In 1,000 words, summarize the arguments contained in the readings that have been set for the first 4 weeks of this unit. Topics/questions to be addressed include: Is creativity manageable? How does Pixar foster collective creativity? How do collective creations emerge through collaboration? How does conflict in teams lead to the development of creative ideas?  

Marking criteria:

• Demonstrated ability to differentiate, relate, compare, and to ultimately organise, the different literature covered on the unit so far into a body of work that will be useful for developing your own intrinsic interests within this field of study
• Demonstrated ability to select and then judge, critique and appraise the arguments put forth in the readings so far in order to begin creating a body of knowledge that you will value
• Demonstrated understanding of the weight of various theories within this disciplinary context
• Demonstrated ability to assemble academic sources in a suitably dense way in order to lay the foundation for the construction of your own original work
• Clear identification of assignment aims (and whether these are achieved)
• Cited works should be referenced using an established system
• Clarity of expression in line with expected academic standards

An example literature review is available on the unit iLearn site. This contains more information pertaining to this task. 

For this assessment task, students will be put into groups in the first two seminars. The task will culminate with a group presentation. Throughout the seminars for this unit, students will work in groups and will use the creative thinking techniques, and other theoretical materials covered on this unit, in order to create a project that relates to the arts. The groups can create actual art; a play, a song, a film etc, or they can create a new idea for an arts related business or process. Each student will need to present their creation as a group and then use a participant observer methodology in a critical and analytical essay that concerns how their group collaborated in order to manage their creativity. This will be assessed with particular regard to the following marking criteria:

Marking Criteria: In order to pass this assessment task, students will need to:

• Develop a presentation that appraises key debates, theories, and perspectives covered on the unit, and which the group values, in an attempt to create original work.
• Design, assemble and formulate a unique idea that can be presented as a group. 
• Interpret and evaluate various case studies in order to generate ideas pertaining to group creativity and apply these through this assessment task.
• Apply professional and personal judgment and initiative regarding the relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, leadership and team building through this ‘hands on’ assessment task.

NB - This assessment task will be graded in accordance with the University's assessment policy (see below). GROUP ASSESSMENT A group assessment task prepared and presented as a single entity where the contributions of individual students cannot be identified are to be:

• graded on a pass/fail basis, and
• limited to 30% of the total assessment for the unit.

1250 Words. Students are required to use a participant observer* method of research to critically analyse how their group produced their project. Students are required to engage with theoretical material covered on the unit when writing these individual essays. *Some research methods (such as questionnaires) stress the importance of the researcher not becoming "personally involved" with the respondent, in the sense that the researcher maintains both a personal and a social distance between themselves and the people they are researching. Participant observation, however, is a form of subjective sociology, not because the researcher aims to impose their beliefs on the respondent (this would simply produce invalid data), but because the aim is to understand the social world from the subject's point-of-view. Participant-observation is organised so as to produce a type of writing called ‘ethnography’; which is a qualitative research method designed for learning and understanding cultural phenomena which reflect the knowledge and system of meanings guiding the life of a cultural group. Data collection is often done through participant observation, interviews, and questionnaires. A key principle of the method of participant observation is that one may not merely observe, but must find a role within the group observed, from which they can participate in some manner, even if only as "outside observer." This method involves the researcher "getting to know" the people they're studying by entering their world and participating in that world. This means you put yourself "in the shoes" of the people you're studying in an attempt to experience events in the way they experience them (http://www.sociology.org.uk/ Accessed 14.2.12). Thus with regard to your group seminar presentation, you’re a participant and an observer and you therefore need to employ this methodology to write this essay. Marking criteria: For this assessment task, students will need to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of research methodologies such as the participant observer method that is required for this assessment task.
• Examine and test how key ideas concerning the management of both individual and group creativity worked in practice.
• Demonstrate an ability to clearly and articulately structure an argument using academic language.
• Construct and defend an argument concerning the success or failure of your group's creative endeavour. Provide evidence of analysis and 
• Demonstrate an ability to design and develop a research project that appropriately critiques academic sources.

In addition, the following criteria applies:

• Relevance of sources.
• Credibility of sources.
• Clear identification of assignment aims (and whether these are achieved).
• Detailed analysis of key texts and further readings.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent wider research.
• Cited works should be referenced using an established system.
• Clarity of expression in line with expected academic standards.

2,000 Words. Students will collaborate with the unit convenor to design their own self-directed research project that utilises theories and methodologies concerning the management of creativity. In order to assist in the development of your own self-directed research project, a list featuring research question ideas will be distributed during the second half of the semester. By way of its design, this unit will enable you to generate moments of insight on an on going basis and therefore this list of question ideas will be a record of these moments of insight. You will then be able to play with these ideas by combining these insights and by engaging in conceptual elaboration, metaphorical thinking and conceptual combination when it comes to designing your own research project. By contributing to the development of the essay question options and ideas through group brainstorming sessions, that will take place in the seminars in the latter weeks of the semester, you will be able to crowd source ideas from the student body and then collaboratively generate the essay question and topic that you would like to research. 

•     Questions and further details will be available on iLearn and discussed at the lecture.

•     Grading Criteria in the form of a rubric is available on iLearn.

•     Assignments must be submitted via the Turnitin dropbox that is available via the unit iLearn site. 

Marking criteria: For this assessment task, students will need to:

• Demonstrate an ability to create their own research question
• Produce original work by drawing connections between, and combining, ideas covered on the unit in new ways
• Justify a stand or decision relating to the literature covered on the unit by designing and then assembling a critical and analytical research essay 
• Provide evidence of analysis and understanding of key creativity research demonstrated in a sophisticated application of these theories, or theory, to everyday practice and life
• Identify areas for further creativity research 

​In addition, the following criteria applies:

• Relevance of sources
• Credibility of sources
• Clear identification of assignment aims (and whether these are achieved)
• Detailed analysis of key texts and further readings
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent wider research
• Cited works should be referenced using an established system
• Clarity of expression in line with expected academic standards

Essay grades: Obviously at the base level there is referencing. This needs to be in order. There is a referencing guide available on the unit iLearn site. Grades above P as a general rule have to be referenced well.    After this, there is the issue of writing style. Essays above P have to be written clearly and appropriately. You need to employ a formal/academic writing style and you need to substantiate claims you make with evidence. Your topic sentences need to flow together and your paragraphs need to be tight and punchy. For example, a paragraph typically consists of the following sentences:    Topic Sentence  Statement of Position  Evidence/quote  Summary    If your paragraphs are constructed in this way, you will avoid the common pitfalls relating to paragraph length: when paragraphs are too short, this signifies to the marker that you most likely have not substantiated the assertions you have made with evidence; when paragraphs are too long, the marker will often lose the thread of your argument because long paragraphs are fatiguing to read. 

Essays using a colloquial/conversational and/or journalistic writing style will be viewed unfavourably. Don't use rhetorical questions and don't write in the first person unless you have justified writing in this way by way of your research methodology (for e.g. if you have stated that you are using a participant observer methodology then obviously at some point you may need to write in the first person). You also need to use numerous references in order to contextualise your essay within the surrounding discourse. Remember, you are making a contribution to knowledge. There is academic freedom, not freedom of expression. These are different. Academics are only free to make points that they can prove. Your opinions cannot be based on thin air.    Essays that will receive grades higher than CR will need to have a certain density to them. Academic writing often involves big words and concepts. In this way, academic writing is a form of short hand (for e.g. relativism and essentialism are words that signify larger paradigms of thought) and therefore good academic writing is able to say more using less words. Authors who demonstrate that they are fluent in this shorthand will be viewed favourably. The amount of extra-curricular research conducted and the originality of each individual research initiative will also be considered.

Furthermore an essay is considered to be excellent or outstanding when the student can fluently relate the readings and lectures to the arguments and evidence made in the essay. Students will therefore be assessed on how well they evaluate theories and issues, which means that students will be assessed on how they make judgments about the value of ideas they are expected to comment on, or write about. Making judgments or evaluating would usually be demonstrated by a reflection or discussion on what the student considers to be the limitations or intellectual perspectives of the theory, or a discussion of the limitations and perspectives taken by particular texts or readings, or by comparing and discriminating between ideas, issues and theories.