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.