Genre Interventions

This subject is not offered in 2013.

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Admission to the postgraduate diploma, postgraduate certificate or fourth year honours in English & theatre studies, or creative writing.

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For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

The subject teaches an understanding of genres in their social, historical and theoretical contexts. It will focus on the analysis of texts working in a range of literary and non-literary genres (the joke, the blog, the crime novel, the curse, the novel of manners, the elegy, the advertisement), and will then build on the categories of analysis developed in the practical criticism of these genres to examine more general theoretical issues, examining the structural features of different genres, their social contexts and histories and the work of writers who have radically intervened in different genres. The subject will encourage writers to gain a deeper understanding of the genres in which they wish to write, using the discussed genres as examples and will encourage literature students to investigate and/or critique genres. Both creative writing and literary theory students will engage in the examination of theoretical issues. Creative writing students may negotiate a form of assessment which involves creative work.

Students who complete this subject will:

• have a recognition of critical interventions in genre writing;
• have an understanding of genre development;
• have a familarity with contemporary debates about genre; and
• have an understanding of racial and gendered aspects of genre and the ability to identify the structure of at least two genres.

A class presentation and written paper of 1000 words 20% (due during weeks 2-10 of the semester) and written work of 4000 words 80% (due in the examination period). Students are required to attend a minimum of 80% (or 10 out of 12) classes in order to qualify to have their written work assessed. Any student who fails to meet this hurdle without valid reason will not be eligible to pass the subject. All required written work must be submitted in order to pass the subject. Essays submitted after the due date without an extension will be penalised 2% per day. Essays submitted after two weeks of the assessment due date without a formally approved application for special consideration or an extension will only be marked on a pass/fail basis if accepted.

A subject reader will be available.

• D Duff (ed), Modern Genre Theory.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students who successfully complete this subject will be able to:

• apply advanced analytic and critical skills to written texts;
• apply advanced problem-solving skills to creative and analytic tasks;
• complete written tasks to an advanced level of literacy and communication;
• plan and develop their own work; and
• relate critical analysis to creative production issues.