Dr. Yoder
English 7360.01      Anthologies
Oral and Written Assignments

There will be 4 written assignments. All 4 must be completed to pass the class. Assignments
1-3 should be submitted in hard copy and posted to the class listserve.

Final Project: Due May 2, Minimum 10 pp.
Everything we do this semester will lead to the final project, so start thinking about it from the
start. The assignment is to devise your own anthology. I do not expect you to gather all
the texts you might use, but I will expect you to generate a Table of Contents and an Introduction
that explains and justifies your choices with an eye toward audience and purpose. The type of
anthology you devise will depend on your own interests, but you will need to consider issues as
the length of the readings, the sort of critical apparatus you would want to include, and how
you will make decisions regarding, for example, not only which texts you will choose, but also in
some cases, which version of particular texts you will choose.

Written Assignment 1: Due Feb. 14, 3-4 pp.
Write an analysis of the assumptions that underlie an anthology of your choice. You should
consider, for example, the intended audience and purpose of the anthology, and how well the
anthology addresses that audience and purpose. Do the readings seem appropriate in length
and variety? What sort of critical apparatus is included (headnotes, footnotes, general
introduction, unit divisions, etc.)? Are these helpful? How might the anthology be improved?

Written Assignment 2: Due Mar. 7, 3-4 pp.
Using an anthology of your choice, discuss the way that the anthology addresses or represents
culture issues such as race, class, gender or multiculturalism. You should consider not only how
the anthology addresses that issue, but also how well the anthology negotiates the tension
between cultural issues and aesthetics. That is, does the anthology compromise literary
quality in order to address cultural pressures, or does it find some way to satisfy both criteria?

Written Assignment 3: Due April 11, 5-6 pp.
Write two separate sets of critical apparatus (headnote with or without discussion questions)
for works you intend to include in your final project. You should also include a one-page
explanation of your intended audience and how your critical apparatus addresses that audience.

Oral Reports
Aside from participation in class discussion, students will also be required to present several
reports on various anthologies and issues relevant to their courses of study. These reports are
noted on the schedule of readings, and you will receive a cumulative grade on them.