Writing Narrative Non-Fiction (9921.1)
Available teaching periods | Delivery mode | Location |
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View teaching periods | ||
EFTSL | Credit points | Faculty |
0.125 | 3 | Faculty Of Arts And Design |
Discipline | Study level | HECS Bands |
Discipline Of Creative And Cultural Practice | Level 2 - Undergraduate Intermediate Unit | Band 2 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021) Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021) Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan Social Work_Exclude 0905) |
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:1. Demonstrate the ability to generate ideas for journalistic features and basic narrative non-fiction stories that will engage audiences;
2. Demonstrate the ability to gather information ethically, whether from documentary sources or by interviews or first-hand observation;
3. Demonstrate the ability to structure and write a feature story or piece of narrative non-fiction that aims to be accurate, insightful and compelling to read;
4. Demonstrate awareness of the skills involved in producing journalistic stories and narrative non-fiction across different media platforms, including but not limited to print, audio, video, digital and e-books; and
5. Demonstrate an appreciation of the history, diversity, complexity and value of feature journalism and narrative non-fiction.
Graduate attributes
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
Prerequisites
Must have passed unit 5565 Introduction to Journalism OR 8304 Introduction to Creative Writing.Corequisites
9923 Mobile Reporting OR 8623 Literary Studies: True Stories OR 5572 ReportingIncompatible units
NONE.Equivalent units
NO.Assumed knowledge
Basic knowledge of journalism and of writingYear | Location | Teaching period | Teaching start date | Delivery mode | Unit convener |
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Required texts
Required texts and readings:
You will benefit from either buying or borrowing a library copy of Matthew Ricketson and Caroline Graham's Writing Feature Stories: How to research and write articles -- from listicles to longform. This book offers practical methods for creating stories, with many lessons, exercises and ideas that are likely to be helpful. Required readings for each week may be found on the unit's Moodle page site.
Recommended texts:
There is a broad range of books, journal articles and media coverage about non-fiction writing in the university's library, which has a good collection of references about the field. Some are how-to guides that offer alternative perspectives to the prescribed and recommended texts. There are also publications that survey the field or discuss issues arising in its practice. Among the books listed below are anthologies that contain examples of longform journalism and narrative non-fiction, giving you an opportunity to sample the breadth of writing in the genre.
Applegate, E. (Ed.). (1996). Literary journalism: A biographical dictionary of writers and editors. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press.
Bak, J.S. & Reynolds, B. (2011). Literary journalism across the globe. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press.
Boynton, R.S. (2005). The new new journalism: Conversations with America's best nonfiction writers on their craft. New York: Vintage Books.
Cheney, T. (1991). Writing creative nonfiction. California: Ten Speed Press.
Connery, T. (Ed.). (1992). A sourcebook of American literary journalism: Representative writers in an emerging genre. New York: Greenwood.
Cords, S. S. (2009). The inside scoop: A guide to nonfiction investigative writing and exposés. Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.
Eisenhuth, S. & McDonald, W. (Eds.). (2007). The writer's reader: Understanding journalism and non-fiction. Cambridge, Port Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.
Funder, A. (2002). Stasiland. Melbourne: Text Publishing.
Glass, I. (Ed.). (2007). The new kings of nonfiction. New York: Riverhead Press.
Gutkind, L. (2005). In fact: The best of creative nonfiction. New York: W.W. Norton.
Gutkind, L. (2008). Keep it real: Everything you need to know about researching and writing creative non-fiction. New York: W.W. Norton.
Harrington, W. (Ed.). (1997). Intimate journalism: The art and craft of reporting everyday life. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Harrington, W. & Sager, M. (Eds.). (2012). Next wave: America's new generation of great literary journalists. United States: The Sager Group.
Hart, J. (2006). A writer's coach: An editor's guide to works that work. New York: Pantheon Books.
Hart, J. (2011). Storycraft: The complete guide to writing narrative nonfiction. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Hollowell, J. (1977). Fact and fiction: The new journalism and the nonfiction novel. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.
Keeble, R. L. & Wheeler, S. (Eds.). (2007). The journalistic imagination: Literary journalists from Defoe to Capote and Carter. London: Routledge.
Keeble, R. L. & Tulloch, J. (Eds.). (2014). Global literary journalism. New York: Peter Lang.
Kerrane, K & Yagoda, B. (Eds.). (1998). The art of fact: A historical anthology of literary journalism. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Kroeger, B. (2012). Undercover reporting: The truth about deception. Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern University Press.
Lazar, David. (Ed.). (2008). Truth in nonfiction: Essays. Iowa: University of Iowa Press.
Perl, S. & Schwartz, M. (2006). Writing true: The art and craft of creative nonfiction. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Ricketson, M. (2014). Telling true stories: Navigating the challenges of writing narrative non-fiction. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.
Ricketson, M. & Graham, C. (2017). Writing feature stories: How to research and write articles – from listicles to longform (2nd ed.). Sydney: Allen & Unwin.
Sims, N. (2008). True stories: A century of literary journalism. Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern University Press.
Tanner, S. L., Kasinger, M., & Richardson, N. (2012). Feature writing: Telling the story (2nd ed.). South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Underwood, D. (2008). Journalism and the novel: Truth and fiction, 1700-2000. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Weinberg, S. (1992). Telling the untold story: How investigative reporters are changing the craft of biography. Columbia: University of Missouri Press.
Weingarten, M. (2006). The gang that wouldn't write straight: Wolfe, Thompson, Didion, and the new journalism revolution. New York: Crown Publishers.
Wheeler, S. (2009). Feature writing for journalists. New York: Routledge.
Zinsser, W. K. (2006). On writing well: The classic guide to writing nonfiction (7th ed.). New York: Harper Collins.
Submission of assessment items
Special assessment requirements
There are no special assessment requirements for this unit.
Academic integrity
Students have a responsibility to uphold University standards on ethical scholarship. Good scholarship involves building on the work of others and use of others' work must be acknowledged with proper attribution made. Cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of data are dishonest practices that contravene academic values. Refer to the University's Student Charter for more information.
To enhance understanding of academic integrity, all students are expected to complete the Academic Integrity Module (AIM) at least once during their course of study. You can access this module within UCLearn (Canvas) through the 'Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism' link in the Study Help site.
Use of Text-Matching Software
The University of Canberra uses text-matching software to help students and staff reduce plagiarism and improve understanding of academic integrity. The software matches submitted text in student assignments against material from various sources: the internet, published books and journals, and previously submitted student texts.
Referencing in assignments and Ethical issues
Referencing requirements:
As noted in the assessment guidelines, you are expected to acknowledge your sources when you submit your work. Although the layout and system of referencing is up to you (you can use Harvard, Chicago, APA, hyperlinks, footnotes, endnotes, etc.), you must acknowledge your source material in your work.
Ethical Issues:
Journalists and writers have great freedom in their work, but also clear constraints on what they may write and present to others. Consequently, while you may write any story that engages you, in the voice, from the perspective, and using the characterisation that you choose, you must also comply with the University of Canberra’s Regulation of Student Conduct rules (which requires that students not engage in a course of behaviour offensive to a university authority, board or committee, to an officer or employee of the university, or to another student). You and your work must also comply with Australian law, specifically the Office of Film and Literature Classification Code. This code prohibits the publication/dissemination of material that ‘appears to purposefully debase or abuse for the enjoyment of readers/viewers, and which lacks moral, artistic or other values to the extent that they offend against generally accepted standards of morality, decency and propriety’. You should also keep in mind the potential for legal issues (of defamation, for example) that may arise when writing about other people.
Students doing journalistic work for their assessment items should be aware that they need to abide by the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance’s code of ethics for journalists, which you have already been learnt about in earlier units, and which can be found here: http://www.alliance.org.au/code-of-ethics.html.
Participation requirements
In order to be able to effectively pass this unit, students should attend the tutorials, listen to lectures, complete readings, and complete their assessment to the best of their ability. Attendance at tutorials is recommended: the peer-to-peer interaction and critique is an integral part of the unit's learning outcomes and an efficient way to garner the feedback necessary for producing good writing. While online forums on Moodle will be available for students to post and comment on each other's work, it is incumbent on all students to ensure they receive appropriate feedback. Students who choose to not attend tutorials cannot rely on tutors to provide this outside of class.
Required IT skills
None.
In-unit costs
None.
Work placement, internships or practicums
None.
Additional information
None.