Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Summer 2026 - ENGL 371 D100

Writing: Theory and Practice (4)

WBA: Genre Analysis Prof. & Digital Comm

Class Number: 2028

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    May 11 – Aug 10, 2026: Tue, Thu, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Aug 12, 2026
    Wed, 12:00–12:00 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    30 units or two 200-division English courses. Recommended: One of English 199, 199W, or 214.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Students will engage in theoretically informed practice of writing in various non-academic genres. Emphasis will be placed on the kinds of writing that students are likely to use after graduation. This course may be repeated for credit if a different topic is taught, though students who obtained credit for English 371 prior to Summer 2015 may not take this course for further credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

Subtitle: Writing Beyond the Academy: Genre Analysis for Professional and Digital Communication


This course will provide the participants with an overview of major theoretical principles that inform our understanding of genre. With these conceptual and methodological tools, students will explore examples of recent research on non-academic genres, analyzing how writers and audiences engage in technology-mediated communications across different domains such as business, mass media communications, and public relations. This reflection will serve students as a foundation to develop and apply a set of genre-informed principles to guide their own writing for non-academic purposes.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

By the end of the course, the participants will have developed knowledge and strategies useful to:

  • Describe key concepts and methodological features of three approaches to genre theory.
  • Analyze how writers and audiences construct meaning and enact social action through genre conventions in digital and professional communication contexts.
  • Apply conceptual and analytical tools to examine non-academic, technology-mediated texts across domains such as business, mass media communication, and public relations.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of selected non-academic texts by assessing their rhetorical strategies, structural features, and linguistic choices in relation to audience expectations and communicative purposes.

Grading

  • Weekly participation 5%
  • Reading Response (800-1000) 15%
  • Text Analysis (1800-2200 words) 45%
  • Portfolio (1000-1300 words) 35%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

You will read a collection of book chapters, scholarly articles, and other documents that will be made available to you via:

You will not need to purchase a textbook.


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

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


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.