Brief GCOM 343, UNI

GCOM 343

University of Plymouth Faculty of Arts Spring/summer term 2011 GCOM343

BA Hons: Graphic Communication with Typography

THE MAJOR PROJECT Introduction This module forms the climax of your studes in the Faculty. It is eleven weeks long (excluding the Easter break) with a three week assessment and show period at the end. It is worth 40 credits and is the principle part of your final year experience.

As in modules GCOM313 and 323 you must develop your own brief by negotiation with tutors. It should reflect personal aims and objectives.

Your design brief should reflect your interests and strengths. It should also relate to any chosen option you have pursued in year 3 (identity and branding, publishing and editorial, information design).

The short module descriptor says: After self-initiated reflection, research and consultation with tutors, a written design brief and schedule of work is presented outlining a complex/substantial graphic communication task. Upon approval, the student undertakes self-directed and negotiated study leading to the production of a major body of work reflecting chosen aims, interests and subject option.

The proposal Produce a brief for your design project in the form of a written proposal. This should be submitted to tutors for approval.

The following information should be included: • Your name, the module number and the title of your brief • A project introduction • The brief - state the design problem you want to solve/address • Anticipated preliminary research • The purpose of the work. Who is it for?

Who is the target audience?

• Suggested outcome/s (eg. Website, packaging etc.)

If your tutors consider your brief does not offer you enough of a learning challenge or places little/no demands upon your abilities to research you will be asked to reconsider your proposal. You may also be asked to rethink your proposal if it is felt to be over ambitious, too vague, too shallow, or too prescriptive in outcome.

Your proposal needs to demonstrate appropriate depth, breadth and progression of learning for this, the major assignment of the course.

Attached to your proposal should be a programme of work outlining how you expect to address and complete the tasks – a plan or schedule of work.

NB The proposal must be written clearly, word processed, spell checked, set within considered margins, and be no more than one A4 page. It should be designed to be legible.

Assessed learning outcomes At the end of a module the learner will be expected to be able to: 1. Demonstrate advanced ability to originate and construct a design brief for a substantial and realistic body of work.

2. Demonstrate appropriate research in depth and breadth.

3. Demonstrate advanced selfmanagement, organisational and analytical/critical skills.

4. Demonstrate further confirmation of the ability to work to an agreed brief/workplan within a chosen timeframe.

5. Be able to define personal aims and passions clearly, through the design and production of an imaginative major body of work.

Participation Full participation and attendance is required in this module as shown on the timetable. Unsatisfactory participation /attendance will adversely affect your learning experience and consequently the grade/mark awarded at assessment, and may result in a fail.

Assessment Work must be submitted on Thursday 26 May at 12.00noon.

The quality of the achievement will be assessed according to the grading criteria matrix published in the student handbook and displayed in the studio. You must evaluate your own performance on your personal assessment profile using the same matrix and your profile should be given to the module leader prior to assessment.

You are reminded that the assessment is by 100% course work.

This means that the whole learning experience and your response to it is being assessed, not just the finished work you produce.

To achieve a pass in this module you must achieve the learning outcomes described above and as specified on the Definitive Module Record (available on the student portal).

Research Your output should involve significant, appropriate, organised and demonstrable research.

The abstract Towards the end of week 3 of the module you will be asked to submit an abstract about the work you are undertaking. Using no more than three or four sentences you should briefly describe what you are doing and plan to do in the coming weeks, in the light of research undertaken and the intitial findings you have made.

This abstract will be reviewed again, in the light of your progress, at a formative assessment (evaluation) of your work before Easter.

Module aims 1. To confirm and consolidate students professional awareness.

2. To further extend and demonstrate student skills base through major self-initiated assignment.

3. To provide a substantial and extended opportunity for self-initiated and self-directed study leading to a body of work reflecting personal aims and representative of undergraduate study at the exit (level three) level.

As you work you should refer to these aims regularly to ensure that you are addressing them in the realization of your project.

In addition, the module ensures that each student can take advantage of opportunities of cooperation with other kinds of specialists and how this may be important to the effective solution of their project brief.

Knowledge of associated disciplines or skills must be clearly demonstrated, although you do not necessarily have to get deeply involved with practical skills outside your own specialism.

Learning outcomes The subject skills you will require to undertake this project will be those already acquired in your studies so far, plus a variety of others you will develop depending on your individual needs and choice of topic. The graduate skills you develop are those defined by the learning outcomes for the module, although there may be others you will acquire through your own individual experience.

At the end of this module you will be expected to be able to: 1. Demonstrate advanced ability to originate and construct a design brief for a substantial and realistic body of work.

2. Demonstrate appropriate research in depth and breadth.

3. Demonstrate advanced self-management, organisational and analytical/critical skills.

4. Demonstrate further confirmation of the ability to work to an agreed brief/workplan within a chosen timeframe.

5. Be able to define personal aims and passions clearly, through the design and production of an imaginative major body of work.

As each individual student identifies and negotiates a self-initiated brief in this module, there are no specific key texts and sources.

Students are expected to identify, evidence and record (with tutorial advice where appropriate) key sources that have informed their work.

A Year 3 booklist is supplied to all students.

As in all modules, full participation and attendance at seminars, tutorials and other specific teaching events is required.

Unsatisfactory performance in this respect will adversely affect the grade and mark awarded after assessment and may result in a fail.

You must work regularly with tutors and keep them fully aware of the progress of your work.

Submission requirements You are required to submit ALL of the following for assessment: • your original proposal and abstract • a short written report or critical evaluation of your project in 400 to 500 words [guidance notes are below to help you to write this] • client presentation standard practical work that addresses the assignment or tasks described in your brief • a coherent and (if necessary) edited presentation of your back-up work including research, development of ideas and design development • a completed self evaluation form You are required to do these things within the deadlines.

Considerations Guidance on preparing the proposal and programme of work.

The proposal must be a sensible and feasible basis for the ensuing project work. Please read and observe the guidelines set out here when writing your proposal which must address each of the following headings: 1. Task The proposal must clearly identify the task(s) you have chosen to undertake.

2. Programme of work You are required to supply a proposed plan, in the context of the time available, indicating the time you anticipate spending on such activities as research, initial ideas, visits and location finding, through the making of the work to the completion of the finished work, the report, etc.

3. Anticipated preliminary research The proposal must offer an indication of how you plan to begin your research and suggest some starting points for that research.

4 Purpose The proposal should give some indication as to the purpose of the work proposed (who it is likely to be for). You may decide to start with the end user as the principle factor in your work and preliminary research.

Alternatively, you can indicate that the work you propose is a personal investigation. In this case you will need to clearly state in the proposal the personal parameters within which you intend to work.

• The proposal must offer you a realistic challenge with scope for deep learning. •

The proposal should not anticipate the final outcome of the work to be undertaken. As in GCOM323 it is not wise to announce the end result before you have undertaken research and the work itself. You may, however, wish to suggest an initial anticipated outcome, giving you the latitude to respond to your research findings in the most appropriate way.

Guidance notes for writing the report.

The report that is submitted in advance of the assessment event is an important part of the major project. It gives you an opportunity to evaluate the work you have undertaken, the learning you have experienced and to reflect on the effectiveness and value of what you have achieved.

To ensure that you address these points within the reflective process, you are required to respond to, and incorporate, the following headings into your report: 1. Aims Your report should commence with a brief statement (in one or two short sentences) about what you set out to achieve and a brief statement (also in one or two sentences) about what you have produced in terms of finished work.

2. Research and preparation Indicate what form your research took, where you made enquiries and who you contacted. Indicate how the findings of your research influenced the work you subsequently produced.

3. Process Describe how your work evolved and substantiate the changes in direction that you made, particularly if these were radical in nature.

The report should also contain a description of why you chose to undertake the task(s) selected and the particular personal aspects the project has had for you.

4. Learning outcomes Outline what you have learned through undertaking the task(s) identified in your brief and comment on any revisions you may make in the future to your working methodologies.

5. Summary Your report to should conclude with a brief statement about how you might develop the work further in terms of output or research.

Please comment about the potential market or an end user to whom you may consider showing your work.

NB Your report must have these sections in it, clearly headed, 400-500 words, with name, title and module number on each page.

6. General advice: •

Keep a log or commentary on your work as you progress through your research and the outcomes it stimulates. You will be able to use this log as a source for detail when drafting your report as well as additional evidence of your organisational abilities.

• Prepare a draft of your report before writing the final version.

• Avoid long lists of what you did and what you did next. The report should not be a catalogue of what you did to fulfil your brief.

• Avoid unsubstantiated statements and sweeping assumptions; give reasons for your statements and decisions.

• Do not leave the writing of the report to the last minute; plan it carefully from a fairly early stage of the project.

• Write at least one draft and be prepared to change or improve it right up to the final writing.

• Check your final draft for spelling, punctuation and clarity of meaning.

• Get someone else who is not familiar with what you have been doing to read your report. Do they understand it?

•

Do not assume that the assessors are necessarily familiar with your work. Your report may be seen by external assessors, teachers from other subjects and others. Your report should be clear and understandable to any reasonably intelligent reader.

•

Word process your report in an appropriate typeface, size and line length, using the knowledge you have concerning legibility.

Remember, your report is only one of the many which the assessors have to read prior to completing the assessments.

If yours is difficult to decipher it may not be read as carefully as others, putting you at a disadvantage in terms of communication.

The report will be taken into account when your grade and mark is determined. Although a specific percentage of the mark is not attached to it, a good report can significantly enhance the final mark awarded; conversely a poor one will usually result in a loss of marks.

Report Submission The original proposal, programme of work and abstract is to be supplied. The report is to be submitted to the student counter, RLB109 by 12 noon [this is a deadline]. Do not bind or staple items together as they will be photocopied and bound. Each page MUST carry your name, award, module number, and work title.

Assessment All work being submitted for assessment to be lodged as directed by the award tutors by 12.00noon on Thursday 26 May [this is a deadline].

You are also required to submit a completed self evaluation form to your award leader by the same deadline.

Information about show build and work display will will be published in the summer term.

The assessment takes the form of a formal presentation of displayed work to two assessors lasting about 25 minutes (arranged with your award tutors)

Guidance notes on presenting work at interview The interview will last about 25 minutes. You must be ready for interview not less than five minutes before the scheduled time.

You will be offered about ten minutes to present your work followed by about fifteen minutes in which the assessors will ask you questions.

There is a notional five minute gap between the interviews.

The assessors will generally refrain from interrupting you during your presentation unless they feel it is in your interest to do so, and then only if you do not object to the interjection.

You may of course elect to allow questions throughout your presentation. The option is yours.

This assessment interview informs the assessors about the work you have made. It is the summative assessment of the module which means it is the formal event at which you are assessed. It is not a crit and the assessors will broadly refrain from criticism of the work.

We expect you to approach the assessment interview in a professional manner. Here are some suggestions on how to do this: • Prepare. Make sure your work is ready to show. Is there suitable kit available to deliver your work and is your work ready to run?

• Ensure your work is organized in the way you want to show it.

You should not need to shuffle through your work to find this or that item.

• Ensure the assessors can see your work. If necessary adjust the conditions to ensure your work is seen to the best advantage within the constraints of a short interview.

•

Remember that the assessors will usually have read your report beforehand but may not have seen the work you have made prior to the assessment interview. Remind the assessors what you said in the report if it is appropriate to your presentation.

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Plan your time. Don’t spend too long explaining how you proceeded to the final output without presenting the final work itself. Consider presenting the finished work first then describing the process (it often works better that way round). The assessors will want to see your preliminary work/sketchbooks/alternative ideas/research backup – but not at the expense of being able to review the final outcomes properly.

• Don’t simply recite the report as your verbal presentation.

•

Plan what you want to say. Rehearse your presentation.

Make notes for it. It is perfectly acceptable to bring in notes to aid you in your verbal presentation but try not to read them at the assessors.

• Take your time and speak clearly. Use professional language.

Don’t be over technical. Stand or sit, whichever you prefer.

• Try to demonstrate a clear ownership of the work you have made.

Emphasize the learning you have achieved whilst producing it.

• Make the context of the work as clear as possible.

What is it for, who is it for?

•

Avoid expressing too many personal opinions about your work or those of others (unless asked). Avoid being apologetic, on the one hand, or arrogantly defensive, on the other.

Be honest; be modest.

• Don’t assume an automatic understanding of the context of your work on the part of the assessors (eg a cultural context).

• Make it clear when you have finished saying what you want to say and when questions may be asked.

• It is quite a good idea to project what you might wish to do next in the context of your work provided you do not use this to itemize what you should have done in the module!

• Please remember that the criteria that the assessors will use to evaluate your work are known to you (displayed on studio walls and included in your award student handbook).

The assessment is not intended to be confrontational in any way and the assessors will do their best to encourage a positive, friendly and supportive atmosphere. They want you to succeed.

Printing It is your responsibility to ensure that all printed or electronically produced work is planned to meet the assesssment deadline. If you require printed output through the university's digital resources you must timetable your work so that it is ready for print out before assessment takes place. Technical and teaching staff are not responsible for assembling your work for this output. Print out charges are payable at the time or in advance. The technician in charge may decline to print anything that could contravene university regulations, copyright, or national law; or anything that infringes public decency and human rights.