Creative Dissertation
Module code: EN7034
Please note that places on this module are limited and will be allocated on the basis of performance and potential as demonstrated in previous modules.
This module enables students to develop the skills gained on one or both of the creative option modules (EN7133 and EN7135) in an imaginative work or group of works more independently conceived and more substantial in length and ambition. The module aims to further students' skills in the deployment and control of fictional and/or poetic genres and registers, and to foster their ability to initiate and carry out independent creative work in fiction and/or poetry to a standard of presentation appropriate for publication. As well as developing skills in written communication to a high level, it aims to develop students' sensitivity and understanding as readers; through composition and disciplined reflection, students will deepen their engagement with modern literature.
The main work of the module is the composition of an imaginative work or group of works in poetry and/or prose. Students choose the subject and approach for their creative dissertation, which may arise from work they have written on one of the creative option modules and which are then developed and revised with the help and advice of the supervisor. Students must not submit work that has already been submitted and assessed for either of the creative option modules (EN7133 and EN7135); if you have any questions about this, speak to your supervisor. The penalties for self-plagiarism are severe.
In addition, students compose a reflective commentary describing the creative process behind their imaginative work, and write and submit (although not for formal assessment) a short prefatory synopsis outlining the creative work's nature and aims.
The presentation
Proposals for the dissertation are presented at a special seminar in the summer term.
The presentation should...
- Not be any longer than five minutes
- Give a general outline of the topic and address two or three specific issues relating to it
- Comment on the appeal and potential of the project
- Include a list of key research questions
- Indicate methodology and, where appropriate, relevant theoretical frameworks
- Consider how the material in the dissertation might be best organised
- Identify gaps in knowledge and outline areas that require development
- Comment on any problems that may be encountered
- Be of a professional standard (including, for instance, the use of a handout and PowerPoint)
- Demonstrate good presentation skills
The written proposal
Students are required to submit a written proposal on the Dissertation Proposal form.
The proposal must include a title, a brief outline of the subject (no more than 200 words), an account of its aims and methods (no more than 400 words), and a short bibliography featuring key primary and secondary sources.
For a Creative Dissertation, the questions that must be considered include:
- What genre(s) will I be adopting? What characters will feature? What themes am I going to explore?
- Why am I writing in this genre and about these characters and themes?
- How do I propose to use the genre, characters, and themes? What effects do I hope to achieve? How does my work relate to works I have read or studied?
Supervision
This is an independent project but at every stage, from conception through composition and revision to final submission, staff are available to offer support and feedback. With the help of the supervisor's advice and guidance, students plan, develop, revise, and improve their work through a series of drafts. They are provided with up to five hours of one-to-one supervision and must meet with their supervisor on a formal basis on at least three occasions during the process of writing the dissertation, which is generally between May and September. Supervisors may read and offer feedback on all of the rough draft but no more than one third of the final draft.