Critical Reading fulfills the research course requirement and is aimed especially at students who are interested in literary studies. 'Reading' refers to the skill of registering literary form, recognizing intertexts, and interpreting; it also refers to reading literary texts in the contexts within which they are produced and circulated, and, where it is enriching, with the help of concepts associated with literary theory. The course concerns, in brief, the reading of literature, context, and theory in the preparation of criticism of one’s own. Toward that goal, this course will be an introduction to the theory and an immersion in the practice of literary scholarship. We shall collectively explore the philosophical foundations of the discipline of Literary (and by extension Cultural) Studies to understand the literary profession as well as the pursuit of advanced degrees in literatures in English. Also, the course aims to develop knowledge and skills in identifying, gathering and evaluating sources, defining/refining a research topic, and persuasively presenting your research.

CILO-1: Recognize and evaluate various critical approaches to the study of literary and cultural texts. CILO-2: Design a research project utilizing one or more of the theoretical approaches. CILO-3: Identify, gather, and organize information and materials related to presentations, the course essay, and other writings. CILO-4: Develop and apply technological skills in online searches and retrieval, bibliographical database management and data entry, and in using presentational software such as PowerPoint and other applications, as appropriate. CILO-5: Develop and apply skills in citation and documentation consistent with academic work in the field. CILO-6: Demonstrate competence in the written and oral presentation of his or her research.