For this part of the assessment, students must select two of their genre writing activities posted in the discussion forums. They should then complete a 500 word scholarly reflection task for each activity.

In these scholarly reflections, students are required to (a) outline the context of their post (identify the genre they are discussing), (b) demonstrate how their post enhanced their understanding of the key genre markers under review and (c) discuss how their understanding of the genre has developed since writing their post.

Students can find a template for this assessment task in the Assessments and Guides Section on the ilearn page. Each post they include should be 150-300 words in length (about a paragraph). This means you may either use a full post, or an extract. The posts are not included in the word count.

This assessment task will be marked according to the following assessment criteria (Please see full rubric in ilearn):

1. Submission of weekly writing activities, including a well-selected sample of two of the student’s weekly responses to the activities
2. Demonstrates a clear grasp of relevant key theoretical concepts and their context
3. Demonstrates the ability to identify the significance and implications of relevant key concepts
4. Demonstrates a critical engagement with relevant unit readings, cultural studies scholarship and debates
5. Stages a thoughtful reflection on the process of learning and engaging with cultural studies scholarship
6. Effective use of writing skills to present academic research, including consistent and accurate use of in-text referencing. 

Preparation: In order to prepare to undertake this assessment, students are expected to engage in the designated assessment discussion forum. Here, they can find a template for this assessment, ask questions, share their approach and watch a clip containing a detailed outline of the task and samples. 

Submission: Students will submit this task via the Turnitin link on the unit iLearn Site.

Special Consideration: If you're unable to complete this task by the due date due to an unavoidable and serious disruption, please request Special Consideration via ask.mq.edu.au. For more information about the Special Consideration process please click here.

Late 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.

Feedback: Individual feedback will be offered via gradebook.

For this assessment, students are required to complete two tasks:

Task One: Creative Writing Task 

Students are required to choose two different genres from the weekly topic list and write a 400-500 word piece based on the events and characters outlined in the nursery rhyme 'Jack and Jill.' Drawing on their understanding of the genres, they can develop the characters, basic narrative and focus to suit necessary conventions. 

Task Two: Rationale 

Following the completion of their creative writing task, students are required to write a 800 word rationale. In this piece of academic writing, students must draw on the unit readings in order to explore the genres (and genre conventions) they have employed in their creative component and the implications of 'mixing genres.' Students should aim to detail (a) the genre conventions they have followed, (b) why they have adapted these conventions and - most importantly - (c) the implications of 'mixing' of genres. 

This task is designed so that students can demonstrate what they have learnt about the process of 'mixing' genres. It will be marked according to the following assessment criteria (please see full rubric in ilearn):

• Demonstrates a clear and effective grasp of relevant genres and genre conventions
• Demonstrates engagement with the unit readings and material
• Stages a well-supported analysis of creative component that identifies genre markers, marks their manifestation and maps their implications 
• Identifies the implications of mixing genres and supports their analysis with academic research
• Effective use of writing skills to present academic research, including consistent and accurate use of in-text referencing

Preparation: In order to prepare to undertake this assessment, students are expected to engage in the designated assessment discussion forum. Here, they can ask questions, share their approach and will find detailed outlines and sample assessments.  

Submission: Students will submit this task via the Turnitin link on the unit iLearn Site.

Special Consideration: If you're unable to complete this task by the due date due to an unavoidable and serious disruption, please request Special Consideration via ask.mq.edu.au. For more information about the Special Consideration process please click here.

Late 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.

Feedback: Individual feedback will be offered via gradebook.

For this assignment, students are required to write a 2,000 word independent research essay. They have two options: they can elect to answer one of the questions below OR design their own question. 

Option one: Select from one of the questions below -  

1. Are genre conventions fixed or do they change over time and across cultures? Discuss in relation to one genre we've explored in this unit.
2. It has been suggested that genre forms are inherently conservative and operate to validate certain dominant cultural 'norms'. Discuss in relation to one genre we've explored in this unit.

Option Two: Students may prepare an essay on a genre they have encountered throughout the unit and would like to explore further. Once they have chosen a genre, students must devise their own question and then draw on examples and academic research in order to formulate their own response to one key debate within this genre. These debates will be discussed each week and questions will be workshopped in the final weeks of the unit.

For example, students can ask questions such as:

• Is online fan fiction democratising?   
• How does gender work within the romance genre?
• How do detective fiction novels influence contemporary understandings of the law, crime and justice?
• What is the role of the blog as a life writing tool?

Students will have the opportunity to share and discuss their final research project in the discussion forum throughout the unit.

This assessment task will be marked according to the following criteria (see full rubric in ilearn):

1. Demonstrates the ability to deploy analytical skills to prepare a research essay 
2. Demonstrates a clear and effective grasp of relevant genre and genre markers
3. Demonstrates critical and sustained engagement with the unit readings and questions of cultural studies research
4. Ability to stage a well-supported analysis and develop a strong and well-supported argument
5. Effective use of writing skills to present academic research, including consistent and accurate use of in-text referencing.

Preparation: In order to prepare to undertake this assessment, students are expected to engage in the designated assessment discussion forum and weekly forums. Here, they can ask questions, share their approach and will find detailed outlines and sample assessments.  

Submission: Students will submit this task via the Turnitin link on the unit iLearn Site.

Special Consideration: If you're unable to complete this task by the due date due to an unavoidable and serious disruption, please request Special Consideration via ask.mq.edu.au. For more information about the Special Consideration process please click here.

Late 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.

Feedback: Feedback will be provided in gradebook.