Course Syllabus
Course: ENGL 2290
Division: HumanitiesDepartment: English & Philosophy
Title: Methods and Practice of Professional Editing and Publishing
Semester Approved: Fall 2024
Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2029
End Semester: Summer 2030
Catalog Description: This course teaches the editing, design, and publishing skills necessary to take a literary journal or other publication from acquisition to editing to press and distribution. Offers students the opportunity to work as an editing team to plan, edit, proofread, design, typeset, and prepare a publication for press according to industry standards. Also teaches students how to use design software such as Adobe Creative Suite. Recommended for students involved with student publications, such as Weeds: The Literary Journal of Snow College, those who are completing the Writing and Rhetoric certificate, and students who may want to pursue careers in editing or publishing. This course is repeatable for credit.
Semesters Offered: TBA
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 3; Lecture: 3; Lab: 0
Repeatable: Yes.
Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 (may be taken concurrently.)
Justification: This is a professionalizing course that allows students to develop marketable skills such as project planning, teamwork, editing, proofreading, marketing, and design in the process of preparing a literary journal or other publication. These skills are useful in a wide variety of careers. This course is also part of the Writing and Rhetoric certificate. Other USHE schools offer similar courses, such as ENGL 3050 at UVU, ENGL 4970 at SUU, ENGL 1830 at SLCC, ENGL 2120 at USU, and ENGL 3140 at WSU.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Students will understand the process of professional editing and publication—planning, acquisition, selection, editing, proofreading, design, printing, and distribution. They will accomplish this by collaborating to create a publication timeline and plan to publish a student literary journal or other publication by the end of the semester. This will be assessed through a completed project plan/timeline, class discussions and collaborative projects, and a press-ready publication project such as Weeds: The Literary Journal of Snow College.
Students will understand and participate in editing as a collaborative process. They will demonstrate this by working in teams, delegating tasks, working as a group to discuss and choose manuscripts for publication, and working with authors by providing helpful editing feedback and collaborating on edits as needed. This will be assessed through class discussions, collaborative projects, and successful completion of a press-ready publication project such as Weeds: The Literary Journal of Snow College.
Students will understand basic grammar and usage rules and be able to apply that knowledge to the editing process. As part of the editing process, students will learn and review basic grammar and usage rules, including how to use style guides such as Chicago Manual of Style to help with editing and proofreading choices. This will be assessed through grammar and style quizzes and/or editing tasks.
Students will understand and apply principles of design and visual rhetoric. They will demonstrate this through the brainstorming, creation, and distribution of marketing materials and/or through creating presentations for high schools and diverse communities on campus. This will also be assessed through design and typesetting projects and completion of a press-ready publication project.
Students will demonstrate the ability to use basic software associated with publication. Students will learn how to use industry-standard software associated with publication and manuscript solicitation and submission.
This will be assessed through marketing materials, editing tasks, page design and typesetting projects, and a press-ready publication project, such as Weeds: The Literary Journal of Snow College.
Content:
Students will learn how to solicit, acquire, and select manuscripts and artworks from authors and artists that meet the standards and identity of a publication. They will learn how to establish a project plan to work as a team to coordinate and complete all tasks necessary for publishing. They will focus on learning/reviewing grammar and usage rules and how to follow a style guide such as Chicago Manual of Style to edit and proofread written submissions. The course will also focus on design principles, visual rhetoric, typography, and use of industry-standard software and tools as students prepare a manuscript for publication. The course will also help students know how to communicate with printing professionals, make decisions about physical printing materials, and establish a basic per-item budget for publication. This process will also include a discussion of how to solicit and incorporate a broad range of perspectives and voices in a publication.
Key Performance Indicators:
Press-Ready Publication Project 30 to 40%
Class Discussions and Collaborative Projects 15 to 30%
Marketing Materials and/or Presentations 5 to 10%
Project Plan/Timeline 5 to 10%
Grammar and Style Quizzes and/or Editing Tasks 10 to 15%
Page Design and/or Typesetting Projects 10 to 15%
Representative Text and/or Supplies:
Access to Adobe Creative Suite, particularly InDesign
Access to copies of Quarterly West, Sugarhouse Review, and/or literary journals that prioritize diverse voices in literature, such as Apogee
Chicago Manual of Style, most recent edition, or access to online version
Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton
Pedagogy Statement:
This course will include instruction on editing and publication process, practice, and skills through lecture, discussion, and activities. It will primarily be taught through collaborative work on a student publication such as Weeds: The Literary Journal of Snow College. The instructor will act as advisor and guide of a student editing team, helping each student successfully apply and develop a unique set of knowledge and skills throughout the publication process.
Instructional Mediums:
Lecture
Online
Maximum Class Size: 15
Optimum Class Size: 12