General advice on writing

RegisterWriting well involves presenting your material in a tone appropriate to your audience and to the assessment at hand. You would use different styles of language for a business letter, a newspaper article, a short story, a blog or a text to a friend. It is vital to develop a suitable tone, or register, for your written work. A University essay is a formal document and therefore requires a formal register. Students often struggle to find a balance between formal, intellectual language and open, accessible English. Rest assured, many scholars also struggle with this which is why some academic books are so hard to understand. However, even the most complicated ideas can be articulated clearly, and that should always be your aim: clear and concise language.

Read criticsYou need to do this in any case for your own research. As you read secondary sources look at the way critics use language. If it seems too dense and formal then do not copy their style. However, if you find a book that is lucid, clear and interesting, try to work out what makes it so readable.

Avoid being too personalYour name appears on the front of your essay, therefore your marker already knows that the ideas in the essay are yours. Do not keep saying ‘in my opinion’ or ‘it seems to me that’ etc. Have the courage of your convictions and simply state your ideas. Particularly if you can back up your views with evidence from the text or secondary sources, there is no need to apologise or hesitate. Some markers dislike the use of ‘I’ anywhere in the essay; others are more relaxed about this. It is probably best to avoid it if possible. Present your work as a piece of cohesive thought rather than a collection of your own responses. ‘This essay focuses on’ sounds better than ‘I want to look at’. We are trying to train you to be objective and analytical, so demonstrate that you are developing these skills.

Please note that it is not that we do not want you to think independently: of course we do. But the trick is to present your own ideas, backed up by the theory and criticism, in an objective manner.

Avoid being too cleverSome of the worst grammatical errors are caused by students trying to write long, complex sentences. Always use the shortest possible sentence for what you want to say. Similarly, do not use words that you think you understand. If in doubt, look them up or leave them out.

Avoid slang and informal phrasingDo not write: ‘This film is really mind-blowing’. You can express the same idea by saying: ‘This is a film of significant emotional power,’ or, ‘This film demands a strong response from the viewer.’ Do not use uncritical vocabulary: words like

‘excellent’, ‘brilliant’ ‘rubbish’ etc. have no place in a piece of academic writing. Avoid using ‘you’ or ‘us’ for the viewer of the film. Likewise, ‘one’ often sounds overly formal, so go with ‘the audience’ or ‘the viewer’, but be consistent.

TensesUse the present tense for anything that happens in the film/text or that another author writes. So: In Do The Right Thing, Radio Raheem suffers at the hands of Sal, the Pizzeria owner.’; Geoff King suggests…..’ etc.

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Answering the question

The easiest way to fail an assessment is not to answer the question. Make sure you understand what the question is asking of you. The particular mode of assessment will go some way to guiding you. Here are just a few examples of some of the assessments we use in Film Studies, and, generally, what might be expected from you. NB. Pay close attention to the individual Learning Outcomes of each piece of assessment as these set out, in very general terms, what the marker expects from you.

Short Extract AnalysisThis type of assessment serves to develop close analytical writing skills, as well as the ability to construct an argument and adhere to a short word limit. You are not required to work your way through the sequence shot-by-shot, edit-by-edit as this will be both time-consuming and repetitive. Rather, you should group your points (say on ‘camera’, ‘lighting’ and ‘editing’) into clearly structured paragraphs. Further, you should always ‘bookend’ your analysis with a brief introduction and conclusion. Unless your Lecturer states otherwise, there is no need to draw on any secondary material, but simply stick to close, formal analysis of the sequence at hand, perhaps making brief connections with the film and its wider meaning.

Précis This type of assessment is, in the first instance, designed to develop your skills of comprehension: to encourage you to read scholarly material with understanding and discrimination. Essentially, you are being asked to extract significant information or ideas from a given text and to summarize what you consider to be the key points. You must then communicate these key points succinctly via a short essay with a tight word limit. In some instances you may be asked to précis more than one article. This is to encourage you to synthesise information; that is, to take information from different sources and integrate it coherently into your writing. The secondary purpose of this type of assessment, usually taking place in the very early stages of a given module, is to identify potential problems around referencing and presentation. Therefore you will often be asked to include at least one direct quotation, to properly reference all material consulted, and to include a Filmography and Bibliography.

EssayThis type of assessment serves to develop students’ analytical, critical and research skills, as well as the ability to construct an argument. You will likely have to draw upon relevant secondary material to augment your own argument. The longer word limit will require a more developed argument than that of the extract analysis, and necessitate a more developed introduction and conclusion. Further, you will likely be placing the film(s) within broader social/political/industrial/generic contexts.

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DissertationThis type of assessment serves to develop students’ research skills to an advanced level. You will need to demonstrate your knowledge of relevant theories in your chosen area and, most importantly, be able to mange those theories and situate your own work within them.

Read the questionWhatever type of assessment you are doing, remember to read the question carefully. What is being asked of you? Specifically, ask yourself two questions:

1. What is the subject mater (a film? a genre? a director? a movement?) I am being asked to engage with?

2. What exactly am I being asked to do (discuss? compare? question?) with the subject matter?

Here is a typical Essay question: Discuss the use of sound and music in The Conversation (1974).

Now, the most common complaint about assessments is that they spend too much time describing, and not enough time analyzing. There is a world of difference between describing and analyzing. Answers that simply describe will often feature far too much plot recapitulation, and simply list shots/techniques one after the other, failing to properly account for the meaning of those shots/techniques. Indeed, if all we were doing in Film Studies was simply pointing out and describing, say, a series of camera angles and movements, cuts, description of costume and so on, what we would end up with is a factual and quite boring list. However, this is not at all what Film Studies is about. What we are concerned with is precisely how a film produces meaning in and through its techniques. So, what does it mean, in this instance, when Coppola uses a solitary piano score? What does it mean to have Harry play the sax? It may be very well to say that Coppola adopts a piano score, but you need to be able to say WHY he has done so, and what meaning he is trying to convey by doing it this way.

Choose your question wiselyIn some modules, you will be given a choice of questions to answer. If you have properly engaged with the module, you will be able to answer any of these questions. However, do not make life difficult for yourself. Sometimes Lecturers might set a range of questions, some that may appear to be more simplistic than others. Do not try to show how clever you are by automatically opting for a more complex question. A clear, concise and learned response to a simple question will most certainly achieve a higher mark than a confused response to a more complex question. NB. Never make up your own question: always stick to the specific wording at hand. For the purposes of a Dissertation, avoid using a question in your title. ‘The Cinematic City in the work of David Fincher’ is much

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better than ‘What is the significance of the Cinematic City in the work of David Fincher?’

Know your questionSome questions may include keywords/key phrases such as ‘realism’, ‘narrative’, ‘genre’, ‘modernist hero’, ‘art cinema’ etc. Do not even attempt to answer the question until you are clear what these words/phrases mean.

Stick to the questionAn answer that goes off on tangents and/or features extraneous information will not be received well. Lecturers specifically set word counts appropriate to the assessment. You CAN answer the question in the limit set, and without ‘padding’ or drastic editing.

Word countAnything 10% above/below the word count will not be penalized. However, you should always aim to use the maximum word count available. Markers are invariably suspicious about work that fails to meet the word limit: they will always ask themselves what further points could have been made to augment the answer.

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Structuring your work

Poor structure in an essay is usually the result of a lack of coherent thinking or simply a rushed job. Taking time to plan out your work helps in many ways, not least because it reduces the stress of writing. But, significantly, it orients your marker: it ensures s/he has a clear idea of what you are arguing. Just as you would find a Lecture that jumped from topic to topic, not introducing new ideas or making connections between them, difficult to follow, an essay that is all over the place is extremely difficult to assess.

The best way to ensure the final submission is coherent and properly structured is to take time to prepare a plan. Whether you are writing a short extract analysis or an extended essay, a plan is crucial. Many Lecturers/Tutors will be happy to look over your plan if you arrange this with them in advance and get it to them in a timely fashion. Asking staff to provide feedback on a plan when the essay is due in the following day is useless. Module Guides, available to you at the beginning of the module, will clearly set out details of assessments and submission dates, so you have ample time to approach staff for guidance.

Making a planMost pieces of writing should be structured as follows: an introduction, followed by a number of paragraphs, each constituting a different point or idea, followed by a conclusion. Now, this is not a set structure – your individual Lecturers can advise you on this - but this tried and tested system tends to work. In Film Studies Dissertations, this plan often evolves into an introduction, three or four chapters dealing with relevant films or themes, and a final section tying these together.

A plan should operate as a skeleton for your essay, and, in theory, it should be possible for your marker to reconstruct your plan from the final submission. Remember, this is, in essence, what you yourself are doing at Glamorgan when you take Lecture notes. Taking heed of this process ought to make planning your own written work a lot easier. Most Lecturers think carefully about how they want to present material to you, and will flag up and consequently fill out important areas. Dr Harbidge always begins her Lectures by briefly setting out what areas she will be covering. She may then make some general points about the film(s) in question before moving outward to the wider social/historical/cultural context(s). Alternatively, she may begin with background information, looking at a particular social problem or cultural issue, and then move on to exploring how one film contributes to this debate. Or, she may offer a spectrum of views on the film(s). Depending on the particular remit of the assessment, these are all approaches you may use in structuring your own written work. Whatever the approach, however, a clear plan makes it easier to fulfil your intentions.

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General structurationJust as a Dissertation should be composed of individual chapters so, too, should individual chapters be composed of individual paragraphs which should each constitute a step forward in your argument. Think of each paragraph as a mini essay in which you introduce a new idea, present some evidence to back it up, and perhaps even draw a brief conclusion from it. Once you have done this, start a new one. Within a chapter or an essay you can link paragraphs together by connective words and phrases such as ‘however’, ‘consequently’, and ‘moreover’. But make sure that these words justify their presence. There is no use in saying ‘it follows that,’ if it is not obvious how one idea leads to the other.

While there are no entirely set rules about paragraph length (though it is certainly the case that one sentence does not constitute a paragraph), markers are often suspicious of paragraphs consisting of less than three or so sentences, or that ramble on for more than half a page. Read through your essay once you are finished. If you find any paragraphs that are too long or too short, consider revising where the breaks fall. Do not use film reviews as models for paragraphing. Journalists are aiming for very different effects. Journalists rarely have more than one sentence in a paragraph, and often do not write complete sentences.

The introduction This is where you succinctly outline your own argument and the role of the major themes/films you discuss in your essay. While it is certainly useful to have a working, draft introduction, your finalized introduction is something that should normally be written after you have written the major body of your essay. This will ensure that everything you promise in the introduction is actually delivered by the essay. Think of your introduction as the shop-window for your work, in the same way that the introduction to this Guide is meant to let you know what to expect from what follows.

The introduction is vital in showing the marker how well you have understood the question set and in indicating how you will answer it. In short, you need to provide enough background knowledge to put the essay into context, and enough information so that the marker will know which aspects your essay concentrates on.

A good introduction will:

1. show that you are going to answer the specific question set2. show that you understand the issues, their implications and the context 3. indicate the structure of your answer, making clear the main areas that

you are writing about4. perhaps show evidence that you have carried out some research by

making a reference to a valuable source5. be short succinct, and to the point

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Paragraphs It is important that the essay is structured in a series of well organized, themed paragraphs.

Effective paragraphs:

1. should address a specific issue relating to the argument you are presenting in your essay

2. may begin with a simple introductory sentence which clearly shows what the paragraph is about; develop this in the form of information that looks at the topic in detail; finishes with a sentence that brings this to an end and, where possible, makes a link to the next paragraph

3. be sequenced so that your argument progresses step-by-step.

ChaptersIf you are writing a Dissertation, you will need to adopt chapters. Depending upon the precise nature of your argument, each chapter will usually attend to one major theme, film or filmmaker. For example, the main body of a Dissertation relating to the theme of The Family Blockbuster could be structured in any of the following ways:

1. four chapters, each one dealing with a different Blockbuster director2. four chapters, each one dealing with a different Spielberg film3. four chapters, each one dealing with a relevant issue (i.e. audiences;

marketing; spectacle; and narrative)

It is useful to decide from the off whether you wish your Dissertation to be film or issue driven. While the two, of course, are not mutually exclusive, decide if the films/filmmakers are going to illustrate the issues or vice-versa.

NB. While each individual chapter should work towards an overarching argument, you should also see your chapters as individual arguments within their own right. So come to some (brief) conclusion about the particular film/filmmaker/issue you are discussing within each chapter.

The conclusionThis is your opportunity to return to the major issues raised in the essay and show how what you have written illustrates your thinking. Do not save up your main idea as a punch-line. Though you should generally avoid introducing any new ideas or material here, it is sometimes useful to briefly point towards future development in the area you have researched. Similarly, avoid repeating exactly what you said in the introduction, or in the main body of the essay, although you can, of course, refer back. Please note that while you are often encouraged to explore a range of arguments during the essay itself, a conclusion should always conclude. Push your thinking towards some sort of resolution. Do not just sit on the fence. Situate yourself squarely within the criticism.

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A good conclusion:

1. will express the main points/themes raised in the essay in a fresh way2. will fit in with the rest of the assignment. Different types of writing require

different types of conclusion. A short piece will probably not require extensive restatement of your main points, whereas a longer piece probably will

3. may include a thought provoking question based on the issues covered4. may, if appropriate, suggest solutions or consequences or make a call for

some sort of action, further research etc.

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Supporting your argument

Finding, using, and appropriately referencing critical sources is one of the most crucial skills required in the study of Film. In short, you must properly attribute any ideas you find in books, journals or on websites, and not attempt to claim them as your own. Indeed, passing off someone else’s work as your own - i.e. using direct quotes from an article, book, or website and not bothering to reference it - is plagiarism. And plagiarism can result, not only in a fail for the piece of work, but also a fail for the entire course and, even, in some circumstances, a refusal of your Degree. Paraphrasing – slightly rewording another author’s text and passing these ideas off as your own – is tantamount to plagiarism. Please note that in signing your Coversheet, you are stating that you have not plagiarized or paraphrased any of the material in your work.

Finding sourcesThe LRC’s range of books on Film Studies is vast. New titles are continually arriving and so you should get used to regularly checking OPAC and the shelves for additional reading material. While Lectures and Seminars will draw upon particular readings, and the Lecturer is always on hand to suggest relevant sources, you should note that it is very much down to you to source appropriate material. Do be mindful that, particularly coming up to points of assessment, there may well be high demand for certain titles. Remember that you can recall any LRC holding using OPAC. Frantic last minute emails to the Lecturer claiming that you can’t get hold of any books will NOT be received sympathetically.

Critical booksObviously, it is very useful if you can get your hands on a critical book about a filmmaker you are writing on. However, this is not the only kind of useful critical book. There are also many books in the LRC which focus on filmic forms, genres and movements. If you are writing about Spike Lee, for example, it would be wise to begin looking for books about American Cinema or the Black New Wave. And books about film form will give you an insight into how Lee’s work compares to that of other filmmakers. You can use the index to see if there is a short section about him. Ten pages placing Lee into a wider context is likely to be extremely useful to you.

Other disciplinesThere is no law that says you have only to look at books found within the Film Studies section of the LRC. Think creatively about your essay question. If it has an historical angle, you might want to look at something which will give you some background knowledge of the period. Books on cultural history and sociology can be especially interesting as they explore many of the same issues that film does. If you are working on a filmmaker who has an interest in philosophy, art or religion, it can be useful to research the ideas behind their work.

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Academic JournalsIt is easy to forget about these, but short articles are often more use than books. They are quicker to read and, by their very nature, more up to date. There are several ways of searching for articles online but a useful place to start is the University’s Find It pages (http://findit.glam.ac.uk/).

Internet sourcesWhile the web can be an extremely useful resource – in fact, there are many interesting and scholarly pieces of work on the Internet - use it wisely. Quoting from purely informational websites such as imdb and wikipedia, or fan/review sites such as rottentomatoes is simply not on. Film Studies is an academic endeavour and should be approached as such. You should note that markers are entirely familiar with these sites and will treat as a fail any answer which relies on these and offers no independent or academic thinking.

You should be particularly wary of study-notes sites which are aimed at school students and will not bring your work up to the level we would like to see. Discussion boards and essays which are not published through an academic site often contain information which is incorrect. However, sites which are sponsored by Universities or academic publishers are likely to give you very good information. Also remember that you can often get journal articles on the Internet which are not available through the University in hard copy.

DVD commentaries and extrasThese can be useful, but you must remember to clearly cite and reference them i.e. As discussed by Coppola in the DVD commentary of The Conversation, Harry is a very lonely man.

Avoiding paraphrasingWhat you are often aiming to do when you use secondary material to inform your work is to convey the essential aspects/key ideas of the original material in your own words and style, without simply paraphrasing it. It is precisely the capacity to express the original ideas in your own terms which shows that you have made those ideas your own. Still, all sources must be duly acknowledged, and you should certainly quote directly any key phrases.

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Formatting conventions

It may seem pedantic to you, but writing for Film Studies means adhering to all kinds of formatting conventions, and so it is absolutely necessary to ensure every italic, comma, open bracket etc. is exactly so.

Italicize film/TV/book titlesYou should always italicize names of films/TV programmes/books; and, the first time only you mention a film/programme in your answer, you should include the date or original air dates in parenthesis i.e:

It is clear that The Conversation (1974) draws upon the conventions of the psychological horror genre.

Sex and The City (1998-2004) marks a new departure for quality US. Television.

Put actors’ names in bracketsThe first time only you mention a character’s name in your answer, you should include the name of the actor in parenthesis. i.e:

Coppola’s Harry (Gene Hackman) is a particularly introverted man.

Situating your pointThere is no need to include timings when you discuss a film. i.e. don’t do the following:

At 3.45 minutes into the film, Harry says…

It should be clear from your writing exactly when the scene/shot you’re referring to occurs. i.e.:

During the first bathroom sequence…

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Referencing, Bibliography & Filmography

Referencing correctly is not an optional extra in Film Studies, but very much part and parcel of academic writing. Clear and consistent referencing serves two main purposes: 1. it ensures you steer clear of plagiarism and 2. it allows you to display your knowledge of the related criticism. It may seem pedantic to you, but, again, it is absolutely necessary to ensure every italic, comma, open bracket etc. is exactly so.

NB. All University submissions should follow the Harvard Referencing system. As such, you MUST familiarize yourselves, and comply, with the conventions clearly set out in ‘The University of Glamorgan Guide to Harvard Referencing’ available at: http://lcss.glam.ac.uk/media/files/documents/2011-08-23/HarvardRef23Aug.pdf

All Film Studies submissions should include a Filmography, Bibliography and, if appropriate, Teleography detailing all the film, literary texts and/or TV texts you are referencing. NB. your word count DOES NOT include the Filmography, Bibliography or Teleography but it DOES include any direct quotations, footnotes or endnotes.

NB. ONLY PUT IN THE BIBLIOGRAPHY (WHICH SHOULD COME AFTER THE FILMOGRAPHY AND ANY TELEOGRAPHY) ANY BOOKS WHICH YOU HAVE ACTUALLY REFERENCED.

You should normally have a separate page for each, and lay out as per the Harvard guide.

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Presenting and submitting your work

You can get on the wrong side of your marker before they even start reading your work by presenting an essay that is difficult to read. It is, of course, not your fault if your essay is the last in the pile, and the marker has been up all night marking. That said, you should aim to make your work as appealing a read as possible. There are several things that you can do to ensure this. These will not get you extra marks, but they will certainly stop you losing some, and will put your marker in a better frame of mind.

Know, and adhere to, the submission dateSubmission dates are usually available from the beginning of the module, and will appear in the Module Guide. Further reminders will be communicated to you in Lectures, Seminars and via Blackboard. Work that is submitted in the period of 5 days beyond the submission date will be capped at 40%. Any work submitted after 5 days beyond the original submission date will receive an automatic 0.

Append your work with a coversheetThis is a must. Coversheets will be made available to you well in advance of the submission date.

Simply staple your work togetherDo not place your work in (slippery) plastic folders.

Clearly label your workDo not spend hours designing an elaborate title page: put that time and effort into your written work. But you must certainly include your name, ID number, the module code and title, and the assessment title. Also remember to include page numbers.

Include a word countWriting to length is a useful skill to administer. Learn to tailor your work to the requested word length. You will not be penalised for an essay that is within 10% of the stated word count, either over or under. However, you will be penalized for lying about it. And any piece of work that is significantly over or under the word count will be penalized.

Double space or space-and-a-half your general textPart of the reason for this is so that the marker has space to make local comment. Further, text that is double spaced or spaced-and-a-half is much easier to read than text that is single-spaced.

Leave a margin. Again, this leaves room for comments and corrections.

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Use a sensible font You must use only Times New Roman or Arial as these are easy to read and familiar to the eye. And you must use font 12 as anything smaller is difficult to read. Anything bigger suggests that you might be trying to cover up for a short piece of work.

Thoroughly check spelling and grammarPoor spelling and grammar will most certainly affect your grade. Misspelling your Module Leader’s name, directors’/actors’ names and key terms (such as ‘diegesis’) will not endear you to your marker so make sure to proofread your work and get a friend to read over it before submission.

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