaris, "Me Talk Pretty One Day"
8th Week Midterm
9th Week Diary writing, Sedaris, "The SantaLand Diaries"
10th Week Diary writing: Study and critical analysis of sample texts, Andy Warhol, The Andy Warhol Diaries
11th Week Letter writing, Groucho Marx, The Groucho Letters
12th Week Midterm
13th Week Travel writing, Rojek, Touring Cultures, ch. 1, Bryson, The Lost Continent
14th Week Travel writing: Study and critical analysis of sample texts, Anthony Bourdain, A Cook's Tour
Recommended or Required ReadingSample texts from various travel, biography, autobiography, letter, journal and memoir writings
Nadel, Ira Bruce. Biography: Fiction, Fact & Form. St Martin?s Press, 1984.
Backscheider, P. R. Reflections on Biography. Oxford University Press, 1997.
Rojek, Chris. Touring Cultures: Transformations of Travel and Theory. Routledge, 1997.
Johnson, Erica L. Cultural Memory, Memorials, and Reparative Writing. Palgrave, 2018.
Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
  • Lecture
  • Discussion
  • Questions/Answers
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Quantity Percentage (%)
Mid-term 1 30
Assignment 1 10
Quiz 1 20
Total(%) 60
Contribution of In-term Studies to Overall Grade(%) 60
Contribution of Final Examination to Overall Grade(%) 40
Total(%) 100
ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload
Activities Quantity Duration (Hour) Total Workload (Hour)
Midterm exam 1 2 2
Preparation for Quiz 1 10 10
Individual or group work 14 2 28
Preparation for Final exam 1 12 12
Course hours 14 3 42
Preparation for Midterm exam 1 10 10
Laboratory (including preparation)
Final exam 1 2 2
Homework 1 12 12
Quiz 1 2 2
Total Work Load120
Total Work Load / 30 (h)4
ECTS Credit of the Course4
Language of InstructionEnglish
Work Placement(s)No

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