Dr. Derrick G. Pitard

How to keep up with the world around you

The New York Times on the web: they require that you register, but it's still free!! There's lots of great reporting . . . a paper topic a day, at least. If you want to surf, they have a great list of sites to start from here.
Want something briefer? Go to Slate Online: the reason I include this e-zine specifically is that the daily review of "Today's News" is a wonderful summary of and commentary on stories in the current day's press coverage. They also have "Today's Blogs."
The Arts and Letters Daily: a great selection of articles on cultural issues and events. They also have a great list of sites to surf. Want other current arts news? Try ArtsJournal.
The SciTech Daily: another great selection, but on scientific issues and culture. Want more? Try SciCentral.
Check out This American Life, which every week gives several very entertaining and insightful commentaries on contemporary American culture organized around some new theme. It's produced by PRI. You can listen to it on the www if you have a (free) copy of RealPlayer, on the Pittsburgh public radio stations WYEP (91.3 FM) and WDUQ (90.5 FM) several times during the week, or as a free podcast from iTunes.
This is your world: Amnesty International; Americorps; The Sierra Club; The American Red Cross; Habitat for Humanity . . . what are you doing to make it better?

Web Resources for the Study of English (broadly interpreted)

Your very own Bailey Library, which connects you to the world, past and present.
Voice of the Shuttle: one of the most extensive, and oldest, metapages for academic work in the humanities. There are a huge number of fascinating links here, some for work, some for play.
Book Reviews from the New York Times: enter an author or a title to find any review since 1980. And the Times also has as series called "Writers on Writing" to which various well-known writers have contributed.
Findarticles.com is a public access database to perform searches through a variety of periodicals. Of course, you have access to many more databases at Bailey Library.
On-line Dictionaries (including thesauri, with grammars, and all sorts of reference works) for dozens of languages. Alternatively, search the set of dictionary databases at Dict.org.
RefDesk: more data than you could possibly want is a click away.
The Movie Review Query Database is a great on-line search engine for movie reviews.
Africa on Film: a film index I've put together.
The Vietnam War on Film: tell me if there's anything to add.
Shakespeare on Film, another index I've compiled. Comments would be appreciated!
Medieval History at the Movies: not my list, since someone else has done a good job.
The Cinderella Bibliography includes a list of films which use the Cinderella motif.
Want some help for a class? Try something from here.
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Courses Taught

These are linked to either my current or most recent syllabi. Here is the University's overall academic calendar. You will need to download Adobe's (free) Acrobat Reader if it's not on your computer already. Syllabi and grading structures for the upcoming term are NOT final until the first week of class.

Feel free to look for books via Abebooks, Alibris, Bookfinder, or at Powell's, which all offer used copies--just make sure you get a decent copy from a reputable seller.

FYRST Seminar (First Year Studies 098)
College Writing 1 (English 101)
College Writing 2 (English 103; Spring, 2008)
Interpreting Literature (English 210; Fall, 2007)
Interpreting Literature, Honors (English 210; Fall, 2007)
Latin I and II, and Latin III (taught as Individualized Instruction to interested students)
Chaucer (English 311; Fall, 2007)
Shakespeare (English 312; Fall, 2006)
British Literature 1 (English 317; to be taught Fall, 2008)
The Historical Development of the English Language (English 331; Spring, 2008)
Seminar in Literary Criticism (English 603)
Seminar in Medieval and Renaissance English Literature (English 607)
Seminar in Shakespeare (English 651)
Seminar in Eighteenth-Century Literature (English 608; Spring, 2008)