ENGLISH 324 : Creative Writing: Four Genres

Arts

2023 Semester Two (1235) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Develops practical skills in four writing genres: Poetry, Multimedia, Creative Non-Fiction and Short Fiction. A range of published models will be studied alongside write and workshop exercises and students will develop close-reading skills. Two portfolios of creative work cover all four genres, based on work begun in seminars.

Course Overview

This is an art and craft course for students interested in developing skills in four writing genres – Poetry, Multimedia, Creative Non-Fiction and Short Fiction. Our focus is on language and form, and on learning aspects of technique in all four genres.
 
The role of the course in the English major is to enhance both writing and reading skills, to encourage experimentation with form and language, and to introduce students to a range of contemporary work by writers from Aotearoa New Zealand, the Pacific and beyond.
Both reading and writing are assessed throughout the course through reading quizzes and writing exercises. The seminar/workshop structure is designed to teach aspects of technique; enable weekly exercises; and develop close-reading skills as a writer rather than as a critic.

Our course is informed by principles of manaakitanga and whanaungatanga, sharing experiences and obligations. Peer review is a part of every workshop and students keep a Writer’s Workbook of drafts, exercises, notes and ideas.

Assessment includes two portfolios of creative work covering all four genres. They are based on work begun in seminars and reviewed in workshops.

The learning aims of this module are: to enable students to develop their imaginative and technical skills; to develop writing and revising skills; and to demonstrate a grasp of a wide range of techniques and forms in their creative work. As well as learning through practice, students will develop skills in close textual analysis of published work, reading as a writer, and evaluations of peer manuscripts.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 60 points passed, including 45 points in English Restriction: ENGLISH 252

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Develop imaginative and technical skills as writers. (Capability 1.2, 3.2 and 4.2)
  2. Understand a range of forms, styles and issues relating to contemporary creative forms. (Capability 1.3 and 2.1)
  3. Develop skills in close textual analysis of published work. (Capability 1.2, 2.3 and 4.2)
  4. Develop and demonstrate skills in the verbal and written evaluations of peer manuscripts. (Capability 1.2, 2.3 and 4.2)
  5. Apply enhanced technical skills to a piece of creative work. (Capability 1.2, 3.2 and 5.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Portfolio one 25% Individual Coursework
Portfolio two 25% Individual Coursework
Reading Quizzes 25% Individual Coursework
Reading/Writing tasks at Seminars and Workshops 25% Individual Coursework

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15-point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week on their work.

For this course, you can expect three hours of class (seminar and workshop), three hours of reading and thinking about the content and four hours of work on exercises, peer reading and assignments.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

This course is not  available for delivery to students studying remotely outside NZ in 2023.

Attendance is required at scheduled seminars and workshops to receive credit for components of the course. Seminars and workshops are not recorded. (We do not use the lecture/tutorial model.)

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

A printed coursebook will be available for sale from UBIQ, to be brought to every seminar. Marking-up work in the coursebook is part of the programme, and will be checked in class as part of some reading quizzes. We will also recommend additional reading (books, essays, etc) via Talis.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

The SET sample in 2022 was too small to provide meaningful feedback.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 27/10/2022 12:35 p.m.