Writing a gobbet in Higher Education

Transcription

1 Writing a gobbet in Higher Education What is a gobbet? In Higher Education, a gobbet is a written form of assessment. It is usually found in subjects like History, Philosophy, Theology or Classics. A gobbet is a concise written commentary based on an extract from a larger piece of work. A gobbet is usually between words long. Gobbets can be part of coursework or examination assessments. In examinations, writing two or three gobbets is often given as an alternative to writing one Long Answer Question (or essay type question). The extract The extract provided for the gobbet is typically taken from a primary source. The extract can take different forms; for example it can be an extract from a diary, a speech, a letter, a political pamphlet, a poem, a novel, a biography or autobiography. The extract is usually in the form of a short, written text but it can also be a visual image like a photograph or a satirical cartoon. A gobbet is not a close reading A close reading analyses a text in detail and may relate it to the larger work from which it comes. The aim of a gobbet is to understand and discuss how the ideas in an extract or the events described by an extract relate to a wider context. The wider context might mean, for example, the social context, the historical context, the artistic context or the thematic context. A good gobbet doesn t just comment on the detailed content of an extract; it discusses the extract in relation to the period it is from and the ideas it is associated with. Templates for writing a gobbet Below are three templates for writing gobbets. They follow the same structure but give different levels of detail. They are designed to help you think how you might approach the task of writing a gobbet. Template 1 is a simple outline template. Templates 2 and 3 contain questions that can help you discuss an extract. Template 3 includes some examples and further ideas to help you write a gobbet. Peter Lia learning support tutor 2017 plialearning@mail.com 1

2 1. Template for writing a gobbet outline template comment on the form of the extract write something about the author comment on the intended audience identify and comment on the theme or themes in the extract relate the extract to other significant events or ideas of the period identify and comment on the aim or aims stated in the extract assess the impact of the events or ideas in the extract you can refer to the linguistic form (style and content) of the extract to support the discussion in your gobbet Peter Lia learning support tutor 2017 plialearning@mail.com 2

3 2. Template for writing a gobbet template with questions What form or genre is the extract? What (larger work) is the extract taken from? What is the date of the extract? Does the extract refer to a specific place? How unique is the extract (or the work it is taken from)? Who is the author? What is the author s background? Is the author associated with any ideologies, theories, artistic movements, literary or musical styles? What is the author s status? Is the extract representative of the author s other work? Who is the intended audience? Who is likely to have had access to the extract at the time? What is the subject of the extract? What is the theme of the extract? Was the theme highly relevant at the time of the extract? Is the theme as relevant today? What were the significant events before, during and after the date of the extract? How does the extract relate to other works, events or ideas of the period? Is the extract representative of works, events or ideas of the period? Is the extract unrepresentative of works, events or ideas of the period? Does the extract relate to a debate that was relevant at the time? What was the author trying to achieve? Does the form of the extract help the author put forward this message? Is the author s message or aim clear or is it ambiguous? What was the reaction to the ideas or information in the extract? Did this change or influence the understanding of something? Did this change or influence how people thought (theory)? Did this change or influence what people did or how they did things (practice)? Was this influence immediate or gradual? In what ways has the extract been used or referenced since its time? Why was it so influential? Is it still relevant or influential today? Why did it have no impact or influence? You can refer to the form (style and content) of the language used in the extract to support any part of the commentary. However, a good gobbet will not just describe the form of language used, it will discuss it. Peter Lia learning support tutor 2017 plialearning@mail.com 3

4 3. Template for writing a gobbet template with questions and details What form or genre is the extract (e.g. a speech, a diary entry, a photograph, a political manifesto)? What (larger work) is the extract taken from (e.g. lines from an epic poem or part of a speech)? What is the date of the extract? Does the extract refer to a specific place (e.g. where a speech was made or a photograph taken)? How unique is the extract (e.g. a rare photograph of an event or an entry from a private diary)? Who is the author? What is the author s background? Is the author associated with any ideologies, theories, artistic movements, literary or musical styles? What is the author s status (e.g. military leader, monarch, slave, musician, politician or cleric)? Is the extract representative of the author s other work? Who is the intended audience (e.g. the British Government, Western politicians, political activists, the general public, women, musicians, academics or historians)? Who is likely to have had access to the extract at the time (e.g. was it a private letter, or, if it was a speech, who was present and was it televised)? Some information (e.g. author, date or location) will be given with extract so don t just repeat it, discuss its relevance. The subject of the extracts is usually clear, but most extracts will address an overriding theme or themes. Extracts are selected because they are good representations of important themes. Associating larger themes with the subject is useful in writing the gobbet as the commentary can then relate to ideas and events beyond the content of the extract. Here are some examples: Subject: Emily Davison jumping in front of King George V s horse at the Epsom Derby in 1913 Themes: Women s rights and the fight for universal suffrage Subject: Les Demoiselles d Avignon by Pablo Picasso painted in 1907 Themes: Modernism in painting and a radical break from past traditions Subject: The Jarrow March of 1936 Themes: Unemployment and the rights of workers Subject: The Declaration of Independence of 1776 Themes: Independence and the right to self-governance, self-rule or national sovereignty What is the subject of the extract? What is the theme of the extract? Was the theme highly relevant at the time of the extract? Is the theme as relevant today? Peter Lia learning support tutor 2017 plialearning@mail.com 4

5 Gobbets can comment on how an extract relates to the larger piece of work from which it is taken (e.g. how a stanza reflects other themes in a poem or how an event fits into a story). However, context mostly means discussing the ideas and events in an extract in relation to ideas and events of the period it is from. This can be historical context (e.g. the social or political situation at the time a speech was made) or thematic context (e.g. ideas about music in a particular period). Relate the ideas and events in the extract to those of the period. What were the significant events before, during and after the date of the extract? How does the extract relate to other works, events or ideas of the period? Is the extract representative of works, events or ideas of the period? Is the extract unrepresentative of works, events or ideas of the period? Does the extract relate to a debate that was relevant at the time? One useful way to learn context is to make a timeline of major events. What was the author trying to achieve (e.g. drum up political support, highlight an inequality or injustice, promote a different way of doing things, celebrate a great life, show support for an existing idea or criticise a rival or an institution)? Does the form of the extract help the author put forward this message? Is the author s message or aim clear or is it ambiguous? Gobbets can comment on the importance of an extract in relation to the larger piece of work from which it is taken (e.g. an essential event in a story or a key theme in a poem). However, in assessing the importance of an extract (the contribution it made) you are usually looking for a change or consequence that came about as a result of the ideas or the information in the extract. What was the reaction to the ideas or information in the extract? Did this change or influence the understanding of something? Did this change or influence how people thought (theory)? Did this change or influence what people did or how they did things (practice)? Was this influence immediate or gradual? In what ways has the extract been used or referenced since its time? Why was it so influential? Is it still relevant today? Why did it have no impact or influence? The form (style and content) of the language used in the extract can be referred to throughout the gobbet. There are many ways to describe the form of language used. For example, the language could be described as: formal or informal authoritative and technical inflammatory and confrontational subjective and biased objective, fair and rational unambiguous and clear ambiguous, containing symbols, metaphors, similes and other hidden meanings However, a good gobbet will not just describe the form of language used, it will discuss it. How is the style or content of the language used in the extract relevant to its audience, theme, context, aim or impact? You can use examples of key words and key phrases from the extract in writing your gobbet. Look out for specific names (of people and places), titles (forms of address), terminology or movements (e.g. Structuralist or Futurist). These specific words can be clues to trigger ideas for you gobbet. Peter Lia learning support tutor 2017 plialearning@mail.com 5