Course Title: Refine writing and editing techniques - Short Story

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2008

Course Code: COMM5412

Course Title: Refine writing and editing techniques - Short Story

School: 345T Creative Media

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5181 - Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing

Course Contact : Professional Writing and Editing Administration

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4368

Course Contact Email:Brendan.lee@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Ania Walwicz
ania.walwicz@rmit.edu.au

Contact details of other teacher will be available in Week 1

Nominal Hours: 85

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

Produce Writings – Short Story (VBVP552)

Course Description

This course covers the knowledge and skills required to research and experiment with writing and editing techniques and media to generate writings. It investigates the short story format through discussion of the works of a wide variety of authors. This involves reading their work, textual analysis, class discussion and exploring approaches to creative writing.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

VBP553 Refine writing and editing techniques - Short Story

Element:

1. Inform work through experimentation with writing techniques and media   

Performance Criteria:

1.1 The potential for new approaches to writing based on the capabilities of techniques already used are evaluated
1.2 New techniques are selected, adapted and introduced for the achievement of different effects
1.3 The capabilities of writing techniques are extended through experimentation to inform practice
1.4 Relevant ideas and approaches from other practitioners are researched, adapted and used with consideration of intellectual property, moral rights and copyright requirements

Element:

2. Develop and refine conceptual vision for writings

Performance Criteria:

2.1 A conceptual vision for writings are developed based on a knowledge and understanding of different writing techniques
2.2 The criteria for selecting techniques are considered based on results of experimentation
2.4 The approach to work which meets established criteria is selected
2.5 The conceptual vision is refined based on on-going experimentation and analysis of writing techniques

Element:

3. Determine and organise resource requirements for work

Performance Criteria:

3.1 The specific resource requirements which arise from the use of techniques and experimental approaches are assessed
3.2 Potential sources of supply of writing resources are researched and accessed
3.3 Constraints that may impact on the development of work are evaluated

Element:

4. Plan the writing

Performance Criteria:

4.1 The writing task is planned to reflect the media, scope, structure and content of the work and to meet agreed timelines
4.2 Ideas are organised and developed into an ordered sequence of scenes
4.3 All resources required to deliver the writing task are organised
4.4 A timeline for the completion of the writing task that reflects the critical milestones is determined

Element:

5. Realise writings                              

Performance Criteria:

5.1 Writings are realised using techniques and media selected from research and experimentation to meet the conceptual vision
5.2 The potential for changes in the use of techniques are evaluated and responded to
5.3 The conceptual vision is refined  based on on-going experiences with the production of writings
5.4 Issues of design and presentation of writings are considered and appropriate actions taken

Learning Outcomes


Not applicable


Details of Learning Activities

Students learn through classroom-based lectures, workshopping and group exercises. Students are expected to do their own research and writing off-campus.


Teaching Schedule

Semester 1

Weeks Topics
1–4 Origin and development of the form of the short story
5–8 The nineteenth century short story
9–17 The modernist movement – Joyce, Chekhov etc.
18 Revision and overview of Semester 1

Semester 2

Weeks Topics
1–4 The short story in the twentieth century
5–12 Modes and genres of the short story – fantasy, magic realism, dirty realism, etc.
13–17 The contemporary short story
18 Conclusion and overview of Semester 2


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

Students will be given resource material in class.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment includes short stories, a short written commentary, a class presentation and class exercises.


Assessment Tasks

At the end of the course students must submit a total of 10,000 words of short fiction in any form – for example, one long story or four stories of about 2,500 words each. Students will complete four short stories of 2,500 words each (a total of 10,000 words).

The stories can use ideas explored in class or independent explorations. The student chooses the relevant content and form of the story.

Due dates
Story 1 – 2 April
Story 2 – 14 May
Story 3 – 20 August
Story 4 – 1 October


Assessment Matrix

Not applicable

Course Overview: Access Course Overview