| Effective Term: | 2025/02 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Education, Arts & Community |
| Unit Title: | Writing Creative Nonfiction |
| Unit ID: | BAWRT3002 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (BATCC1001 or BAWRT1001 or BAWRT1002 or LITCR1001 or LITCR1002) (At least 30 credit points from BATCC or BAWRT or LITCR subject-area at 2000-2999 level) |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | (ATSGC2990 and BAWRT2002 and LITCR2990) |
| ASCED: | 109999 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This advanced-level unit aims to enhance students’ awareness of the possibilities of creative nonfiction. This topic has a creative writing focus with a special interest in literary nonfiction as a form that engages with emerging and established genres, overlapping and intermingling genres, tests the boundaries, is experimental and marginal, and that enhances the possibilities for original and engaging writing practices. Through developing their own nonfiction writing, studying course materials, engaging in class discussions and workshop sessions, students will gain experience and confidence as practising writers and scholars of the form. Teaching and learning strategies combine mini online lectures, readings and discussion, writing exercises and writing workshops. Specific nonfiction sub-genres covered may include, personal essay, lyric essay, creative nonfiction (CNF), reviewing, memoir, literary journalism, and ecocriticism. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: No |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | | | | | | | Advanced | | |  | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Appraise how creative nonfiction is defined and practised. |
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| K2. | Evaluate techniques usually associated with fiction as applied to nonfiction material. |
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| K3. | Identify the conventions of various forms of nonfiction. |
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| K4. | Reflect on the ethical, political, social and cultural possibilities of creative nonfiction writing in Australia and globally. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Develop an ethical moral compass when producing creative nonfiction. |
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| S2. | Employ the conventions of various forms of nonfiction. |
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| S3. | Formulate ways of discussing and critically evaluating different forms of nonfiction. |
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| S4. | Demonstrate advanced skills in editing and workshopping creative nonfiction. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Apply advanced techniques of creative nonfiction and editing skills to produce creative nonfiction within a particular genre. |
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| A2. | Demonstrate critical awareness of the ethical, political, social and cultural possibilities of creative nonfiction writing in Australia and globally. |
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| A3. | Apply advanced editing and feedback skills to identify strengths and weaknesses in the work of peers. |
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| Unit Content: |
•What is Creative Nonfiction and the Challenges of Creative Nonfiction
•Fact vs Fiction & Scene vs. Exposition
•The Ethics of Reading and Writing Life Narrative
•The Personal Essay
•Literary Journalism
•Researching and Interviewing
•Writing about Travel, Nature, and the Arts
•Editing and Peer-Critique
•Workshopping |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate, inter-act and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display skills in-person and/or online in: • Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Showing empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others. Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating a collegial environment • Showing self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect • Inspiring and convincing others • Making informed decisions • Displaying initiative | Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically • Evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Considering alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving. | Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work fluently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Finding, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information • Collating, managing, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Contributing actively to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and benefiting from digital learning opportunities. | Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in global economic environmental and societal contexts • Committing to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Evaluating ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Embracing lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K3, K4, S3, A2 | Students write a short critical reflection in response to selected critical readings from a chosen weekly topic to reflect on the creative/craft, ethical, political, social and cultural possibilities of creative nonfiction writing in Australia and globally. This task may be aligned with ‘The Five Rs Reflective Reading Scale’. | Critical Reflection | 30-35% | | 2. | K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2 | Students will write an extended piece in one or more of the genres studied. Students will also produce accompanying material which may include a contextual statement that identifies the genre chosen, the stylistic choices, scope of research and pitch letter(s) incl. author bio. | Extended piece of CNF or selection of smaller CNF works and accompanying contextual statement and pitch letter(s) incl. bio | 40-50% | | 3. | K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S2, S3, S4, A1, A2, A3 | Students are expected to complete all readings and to participate and contribute to activities completed in class and/or discussion on Moodle – high-level engagement in workshopping and peer-review are essential considerations for this grade. | Participation (Workshop/Moodle) including workshopping and peer-review | 30-35% |
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