GOALS FOR THE ENGLISH MAJOR AT UNCG
In the fall of 1994, the English Department established the following "goals" for the undergraduate English major. They reflect the basic subject matter and skills we would like our majors to learn from the core requirements of the English major. The department is studying how best to accomplish these goals. If you have suggestions about how we might do this or about the goals themselves, please give them to Gail McDonald, Director of Undergraduate Studies in English.
1. READING TEXTS The ability to
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read texts with careful attention
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understand how authors and readers create meaning in texts
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recognize rhetorical and literary techniques in texts
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recognize key ideas in texts and rhetorical strategies used to develop them
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respond to aesthetic, rhetorical, and cultural qualities in texts
2. WRITING The ability to
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write clearly and fluently
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organize coherently and logically
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edit writing so that it conforms to standard usage
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develop convincingly argued essays
3. UNDERSTANDING LITERATURE The ability to
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understand the relationship of literature to history and culture
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understand the history of literature in English in terms of major periods and authors
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recognize and define major genres of literature
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recognize and define forms and techniques in literature
4. UNDERSTANDING CRITICISM The ability to
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understand several critical approaches to interpreting texts
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apply these approaches to specific texts
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relate the study of texts in English to other disciplines
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understand the general nature, purpose, and methods of English studies
5. DOING RESEARCH The ability to
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understand and use basic research tools
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develop questions and topics worth researching
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use research to develop theses effectively
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incorporate research into writing