CREATIVE WRITING SUBMISSION - 2020/1

Module Overview

This module provides students with the opportunity to explore the challenges of producing portfolio of creative writing accompanied by self-reflective critical commentary. This portfolio may consist of a single extended piece of writing or a collection of pieces of a shorter length. An agreed word count for students submitting poetry should be negotiated with their supervisor, although as a rule 5,000 words of creative prose is considered equivalent to 150 lines of poetry. Each student will be assigned a supervisor who will assist them in choosing their subject matter and literary approach, and who will provide advice, encouragement and formative feedback over the course of the writing process, as well as suggesting relevant reading material which may help inspire or critically locate the project. This module also allows students to reflect at length on the project’s rigourous relationship to previous work in the field, form or genre, on the writing processes and thinking behind the creative choices made, and to locate the work productively in literary and theoretical contexts. As well as the dissertation itself students will undertake a formative presentation in semester 1, and work on developing self-reflective skills through completing a progress log with their supervisors.

 

Module provider

School of Literature and Languages

Module Leader

MCCORMACK Donna (Lit & Langs)

Number of Credits: 45

ECTS Credits: 22.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Year long

Module content

In order to give students training in the research skills needed to plan and complete an independent and large-scale research project, this module includes six two-hour workshops which are compulsory for all students:

• Workshop 1: Introduction and Research Methods (start of semester 1)


• Workshop 2: Critical Commentary (mid-semester 1)


• Workshop 3: Drafting and Editing exercises (end of semester 1)


• Workshop 4: Creative Piece (start of semester 2)


• Workshop 5: Workshopping (mid-semester 2)


• Workshop 6: Troubleshooting (prior to Easter break)

 

Assessment Deadlines

Dissertation outline proposal submitted in level 5 (Year 2) or P (Placement Year) of the degree: [circa late March of the year before the Dissertation module commences]

Formative presentation: semester 1 of the year of the Dissertation module.

Dissertation Submission: tbc [circa late March of the year of the Dissertation module]

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate achievement of the module learning outcomes.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

8000 word creative writing piece +2000 word self reflective critical commentary

Formative assessment and feedback

Formative ‘feed forward’ is provided through the supervision sessions. Students are able to submit a 2,000-word extract to their supervisors for written and verbal feedback (6 weeks prior to the final deadline), which helps them better finalise their final summative assessment, i.e. the dissertation. Additionally students will participate in a formative presentation in semester 1 which will enable them to develop their proposals into a research plan.

Module aims

• Reflect on and engage with the specific challenges of attempting a longer piece (or collection) of creative writing
• Identify the specific creative challenges posed by a project of this kind, and to reflect on and engage with these challenges in a productive fashion
• Build confidence in making creative decisions in a well-informed and productive way – and build ability to explain and justify them lucidly
• Develop more effective personal writing habits, as well as more effective habits of editing and revision
• Engage in independent guided research, exploring the history of the form, genre, mode and/or literary techniques they are employing in their work, as well as the key critical and theoretical issues raised by their project
• Produce a piece of critical writing which draws on their own creative practice and critical research in an informed and insightful manner

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

 

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to deliver subject knowledge, to develop cognitive/ analytical skills, and to develop in-depth transferable, practical, and professional skills.

 

At FHEQ Level 6, optional modules are usually delivered through a two-hour seminar, and hence with more student-led involvement and more sophisticated development of critical analytical and rhetorical skills. As these are research-led modules, there is also more emphasis on developing students’ knowledge of critical and theoretical discourses. The English Dissertation and Creative Writing submission are delivered mainly through regular tutorials between the student and an allocated supervisor, therefore aiming to develop students’ time management skills and ability to demonstrate independent thought and judgement, and carry out research projects.

 

The learning and teaching methods include:

Independent research and writing, alongside individual supervision and skills workshops, throughout the year.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: ELI3034

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.