Writing and Praxis: Publication Folio A

Unit Code: LPW705A

Credit Points: 12.5 Credit Points

> Related Course/s
> Teaching Methods
> Assessment
> Aims & Objectives
> Generic Skills Outcomes
> Content
> Reading Materials

Related Course/s:

A unit in the Master of Arts (Writing)

Aims & Objectives:

• Develop further the students’ insights into the process of writing and the concept of theories through the study of samples of published works
• Develop further the students’ insights into Practice-led Research as it applies to the development and production of a writing folio
• Canvass different strategies based on a further understanding of the planning process for thinking about and problem-solving in the production of a major piece of writing
• Offer a form of supervisory support to students as they further develop their critical and analytical skills
• Provide a number of approaches to formal academic writing and creative or professional writing and build upon those introduced in earlier subjects
• Provide students with further insights into how they might more extensively develop and critique in a more focussed way
• Offer students the opportunity to participate in and build an on-line community of practice with peers and tutors

• Develop strategies for researching and planning a major piece of writing and working autonomously
• Articulate insights into the strengths and weaknesses of their personal approach to writing and to the role of practice-led research in relation to their own writing
• Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the exegesis, theory and praxis in relation to the production of a creative/original artefact
• Complete critical analyses of exegetical writing
• Complete a detailed proposal for their major piece of writing
• Actively participate in on-line communities of practice
• Demonstrate a high order of skill in analysis, critical evaluation and/or professional application through the planning and execution of project work or a piece of scholarship or research
• Demonstrate the ability to think rigorously and independently through the analyses of other writers’ works

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.

Assessment:

Written Assignments including reflective journal and original work 60% - 70%
Participation in Weekly Discussion Threads 30% - 40%

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:

·         In-depth research skills, developed through the preparation of assessable research tasks and applicable to the development of original written works

·         Analytical and critical thinking skills as required to participate and actively contribute to on-line communities of practice

·         Effective problem-solving appropriate to the development and implementation of major original writing tasks

·         Graduate level expressive and communication skills in a range of written forms

Content:

• Critical Issues in Writing
  • Writing and Identity
  • Writing and Audience
  • Ethics and Intellectual Property
• Critical Reflection and Reflective Practice in the Writing Discipline
• Understanding Praxis
• Understanding Research
• Research Cultures
• Understanding Practice Led Research
  • Methodologies and artefacts
  • Heritage and genres of practice-led research
  • Exegetical Writing

Reading Materials:

Arnold, J 2005, ‘The PhD in Writing Accompanied by an Exegesis’, Journal of University Teaching and Writing Practice, Vol 2, No. 1, pp. 36-50.

Avison, B 2008, ‘Writing - a Methodology for the New Millennium’, TEXT, vol 12, no. 2. http://www.textjournal.com.au/oct08/avieson.htm

Barrett, E & Bolt B (eds.) 2007, Practice as Research: Approaches to Creative Arts Enquiry, IBTauris, London.

Carter, P 2004, Material thinking: The Theory and Practice of Creative Research, The Melbourne University Press, Melbourne.

Corbin, J & Strauss, A 2008, Basics of Qualitative Research 3e, Sage Publications,Thousand Oaks, CA.

Csikszentmihalyi, M 1997, Creativity, Harper Perennial, New York.

Grix, J 2004, The Foundations of Research, Palgrave Macmillan, London.

Hanson, R 2007, The Ethics of Fiction Writing, Santa Clara University. http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/submitted/fiction.html

Haseman, B 2006, ‘A Manifesto for Performative Research’, Media International Australia incorporating Culture and Policy, vol 118, pp. 98-106.

Lee Brien, D 2006, ‘Creative Practice as Research: a Creative Writing Case Study’, Media International Australia: Incorporating Culture and Policy, vol 118, pp. 53-59.

Perry, G 2009, Ways of Seeing and Knowing in Creative Writing: Practice-led Research http://aawp.org.au/creativity-and-uncertainty-papers.

Pianka, PT 1998, How to Write Romances, Writer’s Digest Books, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Pope, R 2005, Creativity, Routledge, New York.

Porter Abbott, H 2005, Narrative, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Shaw, E 1999, Writing the Nonfiction Book, Rodgers and Nelson, Boston.

Smith, H & Dean, R 2009. Practice-led Research, Research-led Practice in the Creative Arts, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.

Stanek, LW 1998, Story Starters: How to Jump-Start Your Imagination, Get Your Creative Juices Flowing and Start Writing Your Story or Novel, Avon Books, Los Angeles.

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

Fletcher, J & Mann A (eds) 2004, ‘Illuminating the Exegesis’, Text, No 3, http://textjournal.com.au/speciss/issue3/content.htm

Chang, H 2008, Autoethnography as Method. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press.

Colyar, J 2009, ‘Becoming Writing, Becoming Writers’. Qualitative Enquiry 15, 421-436.

Haseman, B 2006 ‘Tightrope Writing: Creative Writing Programs in the RQF Environment’, Perilous Adventures: Creative Writing Practice and Research in the Higher Degree and Beyond, the Eleventh Annual Conference of the Australian Association of Writing Programs, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, 23-26 November http://www.textjournal.com.au/april07/haseman.htm

Kiley, M 2007, ‘Thinking Like a Researcher’, in (eds) C Denholm, T Evans Supervising Doctorates Downunder: Keys to Effective Supervision in Australia and New Zealand, ACER Press, Camberwell ISBN: 9780864314307.

Kroll, J 2010, ‘Living on the edge: Creative writers in Higher Education.’ TEXT 14, 1, http://www.textjournal.com.au/april10/kroll.htm

Smith, H & Dean, R 2009. Practice-led Research, Research-led Practice in the Creative Arts, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.

Other Resources include:

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

Weekly hypertext weblinks, including:

Hardy, DE Traditional Grammar: An Interactive Book: http://textant.engl.unr.edu/grammarbook/title.html

New River: A Journal of Hypertext Literature and Art: http://www.cddc.vt.edu/journals/newriver/

Screenwriters Online: http://www.screenwriter.com/insider/news.html

The Electronic Labyrinth: http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/elab/elab.html

Hypertext, Cybernetics, Cyborgs and Virtual Realities: http://www.uiowa.edu/~commstud/resources/digitalmedia/

Yale Web Style Guide: http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/