This course is offered in the second term of the 3rd year of the English studies degree. Its main goal is to explore detective women writers and their work in crime fiction: “Novels which have an atrocious crime at their heart, whose writers set out to explore and interpret the dangerous and violent underworld of crime, its causes, ramifications and effect on both perpetrators and victims,” (P.D. James)

This subject belongs to the ‘Fundamentos de Literatura Inglesa’ Module (M04). Specifically it contributes to the achievement of module competences:

M04CM01- To understand the English language and to use it properly through the reading of different literary texts.

M04CM02- To analyze literature written in English, exploring the interaction of the literary texts with the cultural and historical context in English-speaking countries.

M04CM03- To understand, analyze and interpret critically literature in English, using adequate text analysis techniques and to transmit and discuss it in groups and individually.

M04CM04- To understand the role of literature in the creation of personal and collective ideas related to fields of general interest, such as history, social relations or gender.



Final achievement of the module competences above entails the fulfillment of the degree competences



G001 - To be able to produce and understand any type of oral and written text in English.

G002 - To know the history, civilization and culture of the English-speaking countries.

G004 - To understand, analyse and interpret English literature and to be able to evaluate critically texts and documents in English.

G006 - To be able to understand the main ideas of complex texts in a second language and to express oneself with fluency both orally and in writing in that language.

G007 - To be able to relate the specific knowledge of the degree with other areas and disciplines and to transmit that knowledge in further studies in order to favour conciliatory and tolerant attitudes towards multilingual and multicultural diversity

G008 - To be able to work autonomously and in teams, making use of the techniques and tools acquired.

G009 - To be able to transmit the knowledge acquired in different academic contexts to be used in diverse professional contexts



LEARNING OUTCOMES



In this course, students will be able to:

- listen and read with an open but critical mind detective novels written in English by female authors;

- exercise critical judgment and undertake sophisticated synthesis, analysis and evaluation of varying kinds of evidence;

- read closely, analytically, and with understanding, texts from the different historical periods and in different styles and authors;

- argue persuasively and with appropriate illustration and evidence, both orally and in writing;

- approach literary texts and critical issues with imagination, sensitivity and creativity;

- develop independence of mind, including an ability to challenge received opinion.

- find information, organise and deploy it;

- work well independently, with a strong sense of self-direction, but with the ability to work constructively in co-operation with others;

- plan and organise the use of time effectively, particularly in relation to the weekly timetable of tutorials and associated essays and projects;

- make appropriate use of language and IT skills.

- What are we talking about and how did it all begin?

- The tenant of 221B Baker Street (Sherlock Holmes) and the parish priest from Cobhole in Essex (Chesterton’s Father Brown)

- The Golden Age:

- Dorothy L. Sayers

- Agatha Christie,

- Margery Allingham,

- Ngaio Marsh

- Telling the story: setting, viewpoint, characters

- A conversation with Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine

- A conversation with P.D. James

The course classes combine lectures and oral presentations with practical exercises with students in pairs or small groups discussing questions related to the lectures, the oral presentations and the novels of compulsory reading.



The intention is to lead students to find pleasure in discovering and understanding and connecting with the detective novel by women writers and enable discussion of issues and values the novels offer us.



Thus acquire and appreciate types of communication and learn how to operate them successfully.



Finally there is the creative aspect. It highlights the need of understanding through doing.



We will read significant novels, analyse their content, and discuss their possible meanings, both in the context of their historical time and our own time.



We will also identify and interpret significant thematic emphases of individual works and authors, distinguish the characteristics of each novel, period, and writer, and look for both significant connections and important innovations within and between authors and their different environments.

• Continuous Assessment System
• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Oral defense (%): 20
  • Individual works (%): 10
  • Team projects (problem solving, project design)) (%): 30
  • Exhibition of works, readings ... (%): 40

The type of assessment is Continuous. Students will be assessed according to their performance in the following tasks:

Oral participation in class (20%), Individual written work (10%), Group written work (30%), Group/individual oral presentations in class, reading of compulsory texts (40%)



The deadline for the written and oral presentation assignments is final and any work submitted later than the appointed deadline will score 0 marks.



The consequence of plagiarism (in the essays or any written work) and/or cheating (during the in-class tasks and the oral presentations) is failing the course as a whole. In other words, if you plagiarise any parts of your work, or try to cheat in any way, you will immediately score a 0 as your FINAL MARK.



Withdrawal from Continuous Assessment: All students have the right to be evaluated according to the final evaluation procedure independently of whether or not they have participated in the continuous or mixed assessment module. In order to do so, they must write the instructor responsible for the course expressing their desire to withdraw from the continuous/mixed assessment. For quadrimestral courses, students can do so within the first 9 weeks of the course, according to the academic calendar of their centre.

Withdrawal from an exam call: Withdrawal from a call will be assessed as “no grade reported” [No Presentado/a].

1. In the case of continuous or mixed assessment, all students can withdraw from a call until at least one month before the date of the end of the teaching schedule of the corresponding course. This withdrawal must be submitted in writing to the instructor responsible for the course.

2. In the case of final assessment, not sitting the exam on the official date of the exam qualifies as an automatic withdrawal from the corresponding call.



Final Evaluation procedure/Final Assessment 100% based on the following marking criteria:

Written essay paper (25%), written exam (50%), oral presentation (25%)

The mark will be based on an exam (100%): Written essay paper (25%), written exam (50%), oral presentation (25%)







The new regulation about assessment can be found at the following link:

http://www.ehu.eus/es/web/estudiosdegrado-gradukoikasketak/ebaluaziorako-arautegia

- Agatha Christie, _The Murder at the Vicarage_
- P. D. James, _An Unsuitable Job for a Woman_
- Sara Paretsky, _Indemnity Only_
- And a fourth novel each student will choose, with the agreement of the teacher: woman writer, detective novel, female detective character, Literature in English

Basic bibliography

- P.D. James. _Talking about Detective Fiction_

- Val McDermid. _A Suitable Job for a Woman: Inside the World of Women Private Eyes_

In-depth bibliography

The students will be given a personalised list of bibliographical references according to their needs and interests in their work for this subject

Journals

XXX

Web addresses

http://www.agathachristie.com/

http://www.valmcdermid.com/

https://www.captivatingcriminalitynetwork.net/