52691 Writing and Editing Foundations

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

Description

This subject introduces students to core skills and techniques used in the writing of fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, and professional communication. In this subject, students explore different aspects of writing including storytelling, working with imagery, sentence craft, readability, and clarity of expression. Considerations such as the ethics of representation and cultural sensitivity are explored through relevant examples and practical exercises. In parallel, through a series of self-paced activities, students are introduced to basic principles of copyediting and proofreading, applying these skills to their own and others’ writing. As editors, students learn how to recognise grammatical errors, articulate areas for development, and implement solutions.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:

• Act in a professional manner appropriate to communication industries (1.1)
• Employ appropriate research and inquiry skills to independently gather, organise and analyse information across diverse platforms (2.1)
• Act as reflexive critical thinkers and innovative creative practitioners who evaluate their own and others' work (2.2)
• Demonstrate a strong awareness, knowledge of, and sensitivity to, diversity, equity and global contexts (3.1)
• Analyse and act ethically in the personal, political and professional contexts of civil society (5.1)
• Exemplify effective and appropriate communication in different communication industry contexts (6.1)

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject combines tutorials with face-to-face and online lectures and self-guided modules in writing and editing. In tutorials, students participate in peer-led workshopping: an iterative feedback process for students to develop their writing, articulate problems and identify and evaluate possible solutions. In class and independently, students experiment with different forms of writing, practising their skills by writing short narrative texts. In the online classroom, students are given the opportunity to develop and practice editing skills and test their comprehension. Through the workshopping method, students receive feedback on their creative work before week 4.

Content (topics)

As writers and editors, students are exposed to creative and imaginative texts from a broad range of genres, with emphasis on style and form. A particular area of focus is sentence craft, looking with detailed attention at openings and endings, short and long sentences, conventions of paragraphing and punctuation, dialogue, and texts that purposely break with convention for particular effect. Students read a range of model texts by Australian writers, which they respond to creatively and critically in class discussions and their own creative practice. Students learn editorial skills related to punctuation, grammar, style and layout. Applying editing skills to their own writing, students are guided to produce polished creative work.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Short creative work

Assessment task 2: Copyediting test

Assessment task 3: Sustained creative work