Availabilities:

2021 unit offering information will be available in November 2020

Unit description

Provides students with skills in writing specifically for young readers by investigating the development of children's and young adult fiction and the demands being made on producers of texts for young people in contemporary times. Students will build a portfolio through creative original works relevant to the young adult market. Intended as a second/third-year unit.

Unit content

Topic 1: What is writing for young people?

Topic 2: Ethics of writing for young people.

Topic 3: Ethics (cont.) and Age of Target Audience.

Topic 4: Gender in YA fiction.

Topic 5: Race and subcultures in YA fiction.

Topic 6: Genre in YA fiction.

Topics 8-12: Writing strategies in YA fiction: The reader and the story.

Topics 8-12: Writing strategies in YA fiction: Pacing, action and dialogue.

Topics 8-12: Writing strategies in YA fiction: Revising and editing strategies.

Topics 8-12: Writing strategies in YA fiction: Publishing.

Topics 8-12: Writing strategies in YA fiction: Workshopping.

Topics 8-12: Writing strategies in YA fiction: Workshopping.

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:GA1GA2GA3GA4GA5GA6GA7
1Recognise the relationship between author and reader.Intellectual rigourCreativity
2Identify a range of popular genres focused on young people.CreativityEthical practice
3Identify specific aspects of writing for young people.Intellectual rigourEthical practice
4Discuss contemporary publishing practices that engage a young readership.Ethical practice
5Write for a specific age group.Intellectual rigourCreativityEthical practice
6Demonstrate drafting and revising skills.Intellectual rigour
7Reflect critically on their own and others' writingIntellectual rigourCreativity

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. Recognise the relationship between author and reader.
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA2: Creativity
  2. Identify a range of popular genres focused on young people.
    • GA2: Creativity
    • GA3: Ethical practice
  3. Identify specific aspects of writing for young people.
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA3: Ethical practice
  4. Discuss contemporary publishing practices that engage a young readership.
    • GA3: Ethical practice
  5. Write for a specific age group.
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA2: Creativity
    • GA3: Ethical practice
  6. Demonstrate drafting and revising skills.
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
  7. Reflect critically on their own and others' writing
    • GA1: Intellectual rigour
    • GA2: Creativity

Teaching and assessment

Notice

Intensive offerings may or may not be scheduled in every session. Please refer to the timetable for further details.

Southern Cross University employs different teaching methods within units to provide students with the flexibility to choose the mode of learning that best suits them. SCU academics strive to use the latest approaches and, as a result, the learning modes and materials may change. The most current information regarding a unit will be provided to enrolled students at the beginning of the study session.

Fee information

Domestic

Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.
Commencing 2021 Commonwealth Supported only. Student contribution band: 1

Fee paying courses
For POSTGRADUATE or UNDERGRADUATE full fee paying courses please check Domestic Postgraduate Fees OR Domestic Undergraduate Fees

International

Please check the international course and fee list to determine the relevant fees.

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