University of York
York
The English At York Experiences Thread
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Original post by LouiseChapman
Since you get to choose the texts you write about, do you also devise your own essay titles? If so, is that true for all modules?
Yes and yes.
University of York
York
Original post by rainbow drops
No, it was okay, and writing the essays was fine. You choose which texts to do your essays on yourself anyway, so if you studied something and really disliked it then you can just avoid writing about it by picking something else.
That's great - thanks
Great thread, been helpful to read through all of this so far *subs*
How to get a first
I tried to publish it and my computer crashed. 20 minutes down the drain. Well here goes, second time
I hope you like reading
Ignore blaggers. People who claim they get 75 from an essay done the night before are either lying, lucky or several standard deviations off the norm. Ignore them
Start well within deadline time. I mean well within. Really well within
Do not underestimate the amount of research you will need to do, even for the smaller essays. They require a lot of reading and research and understanding. For 3000 word essays I would on average do 40-60 hours of work, sometimes more.
Know the main critical arguments, (especially something like Beowulf for example). What are the main disagreements in criticism. How has that changed over subsequent generations. Who are the major critics? Where can your essay fit in?
Set texts If you feel passionately about them, then do them. However be aware every man and his dog will do certain ones, something I found out when trying to do a 'To the Lighthouse' essay earlier this year. Also marker fatigue WILL set in, if you're the fifth person in a row writing on 'gender in Mrs. Dalloway' you will be marked more brusquely.
See supervisors and academics Go in office hours if you're stuck. Ask for help, recommendations. They won't write the essay for you but will give you ideas andpossibly help with planning. Always recommended. Don't stalk them though.
Original arguments It is perfectly acceptable and fine to do a solid well-honed, if unoriginal argument and get a good 2:1. However, I have found, in the words of my supervisor 'putting your balls on the line' and trying an argument that is 'out there' BUT IS BACKED UP WITH SOLID RESEARCH AND CRITICAL EVIDENCE will pay dividends. But don't just go spouting off rubbish, tie your argument to the texts and critical arguments.
Be aware of your resources Apart from the JBM library (very good but busy) there are two other libraries, King's Manor and Minster, 5-10 minutes bus/20 minutes walk with excellent Medieval Renaissance and 18th century studies nearby and lots of cafes to go read. There are JStOR and project muse, both excellent journal websites, the journal section of the JBM and the Metalib, which has links to many earlier texts and newspapers for more modern essays.
Context What are the main social, historical, political, cultural and artistic movement of the time of your text. Is the text a continuation of, or a reaction against those movements? How does it all fit in? What examples can you provide. Always good for a few extra marks
Get your referencing right or you will have to sit through 20 minutes of an essay handback of an academic explaining referencing to you. It's dull and unsatisfying.
You are marked on 6 different categories
Critical Research
Argument
Textual Engagement
Referencing
Style
Editorial Care
THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE IS ARGUMENT
Make sure your argument is solid and well-structured and everything else will follow
Do several drafts. Ignore what everyone else does. Read it to yourself. Take out every word that you dare. Don't commit suicide by adjective. Is the point adequately made. Flair is good but its like a creme egg; moderation is enough, excess is a slow death via type 2 diabetes.
York has a writer in residence who sets up appointments to help with style. If you feel the need book an appointment. It's very helpful.
Caveat Remeber it's your opinion lecturers are interested in, not critics. by all means use critics heavily but don't drown out your voice.
Be on time Don't be late, don't make excuses, hand it in on time and go to the pub. English department closes at 3pm and if you go there at 3:01pm you automatically get 10 marks deducted. Put your word count on or 1 mark deducted. Being late is a bad bad habit
If this seems like a lot, it isn't. Anyone want to add more, be my guest.
I tried to publish it and my computer crashed. 20 minutes down the drain. Well here goes, second time
I hope you like reading
Ignore blaggers. People who claim they get 75 from an essay done the night before are either lying, lucky or several standard deviations off the norm. Ignore them
Start well within deadline time. I mean well within. Really well within
Do not underestimate the amount of research you will need to do, even for the smaller essays. They require a lot of reading and research and understanding. For 3000 word essays I would on average do 40-60 hours of work, sometimes more.
Know the main critical arguments, (especially something like Beowulf for example). What are the main disagreements in criticism. How has that changed over subsequent generations. Who are the major critics? Where can your essay fit in?
Set texts If you feel passionately about them, then do them. However be aware every man and his dog will do certain ones, something I found out when trying to do a 'To the Lighthouse' essay earlier this year. Also marker fatigue WILL set in, if you're the fifth person in a row writing on 'gender in Mrs. Dalloway' you will be marked more brusquely.
See supervisors and academics Go in office hours if you're stuck. Ask for help, recommendations. They won't write the essay for you but will give you ideas andpossibly help with planning. Always recommended. Don't stalk them though.
Original arguments It is perfectly acceptable and fine to do a solid well-honed, if unoriginal argument and get a good 2:1. However, I have found, in the words of my supervisor 'putting your balls on the line' and trying an argument that is 'out there' BUT IS BACKED UP WITH SOLID RESEARCH AND CRITICAL EVIDENCE will pay dividends. But don't just go spouting off rubbish, tie your argument to the texts and critical arguments.
Be aware of your resources Apart from the JBM library (very good but busy) there are two other libraries, King's Manor and Minster, 5-10 minutes bus/20 minutes walk with excellent Medieval Renaissance and 18th century studies nearby and lots of cafes to go read. There are JStOR and project muse, both excellent journal websites, the journal section of the JBM and the Metalib, which has links to many earlier texts and newspapers for more modern essays.
Context What are the main social, historical, political, cultural and artistic movement of the time of your text. Is the text a continuation of, or a reaction against those movements? How does it all fit in? What examples can you provide. Always good for a few extra marks
Get your referencing right or you will have to sit through 20 minutes of an essay handback of an academic explaining referencing to you. It's dull and unsatisfying.
You are marked on 6 different categories
Critical Research
Argument
Textual Engagement
Referencing
Style
Editorial Care
THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE IS ARGUMENT
Make sure your argument is solid and well-structured and everything else will follow
Do several drafts. Ignore what everyone else does. Read it to yourself. Take out every word that you dare. Don't commit suicide by adjective. Is the point adequately made. Flair is good but its like a creme egg; moderation is enough, excess is a slow death via type 2 diabetes.
York has a writer in residence who sets up appointments to help with style. If you feel the need book an appointment. It's very helpful.
Caveat Remeber it's your opinion lecturers are interested in, not critics. by all means use critics heavily but don't drown out your voice.
Be on time Don't be late, don't make excuses, hand it in on time and go to the pub. English department closes at 3pm and if you go there at 3:01pm you automatically get 10 marks deducted. Put your word count on or 1 mark deducted. Being late is a bad bad habit
If this seems like a lot, it isn't. Anyone want to add more, be my guest.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by Aeschylus
How to get a first
I tried to publish it and my computer crashed. 20 minutes down the drain. Well here goes, second time
I hope you like reading
I tried to publish it and my computer crashed. 20 minutes down the drain. Well here goes, second time
I hope you like reading
Silly question for English Students? :P But seriously, thank you for all this, even if it is making me freak out about not knowing enough. I've had a gap year so my mind feels so totally out of the educational world (particularly compared to my fellow gap year people who still remain some function in the english part of their brains). I'm a little bit petrified that I'm going to turn up and have literally nothing to say besides 'It was alright'...please say that they ease you in?
Are there any texts you suggest reading now over the summer to prepare? We've got the reading list but more outside of that. Reading about the books feautured in the module (having studied and read few before) and having done very little in the way of critcal theory I'm scared of being completely out of my depth.
Besides from all that, you're a legend for this thread
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by rachstarr
Silly question for English Students? :P But seriously, thank you for all this, even if it is making me freak out about not knowing enough. I've had a gap year so my mind feels so totally out of the educational world (particularly compared to my fellow gap year people who still remain some function in the english part of their brains). I'm a little bit petrified that I'm going to turn up and have literally nothing to say besides 'It was alright'...please say that they ease you in?
Are there any texts you suggest reading now over the summer to prepare? We've got the reading list but more outside of that. Reading about the books feautured in the module (having studied and read few before) and having done very little in the way of critcal theory I'm scared of being completely out of my depth.
Besides from all that, you're a legend for this thread
Are there any texts you suggest reading now over the summer to prepare? We've got the reading list but more outside of that. Reading about the books feautured in the module (having studied and read few before) and having done very little in the way of critcal theory I'm scared of being completely out of my depth.
Besides from all that, you're a legend for this thread
Haha thanks.
They DO ease you in gently, especially in the new modular system (in my old system your first year had a module which counted to you actual degree grade, which was NOT fun). You have no reason to worry about that whatsoever.
As for texts, read the reading lists well. I'd especially look at the critical theory if you hadn't had much experience. Get a thorough grounding in those, and then start nosing up on criticism of those texts. I'd recommend just reading widely about what interests you. You don't want ever to be in a situation where you're in a module and you have no idea what you want to write about so I always before doing a module (even far off cause I'm a total geek) thought to myself what generally can I immerse myself up on.
I wrote that you better like reading just generally because there was a lot that I'd wish I'd known before I started - and I read a lot but it took me a while to realise the breadth and depth of reading I had to do to get a sniff anywhere near a first
Taking a cross-disciplinary approach helps in getting a first as well. Tutors love it when you look at a text from a philosophical or psychological or economic (etc) point of view.
Original post by Gracie312
I'm now a little bit terrified.
Really don't be. This is stuff it's taken 2 years of learning to understand. The first essay feedback I ever got the academic (a very scary one) sat me down and said 'I don't think you're really cut out for university. Perhaps reapply?' Which went down like a sack of cold dog poo. But I turned it around. Trust me you will not have a bad first experience as I did and most people there are not scary brainboxes!
Original post by Aeschylus
Really don't be. This is stuff it's taken 2 years of learning to understand. The first essay feedback I ever got the academic (a very scary one) sat me down and said 'I don't think you're really cut out for university. Perhaps reapply?' Which went down like a sack of cold dog poo. But I turned it around. Trust me you will not have a bad first experience as I did and most people there are not scary brainboxes!
Thanks, that makes me feel a little better
I've had a gap year aswell and feel like i've forgotten absolutely everything. I was excited when i was emailed the reading list, but a bit daunted. I'm glad they given us such a long time to prepare really, because it really gives me a chance to read things properly.
Original post by Gracie312
Thanks, that makes me feel a little better
I've had a gap year aswell and feel like i've forgotten absolutely everything. I was excited when i was emailed the reading list, but a bit daunted. I'm glad they given us such a long time to prepare really, because it really gives me a chance to read things properly.
I've had a gap year aswell and feel like i've forgotten absolutely everything. I was excited when i was emailed the reading list, but a bit daunted. I'm glad they given us such a long time to prepare really, because it really gives me a chance to read things properly.
You'll be fine
make sure you really try and get your head around the suggested critical theory before you get here, if you can.I love how they give the not-even-freshers-yet people reading lists so long in advance and then neglect the rest of us. I want my Autumn term list too, damn it D:
Original post by rainbow drops
You'll be fine make sure you really try and get your head around the suggested critical theory before you get here, if you can.
I love how they give the not-even-freshers-yet people reading lists so long in advance and then neglect the rest of us. I want my Autumn term list too, damn it D:
make sure you really try and get your head around the suggested critical theory before you get here, if you can.I love how they give the not-even-freshers-yet people reading lists so long in advance and then neglect the rest of us. I want my Autumn term list too, damn it D:
Yeah I know! Would kinda like to order my books now... what modules are you doing out of curiosity?
Original post by Aeschylus
Yeah I know! Would kinda like to order my books now... what modules are you doing out of curiosity?
I want to know who'll be teaching me as well.
Just finishing Dickens, doing editing/unediting the Renaissance next term and writing 18th century London the term after
yourself?Original post by rainbow drops
I want to know who'll be teaching me as well.
Just finishing Dickens, doing editing/unediting the Renaissance next term and writing 18th century London the term after yourself?
Just finishing Dickens, doing editing/unediting the Renaissance next term and writing 18th century London the term after
yourself?Doing Editing/Unediting too yay. and Chaucer + Chaucerians term after. Was doing Modern Satire but Matthew Bevis is leaving so swapped because they don't know what's happening to that module yet. Would like to know who's taking the Editing/Unediting module too
Original post by Aeschylus
Doing Editing/Unediting too yay. and Chaucer + Chaucerians term after. Was doing Modern Satire but Matthew Bevis is leaving so swapped because they don't know what's happening to that module yet. Would like to know who's taking the Editing/Unediting module too
Richard Rowland told me last term that it'll either be him and Helen Smith both teaching it, or they'll bring someone new in. I'm mostly gutted that we won't be taught by Bill Sherman any more
Original post by Aeschylus
Haha thanks.
They DO ease you in gently, especially in the new modular system (in my old system your first year had a module which counted to you actual degree grade, which was NOT fun). You have no reason to worry about that whatsoever.
As for texts, read the reading lists well. I'd especially look at the critical theory if you hadn't had much experience. Get a thorough grounding in those, and then start nosing up on criticism of those texts. I'd recommend just reading widely about what interests you. You don't want ever to be in a situation where you're in a module and you have no idea what you want to write about so I always before doing a module (even far off cause I'm a total geek) thought to myself what generally can I immerse myself up on.
I wrote that you better like reading just generally because there was a lot that I'd wish I'd known before I started - and I read a lot but it took me a while to realise the breadth and depth of reading I had to do to get a sniff anywhere near a first
They DO ease you in gently, especially in the new modular system (in my old system your first year had a module which counted to you actual degree grade, which was NOT fun). You have no reason to worry about that whatsoever.
As for texts, read the reading lists well. I'd especially look at the critical theory if you hadn't had much experience. Get a thorough grounding in those, and then start nosing up on criticism of those texts. I'd recommend just reading widely about what interests you. You don't want ever to be in a situation where you're in a module and you have no idea what you want to write about so I always before doing a module (even far off cause I'm a total geek) thought to myself what generally can I immerse myself up on.
I wrote that you better like reading just generally because there was a lot that I'd wish I'd known before I started - and I read a lot but it took me a while to realise the breadth and depth of reading I had to do to get a sniff anywhere near a first
Thanks for the reassurance - does make me feel a little better
I'm going to try and read all of the text before Uni begins and look at the criticism/Critical theory side of things. Reading all this makes me a little more excited for Uni. I'm petrified too, of course, but at least there's a lot of parts of it I'm looking forward to. Can I ask another really unrelated question? Just wondering where most of the Lit students live, in terms of colleges? I guess its all over the place but I was just wondering about it the other day... Thanks again for all the advice etc you've put on here.Original post by rachstarr
Thanks for the reassurance - does make me feel a little better I'm going to try and read all of the text before Uni begins and look at the criticism/Critical theory side of things. Reading all this makes me a little more excited for Uni. I'm petrified too, of course, but at least there's a lot of parts of it I'm looking forward to. Can I ask another really unrelated question? Just wondering where most of the Lit students live, in terms of colleges? I guess its all over the place but I was just wondering about it the other day... Thanks again for all the advice etc you've put on here.
I'm going to try and read all of the text before Uni begins and look at the criticism/Critical theory side of things. Reading all this makes me a little more excited for Uni. I'm petrified too, of course, but at least there's a lot of parts of it I'm looking forward to. Can I ask another really unrelated question? Just wondering where most of the Lit students live, in terms of colleges? I guess its all over the place but I was just wondering about it the other day... Thanks again for all the advice etc you've put on here.We're all over the place. I lived in Alcuin, my best friends were in Vanbrugh, Derwent and Halifax respectively, and I knew tons of people also in Alcuin, James and Langwith. Not that many in Goodricke lol. Langwith is popular because it's right next to the English dept. so convenient but people live all over the place. Only thing is with the new banding system, accommodation now costs a lot lot more: it was £97 a week in Alcuin and now it's £120 for next year (I had a very nice room though)! Where were you thinking of?
Original post by Aeschylus
We're all over the place. I lived in Alcuin, my best friends were in Vanbrugh, Derwent and Halifax respectively, and I knew tons of people also in Alcuin, James and Langwith. Not that many in Goodricke lol. Langwith is popular because it's right next to the English dept. so convenient but people live all over the place. Only thing is with the new banding system, accommodation now costs a lot lot more: it was £97 a week in Alcuin and now it's £120 for next year (I had a very nice room though)! Where were you thinking of?
I noticed it all seems a lot more expensive than last year even. I was thinking of Alcuin but possibly Vanbrugh. I just want en-suite, somewhere fairly central and for it to be nice enough - I've worked my ass off this year and would be nice to actually appreciate the money I'm spending with a half decent room
How did you find Alcuin? I've heard it's known to be fairly insular, although I guess that completely depends on who you end up living with. Where would you suggest/avoid?Original post by rachstarr
I noticed it all seems a lot more expensive than last year even. I was thinking of Alcuin but possibly Vanbrugh. I just want en-suite, somewhere fairly central and for it to be nice enough - I've worked my ass off this year and would be nice to actually appreciate the money I'm spending with a half decent room How did you find Alcuin? I've heard it's known to be fairly insular, although I guess that completely depends on who you end up living with. Where would you suggest/avoid?
How did you find Alcuin? I've heard it's known to be fairly insular, although I guess that completely depends on who you end up living with. Where would you suggest/avoid?Any ensuite you will be paying over £100 a week. Is it really a big deal? Alcuin entirely depends on who you're with and who you socialise with - I have friends in every college, can't say that's true of everyone though. I would say Vanbrugh and Alcuin (new Vanbrugh not old!) have the nicest accommodation and Goodricke as well but that's a bit far away so depends on how much you like walking. Accommodation isn't the building though, it's the friends you make within it
Err well this has taken a detour :P? Any more lit questions?
Hey guys
I was wondering how many hours of contact time do English students get per week, and if teaching happens every day etc.? Would you English students say you had quite a bit of free time outside of lectures and independent reading/research? Just curious, thanks!
I was wondering how many hours of contact time do English students get per week, and if teaching happens every day etc.? Would you English students say you had quite a bit of free time outside of lectures and independent reading/research? Just curious, thanks!
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