Students
MMCC2065 – Documentary Media: Forms, Histories, Futures
2020 – Session 2, Special circumstance
Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
General Information
Download as PDF
| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor, Lecturer and Tutor
Stefan Solomon
Contact via Email
10HA 152
By appointment
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
40cp at 1000 level or above
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
From its first gestures in the early twentieth century in radio and film to current multimedia experiments, the documentary has proved to be a resilient and compelling form. This unit examines the development of documentary and its current relationship to rapidly proliferating digital technologies across a range of formats - including radio, television and broadcasting, cinema, podcasting and online. The unit considers the implication of documentary's aesthetic and rhetorical strategies in fashioning our relationship to the real and its corresponding status as a way of knowing and of experiencing the world. It also exposes students to the large body of work surrounding documentary media. Topics covered include questions of style/form; auteurship and notions of authenticity; the documentary idea within photography, film culture and public service radio; changing concepts and notions of the real; and the hybridisation of documentary as it develops across a range of mobile, immersive and online platforms. |
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:
- ULO1: analyse the historical production context of both early and contemporary audio and audiovisual documentary works.
- ULO2: evaluate key modes relating to both historical and contemporary documentary production.
- ULO3: apply key documentary concepts in the analysis of a range of audio and audiovisual non-fiction works.
- ULO4: evaluate and reflect on the relationship of current trends in audio and audiovisual documentary works to the contemporary digital environment.
General Assessment Information
Assessment Standards and the MQ Assessment Policy
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
Feedback
Feedback on assessments and student learning will be provided in a range of ways. Students will receive formal individual feedback on their assessments in the form of general, rubric and in-text comments attached to assignments marked in Grademark/Turnitin. They may receive further individual feedback from the unit staff in email communication and personal consultations. You will also receive valuable feedback from your peers through the semester. This will take the form of written comments on the student forum on iLearn and through activities and discussion during tutorials.
Special Consideration
If you have experienced an unavoidable and serious disruption and are unable to complete a task by the due date, please request Special Consideration via ask.mq.edu.au. There is more information about the Special Consideration process at this link here.
Late Submission Penalty
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) 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 (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Log and Commentary | 25% | No | 28 August |
| Film analysis | 25% | No | 2 October |
| Essay | 50% | No | 6 November |
Reading Log and Commentary
Assessment Type 1: Log book
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 28 August
Weighting: 25%
Students will offer commentaries on the set readings from the first few weeks of the semester. They will provide explanations of the arguments presented in the readings
Refer to iLearn for further information.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- analyse the historical production context of both early and contemporary audio and audiovisual documentary works.
- evaluate key modes relating to both historical and contemporary documentary production.
Film analysis
Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 2 October
Weighting: 25%
Students are required to write a close analysis of one of the films set for viewing in the first half of the semester, with reference to the associated required reading.
Refer to iLearn for further information.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- analyse the historical production context of both early and contemporary audio and audiovisual documentary works.
- evaluate key modes relating to both historical and contemporary documentary production.
- apply key documentary concepts in the analysis of a range of audio and audiovisual non-fiction works.
- evaluate and reflect on the relationship of current trends in audio and audiovisual documentary works to the contemporary digital environment.
Essay
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 6 November
Weighting: 50%
In this assessment students are asked to write a research essay in response to one of the set questions provided. The essay will critically compare two documentary works by drawing on key terms of analysis offered during the unit, as well as additional scholarly sources.
Refer to iLearn for further information.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- analyse the historical production context of both early and contemporary audio and audiovisual documentary works.
- evaluate key modes relating to both historical and contemporary documentary production.
- apply key documentary concepts in the analysis of a range of audio and audiovisual non-fiction works.
- evaluate and reflect on the relationship of current trends in audio and audiovisual documentary works to the contemporary digital environment.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
CLASSES
Please consult the MQ timetable for up to date timetabling of lectures and tutorials.
Tutorials:
Tutorials begin in Week Two.
Please note, you must attend the tutorial you are enrolled in. If you wish to change your tutorial time you can do so via e-student. Your tutor/lecturer will not be able to change your tutorial enrolment. Do not turn up to a tutorial that you are not enrolled in. We cannot accept extra students into a fully enrolled tutorial.
ATTENDANCE
This unit has a one hour lecture and a one hour tutorial every week. Each week Lectures are recorded and available through echo360. Students are required to prepare for tutorials by having attended or listened to the lecture, having viewed the film, having done the week’s readings and prepared questions and notes.
REQUIRED VIEWING
In most weeks, there is a required film to view, or audio work to listen to. These films and audio works are available online through Kanopy or EduTV via the library website, or online elsewhere as specified. See iLearn for more details.
REQUIRED READING
Required readings are available online through the Leganto link on iLearn.
RECOMMENDED READING
There is a list of further recommended reading for each topic - please refer to iLearn.
TECHNOLOGIES USED AND REQUIRED
Lectures will be recorded and available on iLearn. Details on readings, assessments and links to relevant material will be available on iLearn. Students are expected to regularly check iLearn and their MQ email addresses for announcements.
Unit Schedule
Week 1: Introduction to Documentary Media
MODULE 1: POPULAR FORMS
Week 2: Documentary Film
Week 3: Documentary Series
Week 4: Documentary Sound
MODULE 2: CINEMATIC EXPERIMENTS
Week 5: Observation and Provocation
Week 6: Re-enactment
Week 7: Docufiction
MODULE 3: NATIONAL VISIONS
Week 8: The Imagination of Progress
Week 9: How the Other Half Lives
MODULE 4: DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE
Week 10: Mixed Media and Data Visualization
Week 11: Citizen Witnessing
Week 12: The Reality-Based Community
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:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy (Note: The Special Consideration Policy is effective from 4 December 2017 and replaces the Disruption to Studies Policy.)
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 published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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 help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
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
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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.
Changes from Previous Offering
The content of this unit has been updated with new films, audio works, and readings.