Assignment Submission:

A high level of critical engagement with the set texts and active participation in the lectures and workshops is essential for passing this unit.

Rubrics are provided for each assignment that give information about the standards required to meet the learning outcomes at each of the grading levels - high distinction through to fail. Please be aware that the failure to meet one of the learning outcomes specified for each grading level can result in a lower grade. For example, students who do not complete the assignments ethically will fail, even if they successfully meet the learning outcomes in other areas.

Assignments are to be submitted through Turnitin on iLearn. The assignments are varied but all relate to building professional non-fiction writing skills. They will be assessed according to the appropriate rubrics.

Correct use of grammar, accurate spelling, demonstrated depth of research where appropriate and evidence that you have thought deeply about your subject matter are other important factors in assessing your work. Meeting the set deadline and presenting the work according to specifications will improve your mark. Group and individual feedback will be provided wherever possible.

While you are encouraged to show your work to your student colleagues for feedback, please be aware that the piece you submit must be your own work. Substantial editing by other people - family, friends, colleagues or professionals - is not permitted.

Presenting work for assessment

In the Writing strand we work on the assumption that you are preparing all coursework as if you are presenting material to real editors in the real world. Editors are people who read for a living. They read a lot. They read thousands of words a day and make decisions about it. If your work is poorly presented, what they will decide is that you are wasting their time. Consequently, marks will be deducted for failing to present work in an appropriate manner that would not offend the eyes of a professional editor.

Use the following checklist before handing in any work:

1. Typed, double spaced. 2. Spelling checked, including proper names 3. Word count done (where required) and printed at the end of the piece. 4. Grammar correct. 5 All book, film and other titles in italics.

Late Assignments:

Unless a Disruption to Studies request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply - 10 marks of credit will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted seven days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline.

You are required to attend all the writing workshops/tutorials. As participation in the process of learning is linked to and underpins the unit Learning Outcomes, you will need to apply for Disruptions to Studies to cover more than two missed workshops across the semester.

Please note that the University and the Faculty of Arts have launched a new assessment policy effective as of 1 July 2021. This new policy particularly affects LATE SUBMISSION OF ASSIGNMENTS. The Faculty policy in relation to late assessment submissions is as follows: 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – 10 marks out of 100 credit will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted seven days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests, etc. 

To be very clear:

• Unless you have applied for special consideration and had your application approved, for each day your assignment is late, 10 marks will be deducted. For example, if you submit your assignment 7 days late, 70 marks will be deducted, which means you will fail that assignment.
• If your assignment is more than 7 days late (including weekends), you will get 0 for your assignment.

These are serious penalties that will substantially alter your final grade and even determine whether you pass or fail this unit. Please make every effort to submit your assignment by the due date. If you find you cannot submit your assignment on time, please apply for Special Consideration through AskMQ. Make sure you read Macquarie University's policy regarding Special Consideration requests before you apply: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/special-consideration

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of other peoples' work or ideas. It is a serious academic offence and attracts severe penalties. It is your responsibility to know what plagiarism is, and how to avoid it. 

Permission Slips and Publication Wavier Forms

When a student interviews a real person face-to-face, over the telephone, via email or through any other means, they must provide that person with information about the interview and how the resulting information gathered will be used. Students must also obtain written or emailed confirmation that their interview subject has understood and agreed to such uses. A standard form for this purpose is attached to the study guide (Permission Slip). The relevant form must be completed and attached to all assignments that involve interviews.

When students submit their work to a newspaper, magazine, website or other publication, whether seeking payment or not, they must obtain written agreement that the publisher will assume total responsibility for the publication of the story and indemnify the writer against any action arising from such publication. A standard form for this purpose -- a publication waiver -- must be used and can be obtained from the unit convenor.

Note: Your assignments will not be marked unless the required Permission Slip is completed and attached to the work for each person interviewed. Students should keep copies of all completed forms.             

Delivery - Day.

Lectures will start in Week 1 and tutorials will start in Week 2. There will be no tutorials in Week 13.

The lectures in this unit will be pre-recorded. There will be no live lectures - they will be delivered weekly as annotated Powerpoint slides that can be accessed each week via iLearn. They will usually be accessible by c.o.b. on the Thursday the week before, beginning on Thursday 29 July.

At the time of writing, it is envisaged the majority of the tutorials will be face-to-face on campus although there will be at least one tutorial offered via Zoom. In the event of lockdown/s because of the pandemic, all classes will be shifted online.

Assignments are to be submitted via Turnitin.

For current updates, lecture times and classrooms please consult the MQ Timetables website: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au.

Resources:

Each week during the course students will be asked to read articles relevant to the topic at hand. These will be listed each week in iLearn. The articles can either be sourced online or via the library. 

Technology:

Lectures will be available on iLearn and some tutorials will be run on Zoom. Announcements, assignment tasks and other materials to be used in tutorials will be posted as needed on iLearn.