Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Academic writing is an essential skill that all students need to succeed in their university degree programme, as academic writing underpins assessment tasks in all university degrees. This unit is placed in the first semester of your first year to ensure that you have the necessary writing skills to complete assessment at a high standard.

Aims

This unit instructs you on how to interpret and analyse information, and to argue a case based on evidence and logic.

Objectives

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
1. Apply written communications skills for Creative Writing & Literary Studies contexts taking into account academic writing conventions.
2. Interpret and analyse texts
3. Demonstrate critical, creative and analytical thinking, and effective problem-solving
4. Synthesise information to form an academic argument
5. Evaluate the quality of your own and others' academic writing.

Content

This unit covers the following aspects of academic writing: description, narration, exposition, analysis, argument, clear writing, and grammatically correct writing. Graduate capabilities developed are knowledge and skills pertinent to a particular discipline or professional area; critical, creative and analytical thinking; effective communication in a variety of contexts and modes; and methods of academic referencing.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

The unit is taught through a combination of lectures and tutorials. The lecture is designed to impart formal academic writing skills, while the tutorials allow you to practise and develop the skills outlined in the lecture. The Tutorial Guide provides you with various exercises to complete in class and in your own time. You must bring the Tutorial Guide with you to the workshops, and have read the set material before class. Feedback will be provided to you on your work throughout the semester. You should discuss your progress in the unit with your tutor or the unit co-ordinator and draw their attention to any problems you are experiencing.

No flexible learning choices are available.

Assessment

For assessment, you are required to compile a portfolio of your own academic writing, and complete an end-of-semester examination.During the semester, your tutor will provide you with formative and summative feedback on your progress in the unit. You should discuss your progress, and any concerns you have, with your tutor or the unit coordinator.

Assessment name: Writing Portfolio
Description: Compile a suite of written materials:
(a) Writing plan
(b) Annotated bibliography
(c) Argumentative essay
Due dates: Mid-semester (a) & (b) and End-of-semester (c)
Relates to objectives: 1, 3, 4
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Mid and End Semester

Assessment name: Examination
Description: Analyse passages of writing and write two essays
Relates to objectives: 2, 5
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of Semester

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Writing Fundamentals Tutorial Guide (available from QUT Bookshop)
Access to Blackboard site

Risk assessment statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 05-Oct-2012