Students

ENGL875 – Literature and Writing in Professional Contexts

2017 – S1 External

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Victoria Flanagan
Contact via 9850 6804
W6A 627
By appointment. Happy to receive emails.
Unit Convenor
Jane Messer
Contact via 98508738
W6A 632
By appointment. Happy to receive emails.
Credit points Credit points
4
Prerequisites Prerequisites
16cp from 800 level CWPG or ENGL or LIT coded units
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
The unit promotes professional writing and research skills through the production of scholarly and/or creative projects in the fields of Children’s Literature and Creative Writing. Students demonstrate the advanced learning, skills and knowledge gained in their prior and concurrent Masters program studies through the application of their learning in a major project. Independent study is required, and students negotiate an individual curriculum. In consultation with the unit convenors, each student designs a research-based or creative writing project, working individually or collaboratively to completion. Involvement in industry is encouraged, and projects might include the production of a paper for journal publication, journal editing and production, a conference paper presentation, or curriculum and assessment design. The aims and context for the major project will complement and extend each student’s individual research and vocational aims. The final works are showcased in professional contexts, such as journal publication or the application of the new curriculum in a school setting.

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:

  • Conduct specialised and advanced research that engages critically and creatively with scholarship in the field of children’s literature and/or creative writing.
  • Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the varied practices, genres and techniques engaged in, in the field of creative writing and children's literature.
  • Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the field of literary criticism, encompassing current critical debates across a variety of contexts.
  • Apply and refine technical skills and specialist knowledge within a sustained creative or critical work appropriate to specific readerships and audience contexts.
  • Initiate, negotiate and interact with others in planning and executing a major creative or critically informed project.
  • Work autonomously and/or collaboratively to give and receive critical commentary and analysis of a professional practice, or creative or critical work.
  • Engage critically with social, cultural and ethical issues and the various ways in which creative writing and/or literature are oriented by cultural assumptions, practices and ideologies.
  • Engage critically with the social, cultural and ethical issues, and global perspectives relevant to both real world situations and their representation in texts.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Participation 10% No Ongoing Weeks 1-13
Digital Portfolio 15% No Week 2 (Fri 10 March)
Major Work Plan 10% No Week 4 (Fri 24 March)
Peer Assessment 10% No Week 10 (Fri 19 May)
Major Work 50% No Week 12
Showcase of Major Work 5% No Week 13

Participation

Due: Ongoing Weeks 1-13
Weighting: 10%

See Unit Handbook and iLearn site for full details.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the varied practices, genres and techniques engaged in, in the field of creative writing and children's literature.
  • Initiate, negotiate and interact with others in planning and executing a major creative or critically informed project.
  • Work autonomously and/or collaboratively to give and receive critical commentary and analysis of a professional practice, or creative or critical work.
  • Engage critically with social, cultural and ethical issues and the various ways in which creative writing and/or literature are oriented by cultural assumptions, practices and ideologies.
  • Engage critically with the social, cultural and ethical issues, and global perspectives relevant to both real world situations and their representation in texts.

Digital Portfolio

Due: Week 2 (Fri 10 March)
Weighting: 15%

Students create a portfolio drawing on their coursework studies, with a series of reflections. See Unit Handbook and iLearn for full details.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Conduct specialised and advanced research that engages critically and creatively with scholarship in the field of children’s literature and/or creative writing.
  • Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the varied practices, genres and techniques engaged in, in the field of creative writing and children's literature.
  • Engage critically with social, cultural and ethical issues and the various ways in which creative writing and/or literature are oriented by cultural assumptions, practices and ideologies.

Major Work Plan

Due: Week 4 (Fri 24 March)
Weighting: 10%

Students draft a Plan including aims, scope, and time line for 1 of the selected Major Work modules:

  1. Writing a Journal Article
  2. Professional Context Project
  3. Designing a School Program (Curriculum design)

On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Conduct specialised and advanced research that engages critically and creatively with scholarship in the field of children’s literature and/or creative writing.
  • Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the field of literary criticism, encompassing current critical debates across a variety of contexts.
  • Apply and refine technical skills and specialist knowledge within a sustained creative or critical work appropriate to specific readerships and audience contexts.
  • Initiate, negotiate and interact with others in planning and executing a major creative or critically informed project.
  • Work autonomously and/or collaboratively to give and receive critical commentary and analysis of a professional practice, or creative or critical work.

Peer Assessment

Due: Week 10 (Fri 19 May)
Weighting: 10%

Students must provide a brief, written assessment of another student’s Major Work draft project (due in Week 10).  All draft Major Works must be available for peer review at the start of Week 10, and the completion of the peer reviews must be completed by the end of Week 10, to enable students to reflect on and implement the feedback given.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Initiate, negotiate and interact with others in planning and executing a major creative or critically informed project.
  • Work autonomously and/or collaboratively to give and receive critical commentary and analysis of a professional practice, or creative or critical work.

Major Work

Due: Week 12
Weighting: 50%

Student-initiated professional context projects can be collaborative or individual projects. In consultation with their Convenor and Program Director each student will select one of the following modules as the basis for their Major Work:

  1. Writing a Journal Article
  2. Professional Context Project
  3. Designing a School Program (Curriculum design)

On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Conduct specialised and advanced research that engages critically and creatively with scholarship in the field of children’s literature and/or creative writing.
  • Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the varied practices, genres and techniques engaged in, in the field of creative writing and children's literature.
  • Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the field of literary criticism, encompassing current critical debates across a variety of contexts.
  • Apply and refine technical skills and specialist knowledge within a sustained creative or critical work appropriate to specific readerships and audience contexts.
  • Engage critically with social, cultural and ethical issues and the various ways in which creative writing and/or literature are oriented by cultural assumptions, practices and ideologies.
  • Engage critically with the social, cultural and ethical issues, and global perspectives relevant to both real world situations and their representation in texts.

Showcase of Major Work

Due: Week 13
Weighting: 5%

Digital Poster Presentation and Debrief: Showcase


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Initiate, negotiate and interact with others in planning and executing a major creative or critically informed project.
  • Work autonomously and/or collaboratively to give and receive critical commentary and analysis of a professional practice, or creative or critical work.

Delivery and Resources

Digital Poster Presentation and Debrief.

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_2016.html

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

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

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.

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://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

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

Graduate Capabilities

PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative

Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the varied practices, genres and techniques engaged in, in the field of creative writing and children's literature.
  • Apply and refine technical skills and specialist knowledge within a sustained creative or critical work appropriate to specific readerships and audience contexts.
  • Engage critically with social, cultural and ethical issues and the various ways in which creative writing and/or literature are oriented by cultural assumptions, practices and ideologies.
  • Engage critically with the social, cultural and ethical issues, and global perspectives relevant to both real world situations and their representation in texts.

Assessment tasks

  • Participation
  • Digital Portfolio
  • Major Work

PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Conduct specialised and advanced research that engages critically and creatively with scholarship in the field of children’s literature and/or creative writing.
  • Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the varied practices, genres and techniques engaged in, in the field of creative writing and children's literature.
  • Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the field of literary criticism, encompassing current critical debates across a variety of contexts.
  • Apply and refine technical skills and specialist knowledge within a sustained creative or critical work appropriate to specific readerships and audience contexts.
  • Initiate, negotiate and interact with others in planning and executing a major creative or critically informed project.

Assessment tasks

  • Digital Portfolio
  • Major Work Plan
  • Major Work
  • Showcase of Major Work

PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Conduct specialised and advanced research that engages critically and creatively with scholarship in the field of children’s literature and/or creative writing.
  • Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the varied practices, genres and techniques engaged in, in the field of creative writing and children's literature.
  • Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the field of literary criticism, encompassing current critical debates across a variety of contexts.
  • Work autonomously and/or collaboratively to give and receive critical commentary and analysis of a professional practice, or creative or critical work.

Assessment tasks

  • Participation
  • Digital Portfolio
  • Major Work Plan
  • Major Work

PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability

Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Conduct specialised and advanced research that engages critically and creatively with scholarship in the field of children’s literature and/or creative writing.
  • Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the varied practices, genres and techniques engaged in, in the field of creative writing and children's literature.
  • Apply and refine technical skills and specialist knowledge within a sustained creative or critical work appropriate to specific readerships and audience contexts.
  • Initiate, negotiate and interact with others in planning and executing a major creative or critically informed project.
  • Work autonomously and/or collaboratively to give and receive critical commentary and analysis of a professional practice, or creative or critical work.

Assessment tasks

  • Major Work Plan
  • Major Work

PG - Effective Communication

Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Initiate, negotiate and interact with others in planning and executing a major creative or critically informed project.
  • Work autonomously and/or collaboratively to give and receive critical commentary and analysis of a professional practice, or creative or critical work.
  • Engage critically with the social, cultural and ethical issues, and global perspectives relevant to both real world situations and their representation in texts.

Assessment tasks

  • Participation
  • Digital Portfolio
  • Major Work Plan
  • Showcase of Major Work

PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens

Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Engage critically with social, cultural and ethical issues and the various ways in which creative writing and/or literature are oriented by cultural assumptions, practices and ideologies.
  • Engage critically with the social, cultural and ethical issues, and global perspectives relevant to both real world situations and their representation in texts.