Undergraduate Module Descriptor

ARA3197: The Arabian Nights: Perception and Reception

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Module Aims

The module aims not only to give you a familiarity with one of the most famous works of Arabic literature in the “West,” but also an awareness of issues that are essential to an understanding of all world literature. This includes translation theory and practices, the construction of the author’s identity, the manner in which texts signal their truth value (i.e. do they present themselves as fact or fiction), and the effects of cross-genre and cross-cultural influences on literary traditions broadly speaking.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. Demonstrate in-depth comprehension of and familiarity with the themes and contents of the famous 1001 Nights 2. Demonstrate critical understanding of the intersection between folk literature, material culture, and spiritual and sexual practices 3. Demonstrate a critical awareness of the impact of the 1001 Nights on Western culture, and the many ways that it has been changed and adapted in popular culture, both in writing and in film.
Discipline-Specific Skills	4. Critically analyse literary texts; 5. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and the ability to apply central ideas in literary theory; 6. Demonstrate specialist knowledge of critical debates surrounding world literature in general and as applied specifically to the Arabic literary tradition;
Personal and Key Skills	7. Apply theory to texts and contexts by reading critically and recognizing historical trends in scholarship 8. Demonstrate critical and analytical skills by deconstructing arguments and performing close readings 9. Rank sources and structure arguments in a clearly formulated and rigorous fashion

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
2 plans, one for the essay and one for the presentation (300 words each)	600 words	1, 2, 3, 6	Written and verbal feedback

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
60	0	40

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Thematic analysis of a text/s	60	2,500 words	1-9	Written (supplemented with oral as required)
One solo 15 minute presentation	40	15 minutes	1-9	Written and/ or verbal feedback
	0
	0
	0
	0

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Thematic analysis of texts	Thematic analysis of texts (2500 words) 60% of credit	1-9	August / September reassessment period
Presentation	Solo 15-minute presentation 40% of credit	1-9	August/ September reassessment period