Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Jane Messer
Contact via jane.messer@mq.edu.au
Building W6A Room 632 Ryde Campus
Meetings and phone discussions by appointment. Please email to arrange.
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Credit points |
Credit points
4
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MCrWrit or GradDipCrWrit or MA in Creative Writing or PGCertArts in Creative Writing
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
ENGL712
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit offers students the opportunity to develop their writing across one or more writing genres, and to extend their skills both in the crafting and the analysis of the craft of writing. Students reflect upon and interrogate their writing and writing process, explore new methods in relation to craft and technique or genre, and link this work to consideration of published creative works and contemporary narrative studies. Writing workshops and discussion of the readings are structured so that students can make productive links between concepts in narrative studies and their own writing. The unit is assessed through creative writing assignments, writing exercises and tasks, participation in weekly writing workshops, and the reading, analysis and discussion of critical and creative texts.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
The importance of Participation for Assessment and passing the unit.
It is an assessment requirement of this unit that students participate weekly. Without participation, the Learning Outcomes of the unit cannot be achieved. Missed weeks must be explained with a medical certificate relating to urgent or unavoidable circumstances; or in the case of employment demands, a letter from the employer. Marks are deducted from the Participation mark for undocumented absences. Students whose participation is unsatisfactory for more than 2 weeks for ongoing medical reasons, may apply to the University for Withdrawal without Penalty from the unit. Students who do not satisfactorily participate online (External) on a weekly basis, or do not attend class each week (Internal) without valid documentation, will receive a Fail grade. If you have any concerns about your participation, contact the lecturer.
Assessment tasks
Assessment tasks are designed to encourage students to develop familiarity and skills as emerging and developing writers through the inter-related practice of creative writing, reading, and discussion. The varied assessment tasks focus on these three skills and aim to develop them in inter-related ways.
Name | Weighting | Due |
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Participation | 10% | Ongoing |
Writing Exercises | 5% | Scheduled dates in iLearn |
Creative Writing Assignment 1 | 30% | 11.04.2016 |
Creative Writing Assignment 2 | 40% | 20.06.2016 |
Reflective Essay | 15% | 22.06.2016 |
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 10%
Assessment is based on the quality and relevancy of participation. Weekly Participation is required in order to Pass this unit.
Due: Scheduled dates in iLearn
Weighting: 5%
See the Unit Handbook and iLearn for details of this task.
Due: 11.04.2016
Weighting: 30%
See the Unit Handbook and iLearn for details of this task.
Due: 20.06.2016
Weighting: 40%
See the Unit Handbook and iLearn for details of this task.
Due: 22.06.2016
Weighting: 15%
See the Unit Handbook and iLearn for details of this task.
REQUIRED TEXTS: these are the texts all students must read.
Recommended and suggesting readings are listed in the Full Study Schedule.
· Weekly readings are available as from e-Reserve from the MU Library (see the Weekly reading schedule in this unit Study Schedule).
· Jerome Stern, Making Shapely Fiction, WW Norton
· David Lodge, The Art of Fiction, Penguin Books
· Ali Smith, The Accidental, Penguin Books
· F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Penguin Books
Technologies Used
Online units can be accessed at: http://ilearn.mq.edu.au
The unit’s iLearn site will be available from Week 1. Please login and explore the website. PC and Internet access are required. Basic computer skills (e.g., internet browsing) and skills in word processing are also a requirement. Please consult teaching staff for any further, more specific requirements.
All students must regularly access their student email.
Learning and Teaching Methods
The focus of the Creative Writing program is on the practice of writing, accompanied by the development of research, reading and analysis skills and understandings. Students develop expertise through an integration of critical reflection, discussion, written analysis and reflection and individual creative practice.
Learning activities in this unit include the reading, viewing and analysis of written texts, and participation in lectures, tutorial and/or seminars. Small and large group discussion and activities, and workshopping of work-in-progress key elements of the online and campus classroom practice. Students develop their writing expertise by producing writing in a range of genres or through specialisation in specific genres that include prose, poetry and nonfiction for adult and child audiences and readerships.
Students are expected to initiate original stories, ideas or concepts, and are then guided in the refinement, development and completion of these works, and to identify and situate them in specific contexts, and for specific readerships.
On Campus Day
For External/Distance students the On Campus Day is scheduled for Saturday April 9, 2016, at Macquarie Ryde Campus, between 10 and 4.30pm. This is a very valuable opportunity to meet fellow students, including students whom you will be workshopping with throughout the session, and your lecturer and Program Director, Jane Messer.
For External students not able to come to the On Campus Day, an alternative task is provided detailed in the full Unit Handbook.
Learning tasks and activities schedule
Week 1 |
Greetings, introduction, schedules for weekly student workshops and Individual Presentations on the readings. Details of the readings for each week are in the Full Unit Study Schedule and the unit's iLearn site, available to enrolled students.
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Week 2
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Narrative
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Week 3 |
Story: Narrative and Event
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Week 4 |
Text and Character
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On Campus Day – External Students |
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Week 5 |
Character, micro-plotting, speech
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Week 6 |
Focalisation
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mid session break |
Week 7 | Focalisation |
Week 8
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Focalisation
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Week 9 |
What is reading, and who is the reader? |
Week 10
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Time.
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Week 11 |
Choreography, Space.
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Week 12 |
Review of the semester. Final workshop. |
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
New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/
Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.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 http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
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.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
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.
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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: