TYMTRS-Discourse in typeface design

Module Provider: Typography
Number of credits: 40 [20 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring / Summer module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Prof Gerry Leonidas
Email: g.leonidas@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

The module aims to explore typeface design at the intersection of type-making and typesetting technologies, user requirements, and the development of genre and style in typography. It introduces students to a range of key texts on aspects of typeface design, and utilises the perspectives of the authors to reveal different approaches at describing design decisions in typeface design. The texts are selected from the perspective of developing a reference literature for an emerging discipline.

Aims:

The module aims to explore typeface design at the intersection of type-making and typesetting technologies, user requirements, and the development of genre and style in typography. It introduces students to a range of key texts on aspects of typeface design, and utilises the perspectives of the authors to reveal different approaches at describing design decisions in typeface design. The texts are selected from the perspective of developing a reference literature for an emerging discipline.

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the module students should be able to:

• identify key strands of thinking in typeface design


• explain and critique arguments in key texts


• critically evaluate competing interpretations, policies, and practices


• search, ?nd and analyse relevant information sources


• articulate their arguments effectively in writing

Additional outcomes:

By the end of the module students should have further developed their skills in writing succinctly, and under a tight schedule. They should be able to undertake independent research, both using IT and by working with primary and secondary sources. They should also gain experience in time management and handling numerous tasks in parallel.

Outline content:

The module is structured around a series of online seminars and collaborative contributions. The seminars are focused around nine themes central to the discipline. Students study key texts in each theme as starting points for discussions taking place online through written contributions. These are guided and moderated by staff. The student contributions are geared towards generating a collaborative knowledge base for each theme.Ìý Students submit essays on

The themes are:

• The relationship of lettering, calligraphy, and epigraphy to type


• Historical models for explaining the forms of letters


• The typographic context for typeface design


• Typesetting and typemaking technologies


• Modularisation and hybridisation in type design


• Writing and script analysis in World scripts


• Models and Instances in typeface design


• Scale effects and rendering


• Genre and identity in typeface design


• Discourse in typeface design

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Students are given a text-based introduction to each of a series of topics, and selected texts to read. Using the University’ Virtual Learning Environment, staff outline the key issues for each topic, and moderate the online forum for each topic. The collaborative contributions are asynchronous, and progress from one topic to the next. The work remains on a shared online space, visible but locked, after the discussion period is over, as a reference. The online contributions are limited in time, each theme spanning three weeks, with one week at the end of term reserved for feedback. Following this time-limited discussion for each topic, students submit essays on a topic selected from those covered in the term.

Contact hours:

Ìý	Autumn	Spring	Summer
External visits	40	40	40
Guided independent study:	100	90	90
Ìý	Ìý	Ìý	Ìý
Total hours by term	140	130	130
Ìý	Ìý	Ìý	Ìý
Total hours for module	400

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	100

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Coursework

Three essays of 3000 words each on an agreed subject relating to the topics discussed in the online seminars.

Relative percentage of coursework: 100%

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy 'Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes', which can be found here: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf
The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

A mark of 50%

Reassessment arrangements:

Resubmission of one or more essays.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books: None

2) Specialist equipment or materials: None

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear: None

4) Printing and binding: None

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification: None

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence: None

Ìý

Last updated: 30 March 2023