Module Information

Module Identifier
ENM0660
Module Title
THE WRITING PORTFOLIO
Academic Year
2009/2010
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 3 (Dissertation)
Pre-Requisite
Part 1 MA Writing Poetry and Practice
Other Staff

Course Delivery

Delivery Type Delivery length / details
Seminars / Tutorials 5 x 1 hour supervision meetings
 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment 1 x 20,000 word submission This may take the form of poetry or prose fiction, but not a combination of the two. Either a group of poems, or anything from one to three pieces of prose fiction. Each piece of prose fiction should be presented as complete in itself, not as an excerpt from a longer piece of writing. The poetry or fiction should be accompanied by a commentary which explains and contextualises the work in appropriately analytical terms. The word-count for a prose fiction portfolio is 20,000 words of which at least 4,000 and not more than 6,000 should be accounted for by a critical commentary. The word-count for a poetry portfolio is 10,000 words of which at least 4,000 and not more than 6,000 should be accounted for by a critical commentary.  100%
Supplementary Assessment Resubmit any failed elements and/or make good any missing elements. 

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module, students should be able to:

1. demonstrate an ability to produce a sustained piece of prose or poetic writing to near publishable level;

2. demonstrate an ability to employ technical knowledge in an accompanying critical-analytical commentary;

3. demonstrate mastery of advanced technical skills in either/both prose or poetic writing.

Aims

This module is designed for all MA students on the MA Writing; Process and Practice. It is the compulsory module written over the summer months (Semester 3 of the MA scheme) forming Part II of the degree scheme. It embeds within it the advanced study requirements of the AHRB.

Brief description

The portfolio will be a means of building sustainable writing practices which encourage planning, reflection, revision, and completion of material. Each student will be assigned to a writing tutor for the duration of their module, with whom they will meet regularly. The format of the portfolio will enable students to include successive drafts of a piece of writing, recording aims and intentions, and explaining and reflecting upon successive modifications.

Content

Supervision of research writing. In order to accomplish this task, students will be assigned a supervisor whose interests will be matched as closely as possible to those of the candidate. To facilitate this arrangement, all students will complete a Portfolio Proposal form and hand it in to the English Department Office before the Easter vacation (in the first year of study for full-time candidates and in the second year of study for part-time candidates). This Portfolio Proposal will form the basis of matching the student with a suitable supervisor, and it will act as the groundwork for the first consultations with the assigned supervisor.

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number No
Communication Yes: writtenm communication in extended format
Improving own Learning and Performance Yes: develop own research management skills
Information Technology Yes: using electronic bibliographic resources, websites
Personal Development and Career planning No, except in so far as this module is related to a research, academic or writing career.
Problem solving Yes: formulating and developing an extended argument
Research skills Yes: developing advanced study
Subject Specific Skills Ability to produce prose or poetry with technical sophistication and precision.
Team work No

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 7