Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013

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

Rationale

The unit covers one of the major genres in creative writing, and is designed for those who are interested in language and the use of words in precise, innovative, concentrated and musical ways. It would also be useful to lyricists. The unit provides important creative and critical skills in writing verse and cultivating an understanding and appreciation of poetry and occurs at the mid-point of the creative writing major, building on KWB211 Stylistics and preparing students for the advanced work of third year.

Aims

The unit will develop students' skills in both reading and writing contemporary poetry. Students will learn a range of approaches to writing poetry, to writing reflectively about their own poetry, and writing analytically about the stylistics of another person's poetry.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to:

1. Write and edit a portfolio of poetry to a professional standard, applying your craft knowledge of stylistic features, and your knowledge of the power and practice of imagination in poetic creation.
2. Analyse and reflect critically upon both your own poetry and poetics and that of others, from a writer's perspective, both independently and collaboratively.
3. Apply your knowledge of the diversity of contemporary verse strategies, including open and closed poetry, prose poetry, hybrids, performance poetry and song lyrics, in composing your own work.
4. Use your realistic knowledge of the marketplace for poetry, both print and electronic, in order to identify the most suitable journals and sites for publication of your work.

Content

The unit assists an understanding and appreciation of modern and contemporary poets' work (including Carol Ann Duffy, W.H. Auden, Sylvia Plath, Philip Larkin, Billy Collins, Les Murray, Emma Jones, Sarah Holland-Batt, David Morley and Fiona Sampson); equips you to be able to apply a knowledge of poetics and style in writing and editing your own poetry; practice in how to write reflectively about one's own poetry; and how to provide constructive criticism of other writers' work.

Graduate capabilities being developed include: demonstrating the knowledge and skills required to pursue a writing career; applying critical and creative thinking and problem-solving in creative practice and analysis; and working in a self-reliant and independent way as well as showing teamwork in collaborative environments.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

A combination of lectures, tutorials and workshops will support students' achievement of learning outcomes through modelling pedagogy, small group work, peer critique and formative as well as summative assessment, with students submitting draft work for feedback as well as final versions. Assessment is designed to allow students the space and time to innovate and experiment in developing their own voice and technique during the semester.

Student work will be developed to reach professional 'real world' standards and to be suitable for the publishing market.

Assessment

Assessment tasks will include: creative practice; self-reflective analysis; and critical analysis of other writers' work.Students will receive formative feedback through in-class writing exercises and oral peer-critiques, and summative feedback through written and oral feedback on creative practice and critical/reflective writing.

Assessment name: Poetryand Essay
Description: The creative work comprises five (5) exercises in poetic form: one free verse poem; one closed form poem; one haiku; one prose poem; one found poem.

The essay comprises 750-1000 words analysing the stylistic features of a poem of your choice from the two recommended anthologies.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Mid Semester

Assessment name: Portfolio & Behaviour
Description: Portfolio and Professional Behaviour

The Portfolio comprises:
1. Five (5) of your best poems, to a limit of 10 pages, and the name of one journal to which you have submitted your work.
2. A 'writer's statement' - a 300 word introduction to your poems.
3. One early draft of each poem.

Professional Behaviour comprises:
Active and informed contribution to in-class activities or meetings. (60% total)
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 4
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group with Individual Component
Due date: Final week 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

Recommended texts:

The Penguin Anthology of Australian Poetry ed. John Kinsella (Melbourne: Penguin, 2009)

Australian Poetry since 1788 eds. Gray, R & Lehmann, G (Sydney: University of NSW Press, 2011).

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: 02-Apr-2013