Spring 2025 - ENGL 470W E100
Seminar in the English Language (4)
Class Number: 3345
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, Thu, 4:30–6:20 p.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Alys Avalos Rivera
aavalosr@sfu.ca
1 778 782-4517
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Prerequisites:
45 units including at least one upper division English course, or permission of instructor. Reserved for English honours, major, joint major and minor students.
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
Advanced seminar in linguistic, pragmatic, historical and social theories of the English language. The course may be repeated for credit if a different topic is taught, though students who obtained credit for English 470W prior to Summer 2015 may not take this course for further credit. Students with credit for ENGL 470 may not take this course for further credit. Writing.
COURSE DETAILS:
This course looks at the study of language in action, otherwise known as discourse. This means that language is analyzed beyond the word and the sentence level to illuminate our understanding of its use as a communicative tool, but also as a way of doing things, representing the world, and becoming part of society. The participants will explore an approach to the analysis of discourse, identify how a deconstruction of language in context can reveal relationships between the word and the world, practice using a series of discourse analysis tools, and apply these tools to study authentic discourse samples. As a research-focused course, the participants will have the opportunity to conduct a term-long empiric project which will afford valuable experience on linguistic inquiry.
COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Explain the relationship between discourse, social actions, identity, and power
- Define the purpose and nature of discourse analysis
- Apply a theoretical framework to guide the methodological design of a discourse analysis project
- Apply a set of linguistic tools to analyze discourse samples
- Discuss how different social contexts interact with discourse
Grading
- Learning Tasks 5%
- Presentation and Guided Discussions 15%
- Research Project Proposal (800-1000-word paper) 35%
- Research Report (3000-4000-word paper and 5 min. video presentation) 45%
Materials
MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:
All students will be responsible for purchasing the required textbook. It has not been ordered from the SFU bookstore, but electronic and printed versions are available from different retailers. See links provided below.
REQUIRED READING:
Gee, J. P. (2014). An introduction to discourse analysis: Theory and method. Taylor and Francis
An electronic version of this book can be purchased at:
RECOMMENDED READING:
Johnstone, Barbara. (2018). Discourse Analysis(3rd ed.). Wiley. (available online through SFU Library).
Hyland, K. (2013). In Hyland K. (Ed.), Discourse studies reader: Essential excerpts(1st ed.). Bloomsbury Academic. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781472541925 (available in print at Bennett Library)
A list of scholarly articles and open access corpora that may be useful to inform the research project will be provided separately.
REQUIRED READING NOTES:
Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.
Department Undergraduate Notes:
IMPORTANT NOTE Re 300 and 400 level courses: 75% of spaces in 300 level English courses, and 100% of spaces in 400 level English courses, are reserved for declared English Major, Minor, Extended Minor, Joint Major, and Honours students only, until open enrollment begins.
For all On-Campus Courses, please note the following:
- To receive credit for the course, students must complete all requirements.
- Tutorials/Seminars WILL be held the first week of classes.
- When choosing your schedule, remember to check "Show lab/tutorial sections" to see all Lecture/Seminar/Tutorial times required.
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.
Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION
Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.