1. Assessing Unessays
Dr. Catherine Flick

2. Structure What is an unessay? Examples of unessays
Compellingness and Effectiveness
Marking unessays
Help! Discussion questions
Structure

3. Helps students move away from internalising formal criteria and to develop as researchers/communicators
Borrows some techniques from unconferences / “hermeneutics of screwing around”
Marking based around what is promising rather than formally correct/incorrect
Students are encouraged to push themselves
Why unessays?

4. The unessay is an assignment that attempts to undo the damage done by the static form of the essay. It works by throwing out all the rules you have learned about essay writing in the course of your primary, secondary, and post secondary education and asks you to focus instead solely on your intellectual interests and passions.
In an unessay you choose your own topic (an aspect of your final year project), present it in any way you please, and are evaluated on how compelling and effective you are.
unessay
What is an unessay?

5. Your unessay needs to be compelling and effective.
An unessay is compelling when it shows some combination of the following:
it is as interesting as its topic and approach allows
it is as complete as its topic and approach allows (it doesn’t leave the audience thinking that important points are being skipped over or ignored)
it is truthful (any questions, evidence, conclusions, or arguments you raise are honestly and accurately presented)
unessay
What do I need to do?

6. In terms of presentation, an unessay is effective when it shows some combination of these attributes:
it is readable/watchable/listenable (i.e. the production values are appropriately high and the audience is not distracted by avoidable lapses in presentation)
it is appropriate (i.e. it uses a format and medium that suits its topic and approach)
it is attractive (i.e. it is presented in a way that leads the audience to trust the author and his or her arguments, examples, and conclusions).
unessay
What do I need to do?

7. How about some examples?
Creative arts (e.g. painting, graphic design, ceramics, photography, knitting, etc.)
Videos, podcasts, or performances
Music, songs, dance
Websites or blogs or other public engagement
Short stories, plays, fanfiction
Scenarios
Posters ( only!)
Video games or other interactive media
Anything you can think of really!
NOT AN ESSAY
How about some examples?

8. Examples: History

9. Due to the nature of the work, there are no word limits
Due to the nature of the work, there are no word limits. The unessay is due in class, but can be submitted electronically if appropriate.
Along with your unessay you will be required to submit a 1 paragraph explanation/summary/artistic statement about your unessay, including the connection with your project. This should be submitted as part of the unessay (printed/electronically).
Your unessay will be marked on how compelling and effective it is.
How is it marked?

10. An A unessay: This unessay constitutes a critical and active engagement with the course material that shows insight and creativity and demonstrates time and effort devoted to creating something thoughtful. The chosen medium works persuasively with the design and polish of the unessay. The project’s structural and formal elements productively serve the core concept of the unessay. The unessay includes a clear and insightful connection between your three choices and reflects a convincing and nuanced thesis. An A unessay come with a clearly stated explanation. This will include your thesis and an explanation of how your unessay responds to the prompt.
Argument & Understanding (40 points)
develops thesis statement 10
critical engagement with primary sources 10
“discussion”/argument is logical, perceptive, relevant 10
makes use of appropriate criteria, e.g. Jesus seminar 10
Sources & Evidence (30 points)
use of textual evidence from primary sources 10
5 peer reviewed sources published after
evidence that research was undertaken 2
engages secondary sources 4
uses range of primary sources, not just synoptic gospels 10
Communication & Presentation (30 points)
media format helps explanation of topic/thesis statement 10
thesis statement, position taken are clear 10
care taken in presentation 10
Others’ approaches

11. How to compare different approaches? e.g. blog vs. food vs. song vs. ?
How to capture “compelling” and “effective” in a marking scheme that’s acceptable to DMU?
Should effort be considered, and if so, how?
“Chunking”? Should there be discrete areas for research/ synthesis/ process/ experimentation/ testing/ prototype / delivery?
How to make all this acceptable to an external examiner?
Help! Questions

12. Unessay show Wednesday 25 April is the Unessay show, 2-3pm
Unessays will be shown (dependent on form) at this time
All invited!
Unessay show