Documenting: Major Work Journal (3 Viewers)

[taxman]

Journals?

OK, I've only just started on Wednesday and I need to know what to use as a journal. By that I mean, do we use an exercise book or a VAPD like with drama...or something else completely.

What did most of the 04'ers use and how did it go? What size did yas get?

My class of two is the first EE2 class our school has ever had as far as I know, and I'm not really sure what to use, so if anybody can let us know, that'd be much appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[anti]

OK, I've only just started on Wednesday and I need to know what to use as a journal. By that I mean, do we use an exercise book or a VAPD like with drama...or something else completely.

What did most of the 04'ers use and how did it go? What size did yas get?

My class of two is the first EE2 class our school has ever had as far as I know, and I'm not really sure what to use, so if anybody can let us know, that'd be much appreciated.

Cheers.

I used a a4 vapd ... would have used multiple if i wasnt lazy
they're good because you can scribble. everywhere. anywhere. sticking things in looks neat no matter how you do it (well, 'arty' ? creative? the mind of a genius?) and they're easy to carry around.

anything you're comfortable with will do though .. if exercise books are your thing, go ahead

 

[taxman]

Cheers for that. How exactly did ya get started? Like, for the first term, what did u put in it?

 

[olay]

my first was an A4 vapd... my second was an A4 spiral bound book. depends what medium you're using but i'd go with the spiral bound book just because you use up less pages [what i would fit on the lined pages was atleast twice as much as i fit on an unlined vapd page]. i mainly used mine as a brainstorming thing, and pasted basically anything i researched in it. also used a small vapd as my story board [for video]. have fun!!

 

[ujuphleg]

I used an A4 VAPD but I know some people who also use display books. While the VAPD looks good, if i was to do it again, I would use a sprial bound A4 book and a display folder. Sticking stuff into the VAPD just got really really tedious after a while. And considering i did Extension History and Music too, i was spending most of my life sticking stuff into visual arts diaries...

depends on what kind of writer you are too. I was the slow and meticulous, edit-as-you-go kind, so that meant i had almost 200 pages worth of draft and re-draft. In the end, those went in in a seperate folder type thing because I simply could not be bothered to stick it all in.

good luck!

 

[jhakka]

My journal was typed, and I just copied/pasted anything in I thought was important (mainly first draft stuff).

 

[glitterfairy]

What's this VAPD?

I used an exercise book. Just one. I also put a pretty picture on the cover

I also became somewhat of a sticky-tape-and-glue expert by the end of the gig - I should have done the computer thing, as most of my stuff was typed, printed, then stuck into journal...

I put everything in there. Even letters to my supervisor. It was most amusing.

 

[Monkey Butler]

I used an A3 art book thing (is that what a VAPD is?), which meant that for all my drafts I could stick in a page and then write notes all around it. Although the sticking in got annoying after a while (use tape, trust me. It's way better than glue).

 

[Enlightened_One]

A crappy little work book like I used in primary school which I barely half filled.

Note: I am not to be considered any sort of inspiration or aspiration.

Whatever you use it doesn't have to be fancy or anything, just contain your thoughts and your writing process. Simple.

 

[jhakka]

The Major Work Journal

During the development of the Major Work students are required to keep a process journal.
The Major Work journal must provide the following information:

• a written statement containing a clear statement of intention agreed to by the student and the teacher/school
• reflections pertaining to the development of the Major Work composition.

The Major Work Journal is a documentation of the investigative process and the process of composition. The recording of research, analysis, critical, imaginative and speculative reflections and development of process will assist students in achieving course objectives and outcomes and in preparing for internal and external assessment tasks. (The journal also has a role in establishing the authenticity of the Major Work.)

It may also include:

• method of approach
• evidence of research and questioning
• refrafts with reasons for any changes in direction
• examples or indications of stimulus material and reflections upon them in relation to the development of the major work composition
• reflections on the extent to which intentions were achieved
• reflections upon the finished product
• an annotated bibliography.

The Major Work journal must be submitted with the Major Work. The journal should be clearly labelled with the candidate's number, centre number and the name of the Major Work and its medium of production.

OK, this is just showing that I have nothing better to do with my non-exam time, and since there have been a few questions about the journal (in here and in the Short Story subforum... I dunno about the other subforums), I figured I might as well do something productive.

Anyways, the journal is pretty much everything stated above: a record of your process. It doesn't get marked. It might get looked at if the marker is interested, and will get looked at if they think something doesn't quite add up (as in, they feel you didn't actually write your work yourself).

As stated in the syllabus, there are two things that must be included: the statement of intention and reflections on composition. That should go without saying, as the role of a journal is to record what you've been doing.

Don't worry too much about the statement of intention, as your idea most likely will change, and its possible that you might even change medium. I suggest you just record your thoughts, plans and ideas mainly so you know what you're doing and that something resembling a statement of intention is there.

My journal was pretty much a place for me to vent frustration and put a draft or two. That way you're showing how your work has developed, at least. For short stories, poetry, critical responses, etc, drafts are easy enough to throw in, but for multimedia presentations, etc, I suggest throwing in a screenshot every now and then. Easy enough.

There's no set format for the journal. I typed mine out and made an entry or two every time I wrote a section of my story. Other people handwrote theirs and wrote a page every time they did anything. They added photos, stuck in articles, composed songs to their major works. Whatever. It makes you crazy after a while, but who cares, if it's something you enjoy?

I wrote about my ideas and frustrations. I also threw in a couple of pages about my inspirations, etc. Other people write something every day. It doesn't matter. Just make sure your teacher is happy with it.

Try to keep your journal up to date. Backtrack a week or two if you have to, but if you have your Major Work typed, you can just check the "Date Modified/Created" properties of each file, so there's nothing to worry about there.

Note that a whole bunch of stuff is listed under "may include", so don't stress about not having it. It'll just be useful in proving your work is authentic. However, I do suggest an annotated bibliography towards the end of your journal, just to make it look like you did some research into your chosen form and genre.


That's all I can think of for the journal. Just use it to record your thoughts and process of composition. It won't be marked, so don't worry too much. Vent, rage, swear, vow vengance on the Board of Studies in there. It doesn't make a difference. Just make sure you record what you think is important.

Good luck.
-Justin

 

[glitterfairy]

Something to add to that: I'm going to make a little list of suggestions or "ideas" about how you can put things in your journal. These are purely things that I did however, feel free to ignore them or make your own twist.

* When you stick in drafts, or partial-drafts (yes, some of us only re-draft or edit one section or scene at a time) I like to change the "page margins" (because I print it out) and write notes all around it about things I like, things I hate and things I want to change, and how. If you're typing up your journal on the computer there's a little "comment" thing you can use that does the same purpose.

* For me, because I had a... weird...idea, I wanted to actually make sure I had a firm grasp on it. Every time I'd made significant changes I'd re-evalute the direction of my story and point out changes, notes about where I wanted it to go, my thoughts, both positive/negative etc.

* RESEARCH! Yes, it sucks, but apparently we have to do it anyway. I was advised by my teacher to "review" research in a Review, Reflect, and Relate to Major Work format. In layman's terms, that means outlining text, doing a very short essay on it (techniques etc, very EE1-like) and then finally you get to write a bit about how you personally think the text has influenced/inspired/motivated you, drawing links between it and your work etc, whatever.

 

[hotcocoababe]

Research was a HUGE part of it for me - everything from alcholism, Catholicism and Depression, to obsessive-compusive disorder, childhood illnesses, 20th century england, etc etc... everytime I had a new idea, I researched it. A lot of it actually ended up coming in handy later on!

So, don't neglect research ok, 05's

 

[super katie]

yeah if you keep a detailed record of your ideas and research and stuff its a huge help when you come to write your reflection statement. I found that when I had to come to reflect on the creative process and the way my work had evolved, re-reading early entries helped heaps

 

[robo3687]

i'm using an A4 ring binder folder that i've put about 200 pages in.......they are slowly being filled up........

i'm doing a combination of typed and handwritten entries (all depends on whether or not I'm near a computer or not)

 

[girlanachronism]

i used a ring binder then it got full so i used a notebook

my journal was bullshit though, i was industrious for the first term then i said ahh fuckit and wrote an entry a month and stuck in drafts to make it look like i worked

 

[ujuphleg]

The more solid your research, the better the base you have to work on. Don't leave things unresearched, because then your story is likely to lack substance.

Also, stick everything and anything that is relevant to EE2 in your journal. It demonstrates that you are always thinking about your MW.

 

[moffat]

would u stick in short stories u've read, and then comment on them.or do u just write the title/author/summary of the short story and then comment?

 

[:kaz.n:]

does this need to be spelling/gramatically correct?? like do they mark it or even consider it as they read ure mw?

 

[jhakka]

does this need to be spelling/gramatically correct?? like do they mark it or even consider it as they read ure mw?

Helps if you read what was posted:

Anyways, the journal is pretty much everything stated above: a record of your process. It doesn't get marked. It might get looked at if the marker is interested, and will get looked at if they think something doesn't quite add up (as in, they feel you didn't actually write your work yourself).

 

[glitterfairy]

would u stick in short stories u've read, and then comment on them.or do u just write the title/author/summary of the short story and then comment?

For most of last year, I followed "The Three R's" method: Read, Review, and Reflect.

It went something like this:

READ: The Angsty One, by Josephine Blank

REVIEW: This short story explored the notion of ______. Of great notice was the use of _____ (you get the idea - I used to write a few paragraphs on it. Sort of like a short essay thing that's there only because the board wants it to be there).

REFLECT: The thing I liked about this story was the way it used ____ . I'm thinking that if I can twist it slightly, it would work very well in my story for when ____ meets with ____ ... (more personal, and reflective with how it influences your major mark and how. This part normally can take anywhere from a paragraph to several pages or more, depending on the individual).