ENMPD1: Project Development 1

Module code: ENMPD1

Module provider: English Literature; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Professor Peter Robinson, email: P.Robinson@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

By means of a weekly two-hour workshop, this module will provide you with the opportunity to conceive, research and develop a creative writing project in your chosen genre. This work, in its final state, will form part of your dissertation portfolio. You will keep notes of weekly responses to work in progress by fellow students, and your responses to their critical assistance with your own. These notes will form part of a working journal in which you will exemplify and reflect on—considering influences, research, and reading—the conception, planning, and initial development of your creative project. You will also have two opportunities to meet your academic mentor for your project, who will also be your workshop leader. You will produce, to be Included in the working journal, an outline plan and a bibliography of research towards your project. You will also give a brief aural project presentation as part of the assessment for this module. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. demonstrate substantial knowledge of the literary genre, including its history, in which you have chosen to work 
2. employ the writing techniques, formal conventions, and stylistic devices of the genre including its real-world institutions and reader relations  
3. demonstrate imaginative independence of vision and awareness of cultural sensitivities and issues 
4. use search engines, library catalogues and archival resources in self-generated research projects 
5. show constructively critical sensitivity when responding to the work of others in face-to-face feedback situations. 

Module content

The exact contents of the module will be settled in discussion with those enrolled so as to take account of your particular projects in this large and open field. The module’s primary materials will vary from year to year, and individual to individual, depending on choices of genre and approach. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module consists of weekly seminars, each two hours in length. Each seminar will involve discussion of texts or other materials that have been prepared in advance by the writers. The module teacher will also be available for two consultations with you on a one-to-one basis to discuss your work and the progress of the module as a whole. 

Study hours

At least 22 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

You will submit drafts of your assignment work for supervision sessions, and you will receive feedback on these drafts. 

Reassessment

Additional costs