Overview
In this unit, you will be introduced to the study of film, TV and other media by examining theories and practices associated with genres including crime and fantasy, and modes of representation such as realism. By learning to apply basic semiotic analysis to selected texts, you will examine the ways in which popular genres both reflect and construct the meaning of contemporary life, and you will explore how these genres both challenge and support normative ideologies as well as model everyday behaviour. This unit functions as an introduction to more advanced studies in literary and cultural studies.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2020
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Unit Evaluation
The Moodle site was a little unorganised.
Work is underway to make the Moodle site easier to navigate by creating a Learning Activities tab that clarifies the steps to understanding the weekly topic.
Feedback from Unit Evaluation
The zoom sessions overlapped with other subjects and I was unable to attend
Unfortunately, there is no perfect time to hold a Zoom session. However, they are recorded and made available to be viewed at any time.
Feedback from Unit Evaluation
Need more explanation of how to structure assessment pieces, especially for first year students.
Exemplars and "how to" guides are provided but more resources along these lines are in development.
- Recognise the defining elements of various popular genres and analyse the significance of these elements in particular texts
- Articulate the ways in which popular genres both affirm and subvert the 'norms' of culture, and function as sites of contestation over the meanings, values and ideologies represented within them
- Demonstrate advanced skills in reading, research and textual analysis
- Show increased confidence and competence in written, oral, on-line and group communication skills using the vocabulary of concepts provided by the unit.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||
| 2 - Presentation - 40% | ||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Presentation - 40% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.butler@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Popular culture in the context of literary studies
Chapter
See Moodle weekly study modules for recommended readings.
Events and Submissions/Topic
There is a weekly tutorial for internal students.
For distance students there will generally be a weekly Zoom meeting which you are strongly encouraged to join (or watch later if unable to attend).
Module/Topic
Genres & texts: methods and meanings
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Soap Opera: mythologies of community
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Situation Comedy: a formula for transgression
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Item 1 - Quiz
QUIZ Due: Week 4 Friday (3 Apr 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Romance: Identity, gender, sexuality & love
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Adventure & the superhero film: power and the "other"
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Fantasy: the magic of desire
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Science fiction: "what if?" means to be human
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Item 2 - Pitch or Review
PITCH OR REVIEW Due: Week 8 Friday (8 May 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Horror: from the supernatural to the monster within
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Crime & Detection: doing justice to "honour among thieves"
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Popular music and the "band film": soundtrack of a thwarted revolution
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
New Genres: reality TV, social media & the virtual world online
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Item 3 - Essay
ESSAY Due: Week 12 Friday (5 June 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
Your task is to undertake the Quiz located in the Moodle Week 4 learning module. There are 20 questions (multiple choice, TRUE or FALSE, etc.), and each question is worth 1 mark. It is an open-book quiz, a test of your understanding of important concepts in the literary studies approach to popular genres. Use of the 'Glossary of key analytical concepts' (Butler 2020) is recommended.
Weighting: 20% of overall grade
Week 4 Friday (3 Apr 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
By midnight on Friday of Week 4
Week 4 Friday (3 Apr 2020)
As students do the quiz the correct answer will be displayed and their grade assessed.
This assignment will be evaluated on the extent to which it demonstrates:
- The ability to correctly answer the question;
- A clear understanding of key literary terms for analysing popular culture;
- A recognition of the importance of the repertoire of elements (setting, characters, narrative, iconography, style, stars);
- An awareness of the ideological significance of popular texts;
- The ability to use the Moodle interface to complete the quiz;
- Recognise the defining elements of various popular genres and analyse the significance of these elements in particular texts
- Articulate the ways in which popular genres both affirm and subvert the 'norms' of culture, and function as sites of contestation over the meanings, values and ideologies represented within them
- Demonstrate advanced skills in reading, research and textual analysis
- Show increased confidence and competence in written, oral, on-line and group communication skills using the vocabulary of concepts provided by the unit.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
2 Presentation
In this assignment you may choose between a "creative" project or a "critical" one. You may either "pitch" a new idea for a film (TV show, game, etc.) OR write a "review" of a recently released popular text. Either way, demonstrating understanding of the repertoire of elements is crucial.
The pitch is an exercise in persuasion, and the proposed film/TV show must incorporate elements from several genres rather than be a straight romance or horror film (this is too easy). The document should include a title, promotional tagline, an outline of the basic scenario, and a discussion of themes and issues in terms of the repertoire of elements. Pictures with captions and text are encouraged. You may want to create "memes" or make a YouTube style 'trailer preview'. You may be as creative as you like with the 'pitch' but bear in mind the point is demonstrate knowledge of how popular texts derive meanings from the selection and arrangement of elements from various genres.
REVIEW
Imagine you are writing a review for a popular magazine or blog called GENRE. A review is an exercise in criticism and evaluation, generally designed for a popular readership, so it requires a less academic style than a scholarly essay. A Google search for "film or movie review" will take you to thousands of different sites, and in my experience, they are all much the same. You have probably read quite a few film reviews yourself. Now it’s time to write one. The only difference between the average film review and this one, is that you must place more emphasis on the film’s setting, characters, plot, iconography, and style and how the combination of various genre elements creates meaning.
GENERAL
Students will submit their pitch or review through Moodle by the end of Week 8, though they may submit earlier. Internal students are invited to present their work to their tutorial group, distance students are encouraged to publish their project in an allocated forum.
NOTE: The use of captioned images is recommended
Word limit: 1000 words
Weighting: 40% of overall grade
Week 8 Friday (8 May 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 10 Friday (22 May 2020)
Within two weeks
This assignment will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Potential for the pitch to be produced or for the review to be published (e.g. its creativity & credibility);
- Enthusiasm of the presenters for their project and their creative and/or critical skills;
- Demonstrated understanding of the elements of genre, and how meaning is produced through their selection and arrangement in the text;
- Demonstrated understanding that popular texts both affirm and subvert ideological norms;
- Clarity of expression and appropriate style of presentation (including spelling and grammar); and,
- Appropriate acknowledgement of all sources using the Harvard (author-date) referencing style.
- Recognise the defining elements of various popular genres and analyse the significance of these elements in particular texts
- Articulate the ways in which popular genres both affirm and subvert the 'norms' of culture, and function as sites of contestation over the meanings, values and ideologies represented within them
- Demonstrate advanced skills in reading, research and textual analysis
- Show increased confidence and competence in written, oral, on-line and group communication skills using the vocabulary of concepts provided by the unit.
- Communication
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
3 Written Assessment
For this assignment you are required to write a scholarly essay, developing an argument on the significance of a popular text (or texts) by close reading key scenes in terms of the repertoire of elements and other concepts of analysis. Ideas from secondary sources should be integrated into the discussion. Choose from one of the following options:
- Choose one or more analytical concepts introduced in the unit (e.g. intertextuality, realism, literary theory, etc.) and develop an argument on the significance of a film or TV show based on a detailed analysis of its genre elements.
- Choose one of the weekly discussion topics, and develop it into a longer essay. Focus on how a text's representation of social issues conveys ideology through genre conventions.
- It could be argued that the more a text explicitly conforms to the conventions of its genre, the more it implicitly reinforces society’s dominant ideologies. Conversely, a text that subverts genre conventions tends to be progressive or radical in regard to social norms. Discuss the validity of this theory by comparing and contrasting at least two films and/or TV programs.
- Diachronic genre analysis reveals the historical process of social meaning whereas synchronic analysis examines the contemporary structure of social meaning. Demonstrate your understanding of these semiotic "ways of seeing" by discussing the intrinsic elements and extrinsic significance of one or more popular texts.
- Popular texts can be understood as relatively conventional or inventive depending on the selection and arrangement of the repertoire of genre elements. Discuss in terms of one or more popular texts.
- Word limit: 1500 words
Weight: 40% of overall grade
Week 12 Friday (5 June 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (19 June 2020)
Assignment returned within two weeks
1. A clear recognition and understanding of the defining elements of relevant popular genres, and the ability to analyse the significance of these using recommended literary concepts in particular texts;
2. The ability to construct an argument, synthesize ideas and develop a clear position based on analysis (close reading) of the chosen text;
3. The ability to demonstrate an understanding that popular texts both affirm and subvert ideological norms;
4. Clarity of expression and presentation (including spelling and grammar); and,
5. Effective use of secondary sources and appropriate acknowledgement of all sources using the Harvard (author-date) referencing style
- Recognise the defining elements of various popular genres and analyse the significance of these elements in particular texts
- Articulate the ways in which popular genres both affirm and subvert the 'norms' of culture, and function as sites of contestation over the meanings, values and ideologies represented within them
- Demonstrate advanced skills in reading, research and textual analysis
- Show increased confidence and competence in written, oral, on-line and group communication skills using the vocabulary of concepts provided by the unit.
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
