Assessment 2: Essay (40%) (To be submitted by WEEK 15, Friday 4th February, 12 pm). Requirements: Write a 2000 word essay in which you reveal the dramatic and the narrative structure of a classical ballet of your choice. You are required to analyze your chosen classical ballet for: 1.Narrative Elements: Outline the plot of your chosen ballet (synopsis). 2.Dramatic Structure: Reveal and explain the dramatic structure of your chosen ballet. 3.Visual Components: Explain which visual components communicate the narrative elements and the dramatic structure you have identified under 1 and 2. The classical ballet you would like to analyze can be a live performance or a professional record (e.g. DVD). It MUST be agreed with your Tutor! Essay Assessment Criteria For your essay you will be assessed on the following criteria:

Content: Your ability to present knowledge and understanding of the topic area and to select relevant source materials and apply them to the task. The main subject matter of your essay is based on the composition and communication of narratives within dance. The intention for you is to reveal and analyze this for a ballet piece of your choice. You will need to look at principles relating to climax, characters, situations, exposition, confrontation, resolution etc. which I have addressed during my first lectures (please check the module website if you want to revisit the slides). From your essay I will need to see that you know which ingredients you need in order to create a narrative, why these ingredients are important and that you can spot them within a choreography. Analysis: Your ability to critically analyze and interrogate the source materials and demonstrate independence of thought. An analysis is a detailed examination of the elements or structures of your subject. From your essay I will need to see that you have identified the

narrative elements/ingredients such as exposition, inciting incident, characters, climax, visual components etc. in your chosen piece and that you can describe them and explain why they are how they are and where they appear. I will need to see that you evaluate/judge/gauge them in the context of the piece: Do they work? Should they perhaps be different? Are they timed well? If not, why? Structure: Your ability to structure the findings into a framework appropriate for the subject matter in order to provide a well-considered and convincing argument. Introduction: Start your essay with a clear and well-informed introduction – you are aiming to convince the reader from the start of your confidence in the subject area. You will need to outline the aims of the essay. For a 2000 word essay your introduction should be between 100-200 words. Contextual Overview & Introduction of the Piece: In this section of the essay you will introduce the piece and the dramatic structure model(s) you will refer to and provide some background information on both. This section of your essay may take up between 400-600 words. Make sure you divide your discussion into clear and distinct paragraphs. Analyzing the work: This section will form the main body of your essay and will normally be between 1000-1200 words. In this section you will use one or more of the three models of dramatic structures (Aristotle, Freytag, Daniels) to analyze the work. Remember that description is not enough to achieve first class work! Conclusion:Your conclusion will summarize the main points of the essay and attempt to draw your research together. Allow 100-200 words for this section of the essay. Do not attempt to introduce new ideas at this point. A good conclusion can be tricky to get right – allow plenty of time. Communication: Your ability to use language, referencing and other academic conventions (e.g. appendices, footnotes etc.) in a clear and confident manner.

Read your essay out loud in order to spot grammatical mistakes, run a spell check, get your referencing right, any minor plagiarism results in a fail and we have incredible software that spots all quotes no matter if they have been referenced by you or not, avoid colloquial language and use academic language instead…

IF YOU DON’T ENJOY WRITING YOUR ESSAY YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING WRONG. AND IF YOU JUST FOLLOWED THESE INSTRUCTIONS BLINDLY YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET A 2.1 EASILY!

1st (70-100%)

Excellent/Outstanding

2.1 ( 60-69%)

Good/Very Good

2.2 (50-59%)

Satisfactory

3rd (40-49%)

Poor

Fail (0-39%)

Unsatisfactory

Content

What is the level of knowledge and understanding?

How has this been applied to the task?

Detailed and accurate knowledge and understanding showing excellent/outstanding evidence of research. Assured ability to select relevant source materials and apply them to the task.

Clear knowledge and understanding showing clear evidence of research. Clear ability to select relevant source materials and apply them to the task.

Generally clear knowledge and understanding showing some evidence of research, although there may be significant gaps or omissions. Ability to select relevant source materials and apply them to the task.

Limited knowledge and understanding showing some evidence of research.

Limited ability to select relevant source materials and apply them to the task.

Inadequate level of knowledge and understanding with little or no evidence of research. Little or no ability to select relevant source materials and little or no attempt made to apply them to the task.

Analysis

What is the strength of critical analysis and how well are ideas supported?

Sophisticated and extremely well supported critical analysis that deals with complex concepts and demonstrates independence of thought.

Strong critical analysis that deals with some complex concepts and may demonstrate some independence of thought.

Some attempts at critical analysis that occasional deals with complex thoughts. May be prone to being overly descriptive and shows limited independence of thought.

Limited attempts at critical analysis that rarely deal with complex thoughts. Overly descriptive, extremely limited independence of thought and may seem to ‘miss the point’ of the question.

Little or no critical analysis. Concepts are dealt with in an incoherent manner. No independence of thought. Fails to understand the question.

Structure

Does the structure of the work allow for a clear and convincing argument?

Refined structure allows for a persuasive and engaging argument. Structure is within a framework appropriate for the subject matter.

Sensible structure allows for a clear and convincing argument. Structure is within a framework appropriate for the subject matter.

Argument is not always clear or convincing and may rely too heavily on secondary source materials. Structure may not be within a framework appropriate for the subject matter.

Weak structure and an underdeveloped argument.

Structure is not in a framework appropriate for the subject matter.

Little or no structure results in an illogical and incoherent argument. Structure is not in a framework appropriate for the subject matter.

Communication

Have language and academic conventions been employed in a successful manner?

Confident and sophisticated use of language, referencing and other academic conventions (e.g. appendices etc). Accurate spelling and grammar, Meticulous layout etc.

Clear and accurate use of language, referencing and other academic conventions. No significant errors with spelling and grammar. Good layout etc.

Language is generally clear but with some significant errors. Referencing is seriously attempted but with some flaws. Occasional errors in spelling and grammar. Satisfactory layout etc.

Language is not always clear to follow. Limited but flawed use of referencing and other academic conventions. Spelling and grammar errors may obscure meaning. Poor layout etc.

Poor use of language obscures meaning. Little or no referencing. Frequent spelling and grammar errors. Clumsy layout etc.