I heard a while ago that there was a list put out by the Council of Education or another similar body that kept track of the most assigned piece of literature in college courses. Is there any truth to this? And if so, what's currently topping the list?
While I couldn't find specific data from the Council of Education, the Open Syllabus Project collects and analyzes millions of syllabi to determine the most frequently assigned works in college and university courses across many disciplines.
According to the Open Syllabus Project, as of recent data, the most frequently assigned book across all disciplines was "The Elements of Style" by William Strunk. This book is a classic guide to English writing and is often referenced in writing-intensive courses.
In terms of literary works specifically, Plato's "Republic" and "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley often top the list. However, these results can vary greatly depending on the specific discipline, the level of the course, and the country or region of the university.
Remember, these lists represent aggregates and trends, and the specific readings in a given course will heavily depend on the instructor's focus and the objectives of the course.
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