(Fall 2008)
Office: Plaza 360H
Phone: 556-4268
E-Mail: glatz at mscd.edu
Syllabus
Please read the content of this syllabus carefully.
It contains most of the general information which you will need for this course.
You will find here information on attendance, required texts and links to various WWW resources, the objectives of the course, format, student evaluation and a course calendar.
Please also note that the Survey of German Literature I or Survey of German Literature II courses are not prerequisites for this course.
The semester is broken into the topics and assignments that we
will cover, but the exact pace is subject to change. You will find
here information on the objectives of the course, required and
recommended texts, student evaluation, attendance, examinations, and
links to various WWW resources. The course Wiki will be at http://germ3230.pbwiki.com
. This area is for sharing links, tips, online activities and materials
for group and individual learning. Studies show that active users have
greater confidence, higher motivation and better learning outcomes with
a Wiki web interface.
To contact me outside of class or office hours, please make
arrangements by phone or email. In order to contact all students
individually and as a group, please check your MetroConnect
account frequently.
Please also review the policies of the Modern Languages Department at: http://www.mscd.edu/~mdl/policies.htm.
The last day to drop the course without a recorded course grading option is September 3, 2008. The NC (No Credit) option is available without the instructor's signature until September 16, 2008, and with the instructor's signature until October 27, 2008.
Objectives of the Course
This course will introduce you to the exciting development of German literature since the First World War. Students will gain an understanding of the major forces involved in the creation of important works of the German language in this century. The course provides an introduction to the principles of literary analysis and offers opportunities to apply them in meaningful ways on works of various lengths by important authors.
Because providing a basis to appreciate the language of individual authors is an important objective of this course, the class will work intensively with short poems and excerpts from prose in class.
Students will demonstrate by their work on one short text, including selecting an excerpt, an ability to interpret the language and meaning of a short text. The course also offers the opportunity to hone research and individual presentation skills.
You will be given updated information throughout the semester on WWW resources, the questions and topics of discussion for each week, the main project, and other assignments.
In order to contact all students individually and as a group, please check your MetroConnect account frequently!
Required Texts
Texts are located in the Course Calendar: http://www.lawrenceglatz.com/germ3230/texte/texte.htm
and include two films:
http://video1.mscd.edu/ramgen/academic/mdl/Wovon_lebt_der_Mensch.rm
http://video1.mscd.edu/ramgen/academic/mdl/Gibt_Denn_Keiner_Antwort.rm
Further texts, from which each student will select one or be assigned one, are located at the Ingeborg Bachmann Prize website at: http://bachmannpreis.orf.at/bachmannpreis
and will be linked from the Course Calendar.
Student Evaluation
Students will have a final course grade based on the following work:
10% Regular participation in class discussions (Attendance is included here)
5% Written homework (see Fragen below!)
10% Create one short text of excerpts (with vocabulary) for the Course Calendar
15% Presentation in German on one short work (Referat)
20% Paper in German on aspects of one short work (5-6 pages on a short work of prose approved in advance from an author in the Bachmann competition)
15% Midterm Examination
25% Final Examination
Attendance Policy
Attendance is a must! Each student is allowed 3 unexcused absences.
An excused absence is one in which the student can notify one the instructor in advance concerning a circumstance of greater importance or serious illness. Attendance is very important owing to participation in the discussions and learning from the various presentations.
Fragen
Fragen für alle Texte:
1) Was ist das Thema des Textes? (Nur bis zu 5 Wörtern!)
2) Was ist der Inhalt des Textes mit einem Satz?
3) Ist etwas über den Autor oder die Autorin wichtig, um den Text besser zu verstehen?
4) Ist ein Satz "der Schlüssel zum Text"? Warum?
5) Was sind die wichtigsten Bilder oder Ideen des Textes? Warum?
6) Hat der Text Ihnen gefallen? Warum?
Please send your suggestions or comments to him at: glatz at mscd.edu .
Last modified: August 11, 2008.
