Perceived issues with the course included a belief among students that the course lacked structure with some students saying the instructor was hard to get a hold of because of other commitments he had. Others thought that assignments and other scheduled items tended to get cancel ed frequently which made the syl abus of little use. Suggestions for improvement varied with some students simply requesting greater structure in the course while others wanted additional opportunities to improve their writing such as peer reviews. Prospective students should know that students found the course was both writing intensive and a tough but effective way to improve intermediate writing skil s; however, some students did find the critiques somewhat emotional y draining.

The best aspects of this course included the seminar discussion format and the incorporation of lesser-known texts from the time period. Also, the instructor was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and approachable. Some students felt that the required readings were, at times, obscure and that class was 166 sometimes “disjointed” during lecture because their fellow students were not paying attention. Suggestions included focusing on specific ideas/themes instead of “opening up” the discussion without guidelines; also, providing the students with a comprehensive resource that would tie in al of the course context. Prospective students are encouraged to take advantage of the supplemental material supplied on Blackboard and be prepared for a fair amount of required reading.