Assessment Brief Form University of Salford Assessment Brief 2020/21 To be used for all types of assessment and provided to students at the start of the module. Sections marked with a ‘#’ should be compatible with the detail contained in the approved module specification although may contain more information for clarity. Module Title: Theory and Practice CRN: 33036 Level: 4 Module Leader/ Dr Caroline Magennis Assessment set Office: Crescent 202 by: Contact: c.magennis@salford.ac.uk Assessment Theory in the Twenty-First Century title: Submission/ Assessment 12th March 2021 at 4pm date and time: Mode of You should submit your assessment via Turnitin submission: The Turnitin folder is in the Assessment folder. 1 Weighting This assessment is worth 30% of the overall module mark. within module: Task details and Assignment brief: instructions: You have been asked to write an article for an online magazine on why the insights from one theoretical perspective can help us think about literature culture in the Twenty-First Century. Pick one theoretical perspective that we have considered on the course so far: Semiotics, Marxism, Psychoanalysis, Feminism, Trauma, Post-Colonial Theory. YOU MUST NOT REPEAT MATERIAL: IF YOU DO A THEORY FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT YOU MUST NOT DO IT FOR THE SECOND ASSIGNMENT. Assignment Breakdown: Please use the headings (in red) to subdivide your assignment. Word limits are approximate. Pitch: approx. 150 words Before a full article is commissioned, your editor will ask you for a ‘pitch’ which is a summary of the key points of your argument. In this section, imagine that you are trying to persuade and convince someone that your article is worth writing. Avoid language like ‘This article/essay will’ and think about sharp, punchy lines that convey how vital your perspective is for the Twenty-First Century. An Introduction to the Theory (approx. 400 Words) Offer a summary of this perspective, mentioning some of the central thinkers but not going into detail (you will do this in the next section). Tell your reader what the perspective is about and what are the key ideas and terms. Make sure to include some supporting evidence from secondary material on the reading list. Make it sound interesting: grab your reader from the beginning. The aim of this section is to convince your reader that the ideas you are discussing are worth caring about and vital to our modern world. Key Thinkers and Texts (approx. 250 Words) In this section, name the key thinkers from that perspective and their most significant works. A good answer will back up your references to these with brief quotations from some of their 2 writing: a lot of this is available in PDF format on Blackboard and also on the Reading List. You might pick out any distinctive concepts. What These Theorists look for in a text (approx. 500 words) As most of the perspectives come from sociological or historical understandings of the world, this section will allow you to detail exactly how critics who are influenced by this perspective read literature and culture e.g. ‘A Marxist critic might consider themes of X, Y and Z’, ‘A Feminist approach would pay attention to’, ‘Trauma-focused critics seek out moments of X and Y in texts’. You should use multiple brief examples here from texts we have studied on the course or other examples you can think of to show what these ideas can tell us e.g. ‘A Psychoanalytic critic would approach Posh by looking at ideas of Z, which can help us understand the motivations of character Y. This is helpful because X.’ Quote briefly from the literary/cultural texts to back up your argument – a very good answer would use examples from twenty-first century texts. Strengths of this Approach (approx. 200 words) This takes the place of a conclusion: where you summarise your points so far and really convince the reader that this perspective has value. In the second assignment, we will think more about strengths and weaknesses and offer a more balanced perspective but the aim of this assignment is to get you to argue that one position is the best. Works Cited You must cite every single source you have used: this will allow your reader to follow interesting leads and read more. Use APA referencing. Although this is pitched as a more journalistic piece, you must fully cite all your research in the body of the text. Important Guidance (Please Read Carefully) Imagine you are writing for an educated, engaged audience so strike a good balance: don’t oversimplify your ideas but also explain any jargon terms from your perspective. The idea is that your reader will be excited by your article to go out and read more. All students whose essays that receive a mark of 65 and above will be given the opportunity to re-write their essay with their tutor’s corrections and have it published online. Presenting your essay: 3 • • • • Repeating material: Remember that it is not permissible to repeat material, except in a minor way. Thus, for example, if you have written about one text for this shorter assignment you should choose another for your longer, final paper. You may of course refer to one text as a point of comparison with another, but make sure not to discuss the same theoretical approach or otherwise re-use material. Save the file name with both your student number and tutor’s name, so we can find it for anonymous marking. Your essay should be in Times New Roman/Calibri/Cambria pt. 12 with 1.5 point spacing. The work must be accompanied by a Works Cited list, which must contain full acknowledgments of all secondary sources used and should be on the same document as your essay. Word count/ Your assessment should be 1500 words. This includes duration (if your references but not your works cited/bibliography. applicable) Essays over 10% or under 10% of the target word count will be penalised. Marking Detailed grade or mark descriptors are on Blackboard criteria/scheme: under the Assessments tab. Penalties for exceeding word Essays over 10% or under 10% of the target word count will be penalised. count/ duration: Feedback You can expect to receive feedback 15 working days after arrangements: the assignment is submitted. Support You can obtain support for this assessment by looking arrangements: through the material on Blackboard, attending lectures, seminars and office hours, and through email and phone contact. 4 Your tutors will be glad to look over the equivalent of one page of work (essay plan or introduction, for example) if this is done in person during office hours. Emails should be used for brief pointers only (eg. ‘Can you recommend the work of a critic who discusses this topic?’). Students should expect an email response within three working days. Wordscope If you feel that your writing skills could be improved, you should go to the Wordscope website at http://wordscope.salford.ac.uk. AskUS The University offers a range of support services for students through askUS. Academic Misconduct The University takes all forms of academic misconduct seriously. This includes plagiarism, asking someone else to write your assessment for you or taking notes into an exam. You can find out how to avoid academic misconduct here. Assessment Information If you have any questions about assessment rules, you can find out more here. Personal Mitigating Circumstances If personal mitigating circumstances may have affected your ability to complete this assessment, you can find 5 more information about personal mitigating circumstances procedure here. Personal Tutor/Student Progression Assistant If you have any concerns about your studies, contact your Personal Tutor or your Student Progression Assistant. Reassessment: If you fail your assessment, and are eligible for reassessment, the tasks for both assessments remain the same. Reassessment essays will be due 4pm Friday 13th August 2021. 6
