Graduate
L.
I. S. 763 READERS ADVISORY SERVICES
FALL Semester 2009
(September 2,- December 16 2009)
SYLLABUS
CLASSES
–Wednesday evenings, 6-9 (Class times are
subject to negotiation over breaks.)
INSTRUCTOR: Becky Spratford, Readers’ Advisor
Tel: (708.250.6698) (cell, you can call at any
time)
Email: bspratford@dom.edu
(This forwards to my Hotmail account)
Blog:
http://ra763.wordpress.com
(Class Blog)
OFFICE HOURS –By
appointment or before or after class.
I.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
A
course on serving adult reading needs which addresses fiction (mystery, science
fiction, romance, western, and more), nonfiction (self-help, biography,
history) and links among the fiction and nonfiction genres. The relationship of readers’ advisory
services with reference, and other library programs, research on adult reading,
and with popular reading in an information society will be examined. Students will also gain experience in adult
book discussions. Prerequisites: 701,
703, 704.
II.
REQUIRED TEXTS (available at Bookstore where noted or from local libraries)
Required Texts mean that you are required to read these
texts; you are not required to purchase them.
Saricks, Joyce G. Readers'
Advisory Service in the Public Library, 3rd ed.
Saricks, Joyce G. Readers’
Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction, 2nd ed.,
Setterfield, Diane. The
Thirteenth Tale Washington Square Press pb, 2007. (REQUIRED: local libraries or from Becky)
Ebsco’s NoveList, “Getting Up To Speed” genre outlines. (Demonstration in first class.)
Olson, Georgine. “Speed-Reading Books – Or–How to Read a Novel in
10 Minutes,” Public Library Association program,
Adult
Underhill, Paco. Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping.
Chabon, Michael. Maps and Legends:
III. Additional
Balcom, Ted. Book
Discussions for Adults: A Leader's Guide.
Burgin, Robert, ed. Nonfiction
Readers’ Advisory.
Herald, Diana Tixier and Wayne A. Wiegand (ed.) Genreflecting: A Guide to Popular
Ross, Catherine Sheldrick, Lynne (E. F.) McKechnie, and Paulette
M. Rothbauer. Reading Matters: What the
Research Reveals about
Shearer, Kenneth D. Guiding the Reader to the Next Book.
Shearer, Kenneth D. and Robert Burgin, eds. The Readers’ Advisor’s Companion.
REQUIRED DATABASES
Students are required to use the NoveList Plus and What Do I
Read Next? databases for preparation of their assigned annotations. These databases are accessible for free
through the Dominican University Library Website, under A-Z list of Online
resources at http://www.dom.edu/library/articles/a-z-list.html
You can locate these databases alphabetically in this list. Also
check your local public library for additional resources.
The instructors will also post any other subscription services for
which they receive free student passwords on Blackboard.
STYLE GUIDE
Turabian, Kate A. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses,
and Dissertations, 6th ed.,
revised by John Grossman and Alice Bennett Chicago: University of Chicago Pr,
1996.
All research papers should be accurately cited. Please use the style you are most comfortable
with as long as I can match the citations with the sources. Also, page numbers (where applicable) must be
cited. Please speak to me if you have any questions or concerns about
citations.
ELECTRONIC TURABIAN
CITATIONS
COMPUTER ACCOUNTS
If you do not have email access, please obtain a free account from
III.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
GOAL OF THE COURSE L.I.S. 763 is designed to blend readers’ advisory theory and practice
to enhance student expertise in meeting the fiction and nonfiction leisure
reading needs of adult library users. To
this end, it aims to strengthen student written and verbal communication effectiveness. Course activities have been devised to
encourage the student to develop a philosophy of RA service grounded in an
understanding of and a commitment to effective service.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
• to introduce students
to the theory and practice of meeting adult reading needs through
adult readers advisory
service (RA)
• to provide basic
training in the RA interview, booktalking, and leading a book discussion
group
• to introduce students
to basic reference tools for adult RA
• to explore adult
American reading tastes and discover how patrons select materials
• to identify current
issues in delivering RA services
• to explore use of the
Internet for enhancing effective RA service
• to investigate
marketing and other approaches for increasing the perceived value of RA
services to potential
readers within and without the library
RELEVANT MLIS PROGRAM
OBJECTIVES
• Articulating and
applying a philosophy of service that incorporates an awareness of the
legacy of libraries and
information centers within our culture.
• Promoting the
professional values of ethical responsibilities, intellectual freedom, and
universal access to
information.
• Identifying and
analyzing information needs and opportunities of individuals and
organizations, both
within the traditional information service areas as well as the broader
information sector.
• Developing creative
solutions to information problems by integrating relevant models,
theories, research, and
practices.
• Designing,
implementing, and evaluating systems, technologies, services, and products
that connect users with
information.
• Practicing a variety of
management, communication, and organizational skills to facilitate
appropriate change
within learning organizations.
• Teaching others to
identify, analyze, organize, and use information.
IV. CLASS REQUIREMENTS (Assignment details in Appendix A)
• Read all assigned titles
and handouts
• Join and monitor the
electronic reading list Fiction_L (www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html)
• Attend every class on
time and participate positively in the discussions. (15 points)
• Prepare a Reader
Profile and Response. (10 points)
• Write brief
annotations of five books. (5 points
each)
Post on class blog
before class.
Deliver brief book
talks on three of these books.
• Write two topic
papers, one as a midterm and one as a final.
(20 points each)
• Choose one paper to present
as an oral report. (10 points)
• Monitor Early Word
(earlyword.com) or an instructor-approved book-related blog.
•Keep track of personal
reading on a Book Networking site (Good Reads, Shelfari, Library Thing)
Papers: Numbered pages, one-inch margins, 12-point type,
double-spaced, with the exception of notes and block quotations. Any appendixes and attachments will not count
for the required number of pages.
V. COMPONENTS OF GRADE
Reader Profile/Response/Presentation 10 points
Book Annotations/Book Talks 25
points
First Topic Paper (Midterm) 20
points
Second Topic Paper (Final) 20
points
Midterm or Final Oral Paper Report 10
points
Attendance/Participation 15
points
Total 100
points
Assignments will be due at the beginning of class. Papers
submitted after the due date will lose points before being marked for content and style. The current deduction
standard is one point per day—out of the 10 or 20 points for the assignment. Papers are also required to be at least as
long as the minimum number of pages assigned.
Papers falling short of this minimum will also be deducted 1 point per
missing page before being marked for
content and style. The instructors will take deductions in fractions of a point
for those papers falling under the minimum number of pages.
Final grades will be based on the following scale:
A 100-95 B- 79-75
A- 94-90 C+ 74-70
B+ 89-85 C 69-65
B 84-80 C- 64 and below
Students should refer to page 23 of the Dominican University
Graduate School of Library and Information Science 2008-2010 Bulletin for more
information about what defines an A, A-, etc…
The Bulletin is at : http://www.dom.edu/academics/gslis/programs/bulletin.html
Academic
Integrity Policy
“All
students of GSLIS are expected to observe high standards of academic honesty
and integrity. Any student whose conduct
violates such standards may be subject to disciplinary action as determined by
due process.” (2008-2010 Bulletin, 23) Plagiarism, academic dishonesty, and
cheating are unacceptable and will result in class failure.
Class Communication
The instructor will post any whole class communications as
announcements on Blackboard. Any
information for the current week’s class will be posted no later than Tuesday
at 2pm. Students are responsible for
checking Blackboard and being prepared for any changes or additions to the
course. If there is a University
closure, the instructor will post this information on Blackboard as soon as
possible.
If you need to reach the instructor immediately, please use the
cell phone number provided in this syllabus.
If your inquiry or comments are not time sensitive, please e-mail at bspratford@dom.edu .
Students are responsible for providing their contact information
to the instructor via the provided Discussion Board on Blackboard. This is the information the instructor will
use if she needs to contact you.
VI. CLASS CALENDAR
Students are responsible for checking Blackboard each week for
additional reading
September 2 Introductions and Overview
Class introductions/Blackboard introductions.
Discussion of use of class blog and book social networking
sites
History of Readers’ Advisory and the role of RA in libraries
“Speed
Reading Books-Or- How to Read a Novel in Ten Minutes” by Georgine N. Olson
RA Resources
(nongenre)
ARRT Genre Fiction List
Due today: Read chapters
one and two of Readers’ Advisory Service
in the Public Library
Read
“Speed Reading Books—Or—How to Read a Novel in Ten Minutes,”
by
Georgine Olson, pp. 131-2 of RA Service…
September 9 Appeal Factors and Creating a Reader Profile
Discussion: Definition and discussion of appeal
factors
How
to create your reader profile
Evaluation of personal
reading compared to ARRT Genre Fiction List
Chapter 3 of Saricks RA
Service
How to read reviews
Adult booktalking,
formal and informal
Due today: Print out and
mark ARRT genre fiction list
Read
Chapter 3, Readers’ Advisory Service
for discussion
Post
personal introduction on Blackboard.
Seating - Where you sit
today is where you sit the rest of the session.
Indictae whether your oral
presentation will be at midterm or final
September 16 RA Interview, an Introduction to Genres and
Genre Study, & Whole Collection RA
Distribution of Seating
Chart
Discussion: Saricks Readers' Advisory Service, especially Chapters 4 and 5.
Booktalking
in the stacks
Expectations
for annotations and booktalks including sample booktalks.
What
is genre fiction?
Discussion
of Profile Response assignment
Due today: 1 Page Reader
Profile (2 copies, 1 with your name, 1 without)
Finish
Saricks’ Readers' Advisory Service
Read
Chabon, “Trickster in a Suit of Lights.”
September 23 Profile
Response Presentations and Customer Service and Marketing
Discussion: Class
discussion of Underhill reading with exercises
Due today: Two page reader profile response, plus
two-five minute presentation
September 30 Genres with a Sense of Place and
Reading Maps
Discussion: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Westerns
Creating
a reading map
Due today: Read Landscape chapters in 2nd
ed. Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre
Fiction
Relevant students read a
book, write an annotation, prepare a booktalk
October 7 Adrenaline Genres
Discussion: Suspense, Romantic Suspense, Thrillers,
and Adventure.
Due today: Read Adrenaline Chapters, 2nd
edition, Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre
Fiction
Relevant students read a
book, write an annotation, prepare a booktalk.
October 14 Midterm Papers and Presentations
October 21 Graphic Novels, Best Sellers, and
Audio Books
Discussion: Graphic Novels,
Best sellers, and Audio Books
Due today: Look at two to
four graphic novels
Read
the Readers’ Advisory with GNs (parts 1-3) on NoveList by Jessica Zellers
Listen to one Audio Book
(preferably unabridged)
Relevant
students read a book, write an annotation, prepare a booktalk
October 28 Genres that Appeal to the Intellect
Discussion: Literary Fiction, Science Fiction,
Psychological Suspense, Mysteries
Due Today: Read Intellect
chapters, 2nd edition, Readers’
Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction.
Relevant students read a
book, write an annotation, prepare a booktalk
November 4 Genres that Appeal to the Emotions
Discussion: Romance,
Horror, Gentle Reads, Women’s Lives and Relationships
Is
there a “Men’s Fiction” genre?
Due today: Read Emotions
chapters in 2nd ed. Readers’
Advisory Guide to Genre
Fiction.
Relevant
students read a book, write an annotation, prepare a booktalk.
November 11 Nonfiction
Readers’ Advisory
Discussion: Popular
Nonfiction
Is Nonfiction readers’
advisory different?
Due today: Read Ebsco’s NoveList Getting Up To
Speed Nonfiction topics
Relevant
students read a book, write an annotation, prepare a booktalk.
November 18 Inspirational,
African American, Latino (Hispanic), and
Gay/Lesbian Genres Discussion: Special Reading Interests and
Fiction_L
Due today: Read provided genre background readings.
Read Ebsco’s NoveList Getting Up To Speed in Christian
Inspirational Fiction
Read Ebsco’s NoveList Getting Up to Speed in Urban Lit
Read and annotate a
novel in one of these genres.
Relevant students prepare a
booktalk.
December 2 Leading Book Discussions & Class Book
Discussion
Discussion: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Due today: Read The Thirteenth Tale
December 9 Fiction-L Discussion and Class Wrap-Up
Go
through ARRT list again with a different colored pen and be prepared to
discuss.
Class
discussion of semester’s worth of Fiction_L postings
End
of the semester exercises
Personal
appointments about finals
December 16 Final Papers and
Presentations
Appendix A
Assignment Details
Assignment requirements are outlined in detail on Blackboard under
Course
Documents-Assignment Sheets
Reader Profile Assignment: Two Parts - Three Typed Pages (Minimum)
The first part of the
assignment, due on September 16, is to write a one-page personal profile. The
second part of the assignment, due September 23, will require that students
take one of their classmate’s profiles and prepare two typed pages explaining
what books they would suggest to that reader and why; this paper will require
the students to discuss the process they used to come up with their
suggestions, including the citing of at least three sources they consulted.
Students will also prepare a two-to-five minute oral presentation
summarizing the contents of this second part.
10 points
Book Annotations and Class Booktalks: One Typed Page Each (See
also Appendix C)
Students will read six
books. Five books will be read in the genres and three of these five will be
booktalked. Student booktalks should take no more than five minutes (practice
with a timer!). A sixth work (People of
the Book) will be read for the class book discussion. Because students tend
to be less familiar with the Inspirational, Gay and Lesbian, African American,
and Latino genres, all students will read a novel in at least one of these
areas. Students are urged to read in unfamiliar genres. Details
on what we expect from the booktalk will be provided before the first talks are
due. Eligible books for these assignments include any and all adult books in a
genre. Please ask an instructor if you are not sure. 25 points (5 each)
Students are requested, if
possible, to alternate between using NoveList
and What Do I Read Next? to find
similar authors and related works. However, students should not feel limited to
these resources. A complete list of
resources is available on Blackboard under “Course Documents” for the May 11
class or under the class date for that specific genre. For locating relevant nonfiction works,
students may use any library catalog or What
Do I Read Next?
Annotation Format
Annotations, which are to
be single-spaced but no more than one-page in length, will follow a slightly
amended version of the outline presented on page 110 of Saricks's RA
Service. The addition consists of including "Relevant Nonfiction
Works and Authors" OR "Relevant Fiction Works and Authors" as
the last category in the outline and three appeal terms that best describe the
book (Appendix C). Students may use their annotations as a "prompt"
for their class presentations. Past student
examples are available on the class blog at http://ra763.wordpress.com/. Annotations for a particular class must be
posted on the class blog before class begins. Instructions will be given in the
first class..
Topic Papers: 8 Typed Pages Each (Minimum)
Students will complete two
topic papers. One paper will serve as the class midterm, the other will serve
as the class final. Each student will
decide which of the topic areas to write
in to meet the deadlines for the midterm and final. All
students are strongly encouraged (but not required) to do a paper in Topic Area
1 - "Visit" for either the midterm or the final. (See
Appendix B, Dominican University IRB Guidelines for more guidance.) The other paper may be in Topic Areas 2, 3,
or 4. 20 points each
Topic Area 1 - RA Site Visit (strongly encouraged): Students will visit, in
person, by telephone, via email, and/or fax, one or more public, academic, or
other libraries offering RA service and will write a report on the visits.
The report should address:
planning for RA service,
marketing the RA service,
budgeting,
staffing,
in-service training,
hours of service,
collection development,
electronic (including web sites) or hard copy
resources available,
reading lists (electronic or hardcopy),
expectation for staff reading after official
work hours, nature of customer base, etc. Students may visit as part of a group
and report as a group or individually.
Group visits must involve
an actual trip to the library. Group reports will be marked on a group basis.
All papers must be individual papers and will be marked on an individual basis.
Students are expected to
make their own contacts for the interview(s). However, a listing of RA
librarians who have volunteered to be interviewed is provided in Appendix D. Simply
visiting the web pages of one or more libraries is not sufficient to meet the
visit requirement.
Topic Area 2: The Social History of a
Book (Borrowed with permission from Dr. Linda Walling of the
Afterwards, the student will read the book and evaluate
it for her- or himself. (For example, was it as you expected from just hearing
about it--or seeing the movie? If not, how was it different from what you
expected? What is the book's audience? What is its appeal, to readers then and
now?)
Locate and read reviews of the book at the time it was
written.
How was it received when it first appeared?
How long did it take the book "to have an
impact"?
Research the times in which the book was written
(historical events, social attitudes and values, economic situation, etc.)
Determine the book's history since it was written.
Has it stayed in print?
Is it included in literary histories and/or books on the
history of the genre?
How does it compare to other books by the author?
How has it influenced other books on the subject or in
the genre?
Discuss the impact of the book with today's
"reader."
What is the book’s appeal? Then? Now? To you as a reader?
What about its possible future impact?
Topic Area 3: Past, Present, or Emerging Issues in RA. In this option, the student
will utilize the library literature and/or (where relevant) interviews and
other personal communications to explore one or more critical issues in RA.
Such issues can range from the 19th century
controversy over actually advising readers on reading choices, the close
connection of RA with education in the 1920s and 1930s, or the implications of
submerging RA under “adult services” in
the post WWII period.
Current or emerging issues can include such questions as
whether or not RA includes both fiction and nonfiction; arguments for or
against separate RA departments; whether RA, like YA services, is in danger of
being considered the latest “flavor of the month;” the impact of electronic
delivery (ebooks, audio book downloads) on readers’ advisory, including
interviewing librarians who provide the services; how well electronic email
systems which automatically reserve favorite authors for patrons work, etc.
Topic Area 4: Thematic Booklist and Booktalk OR Reading Map (Adapted with permission
from Dr. Connie Van Fleet,
Annotate the titles you will be including in your oral
presentation and attach them to your paper; this is the type of list you would
offer your audience. (This will count for 2 pages of the required paper
length.)
In your paper choose and define your audience: who they
are, the assumptions you have made about them, why you chose the topic for this
audience.
Define your topic, including information on why you chose
the books and how the titles are linked together.
Your paper should also include
a discussion of your research process: how you compiled your information, what
sources you used, books you may have considered and rejected and why, or any
other issues that arose as you prepared this assignment.
You may also choose to do
your booklist as a reading map. You will
be required to write 4 pages about the process and your choices and provide a
link to the reading map. The is a
reading map archive on the WordPress blog with articles and examples at
http://ra763.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/reading-maps-archive/
If you choose this Topic, you will be required either to give this
book talk to the class (who will pretend to be your defined audience if
necessary), or present your reading map.
Please note: The grade awarded a
written assignment will be lowered if the document is received after the date
due at the rate of one point (out of twenty) per day. Papers falling short of the minimum length
will also have 1 point per missing page deducted. The minimum length deduction can be applied
in fractions of a point.
Class Reports For Midterm or Final
Students will deliver a
report, ten minutes long, on either their midterm or final paper. Students
who choose Topic 4 must do that as
their oral presentation. "Appendix E Effective Public Presentations"
should be followed in preparing and presenting the talks. The Instructors will provide all students
with a checklist prior to the Midterm which will be used to grade their class
report. 10 points
Class Participation
Students are expected to attend
all classes. If a student is going to
miss a class s/he is expected to contact an instructor in person, via phone, or
through e-mail before the beginning of the scheduled class time. Unexcused absences will be reflected in this
grade. Exceptions will be made for
illness, acts of God, etc… The class
participation grade is also affected by how well a student adds to the class
discussion. Students are expected to
participate in discussions and add positively to the class dialogue. Students who do not contribute at all or in a
way that does not benefit the class positively will lose points. Finally, those students who make exceptional
improvement throughout the semester and/or excel in booktalking will be rewarded
here. Max of 15 points.
Appendix B
APPENDIX C
Required Format for Book
Annotations
Author:
Title:
Genre:
Publication Date:
Number of Pages:
Geographical Setting:
Time Period:
Series (If applicable):
Plot Summary:
Subject Headings:
Appeal:
3 terms that best describe this book:
Similar Authors and Works (why are they similar?):
3 Relevant
Non-Fiction Works and Authors
3 Relevant
Fiction Works and Authors
Name:
APPENDIX D
RA Personnel Who Volunteered
To Be Interviewed
You are not limited to this list. Feel free to interview RA librarians or librarians with RA responsibilities in any state or in any public, school, or academic library
Stacy Alesi
Library Associate II
561-482-4554
alesis@pbclibrary.org or bookbitch@yahoo.com
Linda
C. Conrath
Reference
Librarian
708.428.5159
Karen Dini
Asst. Head of Adult Services
2 Friendship Plaza
630-458-3344
Jennifer Hendzlik
Reference Manager, RA
staff trainer & RA adjunct faculty for Syracuse University & University
of Arizona
Springfield-Greene
County Library District
417-874-8130
jenniferh@mail.sgcl.org or jhendzlik@gmail.com
Carrie A. Herrmann
Public Service
Coordinator
8899 US 42
859-384-5550
Sarah Johnson
Reference Librarian
Booth Library,
Eastern
(217) 581-7538
Lucy M. Lockley,
Collection Development Manager
St. Charles
City-County Library
636/441.2300,
Ext.1563
Denise
Lyons
Adult
Services Librarian
TX
75238
214-670-1350
Katherine L May
Reference Librarian
617-796-1380
Ricki Nordmeyer
Manager Popular
Services Department
847-324-3177
Brenda O'Brien
Reference Librarian,
Adult/Young Adult Department
630-964-7899
Lauren
Ryan
Adult Services/Reader's Advisory Librarian
908-526-4016
x172
lryan@sclsnj.org
www.somerset.lib.nj.us
Briana
Perlot or Kathy Sexton
RA
Librarian
(708) 795-8000 ext.
3005
Lissa Staley
Adult Services
Librarian
785-580-4555
Kaite Mediatore Stover
Head of Central
Library's Readers & Circulation Services
14
816-701-4234
kaitestover@kclibrary.org
Andrew Smith
Readers' Services
Librarian
(757) 259-4050
Trudy Timkovich
Reference Librarian
and Readers' Advisory Coordinator
One
317/579-0307
timkovicht@hepl.lib.in.us
Barry Trott
Adult Services
Director
757-259-4053
Email: btrott@wrl.org
Web Address: http://www.wrl.org
Greta
Ulrich
Reader’s
Advisory Librarian
Niles
Public Library District
(847)
663-6613
Rebecca Vnuk, Head of
Adult Services
Glen Ellyn Public
Library
708-366-5205 ext 318
Debbie Walsh
Head of Adult and
Reader Services
Geneva Public Library
District
(630)232-0780 x227
Lynne Welch
Reference Librarian
Herrick Memorial Library
440-647-2120
welchly@oplin.org
www.wellington.lib.oh.us
David Wright
Librarian
Fiction Department
(206) 386 4660
Jessica Zellers
Readers' Services
Librarian
APPENDIX E
Effective Public
Presentations
1. Unless a presenter is constrained by a
shortage of time or chronic stage fright, reading a presentation represents a
discourtesy to an audience. As such, it
should be avoided. By definition, where a class knows weeks in advance of a
presentation, students have time to develop a talk and reduce it to key word
memory aids.
2. If compelled by stage fright or time
constraints to read her or his remarks, the speaker should remember that a
presentation and a paper are two different entities. Each
has a distinct and different audience.
A paper should never be read in lieu of a talk. Ideally, per item # 1, a
talk should never be read except for key phrases serving as memory aids.
3. Even with handouts, the audience for a public
presentation should never be expected to absorb more than a minimum of
statistical data. Except at some (not
all) professional conferences where research per se is emphasized, anecdotes
are to be preferred over statistics. Where statistics are provided, the
presenter is expected to select the truly important for her or his audience to
remember.
4. If an audience is expected to secure crucial
information prior to a presentation, the speaker has the obligation--which
cannot be delegated to the audience--to insure that such information is easily
obtained.
5. Handouts are good. PowerPoint slides, overheads--or even
videos--can never fully substitute for a handout. Further, a verbal explanation
can never take the place of a visual.
Revised 2006
APPENDIX F "Twenty
Things Good Stories Have In Common"
Lee K. Abbott, Professor of English and Director, Creative Writing
Program,
Form is not different from meaning and is itself a gesture toward
the meaning of the fiction. (Mark Schorer)
There are no errors in tone (the language is controlled and
consistent) (e.g., No "showing off," a writer serves character).
Plot, as a casual relationship among events (E.M. FORSTER), is a
function of character: it is not an independent element or scheme into which
one merely plugs this or that character. No "trick" endings; no deus
ex machina, no coincidence.
Structurally, the story starts in the right place, a thing
sometimes called (by John Clellon Holmes, among others) "Point of
Entry." Eudora Welty suggests this has to do with "trouble," or,
as it is called in other places, the abnormal which interrupts the normal.
Once begun, the story has, yes, a middle and an end; along the
way, it presents "obligatory" scenes.
A story's scenes are, to use Henry James's word,
"rendered" (Related to this is the notion that we as readers usually
prefer our stories "shown" rather than "told.")
Point of View is thematically significant and usually not
violated. (Percy Lubbock)
Dialogue is credible and life-like (See Mark Twain's
"Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offenses" for a fuller explanation of
this important observation.)
The world of the story, its milieu and setting (R. V. Cassill) is
evoked through texture and detail as the means by which story is itself--the
pun is intended--authorized. ( See "Welty's essay, "Place," for
the best Presentation of the argument.)
The "facts" of the story are correct; that is, if you
write that
There is an appropriate number of characters, all of whom have
something significant to do in the story. (It is here that we get to talk, to
the extent that talk is useful, about "round" and "flat"
characters, as well as about such things as the "ficelle.") [French
for the "string" by which a puppeteer manages her or his puppets.]
We must know who to care about (focal character). More than this
we must have, as James notes, "the stout stake of emotion" planted
for the subsequent action to swirl against.
"Clarity is the style of all honest men" (James
Whitehead). [NOTE: And all honest women.]
Characters are human, not cliches or stereotypes of stock; they
ought to have, in this regard, the same things as their makers do--jobs, a
past, a place from which they escaped, etc.
The reader must be made to understand, often explicitly, why
things happen.
We write prose, not
writing. (This is a notion quite separate from, but just as important as, our
obligation to spell, punctuate and use the grammar correctly.)
We do not hector or harangue; no theme-mongering (art, says
Aristotle, is to instruct and to entertain).
Taste, personal and idiosyncratic and too often indefensible, is
not an issue. Just because you hate science fiction doesn't mean that you are
unable to tell good sci-fi from its cancer-causing counterpart; ditto with the
western, the historical romance, the pulp confession, and anything else that to
your high-handed self seems decidedly brutish and banal.
Description is often transient, not static. (Nor is it, I should
add, anything less than necessary.)
Eschew the conventional wisdom.
"Twenty Things Good Stories Have in Common" was
reprinted with permission from the author. It appeared in the article "Lee
K. Abbott." Impromptu 12, no 2 (1995, Autumn): 1-5. (Published by the
Department of English,
Appendix
G
Criteria
for Evaluating Research Papers
(Does not apply to reports of
visits)
(Thanks
to Dr. Karen Brown)
Papers will
be eight (8 pages which translates into roughly 2,000 words at the approximate
rate of 250 words per page.
Your
paper and bibliography will be assessed according to the following criteria:
PAPER:
·
Clarity
of exposition:
-
Coherent synthesis of the professional literature
-
Logical
train of thought
-
Adequate
connections between ideas, support of generalizations, choice of illustrative
examples
·
Persuasive
presentation of position:
-
Issue(s)
selected are relevant and clearly explained
-
Supporting
reasons are sufficient, cogent, and appropriate
-
Position
is effectively supported
·
Use
of writing conventions:
-
Proper grammar,
spelling, and sentence structure
-
Appropriate
use of citations and references
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
·
Reflects a careful review of available literature related to the
topic/issue
·
Includes at least eight (8) sources in a variety of formats
·
Follows proper bibliographic format as assigned by the instructor
(Turabian/Chicago)