Unit information: Studying Written Texts in 2012/13

Unit name	Studying Written Texts
Unit code	CLAS12367
Credit points	20
Level of study	C/4
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. O'Gorman
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of Classics & Ancient History
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

This unit aims to give students confidence in their reading by helping them to develop techniques for reading, thinking about, and writing about literary texts. It aims to help with the transition from school to university work by introducing some of the major ideas and themes relevant to study at this level. It also aims to aid students in developing skills they will need for successful completion of their degree e.g. use of the library; compilation of bibliographies; how to reference and footnote; how to construct an argument.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit students will have developed:

1. confidence in their reading of ancient sources;
2. techniques for reading, thinking about, and writing about literary texts; #introductory knowledge of some of the major ideas and themes relevant to reading ancient literary texts; (4) skills in the use of the library; compilation of bibliographies; referencing and footnoting; constructing coherent arguments in writing.

Teaching Information

2 x 1-hour seminar per week.

Assessment Information

Three written assessment tasks; a critical assessment of a short poem (approx. 500 words, 20 marks); a book review (approx. 1,500 words, 30 marks), a piece of literary criticism (approx. 2000 words) 50 marks, each assessing skills in ILOs (1) (2) (3) and (4).

Reading and References

• Andrew Bennett & Nicholas Royal. 2009 An Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory. Fourth Edition. Longman.