Researching Literature discusses a topic with reference to a number of literary texts, and students learn how to locate and join a current discussion of a topic and how to find literary evidence and critical support for the discussion.

In this course students learn how to discuss a topic with reference to a number of literary texts, how to locate and join a current discussion of said topic and how to find literary evidence and critical support for the discussion. The topic is framed in literary history; that is, the critical discussion traces the changes on the topic as revealed through literary historical contextualisation. The topic, critical discussions and the literary texts analysed will be chosen by the teacher.

After finishing the course, the student:

1) has a basic knowledge of literary history as a field and can read literary texts closely and sensitively with particular attention to their historical/critical contexts ;

2) can identify passages from literary texts that pertain to a particular topic and can discuss this topic with a reference to a number of literary texts; and

3) can independently locate and discuss critical sources that pertain to the topic at hand.

Learning activities are lectures, seminars, written assignments, self-studies of course literature and independent work on a particular topic.

The course is examined through one exam and one written assignment. The exam examines learning outcomes 1-2, and the written assignment learning outcomes 1-3.

Dunn, D. 1995 (2008). The Oxford Book of Scottish Short Stories. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Houston, R. 2008. Scotland: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Other materials to be made available online.

The course is concluded with an individual course evaluation focusing on the goals of the course. A summary of the evaluation is results is made available to the students on the university network/learning platform and is discussed in programme councils or similar forums connected to the course.

In a case when a course is no longer given, or the contents have been changed essentially, the student has the right to two re-examination opportunities during a one-year period according to the course plan valid at the time of registration. The department sets the exam opportunities and it is the student’s responsibility to contact the department to find out how and when re-examinations take place.