eBook a215 Assessment-guidance(12J) e1i1 Sup031690 l3

A215 Creative Writing

Assessment Guide

Contents

Introduction 2

Assessment strategy 2

The purpose of assessment 2

Tutor advice 3

Learning outcomes 4

Planning and writing your assignments 4

A note on lsquopowerfulrsquo material 5

Writing for children 5

Publishing work you have written for TMAs 6

Plagiarism and creative writing 6

Writing a commentary 7

Presenting your work 9

Text layout 9

Word and line counts 10

Guidance notes 11

TMA 01 guidance 11

TMA 02 guidance 14

TMA 03 guidance 16

TMA 04 guidance 18

TMA 05 guidance 21

EMA guidance 26

Assessment scale 29

Copyright copy 2012 The Open University SUP 03169 0 SUP031690Printed in the United Kingdom 11

Introduction This booklet provides advice on your assessed work for A215 The five tutorshymarked assignments (TMAs) and the end-of-module assessment (EMA) can be found under lsquoAssessment resourcesrsquo on the module website You should read this booklet in conjunction with them

This booklet explains the assessment strategy for the module and addresses the questions that are likely to arise as you approach your assessed work You should make time to read this booklet in full before embarking on the first TMA and to check the relevant sections again as you tackle each new assignment You will find invaluable help here with the different kinds of writing task you will encounter on your journey through the module as well as with understanding whatrsquos required for the EMA

You should also make sure that you are familiar with the lsquoAssessment information for Arts modulesrsquo and the Assessment Handbook both of which can be found under lsquoAssessment resourcesrsquo on the module website

Assessment strategy The assessment for A215 consists of two components the continuous assessment component comprising of five TMAs and an examinable component the EMA Your final result will depend on your achievements in each component independently To be sure of a pass you will need to score at least 40 overall in the TMAs and separately at least 40 in the EMA The grade of pass will be determined as described in the online Assessment Handbook available within the lsquoAssessment resourcesrsquo section of the A215 website

It is important to note that to be sure of being awarded a particular grade both your final overall scores must fall within the specified boundaries for that grade

The general rules on resubmissions in cases where the EMA grade falls below the 40 threshold are described in the Assessment Handbook

The purpose of assessment A215 has five TMAs one in each part of the module Each TMA task is described in full in the lsquoAssessment resourcesrsquo section of the module website Substitution is not permitted for any of the TMAs Therefore it is very important to alert your tutor if unexpected circumstances for example illness or serious family crisis disrupt your ability to complete any of them Please refer to the Assessment Handbook for details of the appropriate documentation to submit for lsquospecial circumstancesrsquo to be taken into consideration

Each A215 assignment may be seen as the culmination of a particular part of the module but in a significant respect the module is seamless because you will bring what you learn from preceding parts to the next part The comments and marks you get back from your tutor have two functions The one that tends to be uppermost in most studentsrsquo minds is that they are a measure of your performance and contribute to your final mark But the second function is just as important they should continue to help you to expand and refine your writing skills Great importance is attached to the process of drafting revising and improving work in response to feedback

2

We hope that in preparing and writing each assignment you might teach yourself something ndash you will for example realise that you are not sure of an area or a method and go back over it before writing the assignment In turn tutors will use their comments to point out both the strengths and flaws in your writing and how better to tackle future assignments

A215 gives you the opportunity to try your hand at three of the most popular forms of writing fiction poetry and life writing While each of these forms has its specific techniques and approaches the practice of each one feeds in to the others For example if you were to decide that poetry isnrsquot ultimately for you the experience of finding metaphors seeking economy of expression or paying attention to rhythm will still feed into and enhance your prose writing Similarly if you decided finally that you prefer biographical writing to fiction everything that you put into your practice of fiction will pay dividends when it comes to life writing

For your EMA you will produce new work in one or two of the taught forms Full details of the EMA are in the lsquoAssessment resourcesrsquo section of the module website Please read the information there as soon as possible as you will need to focus on planning and preparing your EMA from an early stage in your studies Please note that you should not submit material which you have previously submitted for an OU creative writing module or for any other accredited university course unless the material has been very significantly changed or developed

New work is also required in each TMA and the EMA ie there should be no recycling of material between assignments no continuations sequences or reuse of material even if substantially reframed We would like you to build up a sense of wide resources in terms of your possible subjects and themes

Tutor advice It is important to remember that tutors work on a part-time basis for the OU and they cannot give extensive individual advice about TMAs in preparation Your tutor cannot vet or give feedback on full drafts of TMAs or your EMA prior to submission

There are three ways in which tutors can help your development

Feedback on your TMAs will indicate areas you could improve on to enhance future submissions

Tutors may set up TMAEMA discussion forums where students may give each other feedback on work in progress

Tutors support your developing work through online and face-to-face tutorials in which they will lead practice in the techniques taught in the module If you come up with good subjects or ideas during any of these sessions you may develop them for a TMA or for your EMA Even if the tutor has seen or commented on such seed-bed work there is no prohibition on your subsequent development of it for a TMA or for the EMA However tutors will not read or comment on whole submissions and it is not their role to proof-read your work

The EMA has the status of an independent project and tutors may give slightly more individual advice on its development andor arrangement For example tutors may

3

counsel you about which two of the taught forms you ought to choose or whether you should focus on one

indicate particular pieces of work that could be developed into good inclusions for the EMA

give specific feedback on a particular piece or pieces that appear in tutorials

Remember this doesnrsquot mean that you are entitled to send tutors drafts of your EMA material for checking

Learning outcomes By the end of your study of A215 you should be able to

stimulate your creativity and imagination through a range of techniques

observe astutely and collect data and descriptions in journals and notebooks as seed-beds of ideas

exercise a disciplined practice including willingness to revise and redraft

use appropriate narrative poetic and biographical writing skills in your writing

carry out background research for your writing including the use of information technology

empathise with character and lsquoenter intorsquo places and periods

present manuscripts to a professional standard

give impersonal evaluations of your own and othersrsquo work through constructive criticism

Many of the skills you will acquire are lsquotransferablersquo to other contexts and therefore will be useful to you more broadly for example in other studies or in employment

The main transferable skills are

the ability to analyse and appraise emerging texts and contribute to their development

the ability to appreciate and criticise existing literary texts

lsquoreader awarenessrsquo the ability to imagine yourself in the place of potential readers or listeners in order to anticipate the effect of your writing

skills in the professional presentation of work

the ability to write with clarity precision and liveliness

facility in researching including the use of information technology

the ability to think critically and independently

the ability to contribute to group discussions and work as part of a team

Planning and writing your assignments Consult your Study Guide for week-by-week advice and help with time management ways to identify your subject matter and so on This will help you to focus in good time for each TMA The Study Guide will also remind you regularly about planning and producing work for your EMA Writing weeks (ie

4

weeks free from other study) are provided at intervals to enable you to finalise some of your assignments Check the Study Planner to see when these are

You will notice that the Study Guide invites you to read Chapters 25 and 26 on editing and presentation out of sequence This is because they provide a valuable reference resource from TMA02 onwards The activities in those chapters are built into your work for Part 2 of the module to remind you to familiarise yourself with them and consult them in order to refine and hone your editing skills We advise you to consult these chapters while preparing each assignment dipping into them as needed The achievement of a high standard of presentation is one of the learning outcomes of the module It takes time and that is the reason for foregrounding this material

A note on lsquopowerfulrsquo material In this module you are encouraged to make use of your memory and experience in transformative ways You will also have the option in the Life Writing part of the module to write directly autobiographical pieces if you wish It can be exhilarating to delve into personal history but also sometimes uncomfortable when painful memories are resurrected To write about painful memories can have a healing force for the writer Such writings can also be moving and solacing for readers But remember that the welfare of the writer is always more important than the wonderfulness of the writing So if you feel that certain episodes in your life are too harrowing to re-enact in writing at this point you should turn to another subject It would also be sensible not to share writings that are deeply personal in the forum unless you are certain that you will not mind them being discussed impersonally and evaluated as artistic products rather than primarily as slices of your life

Another form of powerful material is audacious subject matter usually involving sex disease or violence If you use graphic content of a sexual or violent nature in any of your work make sure it isnrsquot gratuitous ie not there just for sensationalist reasons but as a legitimate part of the work Seek the guidance of your tutor if you are ever in doubt about the appropriateness of posting any particular piece of work on the forum If your writing contains graphic material you should post it as a new discussion item and put a content warning in brackets after your subject heading (ie lsquoexplicit contentrsquo) so that people can choose whether or not they want to read it

It is important to make sure that any explicit and graphic content in your TMAs and EMA isnrsquot gratuitous It must earn its place and be an integrated and essential part of the writing You can lose marks by including strong or explicit material which isnrsquot warranted which is badly thought through which is malicious in intent or which is just there for shock value In the latter instance you may fall foul of university regulations If in doubt consult your tutor

Writing for children Writing for children is not a taught genre on A215 so you are strongly advised to avoid this unless you are able to achieve the kind of lsquocrossoverrsquo writing that may also appeal to adults lsquoCrossoverrsquo stories are ones that avoid a clear demarcation as childrenrsquos literature There are many classic examples including Alicersquos Adventures in Wonderland The Lord of the Rings Oliver Twist The Catcher in the Rye and To Kill a Mockingbird

Contemporary examples include the works of Philip Pullman and JK Rowling their popularity with readers of all ages has led to a resurgence of interest in the lsquocrossoverrsquo Meg Rosoffrsquos novel for young adults How I Live Now won the

5

Guardian Childrenrsquos Fiction Prize in 2004 and was acclaimed as the best crossover novel since Mark Haddonrsquos The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time which has a 15-year-old narrator with Aspergerrsquos syndrome

Crossovers include fantasy and realism They often tackle big issues They create a young protagonist with whom both adults and young readers can identify It is difficult to achieve writing with appeal to all ages so you should attempt this genre only if you are a well-read fan If you are contemplating this kind of fiction seek the advice of your tutor

References

Carroll Lewis (2003 [1865]) Alicersquos Adventures in Wonderland London Penguin Classics

Dickens Charles (2003 [1838]) Oliver Twist London Penguin Classics

Haddon Mark (2004 [2003]) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time London Vintage

Lee Harper (2005 [1960]) To Kill a Mockingbird London Vintage Future Classics

Rosoff Meg (2005 [2004]) How I Live Now London Puffin

Salinger JD (1994 [1951]) The Catcher in the Rye London Penguin Books

Tolkien JRR (2001 [1954]) The Lord of the Rings London HarperCollins

Publishing work you have written for TMAs You retain copyright of your own work and so may go on to publish it although we ask you to wait until it has been assessed and you have received your feedback before you submit anything for publication Please note that all OU materials including the assessment tasks your grade and any tutor comments remain the property of the OU and must not be shared or published

Plagiarism and creative writing Plagiarism means passing off someone elsersquos work as your own The Open University takes plagiarism very seriously For further clarification of your responsibilities as a student and for links to the OUrsquos policy on this you should check the lsquoAssessment information for Arts modulesrsquo on the module website

Creative writing courses are no different from other academic courses in this respect Copying an established writerrsquos work or that of a fellow student is a serious matter Whatrsquos more it can be easily spotted by tutors who are tuned in to erratic changes of style or content Also with modern computer search capabilities key phrases can easily be picked out and checked In academic courses accusations of plagiarism can be avoided by use of appropriate referencing and by the acknowledgement of sources With creative writing the matter is more difficult

Studying any creative writing course will involve you in a process of assimilation You will read established writers and learn how they have done certain things and you will often try to emulate their methods Similarly from seeing the work of other students you will learn from their successes and failures and you will spot techniques that you might want to try yourself Sometimes this emulation will be fully conscious sometimes it might be less so Either way this is not copying or plagiarism but rather one of the major benefits of such courses In most cases when you try out an element of another writerrsquos technique that

6

element becomes uniquely your own ndash you change it subtly or even dramatically Your tutor will be well aware of the need to lsquotry things outrsquo so donrsquot let the fear of plagiarism inhibit you

If yoursquore ever in any doubt especially about work for your TMAs consult your tutor

Writing a commentary Many aspects of writing are instinctive This seems especially true when gauging the texture of language the rhythm and modulation of sentences the shape of phrases and the force of particular words You need to intuit the way your characters might behave in certain situations what they might think and say and then sense which language best fits those subtle nuances of human behaviour

Yet all writing requires more than just instinct As suggested in the Workbook in all writers there is both a lsquowild manrsquo and an lsquoacademicrsquo (John Fowles p65) The process of writing is both instinctual and analytical The writer needs an understanding of the elements of craft and technique and often this more rational and thoughtful aspect of writing works hand in hand with the instinctive The writer needs to be aware of how words might be sculpted and carved how they might be arranged and rearranged to cause different effects Thorough knowledge of these elements can come to inform instinct The writer needs to be capable of sometimes meticulous redrafting and editing and needs to be alert to the lessons available in other writing Skilful writing comes from skilful reading ndash readings of your own work readings of published works and readings of the writing of fellow students

The commentary should reflect all of this It might give glimpses of the instinctual or even apparently accidental parts of your writing and it also provides a venue for discussion of the analytical side of your writing The commentary provides you with an opportunity to consider the various contributing factors in your creative process For instance you might

offer an analysis of your creative process

account for the ways in which your reading has informed your writing in terms of both content and craft (remember as well as other stories novels memoirs biographies and poetry this reading can include the Workbook and other lsquowriting on writingrsquo that you come across or indeed what you hear such as the recorded CD interviews with writers)

comment on the technical obstacles you have encountered and the tactics you have employed to overcome them

attempt to place your creative work in the context of any wider literature or humanities studies

discuss your approach to editing and redrafting

The commentary can also be reflective You might ask certain questions of your work

What did you aim to achieve and did the finished product match or frustrate your ambitions

What have you learned in producing this work both as a writer and as a reader

Your writerrsquos notebook is an essential tool in helping with your commentary If you use your notebook well you will be able to refer back to it and spot crucial points in the production of any piece of writing you will be able to trace the

7

journey from conception to completion You can use it to jot down initial ideas early versions of sentences observations and contributory but ultimately rejected ideas Your notebook can also be the repository of your responses to Workbook exercises as well as being a potentially detailed log of your reading

Of course you cannot submit your notebook for assessment but you can refer to it and quote from it when writing your commentary Similarly the tutor group forum can be very useful when writing your commentary You can look back over responses to your work even quoting from the forum when such commentary seems important You can also refer to comments made about another piece of work on the forum or comments about a published text under discussion if such comments seem pertinent to the decision-making in your own writing Be careful of over-quoting though ndash make sure that you provide a narrative which makes sense of your illustrations

You should not submit earlier drafts of your poems or stories with your commentary but you can discuss and quote from these earlier drafts to illustrate a point as long as the quote is not just padding and does contribute to a considered account of how you think your idea developed

Remember that each of the commentaries will have different demands There are instructions for each of them in the guidance notes for the individual TMA tasks and some sample extracts in the next section of this booklet Always refer to these they can give you more refined guidance specific to the commentary you are writing at any one time For instance in the commentary for the EMA you should provide more detail about your development as a writer (while still focusing on the submitted work) whereas the commentary for TMA 01 will be more focused on the specific pieces of work produced for it The commentary for TMA 05 will be different again being focused almost entirely on the publication research undertaken for it

Your commentary should never be a literary essay offering a theoretical or review-type critique of the end product as if you had nothing to do with it That might be an interesting exercise ndash but is not what is required Compared with your stories and poems the commentary is more of an academic piece of writing so you should make sure you use the conventions of academic referencing when referring to or quoting from other texts or even when quoting comments made on the forum (To check how to go about this see the lsquoAssessment information for Arts modulesrsquo on the module website) Similarly when referring to the study materials ndash a particular section of the Workbook perhaps or a track on one of the CDs ndash always remember to reference these using the recommended methods You may lose marks if you omit a bibliography at the end of your commentary (Note bibliographies at the end of any commentary are not part of the word count)

It is useful to engage explicitly with some of the notions about writing introduced in A215 and use some of the vocabulary (showing and telling point of view line stanza etc) in your commentaries as you proceed through the module Using this vocabulary will reveal how well you have grasped some of the methods and ideas advocated and will develop sophistication in the way you think and write about your work While the commentary might be a more academic form of writing you should still try to achieve an individual voice and a personal approach to what you are writing about

The idea is to start using a vocabulary appropriate to this level of study a vocabulary which reveals that you are reading as a writer and developing a writerrsquos voice in talking about your writing Remember a good story or set of poems doesnrsquot necessarily guarantee a good commentary you still have to pay

8

attention to the different demands of this specific form of writing in order to achieve a good mark

Presenting your work Head each page with your name and personal identifier number You should be able to place page numbers names etc in the lsquoheaderrsquo of your word-processed document

Give each of your creative pieces a title and indicate clearly with a heading when your commentary begins

Set your margins on each side to at least 3 cm (in most cases this is the standard word-processor default setting) Do not justify lines to the right-hand margin You are not required to follow the advice about margins or title pages given on p398 of the Workbook

Use a 12-point serif font (eg Times New Roman rather than Arial) Besides helping you to produce readable uncluttered manuscripts this will get you into the habit of presenting your work as conventionally required by publishers

Text layout Prose TMAs and EMA

For prose TMAs (and for prose submissions in your EMA) use the standard professional text layout This means that you should use double spacing

Here are the basic guidelines regarding paragraphing taken from Part 5 Chapter 26 of the Workbook where you will study editing processes in a lot of detail

The first line of every paragraph should be indented with the exception of the first in each chapter or section

There should usually be no space between paragraphs

A line space between paragraphs indicates a section break ndash a change of scene of viewpoint or that some time has passed In a commentary it can signify a shift to a new section in the discussion

Asterisks can be used to draw attention to a section break that falls at the end of a page and might therefore be missed by the reader

Here is a brief example of how the prose in your assignments should look

This is the opening of the piece of fiction or life writing you are

undertaking and has therefore used the left-hand margin You can see

it uses double line spacing but the first paragraph isnrsquot indented

This is the opening of the second paragraph It has been clearly

indented from the margin and there is no space between the first

paragraph and the second paragraph This pattern should continue

throughout a prose piece until there is a section break as indicated

above

9

Please remember to number your pages which will make it easier for your tutor to refer to particular points when giving feedback

Presentation of dialogue (in prose fiction or life writing)

The general rule is that each personrsquos speech should begin a new paragraph ndash indented of course Use single quotation marks for all speech and quoted words within your text Use double quotation marks only when they occur within another pair For example

lsquoI canrsquot explain itrsquo she said lsquoIrsquove just gone off yoursquo

lsquoSo yoursquore not going to give me an explanationrsquo Stephen

said lsquoJust that yoursquove ldquogone offrdquo mersquo

Poetry TMAs and EMA

For poetry TMAs follow the advice supplied in Part 3 of your Workbook about line- and stanza-formation

Stanza breaks and the gap between the title and first line of the poem should be indicated by spaces Poems should be single-spaced within stanzas Do not centre your poems on the page they should be positioned on the left of the page with a consistent margin Starting each new line with a capital letter should not be a default option think about whether this device is appropriate for the style of your poems

Please note that none of the above advice rules out innovative approaches that deliberately explore the page as a visual or typographical space

Word and line counts Writing to a stipulated length is an important skill and you should aim to comply with the stated word counts for your TMAs and EMA Put an accurate word count at the end of each part of the TMA Put a line count at the end of poetry submissions Note that titles footnotes and epigraphs are not included in word or line counts for your creative work but that embedded quotations are Footnotes will be included in the word count for commentaries and cannot therefore be used to expand your commentary beyond the permitted word limit

Of course it would be absurd to ruin a piece of writing by padding it out or shortening it simply to get a certain number of words or lines Aesthetics are always more important than arithmetic So long as the word count or line count is within the limits specified in the lsquoAssessment information for Arts modulesrsquo (available on the module website) your work will not be penalised If your work is significantly under length you are unlikely to have demonstrated all the skills required to obtain a good grade

10

Guidance notes

TMA 01 guidance The instructions for this assignment can be found under lsquoAssessment resourcesrsquo on the A215 website

Part 1

Before attempting your prompted freewrite you might like to do a cluster on your chosen prompt Donrsquot use this as a plan for your freewrite though and itrsquos not necessary to submit the cluster as part of the TMA You might also like to look back over the section covering freewriting and clusters in Chapter 1 of the Workbook

This is an exercise in free association ndash calling on the spontaneous methods developed in Chapter 1 but also the elements discussed in Chapters 3 and 4 It is an attempt to free less conscious ideas involving your own personal memories but also your sensory perceptions associations that once suggested are likely to lead you completely away from the original prompt In this respect it is not important to keep the prompt as a central feature or at the start of your freewrite The prompts are not titles or themes that you must stick to for the pieces that you will subsequently write in Part 2 of the TMA

Your prompted freewrite will be assessed purely as a demonstration of freewriting technique and not for any literary quality It is source material rather like the initial sketch an artist might make It will also have an impact on the mark you achieve for your commentary where you will chart your creative process from initial ideas to finished piece

It is in the nature of freewrites that they can bring up uncomfortable material If you produce a freewrite that is too personal for use in a TMA use a different prompt and write another one You can do your initial freewrite in your notebook on loose paper or even on a computer ndash whichever suits you before finalising it for submission

When submitting your freewrite you may present it exactly as it emerged or you may edit and correct it slightly to make it more readable If you choose to edit it be careful not to reshape it radically You will need to retain the fluidity and leaps and jumps that characterise a freewrite Whether you decide to edit your freewrite or reproduce it without minor alterations will not affect your marks The tutor will be looking for authenticity not polish Make sure you put a word count on the bottom of this section and your chosen prompt at the top

Part 2

After you have done the first part of the assignment and found your direction for Part 2 you must choose whether to write autobiographically biographically or to write fiction You may build on the emerging idea by using appropriate factual and imagined remembered and observed elements from your notebook You might also like to do some research for the piece

Remember that the initial prompt is not your title or theme for the piece just your starting point Where there is no evident connection between Parts 1 and 2 of your assignment you will need to illuminate the link in your commentary showing how your freewrite sparked the piece of writing however tangentially or personally

11

Whatever your chosen form remember some of the approaches that have been advocated during this initial part of the module You should make use of the everyday make use of associations and your memory (even if writing fiction) you should use your imagination (even if writing autobiographically or biographically) try to use sensory perceptions and use your notebook as a resource ndash not just the notes specific to this TMA but other pieces and jottings too Something you have written for a previous activity might prove useful something you have written down about a daily occurrence might be relevant

Because this second part of the TMA is a step up from freewriting you should attempt to give it a shape though shaping your writing hasnrsquot yet been dealt with in any detail (this will follow in subsequent parts of the module) You might also like to try some of the techniques seen in some of the extracts yoursquove read in these chapters For instance you might write in the present tense as Glaister does or in the past tense as Lee does

You should follow the layout advice given in this booklet Give your piece a title and remember to number your pages and put a word count at the end

Part 3

In your reflection you can comment on some of the methods used in the module so far and how effective they have been for you in getting you started and in developing your writing You are evaluating process and methods rather than the finished product You can quote from your notebook and maybe comment on the evolution of your TMA idea through the spontaneous techniques (the cluster and freewrite) into a more recognisable form You might like to comment too on your chosen form for Part 2 of the TMA and how you arrived at that choice

Remember to put a word count at the end of this section too Check through your work for Parts 2 and 3 carefully to eliminate any spelling or grammar errors This is a crucial aspect of good presentation Here are some example paragraphs of reflection

Sample commentaries

Example 1 (prompt a beach in winter)

In the focused freewrite (based on lsquoa beach in winterrsquo) I came up with

a couple of characters a man and a woman who were lovers walking

along a shore and I decided to develop this image by asking some

lsquowhat ifrsquo questions about the characters as suggested in the

Workbook (Barker 2006 pp434ndash41) When I posted a section about

them on the forum (for an unrelated activity) someone noted that the

characters didnrsquot seem to like each other This made me think of a

story based around an argument ndash what caused it the climax and the

outcome Deciding on this framework was helpful but I became more

and more interested in the charactersrsquo history I decided to keep the

initial idea of a beach in winter in the story because the empty and

spacious landscape added to the intensity of the exchanges between

the couple I found it difficult to contain events in 750 words and

12

struggled when going back into the past while trying to write in the

present tense

Bibliography

Barker P (2006) lsquoReading 8 from Backtalk women writers speak

outrsquo in Linda Anderson (ed) Creative Writing A workbook with

readings Abingdon Routledge Milton Keynes The Open

University

Example 2 (prompt the house opposite)

The most interesting idea that came out of my freewrite on lsquothe house

oppositersquo was to do with the impact of time on houses and the people

who live in them This led me to the memory of an accidental meeting

I had with an old school friend who looked both recognisable and

very different She seemed to have acquired a different personality

too At school she was aloof and mysterious and now just a few years

later she had turned into a chattering eager person At the time I

wondered what changes she saw in me This is what I explored in my

story At first I wrote it in a straightforward way but then decided to

write it as two scenes lsquothenrsquo and lsquonowrsquo I got that idea from an Alice

Munro story lsquoJakartarsquo where she moves between the past and the

present in an unfussy way that gives a shocking sense of the impact of

time passing My dialogue is mostly made up and more lsquoweightyrsquo

than what we actually said although it feels lsquotruersquo in another way

Writing this piece has made me more interested in trawling through

my memories for raw material and in finding ways to craft it

Bibliography

Munro A (1998) Love of a Good Woman London Vintage

13


Part 1

Your story must be complete so think carefully about its structure in order to demonstrate that you can create a finished satisfying narrative within the given word limit Pay particular attention to your beginning and ending the rise and fall of dramatic action or tension and to the balance of showing and telling throughout Choose the point of view carefully keeping in mind that alternating points of view can be difficult to accommodate in a short story

Katherine Mansfieldrsquos story lsquoThe Black Caprsquo (Reading 24 pp496ndash501) is discussed in Chapter 9 of the Workbook as an experiment in dispensing with lsquotellingrsquo altogether As such it resembles a play script You are advised not to model your TMA assignment on this story as its almost exclusive focus on dialogue would give you no opportunity to demonstrate the range of your skills

A checklist for writing fiction

Remember to make considered choices about all of the components of your narrative For example make sure that your main characters have enough complexity ndash contradictions strengths weaknesses and desires Here are some basic questions to ask yourself

Does your main character change or achieve some important insight in the course of the story

Does your setting work in conjunction with the character(s) and plot

From whose point of view is your story told Could you tell it better from another point of view

Does your story begin and end at the right moment

Does your dialogue sound natural

Have you got the right balance of showing and telling In general the most important actions and moments should be shown in scenes

Refer to the relevant chapters to review specific advice where necessary There is also a revision checklist in the final week of the lsquoPart 2rsquo section in the Study Guide

When you have drafted your fiction read it aloud to yourself to test for clarity Unnatural-sounding dialogue unwieldy sentences or lsquogapsrsquo in the story can become obvious in this way Try to factor in some waiting time before you complete your final draft Familiarise yourself with Chapters 25 and 26 of the Workbook and consult them to help you edit and present your work to a high standard And ensure that yoursquove followed the instructions for laying out dialogue and other aspects of presentation in this booklet

Part 2

Listening to how fiction writers talk about their work on CD1 will help you to devise your own commentary Remember to focus on revealing the creative process involved in your work rather than on an evaluation of the finished product Quote from your writing and your reading where relevant in order to support your statements Check the general guidelines about writing commentaries and the illustrative examples in this booklet Your commentary is

14

an academic piece of writing and should therefore use the academic apparatus of referencing and bibliography where appropriate Advice on this can be found in the lsquoAssessment information for Arts modulesrsquo (available on the module website)

Sample commentary extracts

Example 1

I wrote the first draft in the third person but realised that it just didnrsquot

work for the kind of story I wanted I needed something very direct

and frightening which I was able to achieve better by making Matt

the murderer a first-person narrator I was inspired to try this when I

read Camusrsquos The Outsider and realised how disturbing it is to have a

narrator who expresses few of the usual emotions and values But I

soon discovered that it wasnrsquot just a matter of changing lsquohersquo to lsquoIrsquo

throughout my story The shift into first person also helped me to get

rid of some excessively lsquopoeticrsquo phrases like lsquoSleep held him down

like a drugged loverrsquo and lsquomasses of roses in a white box like Snow

Whitersquos coffinrsquo I dislike these show-off similes now ndash I think they

just push the reader away and slow down the story

Bibliography

Camus A (2000 [1942]) The Outsider J Laredo (tr)

Harmondsworth Penguin

Example 2

A couple of people read an early draft and said that my main

characterrsquos outburst against her mother seemed unconvincing or too

easy I loved that scene but I finally realised that it was out of

character for Jen to reveal her feelings so freely I changed the scene

hinting at Jenrsquos emotions through her body language and some veiled

sarcasm in her speech Ultimately I believe that this strengthened the

story forcing me to give the portrayal of the character and her

relationships more depth and the story itself more of a plot-line In the

first draft I had used up all my fireworks too soon

15


Part 1

If you choose to submit two or even three poems they do not have to be equal in length one might be 14 lines and another 26 for example The subject matter and styles may be unrelated to one another or you may choose to produce a minishysequence of related poems (for guidance on a sequence see lsquoTMA 05 guidancersquo in this booklet) You may choose to write in free verse or discovered or selected poetic forms markers will not reward any one type of form over another Poetry aimed at children is not appropriate since it is not likely to possess the right degree of sophistication Poems with a succession of very short lines may well be unable to show what you are capable of

Successful poems submitted for this TMA are likely to use some interesting or even startling turns of phrase or to use inventive vocabulary A poem which is able to describe an environment or feeling or action with an original choice of adjective noun verb or adverb is likely to arrest the reader At the same time be careful not to overdo the language to the extent that it clogs the poem Make your reader do some work but donrsquot challenge the reader with words at every turn If your poems contain too many self-conscious words they may well become confusing

You should aim to keep the reader interested but not too busy If your vocabulary is too complicated using (for example) a succession of polysyllabic words you will probably shut down the channel of communication between you and the reader Polysyllabic words also have the effect of flattening the rhythm if they are used too frequently ndash a word like lsquoinvigoratinglyrsquo for instance is hard to use in a poem

Equally a simple poem using no interesting turns of phrase is likely to be dull Poetry gives you a chance to play a little more freely with language If your language is reductive it is liable to make the poem dull A poem which is practically monosyllabic is unlikely to make for interesting reading Make the language you use reasonably sophisticated

Archaic language (contractions like orsquoer old forms like thy methinks words like bedecked vale drear wend pent eve wondrous etc) should be avoided ndash they will clash with the contemporary vocabulary you should be using Of course the context of a word will determine whether or not it is archaic ndash a word like (say) pallor could work

Think about word order Does the order sound natural Are you changing the word order to make a rhyme work To the seas he went or To the beach went he are likely to be caused by rhyming with (for instance) spent or sea respectively A particular problem is caused when a poem sometimes inverts word order and sometimes doesnrsquot A good poem is not likely to invert word order and in all cases the use of word order should be consistent

Think too about using breaks in poems They are not compulsory but it is worth asking yourself if the poem would improve with a little more white space Pausing to let the reader in is usually a good idea Too much breathing space can be caused by a succession of minimal lines A forty-line poem in which all the lines have (say) two words will need to be justified and is not likely to give you the chance to show what you can do

16

See if you can avoid abstractions such as anger pain determination solitude They are likely to be a form of shorthand ndash a form of telling rather than showing

Remember that a poem ndash certainly a poem of the specified length or lengths in this TMA ndash cannot do what a story can do A poem needs to limit its scope You should aim to have a particular and well-defined focus A poem about or derived from an incident or observation is going to work much better than a poem attempting a colossal subject in a small space Donrsquot try to do too much with a short poem

Ending a poem does not necessarily mean finishing on a punchline Bring the poem to a close in a logical way but leave the reader something to think about It is always worth going back to a poem and asking yourself whether you have ended the poem more than once Can you edit the last three lines

Try also to keep the tone natural and conversational whether the poem is rhymed or unrhymed There is of course no such thing as lsquocorrectrsquo rhythm but if the rhythm is awkward or jagged there should be a good reason for it

A checklist for writing poetry

Remember to make considered choices about all of the elements of your poems For instance consider carefully where you break your lines how you use imagery and how you use repetition

Here are some key questions to ask yourself

Have you shown the technical range of which you are capable in your use of metre rhyme imagery voice

Is your poetry free of commonplace or hackneyed images Have you used unnecessary abstractions Have you used unnecessary inversions

Are the objects and emotions in your poem(s) described precisely giving clear details and not overloading the description with too many adjectives

Have you considered your poem(s) from the point of view of the reader to establish how clear your writing is

Does what you have written contain a degree of development in its central idea(s)

Does your poetry suit its chosen length or could it do with editing

Does your poetry work when you read it aloud

Does your poetry sound too much like chopped-up prose

Does your poetry hold the reader by using such devices as repetition metaphor or simile Does any term or word need explaining further and if so can this occur within the text or do you require a footnote

Refer to the relevant chapters to review specific advice as necessary

Part 2

Listening to how poets talk about their work on CD2 will help you to devise your own commentary You may also consider some of the questions posed above

Remember that lsquowriting a poem is a process not a single actionrsquo (Workbook p167) In your commentary focus on revealing the creative process from first idea to final version rather than on an evaluation of the finished product Quote briefly from your writing and your reading ndash perhaps of other poems outside the Workbook ndash where relevant in order to support your statements Your commentary is an academic piece of writing and should therefore use the

17

academic apparatus of referencing and bibliography where appropriate Advice on this can be found in thersquoAssessment information for Arts modulesrsquo (available on the module website)


Option 1

For the first part of Option 1 you may write autobiographically or biographically Your work on life writing in Part 4 of the module should help you to make this decision Looking back through the Part 4 section of your notebook might also provide some material that you can use or adapt here ndash in relation to your chosen subject or prompt

Remember that you will need to employ fictional techniques as covered in Part 2 of the module in order to realise your narrative (such as point of view setting structure and so on) You will be exploring the workings of your memory and then creatively transforming raw material into your response Your life writing will need a title Keep in mind that autobiography does not have to be exclusively about lsquoIrsquo or written in the first person Sometimes it is hard to distinguish between what is autobiographical or biographical For instance in writing about a close member of your family you may find that you are writing about your own life as well This kind of blend of biography and autobiography is entirely acceptable

If you are writing a biographical piece be careful not to try to write a lsquopotted lifersquo In the space allocated to you for this TMA be wary of including a series of facts and figures and dates ndash it is much more sensible to think of writing about an incident or about connected incidents

You may wish to write a passage of prose biography about someone you know very little or not at all (Perhaps an aunt went to live in Australia for a while and yoursquod like to write about her time there or perhaps you have always felt an imaginative link with a historical character whose life you would like to explore) As the kind of research you will do is mostly determined by this decision consider whether you would prefer to work with personal witnesses and interviews or more book-based and internet research as you prepare to write Your work in Part 4 should help you to decide

Again you will also employ some fictional techniques as covered in Part 2 of the module in order to realise your biographical narrative (such as point of view setting structure and so on) In other words whatever you choose to write about you will be working with the fruits of that research and reading transforming what you have found with the writerrsquos imagination and craft Looking back through your work in Part 4 may well also help you to decide how to structure your piece did you enjoy thinking about and experimenting with through-lines in Chapter 21 for example

Do not use any point of view which is inanimate or non-human Although there are historical examples of this ndash the Workbook gives the example of Virginia Woolf using Elizabeth Barrett Browningrsquos dog to create biographical insights ndash the results are often twee and at this length the result is likely to become an autobiography or biography of the inanimate or non-human speaker Your life writing must clearly be by a human being about a human being or human beings past or present

18

Finally this TMA option gives you the opportunity to experiment with using different voices in your writing as you can include extracts or quotations from a diary or letters

Remember to identify your chosen prompt (if used) at the top of your TMA and to put a word count at the bottom of each part of your TMA

Commentary

Your commentary for this option will explore the process of researching and then writing the prose including perhaps how you chose your subject or prompt You could detail the examples of prose biography or autobiography you read as part of your research consider how you dealt with the subject of memory and say something about how you worked on your raw material Further subjects for you to reflect on here might be the formal decisions you made (for instance whether extracts are included or not) and why you made them Extracts from your notebook may well be useful supporting material in this case

Remember that your commentary is an academic piece of writing and should therefore use the academic apparatus of referencing and bibliography where appropriate Advice on this can be found in the lsquoAssessment information for Arts modulesrsquo (available on the module website)

Option 2

Your work in Part 3 of the module will support you should you choose to write poetry for your life writing As with prose life writing it is common to blend autobiography and biography in poetry as in the examples in the Workbook by Tony Harrison and Sharon Olds ndash where the focus is the poetrsquos perspective on a loved one but where there is also a strong sense of the autobiographical

Purely biographical poetry is more unusual especially if you are writing about someone you do not know or about a historical figure As with prose biography do not attempt to write a lsquolifersquo ndash think about writing about brief incident(s) in a life If (for example) you were to write about Napoleon on St Helena where he was imprisoned at the end of his life you might find that the glimpse you give us ndash whether in the first or third person ndash also tells the reader about your own understanding of loneliness Facts and figures and dates will not be important in realising the figure about whom you are writing A sense of place and a sense of feeling will be far more important Because this is life writing you should not use mythical figures as your biographical subjects

It is acceptable to submit both autobiographical AND biographical poems for this TMA If you are writing biographically you might like to think about the potential of writing more than one poem about your chosen subject ndash looking for instance at different incidents in his or her life

Remember to identify your chosen prompt(s) (if used) at the top of your TMA and to put a line count at the bottom of each separate poem and at the end of each part of your TMA ndash so if you were to write three poems of 10 15 and 15 lines you would put lsquo40 linesrsquo at the end of part (a) and the total number of words of the commentary at the end of part (b)

Commentary

In your commentary for this option you might use some of the key questions about poetry in the checklist for TMA 03 to discuss the making of your poems You might also discuss why you chose poetry for your life writing and how this influenced your choice of subjects incidents or moments How did you select or narrow down details into a more compressed form What benefits do you recognise in this process of selection or compression You could also detail the

19

examples of life writing poetry you read as part of your research and what you learned from them


Some points of clarification for life writing

The following advice applies to TMA 04 and to Life Writing options in TMA05 and the EMA

In Option 1 we ask for a lsquopassagersquo of prose life writing in order to encourage you to focus on a period or an incident or series of incidents rather than try to cram too much in to the allocated word count Your piece should be coherent well structured and able to be understood without reference to an imagined whole autobiography or biography

If you opt for travel writing avoid producing work that resembles tourist information Such work will score low marks or an outright fail

Avoid writing a polemical essay which advances an argument and which fails to write about lives

Journalism is not taught on A215 A journalistic piece is one which deals with a newsworthy event or person in the public eye and which focuses intently on the context rather than the characters and lives involved

Another pitfall you need to avoid is straying too far towards fiction whether you are writing autobiography or biography your main subject should be a real person not an invented character

The intention is that you should write about human beings ndash and from the point of view of a human being

If you quote from diary extracts or letters make sure they are necessary and well-integrated and do not account for more than 10 per cent of your work Excessive use of such material to pad out your assignment will result in low marks

There are many sub-genres of contemporary writing ndash food writing and nature writing for instance ndash which are often effectively life writing The Workbook uses for example Nigel Slaterrsquos Toast Make sure if you are attracted to these sub-genres that you do not stray into writing about food or landscape at the expense of your main focus ndash which should be life experience

If you opt to write biography ensure that you avoid producing academicshyessay style work Work which has the feel of an essay however good on its own terms will risk failure As shown in the Workbook examples you should aim to lsquotransform facts into narrativersquo and to employ some fictional techniques These may include

well-developed characters

a clear story structure

tension and revelation

strong dialogue written out in scenes or given as quotations embedded in the narrative

an appropriate balance of scenes and exposition

20

a clear theme

skilful use of imagery symbolism and metaphor

There is a fine borderline between life writing and historical fiction If you choose to recreate a historical figure or someone unknown to you remember that you are still trying to write something valid in a non-fiction sense something based on fact You will be able to render your researched facts imaginatively and vividly by using narrative methods but donrsquot go too far into conjecture or speculation In your commentary you should discuss your strategies regarding the balance of invention and verifiable fact with reference to the methods and debates outlined in Part 4 and on CD3

Please consult your tutor if you are in any doubt about the appropriateness of your life writing topic or approach


Part 1

This assignment will be marked according not only to the qualities of the work itself but also to its suitability for your chosen publication and to the quality and applicability of your research Make sure you look at a wide range of possible outlets (three or four magazines that specialise in short fiction of the kind you want to write for example) Pay attention to the following in particular

lsquoPolish to a professional standardrsquo means following the advice on editing that you received in Part 3 andor Part 5 of the Workbook and double-checking your work for clarity and impact as well as grammar and spelling For the purposes of this assignment it is not necessary to lay out the TMA with a title page as specified on p398 of the Workbook (lsquoAfter the title page the first page of your manuscript should begin halfway down It too should bear the title of your piece and have your name and contact details in the top right hand cornerrsquo) although you will not be penalised if you do

You might want to repeat some of the activities in Part 3 andor Part 5 all of which provide useful ways of self-editing Make sure you refer to this editing process in your report commenting in particular on the changes you made with your chosen magazine in mind

Research your magazine thoroughly checking wherever possible that you have presented the work in a form that adheres to the magazinersquos submission guidelines You might want to refer back to ndash or even repeat ndash Activities 271ndash273 bearing in mind that on this occasion and for this assignment you are looking specifically for magazine publishers If your magazine does not provide downloadable or printer-friendly guidelines research this aspect by studying a few back issues taking careful note of its usual content and format In this case you are not of course expected to submit work that looks like the finished magazine but you should adhere as far as possible to any generic preferences such as length subject matter and style and explain in your report how you have done so

Ensure that the magazine you choose is one in which the editors select what will and will not be published Some online outlets automatically publish all submissions received without any selection process These will not be appropriate destinations for the work you submit for TMA05

21

You should try to choose a magazine whose requirements roughly match the stipulated wordline count for this TMA There are plenty of suitable options in this regard If you have a good reason for choosing a magazine whose wordline counts differ by more than the permissible margin (perhaps because you have produced a very specific type of writing for which the range of publishers is limited) you should still comply with the TMA requirements as to length but mention the discrepancy in your commentary In these circumstances you will not be penalised for submitting work which does not meet the publisherrsquos length specifications

If you are submitting short poems rather than one or two longer ones make sure that your submissions are equivalent in total to the 40-line TMA requirement

If your chosen magazine requires a synopsis and query letter first you should say so in your report But this does not mean that you should write and submit for assessment the synopsis and query letter instead of the creative writing The aim here is to get you to finish and polish your work to an acceptable submission standard as well as to demonstrate that you understand a potential market for it

Choosing your magazine or other publication outlet

A word of warning choose carefully Magazines or e-zines that require salacious or offensive material are not acceptable choices for this assignment Neither are magazines dedicated to factual articles of journalism If in doubt consult your tutor about your choice in good time leaving room for a change of plan if necessary Writing competitions in which winning entries are published qualify as suitable outlets so long as the potential publishing date has not passed at the time of the TMA deadline

To get you started with your search please find below the website addresses for a range of useful free websites with brief information about their strengths and weaknesses Itrsquos a good idea to search critically in this way and compile a list like this yourself many writersrsquo sites have good resources but list them unhelpfully or attempt to get you to join a society or to buy one of their publications

Try to remain focused during your search with a list in front of you of exactly what you are looking for based on your knowledge of your own work (length genre subject matter any special qualities that make it stand out etc) The following are suggested first steps only and should not be taken as sufficient in themselves or as a wholesale endorsement of the entire contents of a particular website It should be remembered also that internet sites are subject to frequent changes We have also included a list of printed publications which you may find useful The following information was correct at the time of going to press

Internet sites

Jacqui Bennett Writers Bureau (httpwwwjbwbcouk)

Provides useful listings for competitions and UK markets for poetry short stories and non-fiction Some gentle persuasion to join the Bureau is in evidence but itrsquos relatively easy with this website to find what you want without signing up for anything

Newpagescom (httpwwwnewpagescom)

This is an excellent regularly updated guide to literary magazines (online and print) independent publishers and new publishing outlets Be aware though that this website only lists the magazines that sponsor it most of them North

22

American so it would be a good idea to use its listings in conjunction with others

The Poetry Library (httpwwwpoetrylibraryorgukmagazines)

A useful list of both hard copy and e-zine outlets plus advice on submissions maintained by the Poetry Library at the South Bank Centre London A main strength of this website ndash apart from its stability ndash is its emphasis on listing only established magazines with high standards and clear editorial policies

You can find more possibilities by typing lsquoPoetry magazinesrsquo or lsquoFiction magazinesrsquo into your search engine These search terms should bring up both print and internet publishing opportunities

Hard copy publications

All of the following hard-copy resources are published annually

Novel and Short Story Writerrsquos Market New York Writerrsquos Digest Books

Poetrsquos Market New York Writerrsquos Digest Books

The Writerrsquos Handbook Basingstoke Palgrave MacMillan

The Writersrsquo and Artistsrsquo Yearbook London A amp C Black

Writerrsquos Market New York Writerrsquos Digest Books

A themed poetry sequence

A themed sequence is a series of related poems in which the relationship between the poems is as important as the individual poems the poems should be seen not as separate but as part of a whole A sequence will be more than the sum of its parts In 40 lines it is not advisable to submit more than five poems unless there is a particularly good reason Two poems however are unlikely to achieve the sense of lsquosequencersquo

The poems may be of even or uneven length although they might equally be in the same form (three sonnets would for instance be acceptable) They might explore a sequence of events but they might equally look at a series of similar occupations experiences places or feelings They might also look at the same subject from different points of view For example you might look at times of the day or year in the same location or you might explore the stages of a relationship at different points or from alternative different points of view or you might write about different aspects of identity time or place Some sequences might develop an idea some sequences might simply explore the same individuals or experiences from a different angle The most important quality of a sequence is that the poems should be clearly interdependent You are advised to consider what it is possible to explore within the required number of lines

Part 2

The report you will write for TMA 05 is not quite like the commentaries you have become accustomed to writing for previous TMAs While some reflection on the development of your writing will be necessary you should concentrate more on the processes involved in finding a suitable outlet for it and ensure that mention of your drafts is focused on meeting that outletrsquos requirements

A report by definition is an exposition and analysis of your research You might decide that itrsquos best to construct it using headings (such as lsquoInitial researchrsquo lsquoRequirements of my chosen magazinersquo lsquoPolishing my work to suitrsquo etc) but this is by no means essential The format is up to you

23

What wersquore looking for is evidence that you have spent some time searching for a suitable outlet (which means you should indicate that you considered more than one) that you fully explain why your chosen magazine is a good fit with your work and that you demonstrate any steps it has been necessary to take to ensure that your work meets your magazinersquos requirements and is presented in its stipulated format This could include stylistic elements such as word-choice (perhaps as a result of reflecting on your magazinersquos stated preferences you strengthened certain themes or toned down others) as well as formal elements such as layout

The following is an example of the kind of report you might produce You should not however simply follow this format uncritically your report should demonstrate your own personal journey specific to your own kind of writing Remember that your commentary is an academic piece of writing and should therefore use the academic apparatus of referencing and bibliography where appropriate Advice on this can be found in the lsquoAssessment information for Arts modulesrsquo (available on the module website)

Sample report

After repeating Activity 271 in the A215 Workbook I decided to

research magazines specialising in writing for women so I visited

WH Smith and bought copies of a couple (Womanrsquos Weekly and

Peoplersquos Friend) Having read their contents though I realised that

the kinds of language their fiction uses and the kinds of topics it

typically covers didnrsquot match my story They require a sense of uplift

and my story lsquoSpring Cleaningrsquo is darker and more ironic in tone

My storyrsquos theme is the gradual breakdown of a long-term

relationship during a conversation about gardening It has more of an

edge than the stories in these two magazines and it uses slightly more

graphic language (eg lsquoWhen did you plant tulips I hate bloody

tulips Look at that one lolling about like an invalidrsquo lsquoThat onersquos my

favouritersquo said Pam lsquoItrsquos called ldquoClararsquos Buttrdquorsquo) I didnrsquot want to cut

this because I felt it was an integral part of my charactersrsquo unfolding

antagonisms and when I tried the story out on the A215 forum the

feedback suggested that other people also felt this element worked

well lsquoSpring Cleaningrsquo doesnrsquot have a happy ending in the

conventional sense required by these magazines either my main

character wins the argument (which neither character acknowledges

to be an argument) but there is no sense by the end that there has been

a neat conclusion There is just a sense of an irrevocable downward

spiral While writing the story I was influenced by Hemingwayrsquos

lsquoHills Like White Elephantsrsquo (1987 [1927]) in which tension is

24

created without direct reference to its cause and by the French writer

Colette (1982 [1920]) who depicts devastating relationship

breakdowns in the most civilised tones I realised I needed a

magazine with a commitment to less formulaic writerly voices so I

turned to the internet

After searching a number of sites I came across the magazine

Mslexia (httpwwwmslexiacouk) which states it aims lsquoto publish

some new voices in every copyrsquo and that it is committed to furthering

womenrsquos writing This seemed promising so I browsed its archived

back-issues Mslexia is issued four times a year and often has a

famous guest editor (such as Carol Ann Duffy Mslexia issue no 2)

Best of all Mslexia regularly asks for stories on certain themes of

under 3000 words ndash which fitted well with the word count for this

assignment ndash and the current issue was asking for stories about

lsquoGrowingrsquo My story seemed tailor-made It is about growing apart as

well as growing plants and I went through it again making small

adjustments to emphasise the themed link (changing the part where

Pam turns her back on Jules because shersquos angry for example and

making her stoop to tie the tulip lovingly to a stake instead)

Mslexia doesnrsquot provide layout guidance so I set out my story in

accordance with the advice provided on p398 of the Workbook They

do ask for an SAE and a daytime phone number though and if I was

sending this story to them for real I would be certain to include those

Mslexia comes across as a magazine that cares about new writers and

would let them know the result whether or not it was favourable

Bibliography

Anderson L (2006) (ed) Creative Writing a workbook with


University

Colette S-G (1982 [1920]) Cheacuteri New York Farrar Straus and

Giroux

Hemingway E (1987 [1927]) The Complete Short Stories of Ernest

Hemingway New York Simon amp Schuster

25

EMA guidance The instructions for the EMA can be found under lsquoAssessment resourcesrsquo on the A215 website

Option 1

Fiction

If you choose to submit a story you should attempt to demonstrate that you can create a complete satisfying narrative within the given word limit

If you choose to submit an opening chapter read the extra advice in the paragraph below with care And ensure that what you submit is something you have worked on actively for this module

Your chapter or chapters should form the opening of a novel In the case of more than one chapter they must be consecutive Selecting this option will require you to demonstrate a different skill from the ability to create a whole short story You will need to create a convincing beginning of a longer narrative and make your readers want to know more Be careful not to pack everything in You may know how the story goes on and how it turns out but you need only establish what is necessary for the start of your novel

You should also provide a brief accompanying note of not more than 100 words to indicate the way the plot might proceed This note is not included in the word count for your chapter(s) and it will not be assessed It will provide your examiners with some framework for understanding your aims in the opening chapter or chapters

Make a definite choice of either story or chapter(s) Anything that might be one or the other is likely to be too indeterminate

Poetry

If you choose to submit poetry think carefully about where your strengths as a poet lie It would be useful to look back to TMA 03 and any other poetry assignments you have submitted You are allowed to submit a single poem a collection of poems of different lengths and on different subjects or a sequence of several poems on a related theme (If you decide to write a sequence look back at the notes on this subject in the guidance for TMA 05)

It is not advisable to submit a large number of very short poems Another temptation to avoid is using the 100-line maximum to produce a poem or poems which would be stronger if they were edited down You should see the EMA as an opportunity to show that you have reflected on and have used many of the techniques in Part 3 lsquoWriting poetryrsquo

Life writing

If you choose a biographical subject take care to transform your facts into narrative and to utilise narrative techniques of showing and telling character point of view setting and structure to recreate your subjectrsquos life imaginatively rather than analytically

Check the advice under lsquoSome points of clarification for life writingrsquo in the guidance for TMA 04 and avoid proscribed genres and variations

Reflective commentary

You should refer to any major draft revisions andor quote from or refer to entries in your writerrsquos notebook as evidence of this process You may also include mention of relevant feedback from your tutor or forum group Remember that this commentary also requires you to it include a reflection on your overall

26

development as a writer in relation to your chosen genre and methods for this final creative task

You should find it helpful to revisit the advice on writing commentaries in this booklet Your commentary is an academic piece of writing and should therefore use the academic apparatus of referencing and bibliography where appropriate Advice on this can be found in the lsquoAssessment information for Arts modulesrsquo (available on the module website)

Option 2

Refer to the notes in Option 1 above for further guidance about working in each of the forms (and about completing the reflective commentary) This guidance also relates to the production of shorter work except in the case of fiction where it would be inadvisable to try to create a chapter or chapters within the shorter word count If you wish to write the start of a novel you should select Option 1

The two parts of your original writings must be distinct Do not lsquoblendrsquo the two for example with poetry embedded within a prose piece The rationale behind this option is the chance to show your range and versatility

The poetry and life writing option does not allow a double poetry submission Poetic life writing is categorised as poetry rather than as a sub-set of life writing for the EMA Students wishing to write an all-poetry EMA should choose Option 1

Ensure that you pay equal attention to each form as they will have the same weighting You should adhere to the suggested word and line counts in the EMA instructions

Commentary

You should refer to any major draft revisions andor quote from or refer to entries in your writerrsquos notebook as evidence of this process You may also include mention of relevant feedback from your tutor or forum group Remember that this commentary also requires you to it include a reflection on your overall development as a writer in relation to your chosen genres and methods for this final creative task


EMA feedback

Throughout the module you receive detailed feedback on your TMAs from your tutor ndash this feedback is developmental ie designed to enhance your understanding and progress Because of the tight timescale for assessing the EMA it is not possible to supply the same kind of feedback Instead markers are asked to complete a tick-box form scoring various key elements of each studentrsquos performance This form will provide you with some basic feedback to indicate the strengths and weaker areas in your creative writing and commentary and will give you a way of interpreting your final marks

Markers are asked to look at seven feedback criteria five of which refer to the creative writing pieces in one or two of the taught forms The last two refer to the commentary The categories are necessarily broad as they have to accommodate fiction poetry and life writing You will receive one feedback breakdown for

27

your creative writing and one for your commentary Here are some descriptions of what markers are looking for in each category

Creative writing

Language

This refers both to the clarity and precision of language and to its creative use adjectives metaphors stylistic flourishes and rhetorical devices

Voice

Voice is not completely separate from language It refers to the creation and sustaining of an authorial style which might be developed through a range of methods including tone idiom point of view dialogue or observation It also includes the range depth and subtlety of characterisation in prose writings and the use of dialogue in character creation and development

Structure

This refers to the effective organisation of the piece of writing In fiction this might mean a balance of showing and telling or an appropriate and proportional development of a story arc or plot In poetry it might mean an ability to deploy a given form such as the sonnet or pantoum or the shaping of an appropriately patterned structure of free verse

Ideas

This refers to the content or theme of a piece of writing The idea might be to write a story in a particular genre or to rewrite a known story in a subversive way It might be to write a biography from the point of view of a protagonistrsquos rival or to write a poem incorporating texting language

Presentation

This refers to correct spelling and grammar as well as to sound editing and appropriate professional layout of prose and poetry In some cases a writer may deliberately use non-standard English or break the rules of grammar and spelling to create a particular dialect Those cases will be assessed on internal consistency within the use of that dialect

Commentary

Analysis

This refers to the quality of discussion in the commentary Markers will look for evidence of your ability to think critically about the processes of creation and editing that have gone into your writing and the literary techniques you have used

Presentation

Commentaries will also be assessed for the clarity and accuracy of their presentation including any appropriate referencing and bibliographies

Remember that the feedback on the creative writing and on the commentary is basic and impressionistic ie giving an overall impression of attainment in particular aspects of your performance Please note that there is no strict relationship between various configurations of ticked criteria and particular mathematical scores All the criteria are important but they are not equal Language voice and structure attract more marks than ideas and presentation

28

Assessment scale This module uses the 100-point marking scale set out below Your tutor will award a mark between 0 and 100 for each of the TMAs that you submit and this will be notified to you as a grade on the summary form

The information that follows is intended to give you an idea of the general qualities that will influence your tutor in deciding the grades for your TMAs These guidelines can only be indicative of the requirements for achieving a particular grade the grade you receive will reflect above all how you have treated issues specific to a given TMA The same guidelines will be applied by EMA script markers and your overall performance standard for the module will depend on your work for both the TMAs and the EMA

In creative writing there cannot be a rigid template or checklist of criteria but we can give broad outlines of the kinds of qualities we will look for

A strong feeling for words including different tones weights and registers Clarity and precision of language Vivid or unusual imagery Lively phrasing Avoidance of clicheacute hackneyed phrases generalised abstraction

The ability to realise characters settings and events bringing them to life convincingly

Structural awareness ndash the ability to shape and pace a piece of writing effectively

Awareness and control of voice and viewpoint ability to sustain a consistent tone or range of tones where appropriate

Professional presentation including correct spelling grammar and syntax

Correct formal layout including demonstration of technical expertise in poetry and understanding of appropriate sectioning and paragraphing in prose texts

Sound revision and editing

Writing improves with practice and with the acquisition of techniques Marks awarded for the early TMAs especially TMA 01 will take this into account As the module proceeds fewer allowances will be made particularly in the case of persistent errors which your tutor has brought to your attention

Each TMA requires some original writing and an accompanying reflective commentary describing the processes involved in the making of the piece of writing Instructions about this are given in detail with the full requirements for the TMAs Both parts of the TMAs are required 80 per cent of the marks are allocated to the writing and 20 per cent to the commentary

In the table below there are descriptions of the qualities to be found in both writings and commentaries in each grade band Inevitably there will sometimes be mismatches between the levels of accomplishment in the two parts of a TMA an excellent piece of writing might be accompanied by a slapdash commentary a satisfactory piece of writing might have an incisive and illuminating commentary In these cases the mark for the commentary will have the effect of pulling up or down the overall mark

85ndash100 Assignments in this category will be outstanding and show potential Excellent for publication There will be a sense of a distinctive writerrsquos lsquovoicersquo

emerging The writing will show a combination of strong imagination and technical sophistication and control Tone style and structure will

29

be appropriate There will be some degree of originality in the subject matter or approach The language will be alive and supple or otherwise appropriate to the writerrsquos purpose The level of achievement will be sustained throughout Assignments will be astutely edited and professionally presented in terms of layout and correct grammar punctuation and spelling

The commentaries in this band will be lucid and insightful giving a clear sense of the evolution of the piece of writing They will deftly

weave commentary with supporting evidence from the writerrsquos notebook andor from tutor or peer feedback as well as displaying a clear and sophisticated understanding of A215 materials further

reading and technical ideas and vocabulary while appropriately referencing any illustration

70ndash84 Good Pass

These assignments will show a great deal of promise and technical expertise They will be a lsquogood readrsquo but the overall piece of writing

may be less consistent or fully achieved The use of language will show some flair and clarity but may falter sometimes Good editing

and redrafting practice will be in evidence The assignments will be well presented with correct layout and a high level of accuracy in

grammar punctuation and spelling

The commentaries here will be astute describing the creative process in an interesting and relevant way They will reflect the writerrsquos strong

engagement with the piece of writing as well as an earnest and often clear engagement with the ideas and methods suggested in the module

They will often use appropriate language and illustration in the discussion of the writing

55ndash69 Clear Pass

These assignments will be competently conceived and written showing a grasp of relevant material but they may be somewhat unoriginal or underdeveloped There may be gaps omissions or

implausible elements The language may sometimes be striking but sometimes also stale or unfocused Some editing will have been undertaken though this may not be complete Presentation will attain a general good standard with some inconsistencies

The commentaries in this band will be thorough and satisfactory They may sometimes show awareness of flaws in the piece of writing or they may defend and explain the writerrsquos decisions well But their

engagement with A215 materials and use of terms and vocabulary introduced during the module may be flawed

40ndash54 Bare Pass

Assignments in this band may show some attempts at using the suggested methods but there will be too many gaps and confusions

Language andor structure may be muddled Some editing may be in evidence though parts may be seriously overwritten or

underdeveloped Presentation will be variable inaccurate at times in layout or in basic grammar punctuation and spelling

The commentaries here will be superficial attending to minor details of phrasing or plot for example rather than larger elements such as

structure or tone These commentaries will lack the necessary level of analysis shown in the higher bands though there may be some fleeting

engagement with the creative process and they may use technical vocabulary but in the wrong context

30ndash39 Fail

There may be some evidence of familiarity with A215 materials but quite a lot of confusion and misunderstanding and few coherent

attempts at using the suggested methods Parts will be in need of greater development redrafting and editing Presentation will be inconsistent

Commentaries in this band will show a lack of coherence about the aims of a piece of writing as well as revealing a poor engagement

with A215 materials and a serious lack of analysis and comprehension of key terms as well as inappropriate use of such terms

15ndash29 Fail

These assignments contain a negligible understanding of A215 materials Rather there will be a predominant incoherence and confusion in the presentation and layout and barely any evidence of editing redrafting or that the suggested methods have been tried Presentation will be poor

Commentaries in this band will be scant and lacking in insight they may be under-length incomplete and not fully engaged with either the piece of writing under discussion or the relevant technical issues of the module

0ndash14 Fail

Complete or nearly complete misunderstanding of the A215 materials and little or no use of the suggested methods Presentation will be poor

Commentaries in this band will be negligible and very poor in quality some might not even be recognisable as commentaries

31

Introduction This booklet provides advice on your assessed work for A215 The five tutorshymarked assignments (TMAs) and the end-of-module assessment (EMA) can be found under lsquoAssessment resourcesrsquo on the module website You should read this booklet in conjunction with them

This booklet explains the assessment strategy for the module and addresses the questions that are likely to arise as you approach your assessed work You should make time to read this booklet in full before embarking on the first TMA and to check the relevant sections again as you tackle each new assignment You will find invaluable help here with the different kinds of writing task you will encounter on your journey through the module as well as with understanding whatrsquos required for the EMA

You should also make sure that you are familiar with the lsquoAssessment information for Arts modulesrsquo and the Assessment Handbook both of which can be found under lsquoAssessment resourcesrsquo on the module website

Assessment strategy The assessment for A215 consists of two components the continuous assessment component comprising of five TMAs and an examinable component the EMA Your final result will depend on your achievements in each component independently To be sure of a pass you will need to score at least 40 overall in the TMAs and separately at least 40 in the EMA The grade of pass will be determined as described in the online Assessment Handbook available within the lsquoAssessment resourcesrsquo section of the A215 website

It is important to note that to be sure of being awarded a particular grade both your final overall scores must fall within the specified boundaries for that grade

The general rules on resubmissions in cases where the EMA grade falls below the 40 threshold are described in the Assessment Handbook

The purpose of assessment A215 has five TMAs one in each part of the module Each TMA task is described in full in the lsquoAssessment resourcesrsquo section of the module website Substitution is not permitted for any of the TMAs Therefore it is very important to alert your tutor if unexpected circumstances for example illness or serious family crisis disrupt your ability to complete any of them Please refer to the Assessment Handbook for details of the appropriate documentation to submit for lsquospecial circumstancesrsquo to be taken into consideration

Each A215 assignment may be seen as the culmination of a particular part of the module but in a significant respect the module is seamless because you will bring what you learn from preceding parts to the next part The comments and marks you get back from your tutor have two functions The one that tends to be uppermost in most studentsrsquo minds is that they are a measure of your performance and contribute to your final mark But the second function is just as important they should continue to help you to expand and refine your writing skills Great importance is attached to the process of drafting revising and improving work in response to feedback

2











3

























4








5



References












6















7








8





















above

9







Poetry TMAs and EMA






10

Guidance notes


Part 1






Part 2



11




Part 3



Sample commentaries















12


present tense

Bibliography




University


















Bibliography


13


Part 1













Part 2


14



Example 1













Bibliography



Example 2










15


Part 1








16


















Part 2



17



Option 1







18



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31











3

























4








5



References












6















7








8





















above

9







Poetry TMAs and EMA






10

Guidance notes


Part 1






Part 2



11




Part 3



Sample commentaries















12


present tense

Bibliography




University


















Bibliography


13


Part 1













Part 2


14



Example 1













Bibliography



Example 2










15


Part 1








16


















Part 2



17



Option 1







18



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31

























4








5



References












6















7








8





















above

9







Poetry TMAs and EMA






10

Guidance notes


Part 1






Part 2



11




Part 3



Sample commentaries















12


present tense

Bibliography




University


















Bibliography


13


Part 1













Part 2


14



Example 1













Bibliography



Example 2










15


Part 1








16


















Part 2



17



Option 1







18



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31








5



References












6















7








8





















above

9







Poetry TMAs and EMA






10

Guidance notes


Part 1






Part 2



11




Part 3



Sample commentaries















12


present tense

Bibliography




University


















Bibliography


13


Part 1













Part 2


14



Example 1













Bibliography



Example 2










15


Part 1








16


















Part 2



17



Option 1







18



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31



References












6















7








8





















above

9







Poetry TMAs and EMA






10

Guidance notes


Part 1






Part 2



11




Part 3



Sample commentaries















12


present tense

Bibliography




University


















Bibliography


13


Part 1













Part 2


14



Example 1













Bibliography



Example 2










15


Part 1








16


















Part 2



17



Option 1







18



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31















7








8





















above

9







Poetry TMAs and EMA






10

Guidance notes


Part 1






Part 2



11




Part 3



Sample commentaries















12


present tense

Bibliography




University


















Bibliography


13


Part 1













Part 2


14



Example 1













Bibliography



Example 2










15


Part 1








16


















Part 2



17



Option 1







18



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31








8





















above

9







Poetry TMAs and EMA






10

Guidance notes


Part 1






Part 2



11




Part 3



Sample commentaries















12


present tense

Bibliography




University


















Bibliography


13


Part 1













Part 2


14



Example 1













Bibliography



Example 2










15


Part 1








16


















Part 2



17



Option 1







18



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31





















above

9







Poetry TMAs and EMA






10

Guidance notes


Part 1






Part 2



11




Part 3



Sample commentaries















12


present tense

Bibliography




University


















Bibliography


13


Part 1













Part 2


14



Example 1













Bibliography



Example 2










15


Part 1








16


















Part 2



17



Option 1







18



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31







Poetry TMAs and EMA






10

Guidance notes


Part 1






Part 2



11




Part 3



Sample commentaries















12


present tense

Bibliography




University


















Bibliography


13


Part 1













Part 2


14



Example 1













Bibliography



Example 2










15


Part 1








16


















Part 2



17



Option 1







18



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31

Guidance notes


Part 1






Part 2



11




Part 3



Sample commentaries















12


present tense

Bibliography




University


















Bibliography


13


Part 1













Part 2


14



Example 1













Bibliography



Example 2










15


Part 1








16


















Part 2



17



Option 1







18



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31




Part 3



Sample commentaries















12


present tense

Bibliography




University


















Bibliography


13


Part 1













Part 2


14



Example 1













Bibliography



Example 2










15


Part 1








16


















Part 2



17



Option 1







18



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31


present tense

Bibliography




University


















Bibliography


13


Part 1













Part 2


14



Example 1













Bibliography



Example 2










15


Part 1








16


















Part 2



17



Option 1







18



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31


Part 1













Part 2


14



Example 1













Bibliography



Example 2










15


Part 1








16


















Part 2



17



Option 1







18



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31



Example 1













Bibliography



Example 2










15


Part 1








16


















Part 2



17



Option 1







18



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31


Part 1








16


















Part 2



17



Option 1







18



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31


















Part 2



17



Option 1







18



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31



Option 1







18



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31



Commentary



Option 2





Commentary


19



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31



















20

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31

a clear theme





Part 1






21








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31








Internet sites





22















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31















Part 2



23



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31



Sample report
























24


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31


























Bibliography



University


Giroux



25


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31


Option 1

Fiction






Poetry



Life writing





26



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31



Option 2





Commentary



EMA feedback



27


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31


Creative writing

Language


Voice


Structure


Ideas


Presentation


Commentary

Analysis


Presentation



28
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31
















29





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31





70ndash84 Good Pass













40ndash54 Bare Pass







30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31

30ndash39 Fail





15ndash29 Fail



0ndash14 Fail



31

eBook a215 Assessment-guidance(12J) e1i1 Sup031690 l3

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