This slacker took 5 modules along with 1 online module this semester for a total load of 15AU.
This review is written with slackers in mind, not diligent students.
All the literature-related modules involve a lot of reading and writing. HL1001 Intro to Lit
The first half of the course teaches undergrads how to analyse literature through close reading, comparative analysis and intertextuality. There are two main texts here: Frankenstein and The Tempest. There is also some limited analysis on Romantic poetry.
The second half of the course skims over Modernist poetry. Undergrads are expected to read the material before tutorial and read their findings to their classmates. The main texts here are Beckett’s Endgame and Coetzee’s Foe, both of which were terrible, boring reads. It seems natural that they were picked as material for this course, since dense, yawn-inducing prose provides a fertile hotbed for academic intellectual masturbation and unnecessary analysis…
Undergrads are assessed through two short essays, participation and a final paper. I scored an A- on both essays and achieved an overall grade of B+. I neglected my readings for every week after Week 5, so I turned up to lectures and tutorials just to play phone games. Dr Riordan’s lectures are entertaining, but he intentionally does not provide an model-answer analyses of texts. Students are encouraged to share and discuss interpretations in tutorial.
A good way to obtain a model answer would be to consult the professor after the lecture. I didn’t use this method because I hate exam-style essays, but others found success with this method.
Overall, this was one of the better courses. Advice
Learn how to close read. Seriously. Do it as much as possible. Don’t write an exam answer for the term papers. Professors hate exam answers, because they’re garbage you out in two hours to prove that you know your texts. They give you weeks to write your term paper. Don’t waste the time.
Search online for people’s interpretations of the texts. You’re not a special snowflake. You’re just an undergrad. Millions have interpreted it the same way you did, maybe better.
Swap essays with your friends and critique each other.
Book a session at the Comms Cube. A grad student will critique your essay and literally tell you how to write it. You are paying for this service. Abuse it as much as possible. HL1002 Survey of English Lit
HL1002 covers English literature from 600AD to the 1800s. Old English, Middle English, Renaissance and Restoration.
It may require you to read 50-80 pages of horribly boring epic poetry every week.
It’s also the worst mod for that reason. The course material is extremely boring. I don’t think anyone actually read all of it. Personally I didn’t finish a single reading, but managed an overall grade of A-.
The lecturer begins the first half of her two-hour lectures by giving unnecessary historical context for the text, such as which king usurped whose throne with his sister and so on. Most of the time it isn’t even relevant to the text. In the second half, she close reads lines from the text in reference to certain themes. Again this was useless to me because I didn’t read any of the texts so I would be sleeping in the lecture hall.
Luckily, the assessment was very lenient. It involves a 2000 word coursework essay on any of the texts and a final paper. I somehow managed an A grade on the essay with an overall A- despite reading none of the texts (including the one I wrote about). Advice
For the readings: Use SparkNotes.
Or don’t. I got an A- without reading anything.
For the coursework essay: Use SparkNotes to find quotes relating to your argument/theme.
Abuse secondary sources. If you don’t know what to write about use OneSearch to search articles by newest to oldest. Don’t bother buying access to read other undergrads’ essays. There is a whole world of peer-reviewed articles for you to tap on. You will never write anything “wrong” as long as you stay in line with what the academics are writing. They are also useful for blockquoting to fill word count.
Don’t procrastinate. Don’t be like all the assholes who rushed their essay in two days (me). Write a first draft which fulfills the word count at least a week before, then rewrite it two more times. Writing a second draft is very painful, especially rereading your writing, so you can bring it to the Comms Cube for someone else to do the hard work for you (remember you’re paying for it).
For finals: You don’t have to read the actual texts. Just memorise their themes, cultural context and the general plot so you can draw reference to them in your essays.
You should be familiar with at least two texts from each period. HW0105 – Academic Writing (2AU)
It’s the second worst mod. Teaches you how to write essays. Weekly written assignments of 500-2000 words. Would never take this if I had the choice. Somehow scored an A (see the Essay Advice section). HL8001 Madness In Film/Literature
HL8001 might be my favourite mod just for introducing me to Plath.
The module follows a 3-hour lecture format every week and is taught by Dr Kate Wright. A new text/film related to mental illness aka “madness” is taught each week. The lecturer spoonfeeds undergrads with all the quotes, secondary sources and interpretations they need for an easy A. All the student needs to do is arrange the information in a coherent manner.
The course is quite light on reading. The assessment is based on an essay (write on a single text) and a final paper (write on another 2 texts). Technically students only have to read/watch three texts.
My advice is to write the coursework essay on the longer or novel length texts to stand out from the rest. It also helps to argue your point in agreement with the lecturer’s own interpretation and bias. The lecturer gave me the impression that she was a staunch feminist, so I wrote feminist interpretations of the texts in my essays for an overall A-. HZ9101 – Intro to Creative Writing
The best mod. There are weekly readings but I honestly didn’t mind them at all. They were very well-selected. 90% of my classmates were motivated and serious about writing (not as much as me). There is a workshopping component which allows you to get immediate feedback and impressions of your work. Audience reaction is one of the most essential parts of writing.
Advice: Don’t procrastinate. Make at least two drafts if you want to look good at the workshop. If you procrastinate your work will be trash and everyone will laugh at you.
Assessment: Fiction, Poetry, Multimedia, Essay. Overall B+. Just take the mod Essay Advice
Break up your paragraphs. Each idea in a point warrants a new paragraph. Don’t have one big “body paragraph” that’s 800 words long. Whoever’s marking your paper has to mark another 10-20 undergrad essays. Convey absolute confidence. Write your essays arrogantly and authoritatively. When you are stating a point, you must give the impression that it is not your opinion, but an absolute statement of truth. For example: “This version of Paris is depicted without colour and without movement. The use of still images emphasises the reality of Marker’s Paris.” An argument must be presented strongly and with authority. Confidence gives credibility to your claim. Be concise and never use filler words (literally, actually, I think). Nobody likes masturbatory purple prose. Especially not your tutor who doesn’t get paid for the time she spends outside class reading your essays. Clarity and flow: Organise your ideas clearly. An essay contains a thesis statement, an argument you are trying to make. Think of the body paragraphs as proofs for each other. Each body paragraph should make a small claim/argument, where the sum total of this claim proves your thesis statement. Each claim should lead into another, so if BP1’s claim is true, we can examine BP2, and so on… This will make a huge impression on your tutor and will definitely boost your grade. Most undergrads write with no logic and no flow. Their essays are a jumbled mess of ideas. Stand out. If you’re didn’t take Lit in JC like me and have no experience writing academically, use the Comms Cube. Ask them to help you with your flow. They will help you restructure your essay.