• Class Number 6762
  • Term Code 3160
  • Class Info
  • Unit Value 6 units
  • Mode of Delivery In Person
  • COURSE CONVENER
    • Dr Monique Rooney
  • LECTURER
    • Dr Monique Rooney
  • Class Dates
  • Class Start Date 26/07/2021
  • Class End Date 29/10/2021
  • Census Date 14/09/2021
  • Last Date to Enrol 02/08/2021
  • TUTOR
    • Dr Monique Rooney
SELT Survey Results

This course examines a selection of American novels, novellas and short stories that were published during what is now sometimes referred to as, the 'American Century'. In investigating a selection of twentieth-century US texts, we will analyse and reflect on the connections between authors' experimentations and/or narrative innovations, their use of more traditional forms and genres and their exploration of modern and postmodern American themes. Topics to be explored include the role of writing/literature in the age of multi- and digital media; racial/ multicultural/"post"racial identities; the role of the city, the suburbs and other American regions; utopian and dystopian visions of the future; literature and form/genre. The course will conclude with our exploration of the contemporary cable television drama, Mad Men, a series that can be thought of as thematising post 9/11 preoccupations with the idea that America has entered a new age of decline.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
  1. Identify key elements of twentieth-century American fiction and evaluate the similarities and differences between different narrative forms
  2. Think, write and argue about the importance of literary, generic, intellectual and populist approaches to understanding everyday life in the context of the United States as a post-industrial or technologically advanced society.
  3. Develop a critical stance on the role that narrative plays in imagining and responding to representations of everyday life.
  4. Understand and successfully deploy a range of terms and concepts integral to literary studies.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

  • written comments
  • verbal comments
  • feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session Summary of Activities Assessment
1 Welcome and Housekeeping. Listen to pre-recorded lecture.
2 Introduction, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Edit Wharton short stories. Listen to pre-recorded lecture + attendance required at either in-person or zoom workshop. Critical Concept Tasks A and B--Week 2 due
3 Gertrude Stein, 'Melanctha'. Listen to pre-recorded lecture + attendance required at either in-person or zoom workshop. Critical Concept Tasks A and B--Week 3 due
4 Zora Neale Hurston, Short stories and essay. Listen to pre-recorded lecture + attendance required at either in-person or zoom workshop. Critical Concept Tasks A and B--Week 4 due
5 William Faulkner, As I Lay Dying Part One. Listen to pre-recorded lecture + attendance required at either in-person or zoom workshop. Critical Concept Tasks A and B--Week 5 due
6 William Faulkner, As I Lay Dying Part Two. Listen to pre-recorded lecture + attendance required at either in-person or zoom workshop. Critical Concept Tasks A and B--Week 6 due Assessment Task Two: Short Written Exercise (1000 words) due Monday September 6. Assessment based on texts set, and critical concept exercise submitted, during weeks 1-6.
7 No set text; No pre-recorded lecture. Attendance required at either in-person or zoom workshop Critical Concept Task C--Week 7 due
8 Eudora Welty, 'Petrified Man', Flannery O'Connor 'A Good Man is Hard to Find' and Southern Gothic. Listen to pre-recorded lecture + attendance required at either in-person or zoom workshop. Critical Concept Tasks A and B--Week 8 due
9 Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road. Listen to pre-recorded lecture + attendance required at either in-person or zoom workshop. Critical Concept Tasks A and B--Week 9 due
10 American transients: James Baldwin and Bob Dylan. Listen to pre-recorded lecture + attendance required at either in-person or zoom workshop. Critical Concept Tasks A and B--Week 10 due
11 Donna Tartt, The Secret History. Listen to pre-recorded lecture + attendance required at either in-person or zoom workshop. Critical Concept Tasks A and B--Week 11 (final) due
12 Mad Men (Season One). Listen to pre-recorded lecture + attendance required at either in-person or zoom workshop. Major Critical and Comparative Essay due on Wednesday November 3, 2021 by 8pm.

Tutorial Registration

Not required

Assessment Summary

Assessment task Value Due Date Learning Outcomes
Critical Concept Exercise 25 % * 1,2,3
Short Written Exercise 25 % 06/09/2021 1,2,3
Major Critical and Comparative essay 50 % 03/11/2021 1,2,3

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Integrity . In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Assessment Task 1

Value: 25 %
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3

Critical Concept Exercise

The two parts (part A and part B) are due each week, beginning week 2 and ending week 11. For further details and marking criteria, please see both the document titled 'Assessment 1: Critical Concept Exercise' and the links to the two parts of the task on Wattle.

Assessment Task 2

Value: 25 %
Due Date: 06/09/2021
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3

Short Written Exercise

This 1000 word short written exercise is due on Monday September 6 by 8pm. For further guidelines and marking criteria, please see the turnitin link 'Short Written Exercise'.

Assessment Task 3

Value: 50 %
Due Date: 03/11/2021
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3

Major Critical and Comparative essay

This 4000 word essay is due on Wednesday November 3, 2021 by 8pm. For further guidelines and details, please see the turnitin link 'Major Critical and Comparative Essay'.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.


The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with.


The Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

  • Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
  • Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

Dr Monique Rooney
u4423758@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


US literature, film and television

Dr Monique Rooney

By Appointment
By Appointment
By Appointment
Dr Monique Rooney
monique.rooney@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


Dr Monique Rooney

By Appointment
By Appointment
By Appointment
Dr Monique Rooney
monique.rooney@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


Dr Monique Rooney

By Appointment
By Appointment
By Appointment

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