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Writing History: People, Places and Times

Unit Code: LPW602




Duration

Contact Hours

Campus

Prerequisite

Corequisite

13 week study period

3 Hours per Week

Online

LPW500 Critical Friends: The real and virtual support of writers

Credit Points: 12.5 Credit Points

Related Course/s:

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Aims & Objectives:

In this subject, students will learn the dimensions of research and publication in the writing of history. Students are invited to draw on their interest in local and family history, or social history to produce a record for publication in print and/or online.

On completion of this unit students should be able to:
  • Demonstrate a theoretical and practical understanding of writing histories
  • Articulate insights into the range and types of histories it is possible to produce
  • Utilise skills in interviewing and recording techniques
  • Utilise their interest in family, local or social histories to produce a historical record for publication in print and/or online
  • Apply appropriate research strategies for writing historical fiction
  • Understand the process of accessing appropriate networks for historical research, including indigenous networks
  • Identify alternative sites for publication of family and local histories
  • Create and analyse personal histories as a new model of writing about people, places and times
  • Write for publication in the genre of reminiscence, memoir or an historical documentation of particular times and places
  • Have insights into the ethical requirements of writing about people, places and times

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Teaching Methods:

This unit is delivered online and includes a range of flexible and multi-modal learning approaches, such as virtual lectures, virtual tutorials, electronic media, set readings for response. The unit Web page provides the following information: interactivities, multimedia links, hypertext links, references and virtual community opportunities and is supported by an online tutor and opportunities for peer mentoring.

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Assessment:

Written Assignments 60% - 70%
Participation in Weekly Discussion Threads 30% - 40%

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Generic Skills Outcomes:

This unit will provide discipline-based knowledge and professional capabilities and experiences contributing to students’ progress in attaining generic skills such as:
  • Analytical skills developed through interactive applied, critical and reflective writing tasks and reviews requiring critical thinking
  • Communication skills developed through interactive discussion forums and web-based communication
  • Ability to work independently developed through web-based research and online learning, in addition to library research

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Content:

  • Writing Personal reminiscences
  • Gathering stories: Indigenous Dreamings
  • Who owns the story?
  • The local and the global
  • Autobiography as family history
  • Editing the family history
  • Publishing histories
  • Writing Local history
  • Writing about people: The ethics of personal and family histories
  • Researching history for fiction writing

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Reading Materials:

Damousi, J & Reynolds, R (eds) 2003, History on the Couch: Essays in History and Psychoanalysis, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne.

Eggins, S 2005, ‘Real Stories: Ethics and Narrative in Helen Garner’s Joe Cinque’s Consolation’, Southerly: the journal of the English Association, vol. 65, no. 1, pp. 122-132.

Frohmann, B 2007, ‘Subjectivity and Information Ethics’, Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, vol 59, no. 2, pp. 267-277.

Gaita, R 2001, Romulus My Father, Text Publishing, Melbourne.

Hatcher, PL 1997, Producing a Quality Family History, http://www.myfamily.com

Hill, D 2007, The Forgotten Children, Random House, Australia.

Johnson, L 2002, Love Letters From A War, ABC. Books, N.S.W.

Kyle, N 2007, Writing Family History Made Very Easy: A Beginner's Guide, Allen & Unwin, Sydney.

Lambert, J 2002, Digital Storytelling: Capturing Lives, Creating Community, Digital Diner Press, Berkeley, CA.

Laureiro, A 2000, The Ethics of Autobiography, Vanderbilt University Press, Tennessee.

Love, P 2007, Practical Measures. 100 Years at Swinburne, Swinburne University Press, Melbourne. Australia.

The Macquarie Dictionary

The Macquarie Thesaurus

The Macquarie website: http://www.macnet.mq.edu.au

McDonnell, JT 1998, Living to Tell the Tale: a Guide to Writing Memoir, Penguin, U.S.

Newell, P 2006, Ten Thousand Acres: A Love Story, Penguin Books, Australia.

Oliver, M 2005, Writing Historical Fiction: Creating the Historical Blockbuster, Studymates Ltd, New York.

Strunk, W The elements of style. (Any recent edition) or the online version http://www.bartleby.com/141/

Taylor, I, Ward, G, Henderson, G, Davis, R, & Wallis. L (eds) 2005, The Power of Knowledge. The Resonances of Tradition, Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra. A.C.T.

Zinsser, WK 2004, Writing About Your Life: A Journey Into the Past, Marlowe & Company, New York.

And the following electronic resources:

Cyndi’s List of Capturing the Past: Genealogy Sites on the Internet. http://www.cyndislist.com/

Center for Life Stories Preservation. http://www.storypreservation.com/home.html

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