The document provides guidance for two coursework options on managing creativity in the creative industries. It discusses challenges like managing creativity during growth and assessing lifestyle businesses versus larger organizations. It also reviews evidence for claims about the UK creative industries and assessing strengths/weaknesses and future challenges. The document offers tips for writing such as understanding the question, gathering material, referencing, editing, and common essay problems.

1. The Assignment brief

2. Coursework option 1“Managing creativity is complex.”Select a creative sector organisation that demonstrates how creativity is ‘typically managed’ in the ‘creative industries’. Discuss the challenges of managing and sustaining creativity during periods of organisational growth and expansion. Critically assess the strengths and limitations of ‘lifestyle businesses’ versus larger organizations in the creative industries.

3. Coursework option 2“Creative Industries are the future!” It has been claimed that the UK creative industries are among the fastest growing sectors of the UK economy and will provide an engine for future job creation and growth.Survey and critically review the evidence for this claim; Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the UK creative sector drawing on strategic management concepts. Outline future challenges for the UK’s leadership in the creative sector and provide a critical assessment of (current) government policy. Propose new strategies and policies based on your analysis, if appropriate.

4. Formative DraftDecember 14th2500 wordsIt’s about the structure and direction of your argument to make sure you are on trackEvidence of your researchBullet points allowed

5. The Final Draft6,000 wordsContent/ ArgumentStructureSourcesReferencingPresentation

6. Getting started

7. What do you want from your essay?A good markPersonal satisfactionGain knowledge of your subjectUnderstanding of the implications of using knowledgeAbility to move other people’s ideas around, weigh arguments, examine evidenceSkills in essay writing

8. Writing…It’s a complex process and it requires skillIt’s a lonely business Is it brilliant, is it rubbish: Formative draft!Make a plan with milestonesTo do lists

9. The writing processUnderstanding the questionThinking about the topicGathering materialStructuring the argumentWriting upEditing It’s not a linear, it is an ITERATITVE process

10. What is the question asking?“Account for the emergence of the policy of privatization developed by successive Conservative governments during the 1980s.”Identify the subjectIdentify the instructionIdentify the key aspectsLook for other significant words that help to pinpoint the scope of the answer

11. Getting startedBrainstormingThink about pro & contra argumentsJot everything downGathering materialLibraryElectronic sources (Athens)Newspapers (Guardian, FT)

12. Deciding what to readWHAT you read is important, as well as reading it critically!Start with the reading listLook up 2 important books in the library, then do a search using their subject codeGo to the library shelves and see what is physically stored under that same class markWhen you start reading, see which texts are often cited by othersCheck what books have been reviewed in recent academic journals

13. Deciding what to read IITextbooksNot recommend to use them as a sourceUsing the InternetConvenient, but can’t replace work & researchCopy & paste plagiarismInformation can be unreliable

14. Style and voice in academic writing

15. Academic register and conventionsSeriousness of approachWe expect seriousness in the way the writer addresses the topicNo flippancy or colloquialism (“you know what I mean”)Humour (but must be subtle, clever and well phrased)Formality of registerFormal, not colloquialReflects the considered and measured thought-processReader is treated as an interested/ informed acquaintance, but not a best mateConsistency of register

16. Conventions IIObjectivity of toneTry to be objective and neutralArgue, but do not abuse or accuse Cautiousness about the way claims are made“it could be said…” ; “this might lead us to the interpretation that”Reasoned, analytical and logical thought processesSequential and logical thought processLinking sentence is crucial“I have shown how XXX’s assumptions affected her view of the film industry, but it remains to be shown how it affected her view on the games industry.”Concern with argument and evidenceEvidence for each claim madeEvidence is properly referenced

17. Fact, Opinion, Speculation and Evidence

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19. Facts vs Opinion vs SpeculationFactsA thing that is known to have occurred, to exist, or to be trueVerified information, piece of evidenceOpinionA belief/ assessment based on grounds short of proofSpeculationTo form a theory without a firm factual base

20. Fact or Opinion?“The Creative industries are doing well.”“Creative industry students are better than other students.”“Ed Wood is the best director of all time.”“There are not enough jobs for CI graduates.“MS Word is suitable for our needs”

21. Assertions versus ArgumentAn assertion is a statement that is intended to be taken as trueIf it forms the basis of a logical argument, the argument falls apart if the statement turns out to be falseAssertions that are not backed up by evidence are opinions Arguments based on opinions are speculations

22. If you want to express an opinion…Look for more evidence!Discuss how reliable the evidence isSay that it is an opinion Say whose opinion it isSay what made you (the other person) to make this judgmentDemonstrate your reasoning is sound

23. Identifying flaws in argumentsOpinion = Unwarranted conclusionArgument = Conclusion + WarrantAsk of any argument: Why should I believe this? How do you know?Warrant without a conclusion: Why are you telling me this? What does it imply?Conclusion with an inadequate warrant: Does this evidence really mean as much as you claim? Is this evidence robust enough?Conclusion that is not explicitly linked to its warrant. What are you trying to claim? What is the causal relationship?Demand of yourself that every conclusion you write is adequately warranted

24. Structuring your text

25. StructureTitleAbstract (200 words): A brief summary of the purpose of your study/ work/ conclusionsIntroductionIn which you interpret the question, define key terms, show the limits of your essayStatement of purposeJustification of significance of questions with reference to literature (Why is it the topic important?)Brief description of context of studyBrief overview of the rest of the studyMain bodyShow that you know the key issues and can support them with evidenceLiterature ReviewFindingsDiscussionConclusionSummary of your findingsSelf critical reflectionEvaluation to what an extent you contribute to answering questionsOutlook to futureFinal statementReference ListContains all the work that is referencedPresented in alphabetical orderAppendices

26. Writing paragraphsA paragraph is a short block of text that develops one main ideaThe main idea is typically expressed in one sentence – the topic sentence – the first in the paragraphParagraph have a structure: beginning – middle – endWhen you read, this allows to quickly identify the main idea and see how it is developedEach paragraph develops one single main pointNew point, new paragraphStart with the topic sentence to express the main ideaExplain or define any problematic termsShow your evidence/ support your main ideaComment on the evidence, to show how it supports and develops your main idea. Mention other evidence to broaden discussionConcludeEnd each paragraph by showing how you have developed your pointLink back to idea in topic sentenceLink forward to next paragraphHow long is a paragraph?Long enough to do what you want it to doLonger than one sentenceIf you have ten or more sentences, you have probably failed to notices when you’ve moved on to a new idea

27. Referencing

28. Using other people’s ideasParaphraseClosely follows the sense of the original textLimited place in academic writingIf you don’t acknowledge the source, its PLAGIARISMPlagiarismPassing the ideas of someone else of as your own is cheating, a serious academic crime, very uncreativeQuote when it is important to use and comment on the precise wording of another writer.Run a short quote into your text.Indent a long quote.Always reference other people’s ideas or researchIn your bibliography, list all the sources you have consulted

29. ReferencingHarvard systems – see Student Handbook!If unclear – there are about 1000 guides on Google Use in-text referencing plus bibliography – don’t use refs in footnotesDon’t overuse electronic sourcesTry using journal articles

30. Editing

31. Editing SpellcheckerPunctuationGrammarFormat titlesBibliography properly formattedAppropriate references for all quotesCheck the order of your paragraphs – does the argument flow well?Presentation and formatting: e.g. 12pt, 1.5 spacedRead and reread what you have written, improve the writing. Does it make logical sense?Check style

32. Improve your academic writing style Avoid passive constructions where possibleTry to develop a direct, clear styleSay what you think and why you think it but always justify your arguments and opinionsAvoid unnecessary jargonCut out the deadwood in the editing stageState clearly what your questions are/ if appropriate state clearly what you have discoveredLearn from writers you admireSpend time proof-reading and editing your work, clarify argument, improve your style

33. General problems with essaysLots of information but little argumentDon’t waffle!Difference between knowledge telling and knowledge transformationDon’t just summarize, analyze!Unsubstantiated generalisationsBe precise, subtle and careful in your thinkingProof reading and editing

34. Do’s and Don’tsThe creative industries provide thousands of jobs for many people across the UK, for example the industries such as film, music, TV, radio, magazine and newpaper industries make up a good number of jobs and opportunities. As well as providing thousands of jobs, these industries also entertain and inform the world.The creative industries are growing twice as fast as the economy and have a huge impact on the UK’s production market.

35. Some examples from your essays…

36. What is wrong here…“Obviously not everyone involved within the Creative Industries is an artist selling these creative ideas.”“But in my opinion this is the easiest way of defining how the creative industries are different.”

37. What is wrong here…The industry supplies over a million jobs in the UK, bringing in over £100.5 billion to the economy annuallyIt is clear that the UK can no longer rely upon its once traditional manufacturing industries to sustain the economy going forward in to the 21st century.

38. What is wrong here…According to the Independent newspaper, in 2006 Britain’s cultural leaders united to launch a manifesto to convince government to play amore central role in the creative arts, providing more financial investment. Since then the government’s contribution and recognition of the industry has grown tremendously. The government officer for the English Region states: The government constantly works to increase the understanding of the importance of creative industries to regeneration and economic development. Over the past three years they have heavily invested in advertising, spending over 3 million in 2008 alone. NHS and binge drinking campaigns for example.

39. What is wrong here…The creative industries are important in the UK, contributing approximately £57 bn to the economy, these industries also affect other industries and if were to break down, will have a direct effect on everything around us. The creative industries success is based on a large number of very small companies that need to create new business models, which would enable them to approach markets that may be difficult to reach.

40. What is wrong here…The creative industries are said to have accounted for 4% of the world’s economic output. Therefore with such an increase in the demand for all things creative it seems that the governments and the UN are using it for some economic reports.The less-than-dynamic Gordon Brown (especially when compared to Barack Obama) presides over a country trying to claw its way out of recesssion, with inflation at its lowest in 5 years and 2.47 million people unemployed, the highest amount in 14 years.

41. Further helpKate Williams (1995) Writing essays.Mike Wallace and Alison Wray (2006) Critical Reading and Writing for PostgraduatesRebecca Stott, Anna Snaith and Rick Rylance (2001) Making your case.Geraldine Price and Pat Maier (2007) Effective study skills – Unlock your potential

42. Time-managementRandy Pausch