The Role of Writing In The Course

Writing is used as a tool to analyse your findings and organise your thoughts into an argument that enlightens your interpretation of and position towards the subject of your research. The exercise of writing is a means to help you explicitly address the research and understandings, which are normally perhaps a more implicit aspect of your work.

Essay writing is useful in order to develop practice through explicitly argued contextual understanding. It promotes a critical analysis of one's own position and activity within the domain discussed. Within the Master, such a language-based approach is an important element in media design practice.

This means that you engage in a process of critical reflection in relation to your work. It is an opportunity to make a substantial and integrated investigation of the subjects, current discourses, formative dynamics and the technical, sensual and social approaches which are relevant to your work. Such research not only flows from your own work, but should also feed back into the work you are simultaneously producing.

It is acknowledged that the reading and production of text may be thought of as something alien to the more 'intuitive' world of practice. It is often for precisely this reason that it is valuable – putting down your thoughts and research in writing, and presenting it in a coherent argumentation also helps you sharpen your practical project and reflect its unresolved issues. Texts are media systems in their own right, and we can learn from them and the way they are used. At the same time as we promote the confluence and mutual enrichment of theory and practice, we can also learn from and use their differences.

Some experience in making a written argument as well as a good command of English are required. It is important to keep in mind that a Master is an academic degree, and that the research writing will have to conform to the basic academic conventions. This is not just a formality, but also a question of professionalism. It will help you to present your work in conferences and write critical essays as an artist and designer. (Important visual designers from Tschichold and El Lissitzky to, for example, Spiekermann and Tufte have been critical writers as well.)

All research requires carving out a terrain in an occupied territory. Research is not a pure invention of your own thinking, but it involves relating your work and thinking to the work and thinking of others, and developing your own position in relation to them. The final text should be a coherent essay with a statement or hypothesis, a report on the research supporting your argument, and a conclusion; and you are expected to be able structure the text in such a way that your argument is understandable to an outside reader.

What will be written?

For each thematic project you will write an essay of circa 2,500-3,000 words.
In the context of this course, “essay” simply means: a critical research paper on a networked media (or related) topic.
For your assessed Final Project you will write a Master's thesis of circa 8,000 words.

What kind of support is available for essay writing?

There is an introduction into essay writing at the beginning of every course year.
Most thematic projects involve a drafting process for your essays. You can develop your ideas, structure and use of materials through these
Essays receive tutorial feedback. Please take it into consideration when you start your next essay. Otherwise problems often continue from one text to the next.
You can ask tutors to provide feedback on your essays as they develop, do make sure you think about the amount of time required for this

Essay Circles

Once a trimester we hold a short session in which all students meet, bringing their draft thematic project essay with them. Students swap their text with the student next to them and provide careful feedback on the one that they read.

Key points to pay attention to:

structure and quality of argument
use of evidence or source material
clarity of writing
attention to alternate arguments and sources
managing ‘interdisciplinary’ material
good presentation and clear referencing