School of English
Module manager: Dr Emily Bell
Email: e.j.l.bell@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2022/23
ENGL1191 Writing Critically
This module is approved as a discovery module
What happens when you study English at university? This course, which is taken by all new students in the School of English, is an introduction to the creative, argumentative and exciting discipline of ‘English studies.’ It invites you to explore fundamental questions about the nature of reading, and to investigate the relationships between language, meaning, and interpretation. Through close analysis of specific texts, you will encounter some of the varied theories that have shaped and continue to underpin the discipline. You will develop your skills as a critic and writer through guided critical reading, collaboration with your peers in seminar discussions, and a variety of written assignments. You will find out how an English degree might change the way you read, the way you write, and the way you see the world. In all of these ways, the module will help you to make a successful transition to university study.
To enable students to make a confident transition to university study of English, by equipping them with the intellectual resources for learning at degree level
To develop students’ core academic skills, including their understanding of academic writing, of participatory study and learning, and of independent research
To welcome students into a community of scholars by introducing them to the history and characteristics of English studies as a discipline
To examine fundamental questions, concepts and practices that underpin the interpretation of texts within the discipline
By the end of the module, students should:
have acquired the skills needed for active participation in the various forms of teaching and learning practised within the School
be able to identify, access, and demonstrate some understanding of the scholarly resources that underpin the discipline of English studies
recognise the core principles of academic writing, and be familiar with strategies for improving their scholarly prose and presentation
appreciate the qualities that enable nuanced and illuminating critical reading and debate
be able to discriminate between contrasting theories and methods of textual interpretation
Academic Writing; Bibliographical Skills; Textual Analysis
You will develop your skills as a critic and writer through guided critical reading, collaboration with your peers in seminar discussions, and a variety of written assignments. You will find out how an English degree might change the way you read, the way you write, and the way you see the world. In all of these ways, the module will help you to make a successful transition to university study.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workshop | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Lecture | 15 | 1 | 15 |
| Seminar | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Private study hours | 170 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 30 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Reading of primary and secondary texts to be discussed in lectures and seminars (approx. 90 hrs); seminar preparation tasks (30 hrs); use of library and online resources (10 hrs); researching and writing assessed and unassessed written assignments (40 hrs). Tutors will provide extensive guidance for private study activities.
Weekly dialogue in small-group seminars; opportunities for one to one meetings in tutors’ weekly support hours; opportunities to meet with departmental Writing Mentors; individual written feedback on both written assignment.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1,000 word close reading | 33.3 |
| Assignment | 2,000 word portfolio | 66.7 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 10/17/2022
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team