ENG4742 - Writing Practices I: Introduction to Genre

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Communicate effectively and confidently in writing
Demonstrate an understanding of the role of language in the creation of meaning
Analyse and comment on the formal and aesthetic dimensions of literary texts
Express a range of ideas in registers appropriate to purpose and audience

Content:

Students will begin by getting to grips with how we can express thoughts and opinions in prose writing. Based on the reading of different types of writing, students will develop into expert manipulators of style, voice, structure, editing and presentation. The emphasis will be placed upon the transferable nature of writing practices between different types of writing. The focus will then shift to Creative Writing, specifically the writing of poetry. Students will apply skills acquired earlier in the module to the writing of poetry, as well looking at what distinguishes poetry from other genres of writing.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Learning and teaching methods will combine seminars and creative writing workshops, with directed reading and creative writing tasks to be completed outside the classroom. Typical sessions will be divided between critical discussion of selected texts and discussion of students’ writing. On occasions, there will be in class writing exercises.

Workshops
Hours: 40
Intended group size: 20

Guided independent study
Hours: 160

Further details relating to assessment
Assessment 1 – Directed activities: these consist of weekly tasks that must be completed and submitted for inspection at timetabled sessions each week. The assessment will be assessed on a pass/fail basis with a pass requiring at least 75% of all weekly tasks to be completed successfully. A pass will lead to the full award of 10% towards the final module mark. A fail in directed activities will contribute 0% to the final mark.
Each portfolio will comprise 2/3 creative work and 1/3 analytical reflection.

Other relevant matters
Formative assessment is built-in to the teaching sessions. At each session from the second teaching week onwards, in both semesters, students will take turns to read out their draft pieces of creative writing and receive verbal feedback in class from the tutor and fellow students.

Assessment:

001 Directed Activities sem 1 10%
002 Creative Writing (Prose) 1500 words end of sem 1 45%
003 Creative Writing (Poetry) 60 lines of poetry plus 500 word commentry end of sem 2 45%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Prof. Paul Hardwick
Level - 4
Credit Value - 20
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 4YL

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