To foster and enhance the skills of close reading by drawing attention to what is needed for close literary analysis of texts. To read texts attentively and to acquire appropriate vocabulary and techniques for successful close reading and to consider the implications of literary devices and techniques when both writing and reading literary texts. To enable students to criticise and write focused critical essays on the basis of their attentive reading, to discuss matters such as form, structure, voice and genre with confidence and using appropriate vocabulary. To expand our understanding and appreciation of texts and to consider the implications of using categories such as genre, structure, voice and form when analysing and discussing text.

(LO1) Students of this module will acquire analytical skills and vocabulary appropriate to university-level work and be able to use them appropriately in relation to a range of sources from different historical periods and social contexts.

(LO2) By the end of the module, student should be able to construct and support argument in written or spoken forms suitable for academic work and be able to participate constructively in group discussions.

(LO3) This module will engender awareness of cultural, theoretical and historical contexts of literature and language use.

(S1) The module equips students to analyse and interpret sophisticated texts closely and critically.

(S2) Students undertaking this module will learn to construct and support argument in both written and spoken forms.

(S3) The module seeks to provide students with the ability to write with appropriate subject knowledge, using appropriate approaches and terminology.

This module covers poetry and prose written in English covering a wide period from the Middle Ages to the present day. Major genres and forms are always covered such as the sonnet, prose fiction, irony, realism, but others are also included.

This module will be taught by 1 x weekly 1-hour tutorial with small group (F2F or online, as can be accommodated), and 1 x weekly 1-hour remote online workshops with whole cohort.

Self-directed learning for this module takes many forms: reading texts and extracts set for (small and large) group sessions, making notes of salient points such as literary devices and themes and preparing comments to share in small-group sessions and offer in large-group sessions; following up leads and references from group-sessions (large or small), reading widely around texts; taking advantage of sites and recommended reading offering examples of close reading, practical criticism etc; discussing findings and ideas with peers informally; writing practice essays or using past papers to set up personal mock exams.