Hi Everyone,

I'm a newbie here and new to post grad study in the UK. I'm really worried I will not do well as the area of literature I'm studying is new to me, and I have this anxiety of not succeeding, especially since most of my learning will be via distance learning.

I'd like to ask for advice on how to do well/ techniques/ statements/ approaches on literature essays at MA-level, and how can you reach distinction-level on essays?

Appreciate all help/advice/ tips.

Thanks

Hi Datefillets

I'm a current PhD in English Lit, having taken an MA in a lit specialism a few years ago - both at UK institutions.

First up, I think it's easy to forget that postgrad study is still a learning process. Noone's expected to walk onto a course, instantly start producing distinction-level work and then just go through the motions for a year and graduate (if anyone is able to do that, I'd like to borrow their brain for the rest of my doctorate). Whatever level you start at, you'll get better - I picked up a distinction on my MA, but I didn't get a distinction on the first paper I wrote for it.

Feedback is an important part of that process, so make sure you know how to access your tutors and make the most of their expertise, advice, etc. Distance learning may make this seem trickier, but your course should be set up in a way to mitigate that.

As for producing distinction-level work, that's also a conversation to have with instructors. In a nut-shell, a lot of the step-up from BA to MA (in Literature, at least) concerns research. A good BA essay will be able to identify one or two relevant critical sources, apply and perhaps interrogate them. A really good MA essay will have a much more complete sense of the contours of a relevant critical field and try to take its arguments forward within that. That's part of the learning process too - you'll almost certainly be given some research training and your teaching will encourage you to employ that.

Hope that helps a bit - happy to try and answer any more specific questions.

Good luck!

Mark

Hi Mark & thank you for your fantastic reply! That really helps, especially that it is still a learning process. Just worried that I do miserably at the start, and so, have no chance of getting that distinction later.

Can you give me an idea about what sorts of questions should I be asking/resolving in my readings/essays at this level?

And how would I begin to show evidence of literary scholarship? Are there any techniques ?

Many thanks!

Hi Again!

Re. scholarship: essentially you'll want to demonstrate that you've read up on the subject area and are aware of the major positions that have been taken on it. These are usually very obvious once you begin researching an area, particularly on a taught course where your tutors will recommend secondary reading. Key sources / studies will usually reference each other too, so the "paper trail" is easy to follow . A really good MA answer will then comprehend these existing positions and situate its own original thinking in relation to them. This is part of the way a humanities MA teaches you to become an effective researcher within an existing field of scholarship.

Does your course include a core module or two on research methods? If so, you'll be introduced to processes for effective research. One of the tasks I was given on my MA involved compiling an annotated bibliography on a topic of my choice. This meant reading an awful lot of journal articles and monographs then recording them as MLA style citations with 3-4 sentence summaries. A tough exercise at first, but a really helpful one.

Re. questions: you're quite likely to be asked to develop your own essay topic and agree it with a tutor in advance when the time comes for assessment. You'll get a lot of guidance therefore, so don't worry too much about this in advance. As cliche'd as it is to say, the best questions to ask are ones you've developed an enthusiasm for during a module - I usually found myself developing an interest in something after a few weeks and keeping it in mind as the course proceeded - shaping some of my approaches to subsequent primary material / secondary reading accordingly. Not miles apart from a BA really!

Key to both questions is effective organisation and note-making. No substitute for it!

Hope that helps a bit and still happy to chat - keynote is that you should get lots of guidance from tutors once your course gets rolling!

Mark

Hi Mark :)

Thank you again! Very helpful and good insight into the whole process.

I'm a bit concerned about the 'original thinking' - part, it's something that I want to make sure I do, but am super worried that I might not find anything original to say. & that's a major concern for the dissertation.

I think after the core module session, there will be a research methods tutorial, yes. It will introduce annotated bibliographies. And I think I will have to produce an annotated bibliography - have no idea what that it is yet, but I'm sure I'll find out soon enough.

I'm just really panicking about the whole thing, part of that is probably due to low confidence, but, also, I hope I'll find enough time to read everything I want/need to - as I'm a bit of a slow reader (concentration issues).

In your experience, do you think there is the possibility of being so overwhelmed by reading too much - or is that maybe encouraged ? and would it be good to read about the topic even outside of the further readings or would it be best to choose some of the further readings listed? (not saying I will get time to, but do intend and hope to).

I think nerves are perfectly natural - it's a new and (so far) unfamiliar experience. Come Christmas it'll all be very normal to you. For now you're better off focussing on how exciting and interesting the experience is going to be!

My advice with the reading would be to get a head start on core texts if you can. This is a nice way of getting comfortable with your materials and also leaves you time to re-read or read around those primary materials when you eventually reach them in your course. Whatever you read before the course can almost be thought of as a bonus, so relax, enjoy it, see what you think about it and learn what interests you. If you're doing some secondary reading in advance then I probably would pick something recommended by a module guide (or a tutor - I'm sure they'd be happy to answer a quick email asking for suggestions). In terms of scope, I'd stick with what interests you for now - learning what interests and engages you as a more specialised scholar is part of what studying for an Masters is about. You're also better off reading one thing and really understanding it than trying to force down ten things that leave you confused - that's still true at PhD level, I find!