Task 6 Plagiarism

Undergraduate students have a lot of pressure put upon them, regarding the  methods used for writing essays, and the standard they have to be written to. If the pressure becomes too much students may resort  to plagiarism, which  could potentially ruin the students chances of continuing the course.   There are many methods that will help a student ward off the temptation of plagiarism , for example Young argues that ‘the most valuable resource for avoiding plagiarism is time’. The 'time' that Young refers to can be utilised  to  focus on many features of an essay, such as the critical argument that can define an essay. Yet there is a lot of critical material that a student can use to construct the overall argument. Young proposes that ‘finding an acceptable critical voice is difficult’. A student is expected to combine their own voice with that of a critic, however sometimes a critics voice can overpower the students. This can be considered as 'plagiarism', as the student has not contributed enough of their own opinions and used most of the ideas from the critics work. Modern culture values these critics voices, yet when used in a students essay is scrutinised. The reason why we value there ideas, is they use there voice to criticise a text as Young puts forward ‘[you do have a voice not just to admire a text, but to [...] ask it questions’. The answers these critics provide can be used by students to answer the question, while the student hasn't asked their own questions about the text. It is considered to be 'theft and fraud'to use these answers given, on the other hand there are people using ideas from other people all the time in different professions, this adds to the pressure as plagiarism committed by students is placed higher on the scale rather than other people. Overall, it takes 'time' to be able to use a critics ideas and enhance with one of your own when questioning a text, and producing an answer. It takes a degree of control and skill to write an essay while incorporating ideas from other literary critics.

Week 5

Over the last few weeks I have enjoyed this course,especially the poetry side.  On the other hand this course has presented me with many challenges, that I have overcome and I have come away with new knowledge, and techniques that have helped me understand new material. English studies has shown me another world of techniques that contribute to novels, poems, and prose that make me appreciate them all the more compared to the first time I read them. 

It has changed the way I perceive works of literature, when I read a novel now I notice little techniques that I didn't notice any more. It has opened a new world, of ways to understand literature and interpret literature. I feel that this course has taught me more about life, and more than anything this course has made me think more than I expected to. 

I think this course will develop by showing me the many ways you can interpret literature which I am looking forward to the most. I think I will learn more techniques, and find more ways to enjoy literature. 

Task five

Now:  post your own account – no word limit – of how you see English studies after 6-7 weeks of study and how you think it will develop. Remember, almost to a person you considered Personal Satisfaction as the most important thing about studying English. So tell me if that source of satisfaction has changed, is changing, is expected to change and in what ways? There is no requirement to comment on other’s posts here, but that’s no reason not to engage with each other’s posts anyway: believe me, you will find it interesting, illuminating, helpful etc

Task 5

I took an English course alongside the Creative and Professional writing course, I also thought we would be studying Shakspeare and all things similar so when I was handed the Road, got a bit of a shock.  I realised how little I have actually learnt from much of the reading I have done to date.  It also made me see that despite my age am not well read at all.  In the first few weeks I was terrifyed of close reading and analysings texts, I feel a lot more confident now about this due to the guidance given through class.  I have also learnt a lot from the insight of my fellow classmates who all bring something new the table.

When I have finsihed reading a piece of work now and can pick out the little bits and pieces highlighted in class I feel very proud of myself really, a sense of yes I am finally getting there.  Its quite lovely really to feel that way.  I have actually enjoyed the Poems more then I expected, and I really feel that I have overlooked the beauty of this form of writing,  I am excited to continue on with my studies and discover new pieces of literature which will aid me as teacher to open up the minds of my own students (when I hopfully reach that point) and introduce them to new ways of seeing things.

Task 4

 ‘Ars Poetica’ by Archibald MacLeish:

A poem should be papable and mute
As a globed fruit,

Dumb,
As old medallions to the thumb,

Silent as the sleeve-worn stone
Of casement ledges where the moss has grown -

A poem should be wordless
As the flight of birds

So: 1)  write an interpretation of the stanza and post it to your group blog: 2) comment on someone else’s post showing what you think they have had to add or remove from the content of the stanza in order to make it make sense.

Task 4

I had to take this section by section and looked up the meanings of a few of the words to see if I could grasp what the poet was trying to say.

I think overall this poem highlights the effect that a poem should have an individual the qualities it should possess if it is to have the power it should do as a piece of art. 

The opening lines convey this with use of the word palpable, implying that a poem is more than just words on paper, but a means to communicate with the reader and evoke some feeling inside of them possibly even rendering them speechless, either through feeling or need to reflect on the true meaning behind each word.  

I think this is highlighted again through the use of the word dumb which can also mean that an individual is overwhelmed to the point that they are unable to speak.  

This line ‘old medallions to the thumb’ possibly refers to some kind of coin, and if you rubbed your thumb over the coin you can feel what’s on the surface no words are needed for this you simply understand it’s a coin from the feeling of it in this act of feeling you could also differentiate between something that is real or fake, so a reader can tell a poem is good due to the emotion it evokes when being read. 

His use of similes continues throughout the poem I believe it is there to produce an image within our minds, making it easier for us to get the meaning of his words through more than one of our senses. 

The poem does seem to contradict itself by implying that ‘a poem should be wordless’ which we know to be impossible but again I think this is MacLeish’s way of trying to incite imagery helping us understand that with a genuine piece of art, even when the words are gone, the ideas of that piece work still resonate within our minds and even our hearts. 

Week 4 Assignment

The poem in a literal sense is what the man thinks a poem should consist of in a poem. It should be put together using simple ideas and be a simple piece of literature. The first line 'papable', the word signify's that the poem should be able to be handled by any person, of any background. He's saying that a poem should be easily read and understandable, it should have no deeper meanings just simple ideas that anyone can identify.
In the next two lines, he uses the word 'Dumb',which means he literally thinks a poem should be written effortlessly so even the dumbest people can understand. It should make sense to everyone reading it, it should have no flaws regarding the way its written. The use of the word 'thumb',could be said to convey the meaning that these two ideas are linked with writing.
The next section literally means, that he thinks that a poem should be silent, and have no conflicting ideas within it. The word 'silent', has many meanings for example it could mean that the poem should make sense without it having to be read out loud.  Or it could mean that it conforms to the view that a poem should stick to certain topics within it,and not have any hidden messages that can break the 'silence' of society or any important issues.
Finally, the last part means that a poem should be subtle in  its approach to an issue or theme. It should be noticed just by looking at the poem, you don't have to analyse any of the literary techniques in the poem to extract the various meanings.
If you look at the meanings in the poem in a wider sense, the poet is saying that a poem should express peoples views yet not in an obvious way. It should be accessible to all people, and that it should be easy for people to understand it.

Translation of Richard Laws work

There are many types of different literature in our society, and I have explored some of them at different times in my life. Although I have explored them I doubt whether they will help me in my academic writing at university. My writing up till university had a clear purpose to entertain,  nevertheless, the purpose of academic writing is not to entertain but to inform. The literature I was viewing before could not be considered the standard for university.
 After discovering the standard that my academic writing had to be, I experimented with a piece of my own work.  I wrote it to the standard that would be required for University, the results showed the work was technically correct yet it lost the element that made it unique.
In today's society people communicate using the social media to send the message they wish to express. Most of today's society, do not use the formal language that is used for academic writing, therefore, the formal style of writing is foreign to many people as they do not require it in their daily lives.
As people do not require the skill of writing in this way, it creates a social divide between the people who can write in this way and those who cannot. Being able to write like this distinguishes you as a person of higher importance as it shows you to be educated. In today's society education is a necessary requirement to gain a higher status in society. This impacts how literature is appreciated, as works of literature that are written in this format are disregarded as they cannot be fully understood.

Task 3

Have you ever felt inhibited by the styles of writing practised at school or university?What are and have been the pressures upon you to be a 'good' writer? What does a being a 'good' writer mean? Do you think that some formal modes of writing are more accessible to certain groups on society?

There is a certain style of writing that is deemed to be good enough to pass assessments in school and university. This style has strict rules that has highlighted a certain lack of skills in my own writing skills. I have inhibited by these certain standards that defines what is good enough. Although, I have come from doing my A-levels I feel nervous every time I write an essay,as I have a tendency to put too many ideas in the paragraph and don't critically analyse one point in a paragraph.

There are certain pressures put upon me as a university student, such as  in essays you are expected to critically analyse a text and focus on certain themes or interpretations. To be a 'good' writer, you have to have concise points that make your argument flow throughout the essay. You have to use the text to support your view, or the view your are presenting within your essay. You have to use your judgement wisely, when considering what quotes or material to use from the text or the article or journal.

I think personally that the ability to write can define a persons class or social position. The ability to write gives a person from any background the power to express their views. Also, being able to write means that a person can challenge the view set by a certain social group.

Task 3

(Firstly, I just wanted to say i made us a logo for our blog, if you guys don't like it i'll take it down, now on to the task) 

Have you ever felt inhibited by the styles of writing practiced at school or university? What are and have been the pressures upon you to be a ‘good’ writer? What does being a ‘good’ writer mean? Do you think that formal modes of writing are more accessible to certain groups in society?

I have been writing on and off my whole life, writing blogs, short stories, poems and even the odd Limerick. but looking back on it now, Is any of it good? 

This is a concept i did not truly think about until starting university, until then my writing had always had the same point, the same purpose, to entertain. But something is something being entertaining, The same as it being good? A blog listing 10 ways to eat smarties might entertain you for while, but your never going to list it as one of your favorite modern works. 

To this end i tried taking one of my old short stories and re-writing it in a way that would be acceptable for submission as a work of university grade, and while the writing became technically 'Good' it lost almost everything i liked about it when i first wrote it. 

We live in an age now where anyone can be a writer through the internet, the written word has never been more accessible to more people than it is right now. millions of people writing millions of words every day. tweets about this, Facebook posts about that. but all of this is communication and not literacy, even in a world where people write everyday, the majority don't read or write beyond social media, making a more formal style of writing as alien as the written word once was to people who couldn't read at all. 

In my opinion this is creating a large selection of people, who can't appreciate something for its worth as a piece of written art. The proliferation of the written word is, Instead of bringing appreciation of the written word to a wider audience, somehow making the gap even bigger. 

Task 3 Reading Literature 

Have you ever felt inhibited by the styles of writing practiced at school or university? What are and have been the pressures upon you to be a ‘good’ writer? What does being a ‘good’ writer mean? Do you think that formal modes of writing are more accessible to certain groups in society?

I feel that the leap from college to university is a massive jump, and one of which, to some people does come naturally, however to my self I find it hard to adapt and I have felt slightly inhibited due to the fact that I am doing this as a side degree and so have a much higher work loads and need to be much more focused in order to be successful on the English side. However, as of yet, I am finding it easy enough to understand and feel I can get my head around the different writing styles due to all the help which I get on the Education side. 

I feel like I have to try and be a ‘good’ writer because I feel I have to prove myself due to me not doing so well in English at A level, however this has made me more determined to do well and succeed by learning and doing as much work as possible to improve my writing skills. Also because I am doing a degree in English, I feel that is a pressure in its self because you have to prove to students and lecturers, that you want to and deserve to be there. 

To be a ‘good’ writer I think you need to have a good range of vocabulary to intrigue the reader, and also make your writing fluent and in an order which readers can understand. I also think you need an interesting story to engage the reader so as they want to always read on. 

Week 3 Assignment

Have you ever felt inhibited by the styles of writing practised at school or university? What are and have been the pressures upon you to be a ‘good’ writer? What does being a ‘good’ writer mean? Do you think that some formal modes of wring are more accessible to certain groups in society? Do you think that writing can be a subversive act?

I have been out of education for fifteen years nearly so I have felt at a distinct disadvantage to those who are just moving on from their last course in terms of the craft of writing. I can’t say I have felt inhibited by the styles of writing at University because as of yet I have had a great deal of freedom in my writing. Jackie and Candi who run the craft of writing module I am studying have a really no hold barred approach giving as much wording as we need “till we get there” as Jackie puts it giving us plenty of different things to write about. This is of course may change as I go through the years and the various modules require me produce more written work. For me being a good writer means that whatever point you are trying to make, you succeed in doing so while keeping the reader interested even when difficult. A good writer will leave an impression on the mind of the reader helping them retain the information given.

I do feel that formal writing is more accessible to those who have been educated in how to use it for those who have had limited education or a lack of resources to research what formal writing is they may struggle in using it. I also think people who are disabled or who have certain learning difficulties may struggle with formal language, due to the need for more precise grammar, spelling and punctuation for example someone who is dyslexic or has similar difficulties and has received no help for this may struggle with formal language, as would someone whose disability affects their reading, writing and speaking skills.

With regards to writing being a subversive act I would definitely say yes it can be, in the hands of certain individuals words can extremely destructive, you only need to look at certain religious/political groups who have used their literature to promote violence and have done so very successfully.

'We called him Tortoise because he taught us.'

The Mock Turtle, Alice and Wonderland

The first steps.

This is just a post to check everything is working.

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Here is a picture I drew of a goldfish, just to check images work.