Participation for Weeks 1-13, comprising of punctuality and demonstrated preparation (reading the set texts, available at the Macquarie Co-op bookshop, prior to class discussions) and quality of overall contributions to the online discussions, including one short Sydney Writers' Festival session report. If you cannot attend the Festival in person, session podcasts and extended clips are available. to review The ultimate determinant of your participation mark is the degree to which your fellow students benefit from your online contribution. 

ABSENCES: All internal students must explain absences from online discussions by an email with doctor's certificate or other evidence before the day where possible. More than two (2) unexplained absences is a direct breach of Learning Outcome 4 (Professionalism) and may result in failure of the Participation grade, and, by extension, the unit as a whole.

Discussion Forums begin in Week 1 on the ENGX308 iLearn site. 

In Week 3 there will be an Early Feedback Quiz on the topics of Weeks 1, 2, 3, the Unit Guide, assessments and a little on Weeks 4 and 5 (yes, you need to read ahead!).

This will be under 'Assessments' on the iLearn site at http://ilearn.mq.edu.au/. Check this site regularly for updates, links, discussions, recorded i-lectures and slides, etc.

The Early Feedback Quiz will open 9am on the Monday of Week 3 and closes the following Friday at 11.59pm.

There are twenty (20) questions. Every student is allowed two turns of the quiz as a whole. Most students choose to use their first turn as a 'test run' to see the questions and their second as their final set of answers.

If you cannot complete this task, it is your responsibility to communicate this to your tutor. 

The purpose of this analysis is to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the ways in which two living authors reflect upon their fictional responses to the issues and challenges of the digital era.  

This 1500-word task requires each student to compare and contrast the opinions of two of our first four authors (Breeze, Carey, Tan or Wright) on how they operate as a digital-era author in terms of their key themes, characters, issues, chosen form/genre and narrative/stylistic choices. Don't forget that the digital era (2000-present), while marked by revolutions in technology and communications, is not defined by these issues alone and authors may just as easily choose to respond to national politics, world events, personal experiences etc. Authors can be discussing the unit texts or any other piece of 21st century writing. 

This analysis requires primary sources only, especially the use of interviews (not limited to those on the unit texts), essays, speeches or statements by the authors themselves. Brief examples from both authors' cited works (post-1999) should be given to demonstrate fictionally what is being stated in the interviews, essays, speeches or statements. All print and online sources cited should be referenced in MLA style.       

Penalties:

LATENESS: The standard 2% penalty per day late applies. Extension and Disruption to Study requests should be made through ask.mq.edu.au.

LENGTH: A minimum 10% penalty applies for any analysis with a word count which is 10% under or over the set word limit of 1500 words. Word count begins from the first word of the essay and finishes with the last, unless there are also endnotes. Works Cited/Bibliography is not included in the word count.  

PLAGIARISM: If you repeat any combination of words from another source, you must acknowledge the authorship of this source and distinguish it from your own authorship. Failure to do this is a breach of Academic Honesty which can lead to serious penalties, so please err on the side of caution and ask if you are unsure.  

Submission and return of assessments  is via upload to the Turnitin link under 'Assessments' on the ENGX308 iLearn site. There is no physical submission of assessments.

If you cannot complete this task, it is your responsibility to communicate this to your tutor. 

XThis final essay is in lieu of examination. It will ask students to discuss at least 1 set unit text and one post-1999 fictional text from outside the unit. This essay has a strong research component. Students are expected to conduct independent scholarly research in relation to the essay questions, which will be uploaded to the ENGL308 iLearn site in Week 8.

All print and online sources cited should be referenced in MLA style.       

Penalties:

LATENESS: The standard 2% penalty per day late applies. Extension and Disruption to Study requests should be made through ask.mq.edu.au.

LENGTH: A minimum 10% penalty applies for any analysis with a word count which is 10% under or over the set word limit of 1500 words. Word count begins from the first word of the essay and finishes with the last, unless there are also endnotes. Works Cited/Bibliography is not included in the word count.  

PLAGIARISM: If you repeat any combination of words from another source, you must acknowledge the authorship of this source and distinguish it from your own authorship. Failure to do this is a breach of Academic Honesty which can lead to serious penalties, so please err on the side of caution and ask if you are unsure.  

Submission and return of essays is via upload to the Turnitin link under 'Assessments' on the ENGX308 iLearn site. There is no physical submission of essays.

If cannot complete this task, it is your responsibility to communicate this to your tutor.