Grading and Assessment

A student-centred teaching approach will be used following a task-based methodology.

Students will be presented with the working/research methods and then work individually with the materials in the research set of their choice for their oral presentation and research essay. 

40% Written test – this will be based on the theoretical content presented and contents of research sets.

15% Continuous Assessment: students will be expected to read and discuss the theoretical texts presented during the semester.

15% Oral Presentation: Students will deliver a 12-minute close reading of a film still, short clip or short extract from either the film/TV series or the book in their research set. 

A 100-150-word section of the literary text will suffice for the close reading.

1-2 film stills or a 1-minute excerpt will suffice for the visual literacy exercise.

Both exercises should begin:

1) locating the extract/still/scene in the original text and contextualise it in terms of relevance

2) read the text/show the still and ask students to pick out the elements that stand out to them – because of class size there will be 2-3 discussants for each presentation.

3) perform the analysis – incorporating the elements illustrated by students

4) finish by referring to how the extract/stills/scene selected informed, drive or altered the narrative flow of the film.

30% Essay (1,000 words) Students will work individually with the materials in one or more of the four research sets presented below. They will write a research essay on any aspect of their research set that interests them and fits in with the theoretical frameworks we work with in this CU.

Writing a research paper requires in-depth and concentrated reading/viewing and thinking. This work takes time and effort, so start reading your novel quickly and consider which of the themes you would like to work with, e.g. the work as a reflection of society at its time and/or its “epistemic” quality, did it introduce awareness of new or different concepts – new ways of knowing or understanding conditions. You could also look at its adaptations – what is removed/added/condensed. Reflections on close reading and/or visual literacy can also be incorporated into the essays. Please feel free to discuss any ideas you have with me – this assignment is quite open.

A 150-word abstract presenting the central research question and methodology and at least 2 references will be submitted by email on 18^th November to permit discussion.

A sample is presented over the page. As you will see this is a written text – not a bullet point item and it is a vital step in the research process as it permits discussion and reflection on the topic of choice and allows for the correction of false assumptions. Therefore, if students do not submit an abstract, they will not be allowed to present the final essay.

If work (abstract or essay) is submitted after the deadline, there will be deductions for each working day the submission exceeds the deadline.