| Unit name | Studying and Making Early Printed Books |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MODL30040 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Rhiannon Daniels |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None. |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None. |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None. |
| School/department | School of Modern Languages |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
When printing with moveable type was invented it changed the world forever. The study of the arts and humanities is often the study of the printed word, but have you ever wondered how the first printed books were made? This unit will give you the opportunity not simply to study the history of print in early modern Europe but to have a go at printing your own (short!) book. You will be trained to use equipment owned by Bristol Common Press (based in the Faculty of Arts) and to work collaboratively with others to set type by hand and print on a replica 18th-century wooden press and a 19th-century iron press. The acquisition of new technical skills in letterpress will enable you to engage creatively and in new intellectual ways with the history of books designed and made between 1450 and 1800 across Europe. Practical sessions with Bristol Common Press will be complemented with an introduction to rare books housed in the Library’s Special Collections and classroom-based discussion of the ways in which printing has shaped early modern European culture.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit will enable students from across the Faculty to enhance their understanding of a multilingual, multidisciplinary, and transnational area of study which underpins the development of Western culture. As a final-year UG or PG unit, it will build on the knowledge you have already gained of studying the contents of printed books produced in different regions, languages, and periods of time, and offer you a new perspective on the physical, designed aspects of literary cultures, including the often-less visible work of publishers, book designers and printers. The unit will enable you to develop your skills in group work and practical hands-on making, as well as reflective writing in a real-world context.
An overview of content
Teaching and learning will comprise two complementary and overlapping strands: 1) learning to identify key features found in books printed in Europe in the early modern period and to contextualise them within the broader history of print; 2) designing and completing a collaborative practical project in the print shop which reflects your engagement with early modern print culture.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
You will have gained knowledge in the history of early printing in the West and you will have gained a new set of technical skills in letterpress printing. You will be able to apply your historical knowledge to the practical task of creating new printed materials. This will lead to a deeper understanding of the ways in which books create meaning through the combined presence of intellectual ideas (‘texts’) and the physical embodiment of those ideas using lead, ink and paper. You will gain experience of working in a small group to plan and execute the practical printing tasks, and feel confident about working in the print shop following appropriate health and safety protocols. You will be able to reflect on the outcomes and cultivate a flexible attitude, understanding that it may be necessary to adapt and redefine initial plans.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the unit a successful student will be able to:
Teaching on this unit may include the following formats:
Your learning on this unit will be a blend of practical skills acquisition where you will learn through handling objects and materials and making new materials, and the critical discussion of primary and secondary sources.
Students will ‘adopt’ an early modern book (preferably from the UoB Special Collections), which will shape your engagement with early modern print culture and provide a tangible entry point for thinking about the wider implications of publishing practices across the early modern period.
Teaching weeks will be dedicated to defined themes (e.g. creating text, page design, marketing) which will provide an explicit structure for seminar discussion and practical work.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative)
Students will work in small groups to design and print a pamphlet which engages with one or more books printed between 1450 and 1800. The pamphlet should conform to a basic set of requirements which will be communicated by the tutors (e.g. number of pages, outline of content etc). Oral feedback designed to support the acquisition of the appropriate technical skills will be provided on each stage of the practical work during the studio sessions, but no numerical mark will be awarded.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. MODL30040).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
