Apocalyptic Cultures

Taught by: Dr Yew Kong Leong

Reviews

AY 22/23, Sem 1

Content (Structure/Organization): -

The sequence of content was logically organised. Prof had a clearly defined set of content to teach us every lesson, and her writing lessons were clearly linked to our readings. 

However, insights about readings were very student-dependent, as she encouraged us using guiding questions to come up with our own interpretations about class materials. 

Accessibility: 4

Prof Leung took time to explain concepts to us (eg: the economic concept of supply and demand, utilitarianism, Marxism) and correct common misconceptions, which I really appreciated. I think that helped us to have a basic understanding of the module content, although students without background may struggle at the start since the concepts are not always the easiest to understand. 

Manageability of Workload: 2

Class time - about 4h (rounded up)

Readings - 2-3h every week

Assignments - depends on weightage. I finished one assignment (the least intensive one) in 2h, but for another, I spent an average of 4-6h on it every day (in the week leading up to the deadline) to complete it because of the amount of research needed.

Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:

I feel that your grade will depend on your individual writing style, the amount of effort you put in, and whether you are able to come up with fresh insights in your paper. 

Prof likes students who write clearly and logically, with a certain flow in mind. She also gives extra credit to students who can demonstrate clear knowledge about their paper subject matter, because they have done their due diligence in research. She isn’t too focused on vocabulary (so there’s no need for flowery language), rather, she’s focused on clarity of thought.

Though Prof is generally on the stricter side, I think that if you have an interest in this module, and if you are willing to put in the hard work required for assignments, this shouldn’t be a deterring factor :-)

Learning Value/Recommendation: 5

I’ve gained lots of insight into the module content, and picked up invaluable writing skills that will serve as my writing foundation in university. I’m very grateful to Prof for giving her students more confidence to speak up in class too!

About the Instructor:

Prof Leung is really knowledgeable and is always happy to share further insights with us if we approach her after class with questions. 

She encourages lots of collaboration in class through class discussions and peer reviews, and she makes her classroom a safe space for us to share our thoughts with others and to disagree respectfully.

AY 21/22, Sem 1

Content (Structure/Organization): -

The module has 4 different submissions: 3 individual essays (Research Proposal, Opinion Article and Final Paper) and 1 group editorial. In general, the tasks are well-defined and it is possible to understand the main goals of each essay clearly. The topics of your essays are not defined, and hence, as long as it is in relation to apocalyptic fiction, any topic under the sun is acceptable. The deadlines are also well spaced out, and Prof Yew is more than happy to offer deadline extensions should you need it. The aims of the modules are very clear: How to write a cohesive research paper and analyze a piece of text in reference to the society of the texts writing. Prof Yew also places a heavy emphasis on clarity and structure, allowing you to understand how the text would be interpreted from the viewpoint of a reader. 

Accessibility: 5

The module uses the topic of apocalyptic fiction and how it relates to our current world and society. Most of the readings and topics covered during lessons are very easy to digest as Prof Yew uses modern texts and movies to highlight these points, with most of the texts shown being from pop culture itself. Hence, it is very identifiable and the texts are very easy to understand and access. It is possible to easily read though a paper and identify the main points without much background knowledge. 

Manageability of Workload: 3

As mentioned above, there a total of 4 submissions in the module. However, prof Yew also assigns weekly readings, which can range from a few pages of an article to entire chapters of a book. He also has regular forum posts which assist in crafting the essays for your final submissions. Hence, the module might seem very intensive at certain periods (especially when you are working between modules with heavier readings as well). However, in general the readings and homework are not very intensive, and Prof Yew does not grade you on the homework itself. The homework can also be done concurrently with your final submissions as they are designed to be integrated with the final submission as well. Hence, overall the workload is more manageable than it looks outwardly. 

Presence of Technical Learning

The module has very little hard technical skills, but is more focused on analytical and writing skills. The readings by Prof Yew has a heavy emphasis on ensuring each statement of your text has a clear purpose, and on understanding how each point helps contribute to the paper's thesis at large. Hence, it is really useful for those who would like to gain a better skillset in analysing and understanding research papers, and in better learning to structure one's own articles. 

Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:

Prof Yew is relatively generous with his grades, and it is generally easier to get a B+ or A- in this module compared to what I have heard from other modules. However, the grading might not necessarily be proportional to your efforts, as I had gotten the same grade for a paper I wrote overnight and a paper that was written in a span of 2 weeks. Prof Yew generally focuses on the clarity of your points and structure more than the content itself, so it would be easier to get a better grade by focusing on these aspects. 

Learning Value/Recommendation: 5

Overall, as a person who enjoys pop culture, this module was really useful in linking fiction to reality while enhancing my writing and critical thinking. The module was able to allow me to better understand what are the aspects of a good paper and link it to a topic of my interest. The freedom of choosing your own topic allowed me to further explore what I am interested in. Overall, I really enjoyed the module and would highly recommend it should it be able to fit into your timetable! 

About the Instructor:

Prof Yew is a very kind and engaging teacher who really does his best to make lessons as engaging as possible. He is passionate about the topic and very clear in his expectations, and is willing to offer additional consults after lessons or outside lesson hours. He is also very understanding of his students and will be willing to move deadlines should it be required. 

AY 21/22, Sem 1

Content (Structure/Organization): -

Prof Yew uses an external portal where he will disseminate information a few days / a week before the actual lecture. So, we are able to access the learning outcomes & the reading materials in advance. On certain lessons, he prefer teaching through discussion based on the reading materials. While others could be group works or small assignments done in class. One key thing to note about this module is that there are 3 compulsory film screenings that take place throughout the semester, which mainly cover the different apocalyptic cultures. 

Accessibility: 4

As a Science student who’s not a big fan of writing research papers, the module is highly accessible as it is very flexible in terms of the chosen texts. (movies/films/books) There is no hard & fast rule behind writing a research paper, but of course, there is a need to grasp the fundamental structure of a good essay outline. 

Manageability of Workload: 3

Personally, the pre-lecture materials will be good to read up in advance if you have the time because the lesson flow is highly dependent on discussions. However, I do know some of my friends who do well in class participation even without reading the materials beforehand. So, it’s still possible to just forego the reading materials. One of the assignments in this module is the Group Editorial Work - where your group is required to edit and publish a blogpost featuring your opinion articles. This assignment drags on for quite some time even after final week! So, I would say it’s one of the longest WCT (Editor's note: WCT has changed to NTW) module to officially complete its syllabus. 

Presence of Technical Learning

I think there is not much technical skills involve but it might be good to be well equipped about the different apocalyptic cultures. More specifically, the ones you are intending to write about. It’s also good if you have strong interest in apocalyptic movies or books! It makes the writing module more fun :) 

Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:

I think an A is achievable if you put in immense amount of effort and that improvement throughout your drafts is distinct. IMO, the prof is generally more liberal in handing out good grades because my peers who are in the same module have an average of B+ and above. 

Learning Value/Recommendation: 3

To be very honest, you wouldn’t see people asking you about apocalyptic cultures outside. So I would say the usefulness of the module is a little underwhelming, but then it helps to shape my skills behind writing a research paper. At least the basics lol. 

About the Instructor:

The Prof is very knowledgeable in the module content and knows exactly what he’s teaching. Despite so, considering that he has 20+ over students, you can’t expect him to remember every single student’s writing. So, just be patient and expect to explain yourself whenever you consult him all over again. But in general, Prof Yew is super understanding and very encouraging. This is my first USP module I have taken so far, and the experience has been pleasing because of the Prof’s attitude towards the students!