Run by School of Arts, Culture and Language

20.000 Credits or 10.000 ECTS Credits

Semester 2

Organiser: Dr Eben Muse

Students develop knowledge of how publishing workflows and the industry have adapted to the innovations that have disrupted the industry so thoroughly that many pundits predict its demise. Innovative publishing models and products will be viewed through t​he prisms of culture and industry to understand the implications of the changes to authors, publishers, designers, readers and society. On the module you will prepare yourself for engaging with the 21st century publishing industry as independent author, independent publisher, or as a professional working within an established publishing house. During the semester you will investigate the nature and impact of digital publishing and digitally published materials, looking at the range, type and style of e-published materials and the consequent evolution of the book. You will grapple with the Textual, creative, cultural and technological issues of innovative publishing and discover how cultural norms and assumptions influence e-publishing choice and readership. You will engage through practice, creating a digital text and a publishing strategy to accompany it.

Most innovations allow us to simply improve the way we do things. Some, however, disrupt entire industries by creating new products or services that compete with tradition. Publishers first saw eBooks as an enhancement to their standard product, but soon discovered that they were disrupting the entire industry, forcing wholesale rethinking of publishing. This module will look at the relationship between publishing and innovation, and the ways that publishing has often been in the forefront of technological change. It will also evaluate the impact that "disruptive innovation" has had on the book trade. We will make practical use of technology to develop a digital book product of your own design, and identify the practical options for publishing, marketing and monetizing that digital book.

threshold

50-59% A Pass (C) candidate’s work will show many of the following qualities: • A satisfactory level of knowledge, analysis and expression. • Some familiarity with, and understanding of, relevant theoretical issues. • Generally sound organisation of argument, with some critical ability. • Accurate expression. • Competent use of quotation and references.

excellent

70% and above Typically (A), the work of a candidate reaching Distinction will show many of the following qualities: • Thorough knowledge and understanding of relevant theories and types of analysis. • Thorough knowledge of a range of sources and the capacity to engage these critically. • Introduction and discussion of original ideas. • Relevant, well-organised and sophisticated argument. • High ratio of analysis to exposition. • Maturity, clarity and cogency of expression. • Excellent handling of quotation and references.

good

60-69% A (B) candidate’s work reaching Merit will show many of the following qualities: • An advanced level of factual knowledge. • Significant [substantial] knowledge of relevant theories and types of analysis. • Some evidence of original thought. • The ability to organise and argue effectively, make balanced judgements, and demonstrate critical thought. • Fluent and accurate expression. • Competent use of quotation and references.

1. Design and build an eBook that conforms to relevant industry and technical standards

2. Critically assess the place of digital texts in the market and the value propositions they provide.

3. Critical understanding of the impact that digital publishing technologies have on copyright, access rights and ownership.

4. Differentiate between the disruptive and adaptive innovations and assess their relative impacts within the publishing field.

5. Evaluate and apply digital production standards, practices and technologies in publishing a digital product

Type	Name	Description	Weight
REPORT	Publication strategy	Develop a publication and market strategy for the eBook that was produced.	20.00
LOGBOOK OR PORTFOLIO	Reflective journal	Production journal critically reflecting on design choices, the factors influencing those choices, and the developing design of the eBook.	80.00

		Hours
Workshop	Bi-weekly, 2-hour workshop developing digital media practice	10
Lecture	Weekly 2-hour lecture/Seminar introducing concepts and practices	22
Private study		168

• Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
• Numeracy - Proficiency in using numbers at appropriate levels of accuracy
• Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
• Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
• Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
• Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
• Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
• Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
• Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
• Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
• Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others

• The ability to organise and present ideas within the framework of a structured and reasoned argument in written and/or oral assignments and class discussions. (Benchmark statement 5.14)
• Critical skills in the close reading, description, reasoning and analysis of primary and secondary sources in the target language and/or English or Welsh (incl. filmic, literary and other sources). (Benchmark statement 5.13, 5.14, 5.15)
• Competence in the planning and execution of essays, presentations and other written and project work; bibliographic skills, including the accurate citation of sources and consistent use of conventions and appropriate style in the presentation of scholarly work. (Benchmark statement 5.10, 5.14, 5.15)
• The ability to gather information, analyse, interpret and discuss different viewpoints and to place these in a wider socio-cultural and/or geo-historical and political and/or socio-linguistic context and to revise and re-evaluate judgements in light of those of the course leader, certain individuals or groups studied and/or fellow students. (Benchmark statement 5.13, 5.15 and 5.16)
• The ability to write and think under pressure and meet deadlines. (Benchmark statement 5.15)
• The ability to write effective notes and access and manage course materials including electronic resources / information provided on online learning platforms and library resources. (Benchmark statement 5.15, 5.16)
• The ability to work creatively and flexibly both independently and/or as part of a team. (Benchmark statement 5.15).
• The ability to comprehend, critically engage with and apply relevant theoretical concepts to materials being studied. (Benchmark statement 5.10)
• The ability to engage in analytical, evaluative and original thinking. (Benchmark statement 5.14)
• The ability to organise and present ideas and arguments in presentations, classroom discussions and debates. (Benchmark statement 5.14, 5.16)
• The ability to develop and manage an independent research project in English/Welsh. (Benchmark statement 5.10, 5.15, 5.16)
• The ability to develop and manage an independent research project in the target language. (Benchmark statement 5.3, 5.4, 5.10, 5.15, 5.16)

Resource implications for students

There are no special resource implications. However, students are encouraged to purchase the core texts.

Talis Reading list

http://readinglists.bangor.ac.uk/modules/qxe-4054.html

Reading list

Core texts

Christensen, C. M. (2015). The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail. Harvard Business Review Press.

Hall, F. (2013). The Business of Digital Publishing: An Introduction to the Digital Book and Journal Industries. Routledge.

Garrish, M., & Gylling, M. (2013). EPUB 3 Best Practices: Optimize Your Digital Books (1 edition). Tools of Change.

Wider reading

Henkel, G. (2014). Zen of eBook Formatting: A Step-by-step Guide To Format eBooks for Kindle and EPUB. Thunder Peak Publishing.

Phillips, A. (2014). Turning the Page: The Evolution of the Book. London ; New York: Routledge.

Rife, M. C. (2013). Invention, copyright, and digital writing. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.

Squires, C. (2007). Marketing literature: the making of contemporary writing in Britain. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Compulsory in courses:

• Q3RS: MA Publishing and Book Culture year 1 (MA/PBC)