CQUniversity Unit Profile.

Students are required to develop a 500 - 700 word 'Proposal'.

The 'Proposal' will include an outline describing the basic themes, plot/story line or concept of the writing project to be undertaken over the Term.

The type of detail included in the proposal depends on the type of artefact intended. For instance, perhaps you would like to write a short story, or perhaps some poems for a book of poetry, or the first few scenes of a dramatic script for a theatre production, etc. In each case, given your work for this unit will be geared toward writing your first chapter/poems/script, your proposal will need to position the chapter/scenes/poems as sitting within the conceptual idea a larger body of work - a book of poems, a script or a novel, etc - while focusing the most attention on what you actually plan to achieve within this unit proper.

The aim of the Proposal is twofold: a) to show how the student has investigated and thought carefully about a chosen topic; and b) to ensure the writing piece will be developed and written in a suitable, achievable, and appropriate way and with an emphasis on experimental writing technique.

Therefore, your Proposal must identify a specific experimental writing technique (e.g., stream of consciousness, multiple viewpoint, realism, impressionism, etc., anti-realism, memoire, paranormal, metafiction, Avant-pop, experimental life writing, or digital fiction, etc.) and show evidence that you have researched this technique, understand its literary characteristics, and provide some description/rationale as to how you aim to apply the technique in your final creative piece.

The Proposal is therefore in-part a negotiation of the creative writing topic with your supervisor.

The Proposal is worth 20% of your overall graded and it is a condition of the unit that the item must be submitted, approved and passed.

The Proposal/pitch will be evaluated according to the extent to which:

1. the proposal evidences that it will carry-out a clearly articulated set of outcomes in reference to the genre and form of the writing project (e.g., writing the first chapter of a novel, writing a series of ten poems, writing a dramatic script, writing a short story, writing a children's book, etc.)
2. the proposal identifies the genre and style in which the content of the creative artefact will be written and identifies a specific experimental writing technique (e.g., stream of consciousness, multiple viewpoint, realism, impressionism, etc., anti-realism, memoir, paranormal, metafiction, Avant-pop, experimental life writing, or digital fiction, etc.)
3. the proposal of the creative artefact represents an original piece of writing according to the chosen genre and is of an achievable standard shown via a week-by-week timeline indicating what is to be undertaken and when in the writing process (including milestones, e.g., benchmarks achieved leading up to Assessment 2 - Experimental Writing Journal, benchmarks achieved leading up to Assessment 3 - Final Creative Artefact)
4. the proposal defines key literary concepts (e.g., 'point of view', 'short story', 'multiple viewpoint', 'epic', 'ode', 'magic realism', 'sci-fi', etc.), using credible/scholarly sources
5. the proposal includes; a) at least 5 scholarly/credible references identified as important in ensuring that your creative artefact is informed by the literary and stylistic conventions of your chosen genre, the specified style, and experimental writing technique/s in which the content will be written, and b), is presented in a flawless literary presentation, formatting and referencing (Harvard Author-Date system)

Note: The specified word limit for this item (500 words) does not include the reference list. The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.

The final piece must be completed according to the topic proposed in Assessment One (The Proposal), as negotiated with their supervisor.

The word count is between 2500–3000 words in total.The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page, [the Proposal: Assessment Item 1], and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.

Weighting: This assessment item is worth 35% of the overall grade.

Note: A copy of the Proposal (Assessment Item 1) must be included with this assessment item (placed either at the very beginning, or on the final page/s of the Creative Artefact). The Proposal will not be included in the final word count.

This assessment will be evaluated to the extent to which the work:

1. Evidences a carrying-out of the points referred to in the project pitch/proposal with experimentation and innovation;
2. Demonstrates an original piece of writing in the nominated experimental writing technique and of the chosen genre, and is of a standard clearly showing indicators for the chosen genre and style;
3. Showcases a work of a flawless, polished, and finished piece of writing at a publishable standard;
4. Evidences the sustained use of recommended theoretical concepts in supporting work, whether a creative or critical component as regards experimental writing;
5. Utilises overall clarity of expression including spelling and grammatical correctness as well as appropriate acknowledgment of sources using the Harvard(author-date) referencing style.

Students are required to reflect weekly on their writing progress with specific reference to their experiences throughout the creative writing process.

The Experimental Writing journal must discuss in a critical way how the final written piece (the creative artefact) is being/has been shaped by the various factors effecting the process of literary creation. Entries can be written in the experimental writing technique under weekly discussion.

Weighting: This item is worth 45% of your final mark for the unit.

NOTE: Students can complete their Experimental Writing journal as a blog if desired (using the weekly topic forums on the unit moodle site) or submit as a word document. If completing as a blog (either via the weekly moodle platforms or using an external blog platform), simply upload a completed Critical Reflection Journal - Blog Submissions form as your submission for this item.

Students weekly reflections must account for the period Week 2 until Week 11 (10 weeks in total).

Each weekly reflection response is worth 9 marks.

Word limit: Each response should be between 200-275 words in total (references are not included in the word count). The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.

This assessment will be evaluated on the extent to which it demonstrates:

1. Critical reflection regarding the ways in which the work in progress aligns with the creative intentions set out in the proposal;
2. Critical reflection regarding the ways in which the work in progress is a demonstration of the critical engagement with the writing techniques identified in the proposal;
3. A deliberate and concerted enterprise in seriously considering the factors which have shaped and determined the process of literary creation including;
4. A justification of literary techniques used, a justification of chosen genre and form, a justification of how each step of the writing process as gone beyond simply sitting and writing, but offers insight into how you have critically examined your creative product in the light of contemporary theory and practice (insights each supported by critical/scholarly readings and material);
5. Flawless presentation and clarity of expression in each critical reflection - including spelling and grammatical correctness and appropriate acknowledgment of all sources and in-text citation using the Harvard (author-date) referencing style.

Note: The specified word limit for this item (2000 - 2500 words) does not include the reference list. The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.