Students

MECO702 – Studies in Authorship

2018 – S1 Day

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor
Professor John Potts
john.potts@mq.edu.au
Contact via 9850 2163
Y3A 165J
Tuesdays 11 - 1
Credit points Credit points
4
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MRes
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit is an inter-disciplinary study of authorship. The author is understood as literary author, composer/songwriter, film-maker, visual artist, choreographer or other creator of original works. The unit includes a historical study of changing conceptions of authorship, as well as consideration of the author in the age of the Internet and digital technology.

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:

  • Gain advanced knowledge of the literature in the field of authorship studies.
  • Evaluate, synthesise and analyse various texts (music, media, literary, theoretical) and scholarly literature relevant to the research topic.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking and evaluation of the arguments of others and a development of their own ideas and arguments in relation to the scholarly literature.
  • Communicate (performative or oral and written) to present a clear and coherent exposition of the theoretical and analytical knowledge and methods utilised in the field of research.
  • Apply knowledge and ideas to new contexts and multiple mediums.

General Assessment Information

Assessment standards

Assessment standards in this unit align with the University's grade descriptors, available at: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment

Late submission / Special Consideration

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved:

  1. a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and

no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (including weekends) after the original submission deadline.

Essays in this unit are to be submitted via Turnitin.

Marking criteria for the essays and seminar presentation are available on iLearn. Essay writing and referencing guide is also on iLearn.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Minor Essay 30% No 4 May
Seminar presentation 20% No Weeks 11-13
MajorEssay 50% No 13 June

Minor Essay

Due: 4 May
Weighting: 30%

The first assignment is a minor research paper, of 2000 words, written on a topic of your choice related to authorship.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate, synthesise and analyse various texts (music, media, literary, theoretical) and scholarly literature relevant to the research topic.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking and evaluation of the arguments of others and a development of their own ideas and arguments in relation to the scholarly literature.
  • Apply knowledge and ideas to new contexts and multiple mediums.

Seminar presentation

Due: Weeks 11-13
Weighting: 20%

A presentation delivered in the seminar of 20 minutes duration.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate, synthesise and analyse various texts (music, media, literary, theoretical) and scholarly literature relevant to the research topic.
  • Communicate (performative or oral and written) to present a clear and coherent exposition of the theoretical and analytical knowledge and methods utilised in the field of research.
  • Apply knowledge and ideas to new contexts and multiple mediums.

MajorEssay

Due: 13 June
Weighting: 50%

This essay is the major research paper, of 3,000 words, on a topic of your choice within the domain of authorship studies. This essay must be on a different topic to the minor research paper, but it may expand on the topic of your seminar presentation. It should demonstrate wide reading, excellent research skills and in-depth critical analysis.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Gain advanced knowledge of the literature in the field of authorship studies.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking and evaluation of the arguments of others and a development of their own ideas and arguments in relation to the scholarly literature.
  • Apply knowledge and ideas to new contexts and multiple mediums.

Delivery and Resources

A book of readings on authorship will be provided by the convenor.

The bibliography lists other relevant works held in the library.  Additional readings from these texts are suggested in the weekly schedule. Various press, magazine, film, TV and web sources will be provided throughout the semester.

Unit Schedule

SEMINAR SCHEDULE

WEEK 2: INTRODUCTION TO THE UNIT

5 March

 

WEEK 3: WHAT IS THE AUTHOR?

12 March

Michel Foucault, 'What Is an Author?' (1969)

Martha Woodmansee, 'On the Author Effect: Recovering Collectivity' (1994)

Additional Reading: Andrew Sarris (1968) 'Towards a Theory of Film History' (auteur theory) in Bill Nichols (ed) Movies and Methods, Berkeley: University of California Press (1976)

 

WEEK 4: THE HISTORY OF THE AUTHOR

19 March

Andrew Bennett, 'Authority, Ownership, Originality' in The Author (2005)

Sean Burke, 'Changing Conceptions of Authorship' in Authorship: From Plato to the Postmodern, A Reader (2000)

 

WEEK 5:  COPYRIGHT AND TECHNOLOGY

26 March

Joanna Demers, 'Music as Intellectual Property' in Steal This Music (2006)

Cory Doctorow, 'How Copyright Broke' (2008)

Additional Reading: Lawrence Lessig, Free Culture (2004)

 

WEEK 6: EASTER BREAK

 

WEEK 7: 'THE DEATH OF THE AUTHOR': POST-STRUCTURALISM AND POSTMODERNISM

9 April

Roland Barthes, 'The Death of the Author' (1969)

A. Murphie & J. Potts, 'Digital Aesthetics: Cultural Effects of New Media Technologies' in Culture and Technology (2003)

Additional Reading: Andrew Goodwin, 'Sample and Hold: Pop Music in the Digital Age of Reproduction' in Frith and Goodwin (eds) On Record, London: Routledge, 1990

 

 

MID-SEMESTER BREAK

 

WEEK 8: FILM AUTHORSHIP  (Karen Pearlman)

30 April

Aaron Meskin, 'Authorship' (2008) in Livingston and Plantinga (eds) The Routledge Companion to Philosophy and Film, London: Routledge, 2008

 

 

WEEK 9: COPYRIGHT: FOR AND AGAINST

7 May

J. Smiers and M. Van Schijndel, 'A Level Cultural Playing Field' (2009)

Steve Collins, 'Kookaburra v. Down Under: It's Just Overkill' in Scan Journal Vol 7 No 1 2010

 

 

WEEK 10:  THE NEAR-DEATH OF THE AUTHOR: DOWNLOADING

14 May

Linda Jaivin, 'Big Content' in Phillipa McGuinness (ed) Copyfight (2015)

D. Hunter & N. Suzor, 'Claiming the Moral High Ground in the Copyright Wars' in Copyfight (2015)

Jonathan Taplin (2017) ‘Napster, Spotify and the Fall of the Middle-Class Musician’, Rolling Stone 3 May 2017 at https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/move-fast-and-break-things-book-excerpt-w480401

 

 

WEEKS 11 - 13: STUDENT SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS

21 May – 4 June

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bennett, Andrew, The Author, London: Routledge, 2005

Bently, L., Davis, J. and Ginsburg, J (eds) Copyright and Piracy, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010

Bettig, Ronald V., Copyrighting Culture: The Political Economy of Intellectual Property, Boulder: Westview, 1996

Burke, Sean (ed) Authorship From Plato to the Postmodern: A Reader, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2000

Burke, Sean, The Death and Return of the Author, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2010

Demers, Joanna, Steal this Music: How Intellectual property Law Affects Musical Creativity, Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2006

Doctorow, Cory, Content, San Francisco: Tachyon Publications, 2008

Lessig, Lawrence, Free Culture: How Big Media Uses Technology and the Law to Lock Down Culture and Control Creativity, New York: Penguin, 2004

McGuinness, Phillipa (ed) Copyfight, Sydney: NewSouth, 2015

Moran, Joe, Star Authors: Literary Celebrity in America, London: Pluto Press, 2000

Murphie, Andrew and Potts, John, Culture and Technology, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003

Postigo, Hector, The Digital Rights Movement, Cambridge: MIT Press, 2012

Smiers, J. and Van Schijndel, M., Imagine There is No Copyright and No Cultural Conglomerates Too..., Amsterdam: Institute of Network Cultures, 2009

Taplin, Jonathan, Move Fast and Break Things: How Facebook, Google and Amazon Have Cornered Culture and What it Means For Us, New York: Macmillan, 2017

Woodmansee, Martha and Jaszi, Peter (eds) The Construction of Authorship, Durham: Duke University Press, 1994

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/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/study/getting-started/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.

MMCCS re-mark procedure: Additional information MMCCS website https://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/faculties_and_departments/faculty_of_arts/department_of_media_music_communication_and_cultural_studies/ MMCCS Session Re-mark Application http://www.mq.edu.au/pubstatic/public/download/?id=167914 Information is correct at the time of publication

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

  • Gain advanced knowledge of the literature in the field of authorship studies.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking and evaluation of the arguments of others and a development of their own ideas and arguments in relation to the scholarly literature.
  • Communicate (performative or oral and written) to present a clear and coherent exposition of the theoretical and analytical knowledge and methods utilised in the field of research.
  • Apply knowledge and ideas to new contexts and multiple mediums.

Assessment tasks

  • Minor Essay
  • Seminar presentation
  • MajorEssay

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

  • Gain advanced knowledge of the literature in the field of authorship studies.
  • Evaluate, synthesise and analyse various texts (music, media, literary, theoretical) and scholarly literature relevant to the research topic.
  • Apply knowledge and ideas to new contexts and multiple mediums.

Assessment tasks

  • Minor Essay
  • Seminar presentation
  • MajorEssay

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

  • Gain advanced knowledge of the literature in the field of authorship studies.
  • Evaluate, synthesise and analyse various texts (music, media, literary, theoretical) and scholarly literature relevant to the research topic.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking and evaluation of the arguments of others and a development of their own ideas and arguments in relation to the scholarly literature.
  • Apply knowledge and ideas to new contexts and multiple mediums.

Assessment tasks

  • Minor Essay
  • Seminar presentation
  • MajorEssay

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

  • Evaluate, synthesise and analyse various texts (music, media, literary, theoretical) and scholarly literature relevant to the research topic.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking and evaluation of the arguments of others and a development of their own ideas and arguments in relation to the scholarly literature.
  • Communicate (performative or oral and written) to present a clear and coherent exposition of the theoretical and analytical knowledge and methods utilised in the field of research.
  • Apply knowledge and ideas to new contexts and multiple mediums.

Assessment tasks

  • Minor Essay
  • Seminar presentation
  • MajorEssay

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 outcome

  • Communicate (performative or oral and written) to present a clear and coherent exposition of the theoretical and analytical knowledge and methods utilised in the field of research.

Assessment task

  • Seminar presentation

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

  • Evaluate, synthesise and analyse various texts (music, media, literary, theoretical) and scholarly literature relevant to the research topic.
  • Communicate (performative or oral and written) to present a clear and coherent exposition of the theoretical and analytical knowledge and methods utilised in the field of research.

Assessment tasks

  • Minor Essay
  • Seminar presentation