Course Title: Develop writing and editing skills
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2013
Course Code: COMM5397
Course Title: Develop writing and editing skills
School: 345T Media and Communication
Campus: City Campus
Program: C4171 - Certificate IV in Professional Writing and Editing
Course Contact : Program Administration
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4815
Course Contact Email:mctafe@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Teacher: Ms Penny Johnson
Phone: 9925 4383
Email: penny.johnson@rmit.edu.au
Nominal Hours: 120
Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites
None
Course Description
This course develops your writing and editing skills in a professional context. It introduces you to the publishing process and emphasises the roles, responsibilities and relationships of authors and editors. The course contains a detailed study of English spelling, vocabulary, grammar and syntax, and of paragraphs. You also analyse and assess writing from a range of styles and for different audiences.
The course also focuses on punctuation and style issues, as well as copyediting and proofreading. You learn editing and proofreading mark-up and technique, and handle proofs with numerous design features.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
VBP551 Develop writing and editing skills |
Element: |
1. Ensure the clarity of language |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1 The principles of clear language are applied to writings |
Element: |
2. Apply the appropriate voice and tone |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 The type of authorial voice/s appropriate to the publication are determined and applied to writings |
Element: |
3. Apply the accepted conventions of grammar and usage to a range of written contexts |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1 The conventions of grammar and syntax in written English are analysed |
Element: |
4. Use correct spelling and punctuation |
Performance Criteria: |
4.1 Australian spelling and punctuation conventions are demonstrated in writings |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
• understand the book publishing process and the role of the editor
• apply the fundamentals of English grammar, spelling and vocabulary to a range of written contexts
• use reference tools with confidence, including style manuals and dictionaries
• critique short pieces of fiction and non-fiction according to principles of genre, audience, style and clarity
• communicate effectively in editorial report writing and in author–editor relationships
• apply punctuation correctly and for effect
• use the publishing industry’s technical language and its copyediting and proofreading marks
• edit short pieces of fiction and non-fiction according to principles of genre, audience, style and clarity
• edit and communicate research through delivery of a class talk.
Details of Learning Activities
Classes are a mixture of lectures, discussion, practical exercises and group work.
You learn through:
1. In-class activities:
• lectures
• industry speakers
• teacher-directed group activities/projects
• peer teaching and class presentations
• group discussion
• individual and collaborative projects
• class exercises to review discussions/lectures
• analysis/critique of students’ work
2. Out-of-class activities
• practical exercises
• reading articles and excerpts
• preparing for discussion
• editorial report writing
• project work
• independent research
• revision for tests.
The course website on Blackboard provides information, resources, activities and web links to support your studies. You are expected to manage your learning and undertake an appropriate amount of out-of-class independent study and research.
Teaching Schedule
Semester 1 | ||||
Week starting | Seminar | Class | Assessment due dates | Elements |
Week 1 |
No seminar Orientation |
Outline course and requirements Class talk: Introduction Specialist spelling strategies Tautologies and repetition |
1, 3 | |
Week 2 |
The editor’s role and stages in the book publishing process | What makes for an effective presentation? Research and presentation tips Exploring debates around commonly confused words uysing tools: dictionaries and usage guides |
2, 3, 4 | |
Week 3 |
Hothousing blooming English: perspectives on grammar | Why study grammar? Players on the stage: introducing parts of speech Varieties of nouns |
Class presentation proposal | 1, 3 |
Week 4 |
Readership and markets in Australian book publishing | Nouns: plural and possession Books for different markets and readerships |
1, 2, 3 | |
Week 5 |
No seminar Labour Day |
Revision of language and grammar topics to date Analysing nonfiction manuscripts |
2, 3 | |
Week 6 |
The author-editor relationship | Test The editorial report and its purpose in publishing Introduction to editorial report Analysing fiction manuscripts |
Editing and grammar test | 1, 2, 3 |
Week 7 |
Who’s doing what to whom: sentence grammar part 1 | Sentence grammar: subjects, objects Editorial communication |
1, 2, 3 | |
Week 8 |
Let’s get active: sentence grammar part 2 | Finite verbs: tense, voice and mood Editorial report writing workshop |
2, 3 | |
Week 9 |
Microstructural issues: creating effective paragraphs | Nonfinite verbs: split infinitives, gerunds and participles Editorial report writing workshop Exploring the classic paragraph |
1, 3 | |
Week 10 |
Woe is I: the perplexities of pronouns | Pronouns, case and common problems Exploring the classic paragraph |
1, 3 | |
Week 11 |
Balancin act: principles of agreement | Agreement of number and gender with pronouns and subjects Formal and notional agreement Paragraphs: managing transitions and reducing scaffolding |
1, 3 | |
Week 12 |
The grammatical glue: determiners, prepositions and conjunctions | Common problems with determiners, prepositions and conjunctions | Editorial report | 3 |
Week 13 |
Word clusters: phrases and clauses | Clauses and how they work Coordination and subordination |
1, 3, 4 | |
Week 14 |
Writing with clarity and grace | Phrases and how they work Misplaced, dangling and squinting modifiers |
1, 3, 4 | |
Week 15 23 May |
Industry speaker | Revision class Practice test and discussion |
1, 3, 4 | |
Week 16 |
Q&A: Grammar and paragraphing | Test Semester review |
Paragraphing and grammar test | 1, 3, 4 |
Week 17 | Assessment Week - no classes | |||
Semester break | 4 June to 29 June | |||
Semester 2 | ||||
Week 1 |
Industry speaker | |
1, 2, 4 | |
Week 2 |
Editing in different contexts | Capitalisation and italics Treatment of proper nouns, titles, and foreign words and names |
3, 4 | |
Week 3 |
Types of commas and how to use them | Conventional ’rules’ for using commas, colons and semi-colons in the Australian context How fiction writers use these punctuation marks for effect |
1, 4 | |
Week 4 |
Industry speaker | Fine distinctions in word and sentence punctuation: hyphens and dashes The grammar and typography of en and em dashes |
Writing for Major Project | 3, 4 |
Week 5 |
Punctuating dialogue in fiction | Quotation marks: fiction and non-fiction conventions Shortened forms |
3, 4 | |
Week 6 |
Q&A Style and punctuation | Lists, full stops, question marks, exclamation marks, brackets and ellipses |
4 | |
Week 7 |
Editing symbols and hard copy technique | Test Practice editing mark-up for text and structure Introducing major editing project brief and schedule |
Punctuation test | 1, 3, 4 |
Week 8 |
Editing short fiction | Guidelines for editing an author’s manuscript Major project: the author letter and queries Practice copyediting fiction |
1, 2 | |
Week 9 |
Editing non-fiction | Improving line writing Major Project: creating a style sheet |
1, 2 | |
Week 10 |
Treatment of numbers and measurement | Practice copyediting Major Project: in-class editing and teacher meetings |
3, 4 | |
Week 11 |
Legal issues for writers: copyright, moral rights and their implications for publication | Revising key copyright concepts Copyright and permissions: an editor’s perspective Analysing case studies Major Project: first author-editor meetings |
1, 2 | |
Week 12 |
Proofreading symbols and technique | Major Project: second author–editor meetings Blind vs straight proofreading Practice proofreading against copy Common proofreading errors |
(Take-home copyright test due for CUSADM08A Address copyright requirements) | 1, 2 |
Week 13 |
Typography, readability and formats | Developing an eye for detail Practice blind proofreading |
1, 3, 4 | |
Week 14 |
Page proofing and layout problems, and how to fix them | Strategies for proofreading more complex documents | Major project | 3, 4 |
Week 15 |
Q&A Copyediting and Proofreading | Handling illustrations and figures Test revision |
1, 2, 3, 4 | |
Week 16 |
No class |
Proofreading test | Proofreading test | 1, 2, 3, 4 |
Week 17 | Assessment Week - no classes |
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
Grammar Handbook 2013 (available from the RMIT Bookshop) |
References
You are advised to look at the course blackboard site for ongoing updated information. |
Other Resources
Overview of Assessment
Assessment includes a written report, an editing project, in-class tests and an oral presentation.
Assessment Tasks
To demonstrate competency in this course, you will need to complete the following pieces of assessment to a satisfactory standard. You will receive feedback on all assessment.
1. Class presentation (15%)
A 10-minute presentation on an aspect of editing, publishing, writing or the English language. Your presentation relates to a publishing context, and to you and your classmates as people who will be working as editors or writers being edited.
Class presentation proposal due Semester 1, Week 3 (26 February)
Presentation due on a date negotiated with your teacher.
2. Editing and grammar test (7.5%)
A closed-book test on spelling, tautologies, word confusions, plurals and the apostrophe.
Due date
Semester 1, Week 6 (19 March)
3. Editorial report (15%)
A 1000-word editorial report on an unpublished manuscript.
Due date
Semester 1, Week 12 (7 May)
4. Grammar and paragraphing test (20%)
A test on all grammar and paragraphing work covered in Semester 1.
Due date
Semester 1, Week 16 (4 June)
5. Punctuation test (12.5%)
An open-book test where you add punctuation to an unpunctuated paragraph and correct punctuation problems in a series of sentences, checking parallel structure and compound words as appropriate. You work with the style provided.
Due date
Semester 2, Week 7 (20 August)
6. Major editing project (20%)
You edit another student’s piece of writing submitted for a simulated anthology. To participate in the project, you submit a 1000–1200 word piece of writing according to a brief. As the editor, you complete an electronic clean up of your author’s piece and then do a hard-copy edit. You edit the piece according to the brief, the demands of the piece and market needs. A one-page reflection on the project as both editor and author details your experience and learning.
Due date
Writing – Semester 2, Week 4 (30 July)
Editing Project – Semester 2, Week 13 (15 Oct)
7. Proofreading test (10%)
An open-book test, where you proofread page proofs according to the brief and style provided. You are marked on your proofreading mark-up as well as your ability to find and correct errors.
Due date
Week 16 (Thursday 7 November or Friday 8 November, no class on Cup Day)
Grades used in this unit are as follows:
80 – 100% HD High Distinction
70 – 79% DI Distinction
60 – 69% CR Credit
50 – 59% PA Pass
Under 50% NN Fail
For further information on the grading system and criteria used, please refer to the course blackboard site.
Assessment Matrix
Other Information
Attendance
The major learning experience involves studio based exercises, demonstration and production. It is strongly advised that students attend all sessions in order to engage in the required learning activities, ensuring the maximum opportunity to gain the competency.
Cover Sheet for Submissions
All students must complete a submission cover sheet for each piece of submitted work.
Plagiarism - RMIT has a strict policy on plagiarism. For more information on this policy go to Academic Integrity
Copyright
All students have access to the myRMIT copyright shell. The myRMIT copyright shell contains information on copyright, plus also examples on how to use copyright works as part of your projects and assignments.
Special consideration Policy (Late Submission)
All assessment tasks are required to be completed to a satisfactory level. If you are unable to complete any piece of assessment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension. Please refer to the following URL for extensions and special consideration:
www.rmit.edu.au/students/specialconsideration/online
Work submitted late without an extension or special consideration will be penalised. See the program website for more details.
Student Progress Committee
This committee promotes the early identification of students who are not achieving acceptable academic performance. The committee provides identified students with assistance and seeks to ensure such students are aware of the range of support services available to them at the University. Student Progress Committee (SPC)
Student Feedback
Students are offered opportunities to provide feedback through a variety of mechanisms including online surveys conducted at the end of each course or semester, student complaints and Student Staff Consultative Committees
Course Overview: Access Course Overview