Students

CHN 341 – Chinese Capstone Unit

2015 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Lan Zhang
Contact via lan.zhang@mq.edu.au
W6A232
TBA
Tutor
Daniel Lee
W6A230
TBA
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
CHN340 or CHN361
Corequisites Corequisites
CHN321 or CHN362
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This is a capstone unit designed for both background and non-background students who are doing a major in Chinese. The unit involves intensive and extensive reading of Chinese texts, classical and modern, intended to develop students' understanding of the different genres and cultural elements of the Chinese representative literature texts. Students will also develop analytical and translation skills through guided readings.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • To develop enhanced competence in the basic features of modern and classical Chinese syntax, words use and grammar
  • To be familiar with many of the grammars used in modern and classical Chinese
  • To improve understanding of the key concepts in the representative works of modern and classical Chinese texts through translation exercises and guided readings
  • To show capacity for analytical and critical thinking as well as appreciation of, and respect for cultural diversities
  • Be able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Class participation/discussion 10% Weeks1-12
Presentation 20% Weeks 4-12
Folio 50% Week12
In class writing test 20% Week 13

Class participation/discussion

Due: Weeks1-12
Weighting: 10%

Class participation/discussion

Due Date: Weeks1-12 Weight: 10%

Participation will be marked on attendance, willingness to participate in class discussion, preparation and performance of reading and responding to questions. Students are expected to be well prepared in order to participate in class discussion – this will ensure good use of class time as well as improving your learning skills and sharing your knowledge with others.Class attendance and participation is expected and will be part of the assessment. This means you not only come and sign in the class but come well prepared and participate in class discussion. You need to read the assigned reading material and think about the topics and share your thought with others. Your marks for class attendance and performance will be determined by

a)    Whether you attend class regularly or not; b)    How much effort you have taken to prepare for the class; c)    How actively you participate in class discussion; and d)    How helpful your comments are on the work of our fellow students.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • To develop enhanced competence in the basic features of modern and classical Chinese syntax, words use and grammar
  • To be familiar with many of the grammars used in modern and classical Chinese
  • To improve understanding of the key concepts in the representative works of modern and classical Chinese texts through translation exercises and guided readings
  • To show capacity for analytical and critical thinking as well as appreciation of, and respect for cultural diversities
  • Be able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas

Presentation

Due: Weeks 4-12
Weighting: 20%

There will be one presentation.  In the beginning of the semester, you will be asked to choose a tutorial topic.  You are expected to lead a discussion on your chosen topic for that week. Your oral presentation is expected to be 15 minutes in length.  You have to finish your presentation within the time limit or marks will be deducted. You should be prepared for the rest of the class to raise questions.  You will need to prepare a 2 page report which needs to be posted on the iLearn in the discussion forum 2 days before the actual presentation. 

In preparing to lead discussion, you may wish to consider the following questions: 

1)      What are your trying to tell the audience? 

2)      Why what you are doing is important and how does it improve our understanding of Chinese text/culture? 

3)      What evidence is marshalled to support the author’s argument? 

4)      Do you agree/disagree with the arguments put forward in the readings? 

5)      What did you find most interesting about the topic or the reading? 

6)      How does this discussion contribute to your understanding/knowledge of Chinese culture? 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • To develop enhanced competence in the basic features of modern and classical Chinese syntax, words use and grammar
  • To be familiar with many of the grammars used in modern and classical Chinese
  • To improve understanding of the key concepts in the representative works of modern and classical Chinese texts through translation exercises and guided readings
  • To show capacity for analytical and critical thinking as well as appreciation of, and respect for cultural diversities
  • Be able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas

Folio

Due: Week12
Weighting: 50%

Porfolio: you will present a porfolio of the work you have done during this course. It will contain your translations and literature review on 5 chosen topics from Chinese literature/texts (eg., early texts, prose/poetry, modern literature, film) (4 pages for each including translations and reviews), compiled from various sources, both reference books and web based. All sources need to be meticulously referenced.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • To develop enhanced competence in the basic features of modern and classical Chinese syntax, words use and grammar
  • To be familiar with many of the grammars used in modern and classical Chinese
  • To improve understanding of the key concepts in the representative works of modern and classical Chinese texts through translation exercises and guided readings
  • To show capacity for analytical and critical thinking as well as appreciation of, and respect for cultural diversities
  • Be able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas

In class writing test

Due: Week 13
Weighting: 20%

In week 13 you will be given a test (1.5 hours) based on the readings similar to those covered in the class. You will be translating the texts and answer some questions regarding to the readings.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • To develop enhanced competence in the basic features of modern and classical Chinese syntax, words use and grammar
  • To be familiar with many of the grammars used in modern and classical Chinese
  • To improve understanding of the key concepts in the representative works of modern and classical Chinese texts through translation exercises and guided readings
  • To show capacity for analytical and critical thinking as well as appreciation of, and respect for cultural diversities
  • Be able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas

Delivery and Resources

 Students are encouraged to attend all classes and tutorials are compulsory with tutorial discussion strongly emphasizing student engagement. To benefit the most from the course, students are required to be active, responsible participants in their own learning, and to develop indpendent analytical and research skills in Chinese culture and society by reading and analysing both Chinese and English sources which should not be confined to the recommended reading list. Students should complete assessments on time by following instructions. Students should check iLearn regularly http://ilearn.mq.edu.au/my/under the unit concerned, for announcements and resource information posted by the convenor.

 

This course is a broad introduction to Chinese literature and culture, from the earliest times to the present. Texts will be studied in Chinese, in translation, and sometimes in several translations. Students will be encouraged to pursue their own interests through choice of presentations,  annotated translations and folios. The website Chinese text project http://ctext.org/ is extremely useful and you are encouraged to consult this site for the early texts as well as English translations of the texts although you should assess other sources for the same purposes. This is a 300 level unit and requires a considerable amount of private reading, either original works, histories of literature and web resources. This course is meant to round out your Chinese studies at university. You will learn about the major works, major authors and major translations and translators. Attention is also given to Western authors of translation of literary works based in the Chinese literary tradition, and modern Chinese writers writing about China.

 

 

 

 

Unit Schedule

 

Lecture

Tutorial readings

/discussions

Assessment

Week 1

  

 Introduction

Early Chinese Literature and Chinese culture; The Book of Songs

 

 

de Bary: Sources of Chinese Tradition. Burton Watson

Class participation/discussion

Week 2

Confucianism and the Four Books: the Analects

Graham,The Disputors of Dao,

Standard English translations and commentaries, James Legge, D. C. Lau 

 

Class participation/discussion

Week 3

Confucianism and the Four Books: the Works of Mencius

Graham,The Disputors of Dao,

Standard English translations and commentaries, James Legge, D. C. Lau 

 

 

Class participation/discussion

Week 4

 

Confucianism and the Four Books: the Great Learning

 

Standard English translations and commentaries, James Legge

 

 

 

Class participation/discussion

Presentation

Week 5

 

 

 

Confucianism and the Four Books: the Doctrine of the Mean

 

 

 

 

Standard English translations and commentaries, James Legge

Class participation/discussion

Presentation

Week 6

Daoism and the Laozi

Graham, The Disputors of Dao,

Standard English translations and commentaries

 

 

 

Class participation/discussion

Presentation

Week 7

Daoism and the Zhuangzi and Chinese Culture

Graham, The Disputors of Dao, Standard English translations and commentaries

Class participation/discussion

Presentation

Essay draft due this Friday

Week 8

Xunzi, Han Feizi.

Stand English translations and commentaries

Ppresentation ,Class participation/discussion

Week 9

The Tang Poetry

 

Standard English translations

Wang Wei: nature poems. Li Bai and Daoist influence;

Du Fu, the serious Confucian.

 

 

 

Class participation/discussion

Presentation

Week 10

The Ming Qing Fictions I

Examples and English translations

 

Presentation

Class participation/discussion

Week 11

Modern Chinese literature/film and Chinese society

 

 

Examples and English translations and critics

 

Presentation

Class participation/discussion

Week 12

Modern Chinese literature/film and Chinese society

 

Examples and English translations and critics 

Class participation/discussion

Folio due this Friday

Presentation

Week 13

Revision and in-class test

 

Feedback/evaluation and class test

 Class participation/discussion

In class test this week

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy  http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Assignments are compulsory and must be submitted on time. As a general rule, extensions will not be granted without a valid and documented reason (e.g. medical certificate). Late submissions will be penalised by 5% for each day (including weekends) the assignment task is late. No assignments will be accepted after assignments have been corrected and feedback has been provided. Assignment tasks handed in early will not be marked and returned before the due date.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • To develop enhanced competence in the basic features of modern and classical Chinese syntax, words use and grammar
  • To improve understanding of the key concepts in the representative works of modern and classical Chinese texts through translation exercises and guided readings
  • To show capacity for analytical and critical thinking as well as appreciation of, and respect for cultural diversities
  • Be able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas

Assessment tasks

  • Class participation/discussion
  • Presentation
  • Folio
  • In class writing test

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • To improve understanding of the key concepts in the representative works of modern and classical Chinese texts through translation exercises and guided readings
  • To show capacity for analytical and critical thinking as well as appreciation of, and respect for cultural diversities
  • Be able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas

Assessment tasks

  • Class participation/discussion
  • Presentation
  • Folio
  • In class writing test

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • To develop enhanced competence in the basic features of modern and classical Chinese syntax, words use and grammar
  • To be familiar with many of the grammars used in modern and classical Chinese
  • To improve understanding of the key concepts in the representative works of modern and classical Chinese texts through translation exercises and guided readings
  • To show capacity for analytical and critical thinking as well as appreciation of, and respect for cultural diversities
  • Be able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas

Assessment tasks

  • Class participation/discussion
  • Presentation
  • Folio

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • To develop enhanced competence in the basic features of modern and classical Chinese syntax, words use and grammar
  • To be familiar with many of the grammars used in modern and classical Chinese
  • To improve understanding of the key concepts in the representative works of modern and classical Chinese texts through translation exercises and guided readings
  • To show capacity for analytical and critical thinking as well as appreciation of, and respect for cultural diversities
  • Be able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas

Assessment tasks

  • Class participation/discussion
  • Presentation
  • Folio
  • In class writing test

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • To develop enhanced competence in the basic features of modern and classical Chinese syntax, words use and grammar
  • To be familiar with many of the grammars used in modern and classical Chinese
  • To improve understanding of the key concepts in the representative works of modern and classical Chinese texts through translation exercises and guided readings
  • To show capacity for analytical and critical thinking as well as appreciation of, and respect for cultural diversities
  • Be able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas

Assessment tasks

  • Class participation/discussion
  • Presentation
  • Folio
  • In class writing test

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • To develop enhanced competence in the basic features of modern and classical Chinese syntax, words use and grammar
  • To be familiar with many of the grammars used in modern and classical Chinese
  • To improve understanding of the key concepts in the representative works of modern and classical Chinese texts through translation exercises and guided readings
  • To show capacity for analytical and critical thinking as well as appreciation of, and respect for cultural diversities
  • Be able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas

Assessment tasks

  • Class participation/discussion
  • Presentation
  • Folio
  • In class writing test

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • To develop enhanced competence in the basic features of modern and classical Chinese syntax, words use and grammar
  • To be familiar with many of the grammars used in modern and classical Chinese
  • To improve understanding of the key concepts in the representative works of modern and classical Chinese texts through translation exercises and guided readings
  • To show capacity for analytical and critical thinking as well as appreciation of, and respect for cultural diversities
  • Be able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas

Assessment tasks

  • Class participation/discussion
  • Presentation
  • Folio
  • In class writing test

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • To improve understanding of the key concepts in the representative works of modern and classical Chinese texts through translation exercises and guided readings
  • To show capacity for analytical and critical thinking as well as appreciation of, and respect for cultural diversities
  • Be able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas

Assessment tasks

  • Class participation/discussion
  • Presentation
  • Folio

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • To show capacity for analytical and critical thinking as well as appreciation of, and respect for cultural diversities
  • Be able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas

Assessment tasks

  • Class participation/discussion
  • Presentation
  • Folio