Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Historical & Philosophical Inq
The Australian Experience is designed to present a broad introductory survey to some of the key issues and themes relating to Australian society and culture across a wide time-frame. We begin before colonisation, with ancient Indigenous cultures, and end in the more recent past. Across this period, Australia underwent dramatic transformations in social, racial, cultural, economic and environmental terms. Throughout the course, we will gain an understanding of the brutalities of the colonial process; the relationships of the Europeans to this 'new' land; the developing society in the Antipodes; the new cultural forms of nationalism in the late nineteenth century; and finally to the importance of White Australia. In the twentieth century, we will consider the impact of wars and Depression, and the cultural shifts of liberation movements later in the century.
The course is designed to introduce students to some of the leading scholarship and debates in studies of Australian history, society and culture. While questions of gender, race and class are important organising themes, the course is also designed to engage with contemporary lines of critical inquiry such as questions of space, place and landscape, memory and historical imagination, identity politics, popular culture and post/colonialism. Our key focus is upon the many different and contested stories that make up our understanding of the national past, the intention being to convey its multi-layered and complex texture.
Course requirements
Assumed background
There is no background knowledge in Australian history assumed for this course. Foreign policy is not directly included.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Tutor
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Timetables are available on mySI-net.
Aims and outcomes
HIST1201 seeks to introduce students to Australia's past both by providing anﾠoverview of Australian history and the ways our past relates to our contemporary society. As such, this course aims to foster the graduate attributes of the University of Queensland. As a History Gateway course, HIST1201 prepares students for further study in Australian history, but also prepares students to deal with historical analysis in other courses. Students will learn about Australian history and also gain the ability to analyse, research and provide reasoned answers to historical issues. These skills are basic to humanities and social sciences research. The course will also introduce students to ideas on historiography andﾠthe changing interpretations of history.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Understand better the complex nature of Australian society, its different elements, and their separate and shared pasts.
LO2.
Reflect critically on Australian history and its impacts on the present and the future.
LO3.
Conduct research independently.
LO4.
Demonstrate reasoned thought, creativity, and a high quality of written expression.
LO5.
Examine, discuss and debate the main issues regarding Australian history, how it is understood today, and its importance to the present and the future.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation/ Student contribution, Tutorial/ Problem Set |
Tutorial Participation
|
10% | |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Essay Outline and bibliography | 20% 500 words plus bibliography |
29/08/2025 2:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Major Essay | 40% 2000 words |
24/10/2025 2:00 pm |
| Examination |
Final Exam
|
30% |
End of Semester Exam Period 8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025 |
Assessment details
Tutorial Participation
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution, Tutorial/ Problem Set
- Weight
- 10%
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L04, L05
Task description
PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE (10%)
Students should come prepared to participate in the weekly class and small-group discussions. Your contribution to tutorials is expected to be an informed one, and will be worth up to ten (10) percent of your final grade. Unexplained absences will result in a one (1) mark deduction per tutorial missed.
Students should prepare properly for each class, and their contribution should indicate they have given some thought to the issues under consideration. Students who are vociferous each week but whose participation is based upon their general knowledge rather than careful reading of the documents and texts cannot expect to receive a high mark.
Tutorials are meant to be inclusive, interactive meetings: students who are content to do nothing in tutorials except note down what other students, or the tutor, are saying, cannot expect to receive a good mark for tutorial participation.
You are expected to be on time for tutorials, and to stay for the entire class.
If you are unable to attend, please notify me a the earliest possible opportunity. Make-up assessment of a one page response to the discussion questions may be possible.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Essay Outline and bibliography
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 20% 500 words plus bibliography
- Due date
29/08/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L03, L04
Task description
An essay outline and Bibliography of no less than 500 words for the Major Essay should be submitted to turnitin by 2pm on Friday of Week 5. Consult the Major Essay summary for further information.
In this exercise, you should address the following points:
- Identify your question (write it out!).
- Outline the importance/significance of the topic in understanding the Australian past.
- Give a concise statement of your argument (though this may change as you progress).
- Outline your research approach, strategy and time plan.
- Identify your main sources. You must identify three key primary sources and four key secondary sources (which must be academic books, book chapters or articles).
- For the three key primary and four key secondary sources, you must state why you think these are valuable sources and how you intend to use them in your major essay. This will require that you examine these sources rather than simply identifying them. Why are they valuable? How will you use them? Choose carefully as these must also be the key sources for your major essay.
- Provide a bibliography of ten (including the key sources listed above) items for you to use in your essay, and where you will find them (eg, UQ Library, National Archives of Australia online).
- If you use AI or MT to assist with this proposal, you must include a paragraph stating how you used it, whether you found it useful, and why or why not. This paragraph will not contribute to the word count for the assignment.
A word count that is within ±10% of the set length (word limit) is acceptable. Word count does not include footnotes; however, discursive footnotes are included in the word count. A word count that is outside these 10% will receive a proportionate penalty and will be graded against the grading criteria.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) are emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI and/or MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI or MT in each instance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Referencing Systems
- The Essay Outline assignment may include footnotes, though this is not necessary.
- All Essay Outlines must include a bibliography.
- The required referencing system used is Chicago 17A, guides for which are available on the UQ Library website.
- Your footnotes and bibliography are not counted in the word length. Please do not use discursive footnotes in this exercise, or in-text references.
Submission guidelines
Submit through Turnitin portal on the BlackBoard pages.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Major Essay
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 40% 2000 words
- Due date
24/10/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
The major essay requires students to write an essay on the basis of primary and secondary historical research. The essay is 2000 words excluding bibliography and footnotes.
Please find a selection of essay questions below.
1. In what ways did convict women challenge and disrupt the systems that were intended to control them?
2. Some convicts thrived in Australia. What was it about the penal colonies that made them places of opportunity for convicts, as well as places of punishment, at least until the 1820s?
3. Why did colonists tend to have such negative perceptions of, and feelings towards, Indigenous Australians?
4. Did the treatment of Aboriginal Australians in the period from 1788 to 1967 amount to attempted genocide? Discuss with reference to frontier violence and the Stolen Generations.
5. In what ways did non-Indigenous Australians culturally connect themselves to the land in the late nineteenth century? What were the results?
6. In what ways was the Anzac legend cemented into Australian culture in the period between 25 April 1915 and the outbreak of WWII?
7. What happened to the children, families and communities of the Stolen Generations? How was the removal of Aboriginal children from their families justified by the government and white society?
8. Was WWII a time of liberation for Australian women?
9. In what ways did Australia use international diplomacy to try and improve its security in the decade after World War II?
10. How successful were the "liberationist" campaigns of the 1960s and early 1970s? Discuss with reference to one form of liberation (feminism, gay rights, sexual liberation, Black Power etc)
11. Paul Keating and John Howard were not just political opponents - they were quite contemptuous of each other as people. Why did each view the other with such contempt?
12. Why do debates over Australian History arouse such passion? Discuss with reference to the period since 1996.
If you use AI or MT to assist with this proposal, you must include a paragraph stating how you used it, whether you found it useful, and why or why not. This paragraph will not contribute to the word count for the assignment.
A word count that is within ±10% of the set length (word limit) is acceptable. Word count does not include footnotes; however, discursive footnotes are included in the word count. A word count that is outside these 10% will receive a proportionate penalty and will be graded against the grading criteria.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) are emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI and/or MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI or MT in each instance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Referencing Systems
- The essay assignment must be properly referenced.
- All essays must include a bibliography.
- The required referencing system used is Chicago 17A, guides for which are available on the UQ Library website.
- Your footnotes and bibliography are not counted in the word length. Please do not use discursive footnotes in this exercise, or in-text references.
Essays that are not properly referenced, including non-provision of page numbers, may be returned for resubmission and a penalty applied.
Submission guidelines
Submit through Turnitin portal on the BlackBoard pages.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Final Exam
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L04, L05
Task description
The purpose of the exam is to identify the level of basic knowledge you have acquired and retained from the course overall, and your grasp of the broader historical themes and issues. It will cover lecture content and tutorial discussions and readings.
The exam will require you to complete four short essays of approximately 250 words each within the allotted two-hour time frame. There will be ten questions in total.
One question will be compulsory - a general question addressing one of the central themes of the course.
The other nine questions will be more specific. You will be required to answer three of these.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Students must apply for deferred exam via mySI-net.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Grade 1, Low Fail (0-24%), is generally awarded in cases where some assessment has been submitted, but it is of wholly unsatisfactory standard or quantity. In work submitted, however, there is no demonstrated evidence of understanding of the concepts of the field of study or basic requirements of the course.</p> |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Grade 2, Fail (25-44%), is generally awarded to work that exhibits deficiencies in understanding and applying the fundamental concepts of the course and field of study, and as such, does not satisfy the basic requirements of the course. Often, one or more major items of assessment will not have been completed.</p> |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: <p>Grade 3, Marginal Fail (45-49%), is generally awarded if a student has submitted work that attempts to meet the knowledge and skill requirements of the course, but is only able to demonstrate a superficial understanding of the fundamental concepts of the course. Students will usually have attempted all major pieces of assessment and show that they have an identifiable, emerging ability to apply basic knowledge and skills.</p> |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Grade 4, Pass (50-64%), is generally awarded where all major items of assessment have been submitted. An adequate knowledge of the fundamental concepts of the course and field of study should be demonstrated and a functional skill level achieved.</p> |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Grade 5, Credit (65-74%), is generally awarded where all items of assessment have been completed and a substantial understanding of the fundamental concepts of the course and field of study have been demonstrated.</p> |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Grade 6, Distinction (75-84%), is generally awarded where all items of assessment have been completed and substantial knowledge of the deeper and more complex aspects of the course and field of study have been demonstrated.</p> |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Grade 7, High Distinction (85-100%), is generally awarded where all items of assessment have been completed and there is evidence that the deeper and more complex aspects of the course and field of study have been mastered.</p> |
Additional course grading information
Word Length
A word count that is within ±10% of the set length (word limit) is acceptable. Word count does not include footnotes; however, discursive footnotes are included in the word count. A word count that is outside these 10% will receive a proportionate penalty and will be graded against the grading criteria.
Assessment Criteria and Grade Descriptions
Tutorial Participation:
Your tutorial participation will be assessed according to the following criteria:
1. Evidence of participation in discussions.
2. Evidence of preparation for the tutorial, most notably through completing the set readings.
3. Quality of contributions to discussions.
4. Fostering of group discussions, through courteous and respectful interactions with staff and students.
5. Attendance is necessary to fulfill the above criteria, as per the course requirements, but marks cannot be awarded for attendance alone.
To achieve a grade of 7 (High Distinction, 85-100%), your attendance will be flawless and your participation exceptional. This grade reflects exceptional levels of preparation, mastery of course materials, and very high quality contributions to, and fostering of, group discussions. You should be able to engage with your peers very effectively.
To achieve a grade of 6 (Distinction, 75-84) your attendance will be excellent and your participation very substantial. This grade reflects excellent levels of preparation, knowledge of course materials, and high quality contributions to, and fostering of, group discussions. You should be able to engage with your peers effectively.
To achieve a grade of 5 (Credit, 65 – 74%), your attendance and participation will be good. This grade reflects proficient levels of preparation, good knowledge of course materials, and good quality contributions to, and fostering of, group discussions.
To achieve a grade of 4 (Pass, 50 – 64%) your attendance and participation will be satisfactory. This grade reflects adequate levels of preparation and knowledge of course materials, and an acceptable quality of contributions to, and fostering of, group discussions.
To achieve a grade of 3 (Marginal Fail, 45 – 49%) your attendance and participation will be unsatisfactory. This grade reflects irregular attendance and/or participation and superficial knowledge of course materials and basic levels of preparation. However, when in attendance, there is evidence of your ability to demonstrate developing achievement in contributions to, and fostering of, group discussions.
To achieve a grade of 2 (Fail, 25-44%), your attendance and participation will be very unsatisfactory. This grade reflects irregular attendance and/or participation, minimal knowledge of course materials, little evidence of preparation, and mixed to low quality of contributions to, and fostering of, group discussions.
To achieve a grade of 1 (Low Fail, 0-24%), your attendance and participation will be unsatisfactory. This grade reflects irregular attendance and/or participation, an no evidence of preparation, and little or no evidence of quality of contributions to, and fostering of, group discussions.
Essay Outline and Bibliography:
Your project/essay proposal or plan will be assessed according to the following criteria:
1. Topic definition and rationale for project.
2. Concise statement of your research question or problem.
3. Outline of research approach, strategy and time plan.
4. Identification of key issues and/or challenges.
5. Evaluation of academic sources and evidence.
6. Presentation and written expression.
To achieve a grade of 7 (High Distinction, 85-100%), your proposal will demonstrate exceptional consideration of issues related to topic definition and rationale, and provide a nuanced and sophisticated statement of your research question and strategic approach. Project tasks should be identified very clearly, and the evaluation of relevant sources will be very insightful. Your proposal will be very well written, clear and concise, pay strict attention to discipline conventions and have minimal, if any errors in referencing, expression, grammar, spelling and punctuation. Your work must demonstrate your own analysis, definition and rationale for the project, through thoroughly verified sources. You must demonstrate close engagement with sources in their disciplinary context.
To achieve a grade of 6 (Distinction, 75-84%), your proposal should demonstrate an advanced level of consideration of issues related to topic definition and rationale, and provide a very effective statement of your research question and strategic approach. Project tasks will be clearly identified, and the evaluation of relevant sources will be insightful. Your proposal will be well written, clear and concise, follow discipline conventions and have few errors in referencing, expression, grammar, spelling and punctuation. Your work must demonstrate your own analysis, definition and rationale for the project, through thoroughly verified sources. You must demonstrate close engagement with sources in their disciplinary context.
To achieve a grade of 5 (Credit, 65 – 74%), your proposal should demonstrate proficient consideration of issues related to topic definition and rationale, and provide an effective statement of your research question and strategic approach. Project tasks will be well identified, with good evaluation of relevant sources. The presentation and referencing of your essay will follow/largely follow discipline conventions, have few/some errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation, and demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively. Your work must demonstrate your own analysis, definition and rationale for the project, through verified sources. You work will have some inconsistencies or contradictions that fail to demonstrate proficient understanding. You work will have some inconsistencies or contradictions that fail to demonstrate proficient understanding. You must demonstrate engagement with sources in their disciplinary context.
To achieve a grade of 4 (Pass, 50 – 64%), your proposal should adequately consider some issues related to topic definition and rationale, and provide a functional or workable statement of your research question and strategic approach. There will be adequate identification of some project tasks, and a basic evaluation of some relevant sources. Your organisation, writing, referencing, spelling and grammar will be adequate and use some of the discipline conventions to communicate appropriately. Your work must demonstrate your own analysis, definition and rationale for the project, through verified sources. Your work will have inconsistencies and contradictions that demonstrate only adequate understanding. You must demonstrate engagement with sources in their disciplinary context.
To achieve a grade of 3 (Marginal Fail, 45 – 49%), your proposal will consider issues related to topic definition and rationale only superficially, and will provide an attempt that demonstrates developing proficiency but ultimately does not result in a workable statement of your research question and/or strategic approach. Identification of project tasks will be superficial, and relevant sources will be evaluated inadequately. Your organisation, writing, spelling and grammar will be adequate/poor and your referencing and use of discipline conventions poor/and or inconsistent. Your work will fail to adequately demonstrate independent analysis, rationale, and definition of the project. You will demonstrate a mostly stereotypical and/or superficial understanding of concepts, ideas, and source materials/stimuli, failing to demonstrate engagement with sources in their disciplinary context. Your work will have inconsistencies and contradictions. The overall response will not adequately address the task.
To achieve a grade of 2 (Fail, 25-44%), your proposal will demonstrate minimal consideration of issues related to topic definition and rationale, will fail to provide a workable statement of your research question and strategic approach. There will be poor or insufficient identification of project tasks, and inadequate evaluation of relevant sources. Your organisation and writing will be poor and/or inappropriate, and referencing and use of discipline conventions poor/and or inconsistent. Your work will fail to adequately demonstrate independent analysis, rationale, and definition of the project. You will demonstrate a mostly stereotypical and/or superficial understanding of concepts, ideas, and source materials/stimuli, failing to demonstrate engagement with sources in their disciplinary context. Your work will have inconsistencies and contradictions. The overall response will not adequately address the task and will overt inconsistencies and contradictions.
To achieve a grade of 1 (Low Fail, 0-24%), your proposal will fail to consider issues related to topic definition and rationale, and will not present a workable statement of your research question and strategic approach. There will be no or insufficient identification of project tasks, and no or insufficient evaluation of relevant sources. There will be an unsatisfactory standard of presentation and/or written expression. Use of discipline conventions will be absent, poor or inappropriate. Your work will show no original analysis or evidence of independent thought, with factual errors and misrepresentation of source material and no meaningful correspondence to the assignment.
Failing Criteria and Academic Misconduct
Fabrication or misrepresentation of sources will result in an automatic maximum grade of 2 for this assessment, regardless of performance in other criteria. This includes but is not limited to: citing non-existent sources or attributing false quotes to real sources. Such issues demonstrate failure to meet the core learning outcomes for the course and may also be referred for academic misconduct
Major Essay:
Your essay will be assessed according to the following criteria:
1. Ability to construct a well-reasoned argument.
2. Depth and breadth of knowledge and understanding of central issues.
3. Ability to form a well-structured essay.
4. Engagement with academic sources and evidence.
5. Creativity or originality in analysis
6. Capacity to produce a coherent and well-written essay using correct grammar and syntax.
7. Appropriately referenced, as per discipline conventions.
To achieve a grade of 7 (High Distinction, 85-100%), your essay will reflect an exceptional level of achievement. It will demonstrate that you have undertaken extensive, high-level research, that you are able to form a very rigorous, well-organised argument, and that your discussion is original and creative. It will also demonstrate that you are able to evaluate and organise data and/or evidence in a critical manner and that you have a sophisticated and insightful understanding of problems and issues. Your essay will be very well written, clear and concise, pay strict attention to discipline conventions and have minimal, if any errors in referencing and expression. Your work must demonstrate your own analysis, argumentation, and use of evidence through thoroughly verified sources. You must demonstrate close engagement with sources in their disciplinary context.
To achieve a grade of 6 (Distinction, 75 – 84%), your essay will reflect an advanced level of achievement. It will demonstrate that you have undertaken wide research, that you are able to form a rigorous, well-organised argument, and that your discussion is coherent and convincing. It should also demonstrate that you are able to evaluate data and/or evidence in a perceptive manner, and that your understanding of problems and issues is perceptive and insightful. Your essay will be well written, clear and concise, follow discipline conventions and have few errors in referencing and expression. Your work must demonstrate your own analysis, argumentation, and use of evidence through thoroughly verified sources. You must demonstrate close engagement with sources in their disciplinary context.
To achieve a grade of 5 (Credit, 65 – 74%) your essay will reflect a proficient level of achievement. It will demonstrate that you have undertaken the expected level of research, that you are able to develop or adapt convincing arguments and justify them adequately, that you are able to evaluate data and/or evidence in a proficient manner, and that you have a proficient understanding of problems and issues. The presentation and referencing of your essay will largely follow discipline conventions, perhaps have some errors in expression, and demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively. Your work must demonstrate your own analysis, argumentation, and use of evidence through verified sources. You work will have some inconsistencies or contradictions that fail to demonstrate proficient understanding. You must demonstrate engagement with sources in their disciplinary context.
To achieve a grade of 4 (Pass, 50 – 64%) your essay should reflect a functional level of achievement. It should demonstrate that you are able to apply fundamental concepts and skills, that you have undertaken a basic level of research and have the basic ability to evaluate data and/or evidence, to identify problems and issues, to offer insights and to develop routine arguments. Your organisation, writing, referencing, and expression will be adequate and use some of the discipline conventions to communicate appropriately. Your work must demonstrate your own analysis, argumentation, and use of evidence through verified sources. Your work will have inconsistencies and contradictions that demonstrate only adequate understanding. You must demonstrate engagement with sources in their disciplinary context.
To achieve a grade of 3 (Marginal Fail, 45 – 49%), your essay should reflect developing levels of achievement. It should demonstrate that you have a superficial knowledge of fundamental concepts and skills, that you have undertaken a basic level of research, made some attempt to evaluate data and/or evidence, to identify problems and issues, and to offer insights. Your arguments, while underdeveloped, show your emerging ability to apply knowledge and skills. Your organisation, writing, and expression will be adequate, perhaps poor, and your referencing and use of discipline conventions poor/and or inconsistent. Your work will fail to adequately demonstrate independent analysis and argumentation that arises from your own engagement with and synthesis of source materials or assessment stimuli. Your work will have inconsistencies and contradictions. You will demonstrate a mostly stereotypical and/or superficial understanding of concepts, ideas, and source materials/stimuli, failing to demonstrate engagement with sources in their disciplinary context. The overall response will not adequately address the task.
To achieve a grade of 2 (Fail, 25-44%) your essay will reflect deficiencies in skill acquisition and in your understanding of the fundamental concepts of the course. It will demonstrate that you have not undertaken adequate research, that you are unable to evaluate data and/or evidence, to identify problems and issues, or to offer insights adequately. Your arguments will be unsupported and/or inappropriate, your organisation and writing will be poor and/or inappropriate, and referencing and use of discipline conventions poor/and or inconsistent. Your work will fail to adequately demonstrate independent analysis and argumentation that arises from your own engagement with and synthesis of source materials or assessment stimuli. You will demonstrate a mostly stereotypical and/or superficial understanding of concepts, ideas, and source materials/stimuli, failing to demonstrate engagement with sources in their disciplinary context. Your work will have inconsistencies and contradictions The overall response will not adequately address the task.
To achieve a grade of 1 (Low Fail, 0-24%), your essay will reflect that you have failed to meet the minimum learning requirements and skill acquisition for this course. Your essay will demonstrate an absence of research, evaluation of data and/or evidence, and lack argumentation. Use of discipline conventions will be absent, poor or inappropriate, and written expression poor or inappropriate. Your work will show no original analysis or evidence of independent thought, with factual errors and misrepresentation of source material and no meaningful correspondence to the assignment prompt.
Failing Criteria and Academic Misconduct
Fabrication or misrepresentation of sources will result in an automatic maximum grade of 2 for this assessment, regardless of performance in other criteria. This includes but is not limited to: citing non-existent sources or attributing false quotes to real sources. Such issues demonstrate failure to meet the core learning outcomes for the course and may also be referred for academic misconduct
Exam:
Students will be assessed on:
1. Ability to recognize key issues in the question.
2. Ability to structure an argument.
3. Use of evidence.
4. Engagement with academic scholarship and/or debates.
5. Clear and concise written expression, well presented.
Unlike formative assessments undertaken during your course (such as book reviews and essays), exam answers are typically marked on right or wrong basis for multiple choice, single word and short answer questions. Individual exam essays and other exam questions are not awarded grades, but are assessed numerically (such as a mark out of five, or a mark out of ten). The overall grade achieved for an exam is arrived at by totalling the marks for the constituent elements of the exam.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Failure to submit all major assessment items (those worth 15% and above) will result in a maximum grade of 2 (Fail).
By submitting work through Turnitin you are deemed to have accepted the following declaration: ‘I certify that this assignment is my own work and has not been submitted, either previously or concurrently, in whole or in part, to this University or any other educational institution, for marking or assessment’.
All students must ensure that they receive their Turnitin receipt on every submission of assessment items. YOU MUST CHECK THAT THE RECEIPT CONFIRMS THAT SUBMISSION HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
A valid Turnitin receipt will be the only evidence accepted if assessments are missing.
Without evidence, the assessment will receive the standard late penalty, or after ten calendar days, will receive zero. In the case of a Blackboard outage, please contact the Course Coordinator as soon as possible so that they can confirm the outage with ITS.
It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they are submitting assessment items on a device that is capable of the task, and that appropriate internet bandwidth and speed is available.ﾠIf you cannot be sure that your device or internet will enable you to complete or submit an assessment task, you must come onto campus and use one of the University Computers in the Library or Computer Labs.
Plagiarism, and asking or paying someone else to do your work is cheating and constitutes academic misconduct. See ECP Section 6.1
Feedback against the assessment criteria in the form of comments on your script will be provided through Turnitin or on your script directly.
For information on assessment remarks see: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/querying-result
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
The internet as aﾠhistory resource The internet offers possibilities for accessing material not available in the library, particularly material of an archival nature. If you wish to conduct such searches on the web, aﾠmost useful starting point is the National Library's collection of research guides, which are available at https://www.nla.gov.au/research-guidesﾠ ﾠ Note too that the National Library of Australia is also in the process of digitising a large number of newspapers from around Australia. This is a huge advance for historians and students of history. See http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home
However, you should be aware that surfing the internet in search of information is no substitute for spending time in the library or otherwise accessing scholarly sources. Trying to find material on the internet can often be frustrating, time-consuming, and unrewarding. If you do elect to use information from the internet, be sure to cite it correctly. You should provide the author’s name, the title of the document or work, the URL in angled brackets, and the date accessed. Note too that no more than ten percent of your cited sources should be internet-based (this does not include material such as academic journal articles which are accessible online, nor primary sources accessed online).
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (28 Jul - 03 Aug) |
Lecture |
Introduction and the Course Ahead Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Week 2 (04 Aug - 10 Aug) |
Lecture |
Aboriginal Australia and the British "Discovery" Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
First Contact This week, we will explore those seismic moments of first contact between Europeans and Indigenous Australians. The Europeans brought with them significant “cultural baggage” (ideas about what Indigenous people would be like, how they would interact, and what their society might mean). This was based on hundreds of years of exploration across the globe. These stories of travel and adventure would be told and retold for receptive European audiences, building a highly selective picture of Indigenous life and colonised lands. In particular, the Europeans had a strong belief in their own racial and cultural superiority. Aboriginal people also had a long interaction with other cultures, particularly those from areas in Asia and the Pacific. They had, over thousands of years, developed relationships with these visitors, who came, traded, and left. This too impacted on early meetings between Aboriginal people and the Europeans. In these readings, we will consider the initial reactions of both Europeans and Aborigines to the invasion of Indigenous land, and those earliest moments of contact between the two disparate cultures. Of course, this is quite difficult, as our records are invariably one-sided, with a strong written narrative from the Europeans, and an oral culture from Indigenous Australians. Here, we will read “against the grain”, and attempt to understand Indigenous perspectives through later oral histories, which have proven remarkably reliable sources. The two primary sources provide an important contrast—Tench is an educated, sophisticated career soldier who arrived with the First Fleet, and is well versed in Enlightenment theories of race and colonialism. Hobbles Daniyeri, in contrast, is a tribal elder in the Northern Territory, where this oral history is recorded in 1982 by a white anthropologist Deborah Bird Rose. His history offers a rich and stimulating view of Indigenous opinions of the colonisation process, using Captain Cook as the “everyman” invader. The third source is from Inga Clendinnen’s Boyer Lectures, originally broadcast on the ABC in 1998. We will consider the multiple ways Indigenous people reacted to the colonisers – capitulation, resistance, accommodation. We will consider also how the Europeans viewed the Eora people, including what they admired, and what they viewed as “savage”. How does Watkin Tench describe the Eora people? What traditions does he draw upon? How does Hobbles Daniyeri describe the colonisation process? What traditions does he draw upon? In what ways does Clendinnen suggest that we use an appreciation of these different perspectives on contact to inform our understanding of Australian history more generally? Essential reading:
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
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Week 4 (18 Aug - 24 Aug) |
Lecture |
From Convicts to the Gold Rushes Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Convict Women Prior to the 1960s, convicts were largely regarded as the refuse of the civilised world, expelled from Britain due their hideous, unreformable criminality. Convict women were regarded almost universally as “whores”. Prominent Australian historian AGL Shaw wrote in his 1966 book Convicts and the Colonies that “Of the females less need be said, for they represented only about one sixth of the total… the picture they presented is a singularly unattractive one.” He also suggested that they “were not the sort of women to attract men into marriage.” Since then, thinking about convicts generally and convict women in particular has changed dramatically. What assumptions are embedded in Shaw’s comments above? How do Summers, Oxley and McCabe undermine the ideas of useless and powerless convict women bereft of morality? In what ways do these three articles represent a feminist history challenge to previously ascendant understandings of the convict experience? Essential reading:
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
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Week 5 (25 Aug - 31 Aug) |
Lecture |
Making Modern Australia: Frontier Violence, Nationalism, Federation and White Australia Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Frontier Violence It was once accepted that Australia was peacefully settled, that Europeans moved into an empty land and no-one seriously opposed them. In recent times, however, many historians have pointed out that Aboriginal people owned Australia before the arrival of the Europeans, and that they fiercely resisted European encroachment onto their traditional lands which provided their livelihood and with which they had an intimate spiritual connection. The new interpretation of Australian history – which has become mainstreamed now – has used terms such as “invasion” and “genocide,” both of which have seriously challenged many people’s traditional understandings of, and connections with, Australian history. In this tutorial we examine some of the causes and forms of frontier conflict and acknowledge that the fear and killing was not entirely one-sided. We also consider a chapter by Henry Reynolds, one of the foremost authors of colonial race relations, and his thoughts on why many non-indigenous Australians find the revelation of frontier violence so unsettling. Reynolds wrote this chapter some twenty-five years ago when the public debate over frontier killings was reaching a crescendo, but it is still illuminating and relevant today. What drove the frontier violence in Tasmania? In SE Queensland? What were the aims of the contending parties? What did they stand to lose? On the evidence presented, what are the differences between Aboriginal and European uses of violence? In terms of the History Wars, why is it so hard to ‘prove’ massacres of Aboriginal people? Are the History Wars and arguments over the extent of frontier violence a debate over the ways historians use evidence – or is it a debate about how we wish to view Australia’s colonial past and present? I acknowledge that here is a lot of reading for this week, but I think you’ll find them all worth it. If you can get through them all, pick a couple at random.
Essential reading
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
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Week 6 (01 Sep - 07 Sep) |
Lecture |
Nationalism, Federation and White Australia Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Federation In 1901 the Australian colonies federated and brought the nation state of Australia into being. Australia had existed as a geographical descriptor prior to that, but there was no political entity called “Australia” until 1901. Historians have long debated the reasons for Federation. Some have emphasised the economic interests of the ruling classes and political elites, while others have concentrated more on popular national sentiment. Among the latter is John Hirst, who provides us with a neat summary of his interpretation of the forces driving Federation. On what grounds does Hirst emphasise the sentimental or nationalistic reasons behind Federation? Are his arguments convincing? Why does Moore suggest that the way Australian federated was cautious and closed off other possibilities? How might Australia today be different if a bolder, wider approach had been taken? Are we still hindered and hampered by the way we Federated? Essential reading
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
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Week 7 (08 Sep - 14 Sep) |
Lecture |
Australia at War Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
CEW Bean and Anzac Mythologies Even though it was the process of Federation, last week’s topic, that marked the creation of the modern Australian nation, it is often suggested that it was the landings at Gallipoli on April 25 1915 that mark the true birth of the nation. It was here and on the Western Front between 1916 and 1918, the Anzac mythology suggests, that Australians forged and discovered their true national identity, proved themselves the equals and indeed superiors to the peoples of the old world, and announced themselves on the world stage. The Anzac legend has always been based on a selective reading of realities. It includes and exaggerates much that is admirable about the Anzacs and their deeds, and leaves out most of the less admirable, even damning, features of their experiences. It is a process of sanctification. In this tutorial we look at how CEW Bean, through the Anzac Book, distorted reality to favour a certain Anzac image, and how this has continued from the time of the landings through to the present. What image does Bean try to construct? How does this connect with and mirror earlier ideas of Australian-ness? How did he distort reality, and silence some voices, to do this? Does Tony Abbott do the same in 2015? Why could neither Bean nor Abbott be more balanced? Essential reading
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
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Week 8 (15 Sep - 21 Sep) |
Lecture |
WWII and the Remaking of Australia Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
The Yellow Peril? Engaging Asia World War II was a bitter experience for many Australians, particularly on account of the fear of Japanese invasion and the miseries suffered by the 22,000 Australians taken POW by the Japanese, of whom some 8,000 died. The war is usually seen as confirming Australian fears of Asia, fears which were exacerbated by the fall of China to the communists in 1949 and the potential spread of communist aggression to Australia’s doorstep, hence our involvement in Korea, Malaya and Vietnam. But as Asian economies expanded rapidly from the 1970s onwards, and as Britain entered what was then the European Economic Community, Australia is popularly conceived of as having successfully rediscovered Asia, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, because of the trading opportunities it provided. Where once we feared Asia on the grounds of the military danger it posed, we came to welcome it because of the economic opportunities it offered. There is much truth in this broad generalisation, but it ignores counter currents. In this tutorial we will consider the ambivalent effects of contact through war, and the equally ambivalent effects of economic enmeshment. How does Rohan Rivett portray the Japanese? How does he portray the experience of Japanese captivity? Why do you think Grant’s men, also prisoners, were able to form much more positive relationships and impressions? Essential reading
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
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Week 9 (22 Sep - 28 Sep) |
Lecture |
The Sixties, the Seventies and the New Left Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Sexual Liberation and its Limits Th 1960s and 1970s saw remarkable changes in public life, but also significant change in the most private of realms - the bedroom (or, given that these were more liberated times, the lounge, kitchen, backyard etc.). Sexual morality loosened, and the traditional and conservative views on sex lost a lot of their influence. These changes were, however, uneven for different groups of Australians, came in stages, and were often less than complete. One of the key features of this period was the uptake of the contraceptive pill, examined closely by Frank Bongiorno. What was so remarkable about the pill as a reproductive technology? What were its implications for different groups of Australians? What were the barriers to its adoption by women? What does Bongiorno see as its most significant effects? Was the widespread adoption of the pill a cause of the sexual revolution, or a symptom of it? For some groups, however, sexuality was restricted by far more than the fear of pregancny. In the second of the readings for this week, Graham Willett takes us into the early activism of the gay liberation movement, examining the period between the bold Gay Pride activities of 1973 and the first Mardi Gras of 1978. Was the pill at all connected to gay liberation? If so, how? Why did the gay liberation movement change its tactics in this period, and did quiet activism achieve anything of substance? Had sexual liberation become a reality by the end of the 1970s? Essential Reading Bongiorno, Frank. "January 1961 - The Release of the Pill: Contraceptive Technology and the 'Sexual Revolution'". In Martin Crotty and David A. Roberts (eds), Turning Points in Australian History. Sydney: UNSW Press, 2008, pp. 157-70. Willett, Graham. Living Out Loud: A History of Gay and Lesbian Activism in Australia. Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 2000, pp. 108-27. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
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Week 10 (06 Oct - 12 Oct) |
Lecture |
Paul Keating and John Howard - Two Visions of Australia Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Essay Writing Technique and Discussion This week we will discuss essay writing, a vital academic practice for students of all disciplines. We will work through the processes of constructing a good essay, and some of the typical pitfalls. Please come with questions in mind. Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
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Week 11 (13 Oct - 19 Oct) |
Lecture |
Immigrants and Refugees Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Reconciliation One of the most fraught aspects of Australian history – and in most people’s eyes the most fraught aspect, is the history of race relations between the colonisers and the Indigenous peoples. There have been numerous statements and policy initiatives over the years to try and improve Indigenous standing in Australia, to resolve historic wounds, and to improve outcomes in areas such as health and education. The outcome of the 1967 referendum, the Northern Territory Intervention of 2007, the apology to the Stolen Generations in 2008, the Closing the Gap initiative launched by the Rudd government in 2009 and moves to recognise Indigenous Australians in the Constitution have all been milestones, with more or less success, on a long journey. When Indigenous leaders were consulted about symbolic recognition or acknowledgement in the Constitution, they rejected the idea, and called instead for constitutional reform that would give a voice in Canberra, and called also for “treaty-making” and “truth-telling”. The statement was rejected out of hand by the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Why did Indigenous Australians call for more than symbolic recognition? What did they want? Why do you think so many Australians are so opposed to what was being asked for? Is his just delaying the inevitable? Why does McKenna think the status quo is not viable? Is he just being a “bleeding heart”? Essential Reading
https://www.referendumcouncil.org.au/sites/default/files/2017-05/Uluru_Statement_From_The_Heart_0.PDF Accessed 30 June 2018.
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
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Week 12 (20 Oct - 26 Oct) |
Lecture |
Cataclysm - Australia 2019-2022 Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Can History Help Us? The recent crises that Australia has experienced - the bushfires and extreme weather events which most experts connect to global warming - and the COVID-19 pandemic raise many questions for Australia. Are we fundamentally on the right track, but enduring a couple of hiccups, or do we need to alter course? Are we big enough to make any difference on matters where global co-operation is required? What can we do at the local level, if anything? Are there opportunities embedded in the current crises, or are we nearing the collapse of Western capitalism and liberal democracy? What other challenges are we facing as a nation? What is your idea of an ideal future? And a less than ideal one? In this tutorial we consider a number of ways in which History might illuminate our current predicament, and even help us find better ways moving forward.
Essential Reading
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
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Week 13 (27 Oct - 02 Nov) |
Lecture |
Conclusion and Review - Debating Australian History Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Australian History in Retrospect In this, our last tutorial for the semester, we will think back over the course and review some of the material we have covered. We will also consider what we can make of the Australian story to 2022, and how awareness of it might shape the way we think about our possible futures.
Or has History lost its relevance in the immediate term - do we need to concentrate on more clearly vocational educational priorities until things have settled somewhat? Some appear to think so, but others bemoan the attacks on History and the Humanities more generally and think that they are as important now as ever, if not more. Essential Reading
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.