Course coordinator
Dr Melissa Dickson
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2026 (23/02/2026 - 20/06/2026)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Communication & Arts School
How did the novel become the major literary form of the modern era? This course introduces students to the history of the novel from its eighteenth-century origins to the present day and provides a critical framework through which to understand and analyse the development of fictional realism.
The course tells the story of how the novel became the dominant genre of modern globalised literary culture by helping its readers to engage and imagine the various worlds they experienced. It does so by examining the development of the realist tradition across the eighteenth and nineteenth century, focusing both on narrative technique and on the genre’s increased cultural authority. We will reflect upon the history of the novel, ask what makes the novel 'novel', and consider how it continually re-invents itself as a form.
Authors to be studied include Daniel Defoe, Jonathan Swift, Laurence Sterne, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, George Eliot, and Henry James.
The course will familiarize students with:
- the eighteenth-century origins of the novel form and in particular the development of literary ‘fictionality’ and its relation to ‘history’ and ‘romance’;
- key formal and thematic developments focused on theories of realism;
- the genre’s primary narrative techniques;
- institutions of the novel, reception history and reading practices;
- theories of the genre and its development.
Program rationale: In addressing a set of questions about the origins and ongoing significance of the novel form, the course is designed to complement and extend the English Literature cornerstone course on literary criticism and theory (ENGL2045 Thinking About Literature), to function as a companion course to ENGL2040 Gothic Fiction and a precursor to ENGL3900 Victorian to Modern Literature
Teaching method: Lecture/tutorial format.
Schedule: The course follows a roughly chronological structure with week-to-week primary reading supplemented by secondary materials.
Course requirements
Assumed background
This is a second-level courseﾠ(2000 coding), whichﾠassumes that you haveﾠalreadyﾠtaken #4ﾠunits of introductory courses (1000ﾠcoding), preferably including ENGL1800, Literary Classics.
The course does assume:
- that you have had previous experience in studying literary texts, at a first-year level or later.
- that you are able to writeﾠinﾠclear and preciseﾠEnglish.
- that you haveﾠskills in close literary analysis, and that you are able formulate cogently argued and well-supported responsesﾠto literary texts in both oral and written form.
This course does not assumeﾠyou have alreadyﾠtaken coursesﾠin relevant literary periods (suchﾠasﾠENGL2040 Gothic Literature or ENGL2065 Jane Austenﾠand her Influence), though doing so will certainly enrich your contextual and background knowledge for this course.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
4 units of BA courses
Recommended companion or co-requisite courses
We recommend completing the following courses at the same time:
ENGL2040
Restrictions
Course offering may be cancelled unless a minimum of 20 students enrol.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Melissa Dickson
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Whilst every effort is made to place students in their preferred activity, it is not always possible for a student to be enrolled in their tutorial of choice. If you require assistance, please ensure that you email timetabling.commarts@enquire.uq.edu.au from your UQ student email with:
- Your name
- Your student ID
- The course code
- A list of three tutorial preferences (in order of preference)
- Reason for the change – e.g. timetable clash, elite athlete status, SAP
Teaching staff do not have access to change tutorials or help with timetables; all timetabling changes must be processed through the Timetabling Team.
Aims and outcomes
The course aims to introduce students to major novels and interpretative/critical questions concerning the genre across a variety of historical contexts.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Understand the literary and critical history of the novel in English from its eighteenth-century origins to the present, including its key institutions of production, circulation and reception;
LO2.
Have a working knowledge of the theories and practices of fictional realism that underpinned the novel genre until the nineteenth century and their subsequent transformation by modernism early in the twentieth century;
LO3.
Recognise the formal properties and narrative techniques of the novel genre and analyse their variation across eras, movements and subgenres with reference to historical context;
LO4.
Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the novels significance for modern culture and an ability to analyse novel texts in terms which engage both the history of the genre and its continued contemporary currency.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation/ Student contribution, Reflection | Management of Learning Self-Reflection | 10% 250 words |
29/05/2026 4:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Close Reading Assignment | 20% 1000 words |
27/03/2026 4:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Research Essay | 40% 2000 words |
8/05/2026 4:00 pm
Submit as a single file via TurnItIn through Blackboard |
| Examination |
Final Examination
|
30% |
End of Semester Exam Period 6/06/2026 - 20/06/2026 |
Assessment details
Management of Learning Self-Reflection
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution, Reflection
- Weight
- 10% 250 words
- Due date
29/05/2026 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
Task: To succeed in ENGL2440, it’s important that you remain consistently engaged with the class so that you can continue building knowledge across the semester.
This task asks you to reflect on your learning in ENGL2440 this semester, with particular attention to your engagement in tutorials. Rather than testing content knowledge, this reflection invites you to consider the process of learning to read novels critically and historically.
Your reflection should address two of the three prompts below. You may write in the first person, but your tone should remain academic and focused. The aim is to demonstrate thoughtful engagement with the course, not to summarise the texts or recount personal experiences.
Write in full paragraphs (not bullet points), and keep your response within the word limit (250 words).
Prompts:
- Describe one idea, concept, or skill from the course that has significantly shaped the way you read novels. Explain why it matters and briefly illustrate with an example from a text studied this semester.
- Reflect on one tutorial discussion or activity that influenced your understanding of a text or a narrative technique. Explain how it changed, deepened, or challenged your thinking.
- Discuss how the structure of the course—from eighteenth-century experimentation to Victorian realism—has influenced your understanding of how novels work as a form. You may refer to specific texts, concepts, or skills developed across the semester.
Purpose of the Task: This task is designed to support your development as an independent reader of literature by encouraging:
- reflection on learning processes
- recognition of key skills and concepts
- consideration of how tutorials support critical thinking
- synthesis of insights gained through the course
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
The submission should be uploaded as a single file to Turnitin on the course Blackboard site by the deadline.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Unapproved late submissions will be penalized 10% of the total marks possible per day. Students seeking an extension should refer to the “Applying for an extension” page on my.UQ for acceptable reasons for an extension and for instructions on how to apply.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Close Reading Assignment
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 20% 1000 words
- Due date
27/03/2026 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L03, L04
Task description
This exercise requires you to analyse one excerpt from either Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe or Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels. Passages will be provided on blackboard.
Close reading is the term used in literary criticism for the practice of careful textual analysis that aims to understand how meaning is created through literary technique. When we “close read” a passage of text, we ask ourselves how the stylistic features of literary writing (such as genre, imagery, rhyme, meter, descriptive or figurative language, point of view, narrative voice, dialogue, plot structure, setting, characterisation, tone, irony, stage direction, etc.) work to convey meaning. Consider these features while discussing what is important or significant about the passage.
As a close reading of your chosen passage, your discussion will focus on literary technique and meaning. This means that your primary focus is the passage itself. You may wish also to consider and discuss the passage’s broader thematic and contextual allusions, but keep in mind that there is no wider reading or research required for this exercise beyond consulting your own seminar and lecture notes and very carefully reading the passage.
Credit will be given for effective structuring of your commentary and clear, concise communication of ideas; close attention to the writer’s uses of language and literary form; accurate and thoughtful understanding of the passage’s content and context; careful selection and analysis of quotations.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
TurnItIn Receipts:
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using TurnItIn. Before submitting any assignments for this course you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Tutorial.
When you successfully submit your assessment to TurnItIn you will see text confirming your submission is complete, before being redirected to your Assignment inbox. On this page you can:
- View the name of the submitted file
- View date and time of the upload
- Resubmit your paper (if necessary)
- Download your submitted paper
- Download digital receipt.
If you cannot see your submission in your Assignment inbox you should regard your submission as unsuccessful. Students are responsible for retaining evidence of submission by the due date for all assessment items, in the required form (e.g. screenshot, email, photo, and an unaltered copy of submitted work).
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again email your course coordinator immediately with the assignment attached.
Please visit this webpage for further advice on how to submit your TurnItIn assignment.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unapproved late submissions will be penalized 10% of the total marks possible per day. Students seeking an extension should refer to the “Applying for an extension” page on my.UQ for acceptable reasons for an extension and for instructions on how to apply.
Research Essay
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 40% 2000 words
- Due date
8/05/2026 4:00 pm
Submit as a single file via TurnItIn through Blackboard
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
Write an essay of 2000 words (+/- 10%, including quotations) in response to one of the questions provided on Blackboard.
This is a research essay. You need to read widely, and to incorporate at least 4 substantial pieces of secondary material (historical, biographical, critical) into your response. All sources must be fully and correctly cited.
Your essay should:
- Make clear which question you are answering.
- Have a clear, focused, unified, and persuasive argument, and a title that clearly expresses what the essay is about.
- Support its claims with relevant evidence from the works under discussion.
- Make effective and thoughtful use of a range of relevant secondary material. Aim for at least four substantial separate sources.
- Be written in elegant, correct, clear, and concise English.
- Be presented in MLA style, free of typos.
- Be typeset using a 12-point-size standard font and double-line spacing. Fancy cover pages, illustrations, and other decorative embellishments are to be avoided.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
TurnItIn Receipts:
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using TurnItIn. Before submitting any assignments for this course you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Tutorial.
When you successfully submit your assessment to TurnItIn you will see text confirming your submission is complete, before being redirected to your Assignment inbox. On this page you can:
- View the name of the submitted file
- View date and time of the upload
- Resubmit your paper (if necessary)
- Download your submitted paper
- Download digital receipt.
If you cannot see your submission in your Assignment inbox you should regard your submission as unsuccessful. Students are responsible for retaining evidence of submission by the due date for all assessment items, in the required form (e.g. screenshot, email, photo, and an unaltered copy of submitted work).
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again email your course coordinator immediately with the assignment attached.
Please visit this webpage for further advice on how to submit your TurnItIn assignment.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unapproved, unauthorised, late submission will be penalized at a rate of 10% of the maximum mark per day. Students seeking an extension should refer to the “Applying for an extension” page on my.UQ for acceptable reasons for an extension and for instructions on how to apply.
Final Examination
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
6/06/2026 - 20/06/2026
- Other conditions
- Secure.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
The final exam for ENGL2440 will assess your understanding of the final unit on the course, on 'The Victorians'. You will be asked to write short answers to ten questions, and to write a commentary on one of three passages provided.
Exam guidelines, advice on how best to prepare, and a mock exam paper will be made available on Blackboard.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
- Where fractional marks occur in the calculation of the final grade, a mark of x.5% or greater will be rounded up to (x+1)%. A percentage mark of less than x.5% will be rounded down to x%.
- Where no assessable work is received, a Grade of X will apply.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
- Further information regarding the assessment, including marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
- Assessment Re-mark: If you are considering an Assessment Re-mark, please follow the link to important information you should consider before submitting a request.
- Integrity Pledge: Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin. Before submitting any assignments for this course, you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Modules.ﾠIn uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
- Withholding marks prior to finalisation of grades: Per UQ Assessment Procedures – Release of Assessment Item Marks and Grades: The final assessment item and the marks for the assessment item are to be released only after the final grade for the course has been released.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (23 Feb - 01 Mar) |
Lecture |
Week 1 Introduction Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Week 2 (02 Mar - 08 Mar) |
Lecture |
Week 2 Daniel Defoe: Robinson Crusoe Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Tutorial |
Week 2 Daniel Defoe: Robinson Crusoe Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 3 (09 Mar - 15 Mar) |
Lecture |
Week 3 Jonathan Swift: Gulliver's Travels (Parts One and Two) Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Tutorial |
Week 3 Jonathan Swift: Gulliver's Travels (Parts One and Two) Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 4 (16 Mar - 22 Mar) |
Lecture |
Week 4 Laurence Sterne: Tristram Shandy (1) Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Tutorial |
Week 4 Laurence Sterne: Tristram Shandy (1) Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 5 (23 Mar - 29 Mar) |
Lecture |
Week 5 Laurence Sterne: Tristram Shandy (2) Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Tutorial |
Week 5 Laurence Sterne: Tristram Shandy (2) Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 6 (30 Mar - 05 Apr) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Week 6: READING WEEK |
Mid-sem break (06 Apr - 12 Apr) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
MID-SEMESTER BREAK |
Week 7 (13 Apr - 19 Apr) |
Lecture |
Week 7 Jane Austen: Emma Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Tutorial |
Week 7 Jane Austen: Emma Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 8 (20 Apr - 26 Apr) |
Lecture |
Week 8 Approaches to the Novel: Research and Critical Writing Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
Tutorial |
Week 8 Approaches to the Novel: Research and Critical Writing Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
|
Week 9 (27 Apr - 03 May) |
Lecture |
Week 9 Charles Dickens: Great Expectations Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Tutorial |
Week 9 Charles Dickens: Great Expectations Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 10 (04 May - 10 May) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Week 10: READING WEEK |
Week 11 (11 May - 17 May) |
Lecture |
Week 11 George Eliot: Middlemarch (1) Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Tutorial |
Week 11 George Eliot: Middlemarch (1) Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 12 (18 May - 24 May) |
Lecture |
Week 12 George Eliot: Middlemarch (2) Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Tutorial |
Week 12 George Eliot: Middlemarch (2) Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 13 (25 May - 31 May) |
Lecture |
Week 13 Henry James: What Maisie Knew Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Tutorial |
Week 13 Henry James: What Maisie Knew Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
- AI for Assessment Guide
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
Course guidelines
Communication Expectations
While you are a student at UQ, all communication must be conducted according to the UQ Student Code of Conduct. The UQ Library has a helpful Communicate and collaborate online module.
- Email is the primary way for you to send messages to, and receive information from, the School and our staff.
- You must use your UQ email address (not a private address) to communicate with staff.
- You should add a clear subject line, including course code, and a 2-3 word statement.
- You can send email at any time, however please do not expect responses outside normal working hours (Monday to Friday from ~8am to ~5pm).
- Emails that constitute bullying, harassment or discrimination against staff contravene the Student Code of Conduct. Emails like this will be reported to the University, and the matter will be pursued as misconduct.