Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon successful completion students should be able to:

o Read and analyze established authors in order to become familiar with the elements of fiction (eg. plot, dialogue, character, point of view).
o Write original fiction that effectively uses the elements of the craft, leading to the development and revision of at least one complete short story.
o Read peer fiction closely and analytically in order to contribute to peer workshops in a thoughtful and critical manner.

This course can include lecture, but will likely consist mostly of round-table workshops in which student work will be evaluated by the entire class. Students will come prepared to critique the work by responding to it during this discussion, as well as submitting written responses. Students may also read a variety of published fiction and essays on producing fiction.  The instructor should spend approximately an hour of conference with each student outside of class.

Assessment may include informal responses to study questions; evaluation of small- and full-group discussion; in-class and out-of-class writing; writing fiction pieces, as well as other types of more informal writing; presentation by individuals and groups; short and long quizzes; close reading exercises using support/evidence; writing exercises which include evaluation of various interpretations of a text and their relative validity. Both instructor and peer evaluation will be incorporated in the assessment process. 

Outcome Assessment Strategies

May include student critiques of student work, in-class and out-of-class writing, close reading exercises, instructor conferences. Students missing a week's worth of class may not expect an A; those missing two week's worth may not pass the course.

Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues, Competencies, and Skills)

• Plot

• Character

• Scene

• Narrative voice

• Point of view

• First person

• Second person

• Third person

• Dialogue

• Conflict

• Setting

• Tone/Language

• Text

• Subtext

• Figurative Language

• Genres

• Pacing

• Revision

• Purpose

• Protagonist

• Imagery

• Theme

• Writing as a process

• Denouement

• Flashback

• Irony

• Allusion

• Symbol

• Close reading

• Analysis

• Contextualization

• Artistic convention

• Multiple interpretation

• Audience