Narrating the Everyday: The History and Practice of Keeping a Diary



Overview

Investigate the development and value of the diary to inform us of daily life throughout history.

From its roots in ancient Egyptian logbooks to the first personal records kept by 10th-century Japanese women, from Muslim student Atiya Fyzee’s impressions of 1900s London to Dorothy Wordsworth’s forays abroad, from Pepys watching London burn to Sedaris’s encounters on daily walks, the diary offers individual glimpses into social and cultural history.

We’ll draw on record-keeping techniques used by the diarists we study to develop our own skills.

Students are encouraged to share work in class. One session (weather permitting) will take the form of a diarist’s walk through Oxford, honing observation skills and writing in situ.

Suitable for writers at all stages keen to develop a deeper understanding and practice of the diary form.

This course is part of the Oxford University Summer School for Adults (OUSSA) programme.

Programme details

Seminars

Participants are taught in small seminar groups of up to 10 students, and receive two one-on-one tutorials with their tutor.

Sunday

Seminar 1: An overview of the evolution of the diary form. Practical introduction to core writing skills for vivid record keeping.

Seminar 2: Exploring Awe and Wonder – awareness of the remarkable in daily life–Sei Shonagon, Wordsworth and Sedaris

Monday

Seminar 3: Writing session – awe and wonder in the everyday. If weather permits, this session may take the form of a writer’s walk.

Seminar 4: The Value of the Individual Voice - Comparing authorised versions of history with personal accounts of the same events. Pepys and others. Writing exercise: ‘behind the scenes’ or ‘I was there’ – techniques for creating immediacy.

Tuesday

Seminar 5: Workshopping pieces from ‘awe’ and ‘behind the scenes’ and ‘I was there’ writing sessions.

Seminar 6: Observing Others at work and play – cultural, social and habitual differences. Extracts from Wordsworth, Sedaris, Shonagon & Fyzee.

Wednesday

Seminar 7: Exploring Awe and Wonder – awareness of the remarkable in daily life–Sei Shonagon, Wordsworth and Sedaris

Seminar 8: Workshop: Writing on Others.  Techniques for describing and shaping detail.

Thursday

Seminar 9: The Shock of the New – capturing historical firsts: Pepys, Fyzee and others

Seminar 10: Workshop on creating vivid accounts of a contemporary innovation or moment in history.

Friday

Seminar 11: The Diarist’s Voice: Neutrality and Bias. We explore the values, advantages and disadvantages of the neutral and biased narration: Wordsworth, Fyzee, Sedaris, Shonagon.

Seminar 12: Workshop on developing neutral and biased voice.

Programme timetable

The daily timetable will normally be as follows:

Saturday

14.00–16.30 - Registration

16.30–17.00 - Orientation meeting

17.00–17.30 - Classroom orientation for tutor and students

17.30–18.00 - Drinks reception

18.00–20.00 - Welcome dinner

Sunday – Friday

09.00–10.30 - Seminar

10.30–11.00 - Tea/coffee break

11.00–12.30 - Seminar

12.30–13.30 - Lunch

13.30–18.00 - Afternoons are free for tutorials, individual study, course-related field trips or exploring the many places of interest in and around Oxford.

18.00–19.00 - Dinner (there is a formal gala dinner every Friday to close each week of the programme).

A range of optional social events will be offered throughout the summer school. These are likely to include: a quiz night, visit to historic pubs in Oxford, visit to Christ Church for Evensong and after-dinner talks and discussions.

Fees

Description Costs
Fee Option 1 (Single en suite - inc. Tuition and Meals) £2050.00
Fee Option 2 (Double en suite - inc. Tuition and Meals) 1 person £2100.00
Fee Option 3 (Twin en suite - inc. Tuition and Meals) per person £1680.00
Fee Option 4 (No Accommodation - inc. Tuition, Lunch & Dinner) £1250.00

Funding

Concessionary rates are available on a non-residential basis for those that qualify, more information can be found here.

Unfortunately we do not offer any specific scholarships or funding opportunities for OUSSA programme, but you can visit our departmental funding webpage, where you may be able to find a particular source of funding that matches your requirements alongside meeting the funding criteria.

Payment

All fees are charged on a per week, per person basis.

Please be aware that all payments made via non-UK credit/debit cards and bank accounts are subject to the exchange rate on the day they are processed.

Tuition and meals are included in the programme fee, with both residential and non-residential options available.

Course change administration fee: Please note that course transfers may be permitted in exceptional circumstances; however, in accordance with our Terms and Conditions, an administration fee of £50 will be charged.

Payment terms

  • If enrolling online: full payment by credit/debit card at the time of booking
  • If submitting an application form: full payment online by credit/debit card or via bank transfer within 30 days of invoice date

Cancellations and Refunds

1. Cancellation by you

Participants who wish to cancel must inform the Programme Administrator in writing: by email to oussa@conted.ox.ac.uk or by post to OUSSA, OUDCE, 1 Wellington Square, OXFORD, OX1 2JA, UK.

The following cancellation and refund policy applies in all cases:

  • Cancellation within 14 days of online enrolment / payment of fees – full refund of all fees paid.
  • Cancellations received up to and including 30 April 2025 – OUDCE will retain an administration fee of £100 per week booked; all other fees paid will be refunded.
  • Cancellations received between 1-31 May 2025 – OUDCE will retain 60% of the fees paid; the remaining 40% of fees paid will be refunded.
  • Cancellations received on and after 1 June 2025 - no refunds will be made.

2. Cancellation by us

Where there is good reason, OUDCE reserves the right to cancel a course by giving you notice in writing at any time before the course is due to start. In these cases, we will endeavour to offer a transfer to another available course if practical and acceptable to you, subject to payment or refund of any difference in the course fees. Alternatively, we will refund the course fees that you have already paid. If we cancel a course, our liability is limited to the fees that we have received from you; this means that we will not compensate you for any pre-booked travel costs or any other expenses incurred. The status of this course will be reviewed on 1 May 2025. If it is likely that the course may be cancelled, anyone affected will be notified by email within 7 days; if you have not heard from OUDCE by 8 May 2025, you should assume that your course will be running. You may wish to delay finalising your travel arrangements until after this date.

OUDCE reserves the right to cancel a course at short notice in exceptional circumstances that would prevent the course from being delivered e.g. tutor illness. In these rare instances, we will notify you as soon as possible and arrange a transfer to another available Oxford Experience course. If we cancel a course, our liability is limited to the fees that we have received from you; this means that we will not compensate you for any pre-booked travel costs or any other expenses incurred.

Where course fees have been paid in currencies other than pounds sterling, refunds will be subject to the exchange rate on the day they are processed.

3. Travel insurance 

The Department cannot be held responsible for any costs you may incur in relation to travel or accommodation bookings as a result of a course cancellation, or if you are unable to attend the course for any other reason. You are advised to check cancellation policies carefully and to purchase travel insurance.

Tutor

Ms Susannah Rickards

Tutor

Susannah Rickards has won multiple national and international awards for her short fiction. She has over twenty years’ experience teaching and mentoring writers from beginners to NYT bestsellers and has taught for Oxford University since 2019.

Course aims

This course aims to enable writers to identify different approaches to recording everyday life, evaluate their effectiveness and improve their own record-keeping in diary form.

Teaching methods

The teaching methods used during this course may include:

  • Short lectures/presentations
  • Physical handouts
  • Seminars/group discussions

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be expected to understand:

  • The value of narrating everyday events from an individual perspective as companion pieces to authorised histories.
  • The difference between writing neutrally and writing with bias, and the value of both
  • How to capture a moment using minimal and precise sensory detail
  • How to analyse a diary entry for content, bias, accuracy, impact
  • How to shape a diary entry to create a satisfactory, engaging and accurate record of the everyday.

Assessment methods

Participants are required to undertake preparatory reading and complete a pre-course assignment of 1,500 words. Although this does not count towards credit, it is seen as an important way of developing your ideas and is mandatory. The pre-course assignment is typically due in the first week of June.

You will be assessed during the summer school by either a 1,000 word written assignment or a presentation supported by individual documentation. To successfully gain credit (10 CATS points) students should attend all classes and complete the on-course assignment. Participants will attend two one-on-one tutorials with their tutor during the week.

OUSSA is an accredited summer school taught at undergraduate level; each one-week course carries 10 CATS (Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme) points at FHEQ (Framework for Higher Education Qualification) Level 4. Learn more about CATS points.

Certificate of Higher Education

Credit earned from OUSSA can be transferred towards our flexible Certificate of Higher Education.

Study when and where it suits you by gaining credit from short courses, including short online courses, weekly classes and OUSSA, and build your way to an Oxford University award. This part-time undergraduate programme lasts between two and four years depending on how intensively you want to study.  

Find out more about the Certificate of Higher Education.

Application

Most courses fill quickly so early registration is strongly recommended. If your preferred course is fully booked, you may wish to add yourself to the waiting list and the Programme Administrator will contact you should a place become available.

Please note, the programme is only open to those over the age of 18.

Single accommodation, double room for 1 person and non-residential places may be booked online by clicking on the “Book now” button in the “Course details” box at the top right-hand side of the course page.

Those requiring twin, double or accessible accommodation should complete an enrolment form as these rooms cannot be booked online. Please send the completed enrolment form to the email address below. Both the PDF and Word option of the form below are editable, so you can complete them online before saving and sending to us as an email attachment. You do not need to print and scan them. (Please use these forms only if you are making a twin or double booking for two people.)

Online enrolments require payment in full at the time of registering.

Those who do not wish to register online or who have specific requirements (eg an accessible bedroom) should contact the Programme Administrator directly at oussa@conted.ox.ac.uk or OUSSA, OUDCE, 1 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JA, UK.

Accommodation

More information about our accommodation can be found here.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support