Text & Context
Each Text & Context course is assessed according to an Essay (70%) and Class Participation (30%).
The length and requirements of the essay are different for SCQF8 and SCQF10 levels:
SCQF8 (1st-3rd year undergraduates)
Essay length: 2,000 words
Essay criteria:
- Engage with a range of secondary material, applied to the primary texts
- Articulate and communicate your response to the material studied on the course
- Demonstrate a broad, critically and historically informed understanding of the literature and period
- Demonstrate organisational and analytical skills, and present and argue a case cogently and effectively
- Show familiarity with contemporary methods of information retrieval and apply them to good effect
SCQF10 (4th year undergraduate and above)
Essay length: 3,000 words
Essay criteria:
- Engage with a wide and varied range of secondary material, applied to the primary texts
- Apply detailed knowledge of cultural context and theoretical terminology to the analysis of specific texts from the course
- Demonstrate a broad, critically and historically informed understanding of the literature and period
- Express a nuanced argument, and conform to appropriate scholarly conventions in the presentation of work
- Demonstrate organisational and analytical skills, and present and argue a case cogently and effectively
- Show familiarity with contemporary methods of information retrieval and apply them to good effect
Text and Context Syllabi:
Creative Writing
The Creative Writing course is assessed according to a portfolio of work developed over the course of the school: a Long Text, 3 Coursework Exercises, and on the SCQF10 level, a Self-Reflexive Critique of the work process.
Assessment Portfolio requirements:
SCQF8 (1st-3rd year undergraduates)
3 workshop exercises – 30%
Final piece: 3,000 words of drama or prose, or 50 lines of poetry – 70%
The portfolio will be assessed in terms of the breadth, range and variety which the four submitted pieces demonstrate. The portfolio of work arising from the workshops will be assessed in terms of how successful the three pieces are in responding to the relevant stylistic exercises. Grades of A will be given for evidence of ingenuity or innovation, other grades relative to success in performing the task.
SCQF10 (4th year undergraduate and above)
3 workshop exercises – 30%
1,000 word self-reflexive critique – 10%
Final piece: 5,000 words of drama or prose or 80 lines of poetry – 60%
The criteria for SCQF10 will incorporate a more strenuous judgement of the work against the criteria for SCQF8.
For more information on the course, see our Sample Creative Writing Syllabus.
Theatre & Performance
The Theatre and Performance course is assessed according to class participation, a written performance analysis of a show seen at the Edinburgh International Festival, and an essay analysing one of the dramatic texts assigned on the course. Class participation grade includes discussion in seminars and participation in workshops.
Class participation – 20%
Performance analysis essay – 30%
Textual analysis essay – 50%
The length and requirements of the essay are different for SCQF8 and SCQF10 levels:
SCQF8 (1st-3rd year undergraduates)
1,000-word performance analysis
1,000-word textual analysis essay
Essay criteria:
- Engage with a range of secondary material, applied to the primary texts
- Articulate and communicate your response to the material studied on the course
- Demonstrate a broad, critically and historically informed understanding of the literature and period
- Demonstrate organisational and analytical skills, and present and argue a case cogently and effectively
- Show familiarity with contemporary methods of information retrieval and apply them to good effect
SCQF10 (4th year undergraduate and above)
1,500-word performance analysis
1,500-word textual analysis essay
Essay criteria:
- Engage with a wide and varied range of secondary material, applied to the primary texts
- Apply detailed knowledge of cultural context and theoretical terminology to the analysis of specific texts from the course
- Demonstrate a broad, critically and historically informed understanding of the literature and period
- Express a nuanced argument, and conform to appropriate scholarly conventions in the presentation of work
- Demonstrate organisational and analytical skills, and present and argue a case cogently and effectively
- Show familiarity with contemporary methods of information retrieval and apply them to good effect
For more information on the course, see our Sample Theatre Performance Syllabus.
Research for Assessments
All SUISS students have access to the University of Edinburgh Main Library’s outstanding research collections throughout their stay. SUISS can also arrange access to the collections of the nearby National Library of Scotland, a reference library holding a copy of all books published in the United Kingdom since the early 18th century.
To browse the library collections: