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MMCC8033 – Storytelling Techniques

2025 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor, Lecturer and Seminar Leader
Catherine Fargher
catherine.fargher@mq.edu.au
Contact via via email
Office 455, 25B Wally's Walk,
Wednesday 2pm via zoom, please email first. https://macquarie.zoom.us/my/drcatherinefargher
Lecturer and Seminar Leader
Intan Paramaditha
intan.paramaditha@mq.edu.au
Contact via via email
please email me for a consultation time.
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MMediaComm or MCrInd or MIC
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit examines new and established techniques in storytelling, across a range of platforms, placing equal emphasis on both analysis and productive skills.

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: communicate (oral, written and/or visual) sophisticated ideas and concepts for creative media works.
  • ULO2: synthesise and analyse texts (creative and critical) in the specific creative media field.
  • ULO3: demonstrate professional technical competence.
  • ULO4: adapt discipline-specific knowledge in creative media to novel situations.
  • ULO5: collaborate and communicate creatively and meet professional standards.

General Assessment Information

Late Penalties

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends).

After the 7th day, a mark of '0' (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. This late penalty will apply to non-time sensitive assessment (incl. essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc).

Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special Consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Reflective Essay 50% No Due 16/03/2025 11.55pm
Story project 50% No Due 18/05/2025 11.55pm

Reflective Essay

Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Due 16/03/2025 11.55pm
Weighting: 50%

 

Building on class notes and discussions, students will write reflections based on course concepts and creative works explored during seminars. Refer to iLearn for further information.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • communicate (oral, written and/or visual) sophisticated ideas and concepts for creative media works.
  • synthesise and analyse texts (creative and critical) in the specific creative media field.
  • adapt discipline-specific knowledge in creative media to novel situations.
  • collaborate and communicate creatively and meet professional standards.

Story project

Assessment Type 1: Creative work
Indicative Time on Task 2: 55 hours
Due: Due 18/05/2025 11.55pm
Weighting: 50%

 

Students will produce an original story. This can be a piece of writing (a short story, for example), or a media piece that combines images and text, video, audio, or interactive media. Refer to iLearn for further information.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • communicate (oral, written and/or visual) sophisticated ideas and concepts for creative media works.
  • demonstrate professional technical competence.
  • adapt discipline-specific knowledge in creative media to novel situations.
  • collaborate and communicate creatively and meet professional standards.

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

Please refer to MQ timetables https://timetables.mq.edu.au/2025  for further details on face to face and online class times and locations.

Readings will be available on Leganto. Please see ilearn https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/ for further details 

Unit Delivery:

  • Seminars start in week two.
  • In this unit, seminars will be live in-person and streamed via echo and available as recordings through echo on ilearn. For external students, the 10.30am online class may be delivered as a hybrid class with the in person seminar at the same time. 
  • Seminars are 1.5 hours and it is strongly recommended that students attend on time and for the duration of the semiar, in order to engage with unit concepts fully, discuss upcoming assessments, workshop their writing and share questions. This is also a respect to your fellow students, so there are less interruptions in the class.
  • Participation rolls will be marked by the convenor. This unit requires engagement with key course concepts and is not suitable for self-directed study. Please engage actively in your seminars, as students who do engage and workshop their creative projects with their teacher and peers, regularly perform well in this unit, as well as reporting greater satisfaction with their experience!
  • ilearn: Students can find all relevant materials and communications from convenors such as lecture notes, echo recordings, announcements, discussion forums and Q & A's for assessments on ilearn. Please engage and familiarise yourself with ilearn, as students who do engage regularly perform better in this unit!
  • Study and Wellbeing support. For students requiring any study or wellbeing support, for instance if you are unsure how to reference and use Harvard in text referencing and bibliography etc, or require support with grammar or English expression, or if you are struggling with your physical or mental health during semester, we suggest you take up some of the writing resources from studywise https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/writing/resources and personal student support https://students.mq.edu.au/support/personal options that MQU offers. Also see listings in Policies and procedures section below.

Unit Resources:

  • Readings: In this unit, students are required to complete the weekly readings. The first assessment also requires reflections on content contained in both the weekly readings and seminar discussions. The readings will be available via Leganto links in ilearn.
  • Assessments: In this unit, students will be required to create a final storytelling project. If the story project involves media such as sound, visuals or design, students will be required to use their own equipment (including phones, computers) or equipment that can be borrowed from the library (such as laptops). Students also have access to the adobe design suite via the MQ Okta Apps.
  • If you have any questions, please contact Catherine via email. Consultation times (See ilearn) will be held on zoom https://macquarie.zoom.us/my/drcatherinefargher 

Unit Schedule

Please note that Seminars in this subject begin in Week 2. However there will be an introductory lecture available in the ilearn page in week 1. As well you will find a schedule of weekly topics, readings, assessments and rubrics, tutorial activities, lectures slides in ilearn. All echo recordings will be available on ilearn in the weekly section as well as in the echo section.

Please familiarise yourself with the ilearn page for this Unit https://ilearn.mq.edu.au

Part 1: Weeks 1-4:

Contemporary Storytelling

and Craft

  
Week 1 Introduction Lecture- no seminars! (Catherine)
Week 2 Contemporary Storytelling and influences (Catherine)
Week 3 Crafting Stories: Point of View and Emotion (Intan)
Week 4 Storytelling: Resistance, Power and Protest (Intan)

Part 2: Story structures

and Media Choices

  
Week 5 Story Structures 1: Starting Points (Catherine)
Week 6 Story Structures 2: Media Choices - Multi Platform Storytelling (Catherine)
Week 7 Media Choices: Audio, visual, written, played (Catherine)
Week 8 Telling the Self: Identity, Post-modern Frictions, Remix (Catherine)

PART 3 - Planning

Workshopping Drafts

  
Week 9-11 Workshops and Consultations (Catherine)
Week 12 Consultations only (Catherine)

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

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

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/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 connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

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

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

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

In 2025, we have reduced assessments from 3 to 2. We have removed the previous assessment 2. (Story Analysis) and creating a new Assessment 1: Reflective Essay task.

In 2024 assessment comprised of 6 x short weekly reflections @ 250 words per reflection. 10%. The new assessment one is below:

Summary: Assessment 1 (Renamed: Reflective Essay task. Individual. 50%. Due week 6. ) This new task will comprise 2 x 750 word reflections, 1500 words total. 

Participation / in-class element: An ilearn discussion forum will be set up for each seminar group, so seminar table 'groups' (informal) can write up short  reflection notes in class (using worksheets exploring either a course concept or creative concept) These will be uploaded in the discussion forum during class, so the tutor can provide basic feedback in class. These can be used as the basis for drafting final part 1 and 2 submission.

Assessment submission: 

Part 1 = 750 word reflection on a course concept discussed in Seminars from week 1-6,  or a theoretical/creative concept of student's choice, discussed with the tutor.

Part 2 = 750 word reflection on a Creative Work explored during the seminars from week 1-6, or a creative work of student's choice, discussed with the tutor. 

Hours to complete: 35 hours. 

Mechanisms for feedback: Verbal feedback on worksheets and workshopping/discussions in seminars, grade, comments via Turnitin. 

ULOs: 1, 2, 4, 5.

 

Assessment 2  (Previously assessment 3) (Story Project. Individual. 50%. Due week 12 )   Students will write an original story (text or media piece). This can be a piece of writing (a short story, for example), or something that combines images and text, video, audio, or interactive media. Length 2000 words or audio/visual equivalent (i.e. 3-4 min video/sound)

A draft plan and a written draft of 500 words or equivalent will be workshopped in class from weeks 7-11, and scheduled within the tutorials. 

Hours to complete: 55 hours. 

Mechanisms for feedback: Verbal feedback and workshopping in seminars, grade, comments via Turnitin. 

ULOs: 1, 3, 4, 5.

Unit information based on version 2025.02 of the Handbook