Course coordinator
Dr Tom Doig
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Communication & Arts School
This creative writing course studies techniques of poetic expression and develops writing skills and an appreciation of language aesthetics.
WRIT2100 Creative Writing: Poetics is a valuable course optionﾠfor the Writing major. By focusing on language and how words can be used in innovative, precise, and musical ways, the course extends the language skills of writers of all genres. The course offers the opportunity to cultivate an understanding and appreciation of poetry; to become acquainted with a range of exciting contemporary poets, from Australia and around the world; and to learn about the publishing industry. You will have the opportunity to develop your poetry writing skills through inspiring workshop exercises, readings and discussions led by expert poets, editors and scholars.
Annual UQ Scholarships and Prizes associated with this course: The Kingshott Cassidy Poetry Scholarship (approx $9,000) and The Ford Memorial Poetry Prize ($250 in books).
Course requirements
Assumed background
This courseﾠassumes that you have anﾠinterest in creative writing and a commitment to developing your skills in reading and writing poetry. No prior experience in poetry writingﾠis necessary, but an open mind and good written communication skills will be helpful.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
4 units of BA list courses
Recommended prerequisites
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
WRIT1110
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
WRIT6100
Restrictions
Course offering will be cancelled unless a minimum of 20 students enrol.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Tom Doig
Guest lecturer
Dr Gareth Dickson
Tutor
Dr Gareth Dickson
Mr Pierce Wilcox
Professor Raluca Onet
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Students should regularly check the course's Blackboard site, and their student email account, for updates and announcements.
Whilst every effort is made to place students in their preferred activity, it is not always possible for a student to be enrolled in their tutorial of choice. If you require assistance, please ensure that you email timetabling.commarts@enquire.uq.edu.au from your UQ student email with:
- Your name
- Your student ID
- The course code
- A list of three tutorial preferences (in order of preference)
- Reason for the change – e.g. timetable clash, elite athlete status, SAP
Teaching staff do not have access to change tutorials or help with timetables; all timetabling changes must be processed through the Timetabling Team.
Aims and outcomes
Creative Writing: Poetics aims to foster critical thinking and a cultural and historical appreciation of poetry through the study and practice of creative writing.ﾠIn its application of scholarship to creative practice it aims to develop your critical and communication skills across a wide range of texts and media. By introducing you to the techniques of poetic expression, it aims to help you produce both critical and creative writings and to extend your knowledge of literature and creative writing.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
understand the nature and significance of poetry
LO2.
recognise and discuss a poem's stylistic features
LO3.
utilise skills in the craft of poetry writing
LO4.
edit your poetry and provide feedback to other writers
LO5.
understand principles and trends in the business of writing and publishing
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creative Production/ Exhibition | Poetry Experiments | 15% 4 poems |
30/08/2024 4:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Review of Poetry Book | 20% 1000 words |
30/09/2024 4:00 pm |
| Reflection | Workshopping Reflection | 15% 200 words |
18/10/2024 4:00 pm |
| Portfolio | Poetry Portfolio | 50% 10 poems |
4/11/2024 4:00 pm |
Assessment details
Poetry Experiments
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Creative Production/ Exhibition
- Weight
- 15% 4 poems
- Due date
30/08/2024 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
This consists of four (4) experiments in contemporary poetic form, which will be workshopped during the first tutorials of the course. They may be on any theme or subject.
- an experimental poem (50-100 words)
- a visual poem (1 page)
- a free verse poem with long lines (8 lines, 100 words)
- a free verse poem with short lines (25 lines, 100 words)
A word count that is within ±10% of the set length (word limit) is acceptable. Deviations greater than this will be penalised through a reduction of 10% of the total mark available for the assessment. If in doubt, discuss this with your tutor and/or the Course Coordinator prior to submission.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using TurnItIn. Before submitting any assignments for this course you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Tutorial.
When you successfully submit your assessment to TurnItIn you will see text confirming your submission is complete, before being redirected to your Assignment inbox. On this page you can:
- View the name of the submitted file
- View date and time of the upload
- Resubmit your paper (if necessary)
- Download your submitted paper
- Download digital receipt.
If you cannot see your submission in your Assignment inbox you should regard your submission as unsuccessful. Students are responsible for retaining evidence of submission by the due date for all assessment items, in the required form (e.g. screenshot, email, photo, and an unaltered copy of submitted work).
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again email your course coordinator immediately with the assignment attached.
Please visit this webpage for further advice on how to submit your TurnItIn assignment.
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.
Review of Poetry Book
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 20% 1000 words
- Due date
30/09/2024 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L05
Task description
A 1,000-word book review of a recently published collection of contemporary poetry. For our purposes, "recently published" means published this year or the year before, and does not include reprints of older books or anthologies.
Your review will include:
- Publication details: author, title, publisher, date, ISBN number, retail price
- Reference to any previous works and/or achievements (e.g., prizes, awards) of this author
- Description of the general style of the poetry, its context in schools of practice and/or approaches to poetry (e.g., Imagism, Prose Poetry)
- Evaluative statements, interpretations and judgements regarding poetic techniques used in the book, citing specific examples from the text
- Evaluative statements, interpretations and judgements regarding the themes of the poetry, and/or the overarching conceptual coherence of the book, citing specific examples from the text
- Writing in a tone appropriate for a book review: informal, creative and measured, yet also critically engaged in its evaluation of the book.
A word count that is within ±10% of the 1,000-word set length is acceptable, e.g., 900 - 1,100 words. A word count that is less than 900 words, or greater than 1,100 words, will be penalised through a reduction of 10% of the total mark available for the assessment.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using TurnItIn. Before submitting any assignments for this course you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Tutorial.
When you successfully submit your assessment to TurnItIn you will see text confirming your submission is complete, before being redirected to your Assignment inbox. On this page you can:
- View the name of the submitted file
- View date and time of the upload
- Resubmit your paper (if necessary)
- Download your submitted paper
- Download digital receipt.
If you cannot see your submission in your Assignment inbox you should regard your submission as unsuccessful. Students are responsible for retaining evidence of submission by the due date for all assessment items, in the required form (e.g. screenshot, email, photo, and an unaltered copy of submitted work).
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again email your course coordinator immediately with the assignment attached.
Please visit this webpage for further advice on how to submit your TurnItIn assignment.
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.
Workshopping Reflection
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Reflection
- Weight
- 15% 200 words
- Due date
18/10/2024 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
This short assessment has three parts.
- All answers should take the form of bullet points.
1) Students are required to write a short 25- to 50-word author statement, prefacing their poem workshopping draft.
- This should take the form of bullet points.
2) Following workshopping, students are required to write a short 25- to 50-word 'next steps' statement, which
- summarises the key feedback they received, and
- outlines the next step(s) they will take to develop their poem/s.
3) Students are also required to write a short peer feedback statement (50 to 100 words), which:
a) provides examples of feedback they provided to 3x different classmates in three different classes across the semester (25-50 words), and
b) reflects on what they learnt from participating in the workshopping process as author and peer reviewer (25-50 words).
NOTE: to be able to complete this assessment, you will need to
- Workshop your draft in class, in-person, once (minimum)
- Provide feedback to classmates in class, in-person, in three different classes (minimum)
100-200 words, +/-10%
A word count that is within ±10% of the set length (word limit) is acceptable, e.g., 90-220 words. A word count that is less than 90 words, or greater than 220 words, will be penalised through a reduction of 10% of the total mark available for the assessment.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using TurnItIn. Before submitting any assignments for this course you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Tutorial.
When you successfully submit your assessment to TurnItIn you will see text confirming your submission is complete, before being redirected to your Assignment inbox. On this page you can:
- View the name of the submitted file
- View date and time of the upload
- Resubmit your paper (if necessary)
- Download your submitted paper
- Download digital receipt.
If you cannot see your submission in your Assignment inbox you should regard your submission as unsuccessful. Students are responsible for retaining evidence of submission by the due date for all assessment items, in the required form (e.g. screenshot, email, photo, and an unaltered copy of submitted work).
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again email your course coordinator immediately with the assignment attached.
Please visit this webpage for further advice on how to submit your TurnItIn assignment.
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.
Poetry Portfolio
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Portfolio
- Weight
- 50% 10 poems
- Due date
4/11/2024 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
The Poetry Portfolio comprises:
i) a Poetry Folio: 10 original poems, totalling 120 lines or equivalent. Each poem must be in a form discussed in lectures and/or tutorials, as follows:
- an experimental poem
- a visual poem
- a free verse poem with short lines
- a free verse poem with long lines
- a 'found poem' (cento, flarf, etc.)
- a prose poem
- a poem in a traditional fixed form (sonnet, villanelle, sestina, etc.)
- a second poem in a different traditional form (sonnet, villanelle, sestina, etc.)
- 12 lines of short poems (haiku, aphorism, Twitter poem, etc.)
- a spoken word / slam poem
Note: poems submitted for Assessment #1 "Poetry Experiments" cannot be re-submitted here; you must write original poems for each assessment.
ii) a brief preface to each of your 10 poems (10x 50 words max) reflecting on your creative practice, influences and inspirations.
A word count that is within ±10% of the set length (word limit) is acceptable. Deviations greater than this will be penalised through a reduction of 10% of the total mark available for the assessment. If in doubt, discuss this with your tutor and/or the Course Coordinator prior to submission.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using TurnItIn. Before submitting any assignments for this course you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Tutorial.
When you successfully submit your assessment to TurnItIn you will see text confirming your submission is complete, before being redirected to your Assignment inbox. On this page you can:
- View the name of the submitted file
- View date and time of the upload
- Resubmit your paper (if necessary)
- Download your submitted paper
- Download digital receipt.
If you cannot see your submission in your Assignment inbox you should regard your submission as unsuccessful. Students are responsible for retaining evidence of submission by the due date for all assessment items, in the required form (e.g. screenshot, email, photo, and an unaltered copy of submitted work).
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again email your course coordinator immediately with the assignment attached.
Please visit this webpage for further advice on how to submit your TurnItIn assignment.
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.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 1 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
- Where fractional marks occur in the calculation of the final grade, a mark of x.5% or greater will be rounded up to (x+1)%. A percentage mark of less than x.5% will be rounded down to x%.
- Where no assessable work is received, a Grade of X will apply.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
- Further information regarding the assessment, including marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
- Marks Cannot Be Changed After Being Released: Marks are not open to negotiation with course staff. If you wish to discuss the feedback you have received, you should make an appointment to speak with the Course Coordinator.
- Assessment Re-mark: If you are considering an Assessment Re-mark, please follow the link to important information you should consider before submitting a request.
- Integrity Pledge: Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin. Before submitting any assignments for this course, you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Modules.ﾠIn uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
- Withholding marks prior to finalisation of grades: Per UQ Assessment Procedures – Release of Assessment Item Marks and Grades: The final assessment item and the marks for the assessment item are to be released only after the final grade for the course has been released.
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
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Additional weekly exercises and readings available on Blackboard.
UQ student support links: https://communication-arts.uq.edu.au/student-support
MLA style guide: OWL MLA https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
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 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Not Timetabled |
WEEK 1: No lecture or tutorial In preparation for Week 2, review the course Blackboard and in particular the Week 1 folder under Learning Resources. |
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Lecture |
WEEK 2: Introduction - Poetry in the 2020s - How did we get here? Overview of course and assessments. Discussion of poetry in the 2020s. Overview of a variety of poetic forms, to be unpacked in coming weeks. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Tutorial |
WEEK 2: Tutorial Introductions. Discussion of Weekly readings. Writing exercises. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05 |
|
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Lecture |
WEEK 3: Stop making sense: Experimental poetry Discussion of major trends in experimental poetry, from the late 19th and early 20th centuries through to the present day. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Tutorial |
WEEK 3: Tutorial Discussion of weekly readings. Writing exercises. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Lecture |
WEEK 4: Picture vs 1,000 words: Poetry and/as visual art Discussion of the relationship(s) between poetry and visual art, from Antiquity to the present day. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Tutorial |
WEEK 4: Tutorial Discussion of weekly readings. Writing exercises. Workshopping begins. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Lecture |
WEEK 5: Free verse: the long and short (line) of it Discussion of free verse: the long line, the short line, the variable line Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Tutorial |
WEEK 5: Tutorial Discussion of weekly readings. Writing exercises. Workshopping. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Lecture |
WEEK 6: Life without line breaks: The prose poem Discussion of the prose poem. Key question: if the line break is one of the key features of poetry, what happens when do do away with it? Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Tutorial |
WEEK 6: Tutorial Discussion of weekly readings. Writing exercises. Workshopping. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Lecture |
WEEK 7: Traditional forms Discussion of traditional fixed forms, including: sonnets, sestinas, villanelles, ghazals. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Tutorial |
WEEK 7: Tutorial Discussion of weekly readings. Writing exercises. Workshopping. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Lecture |
WEEK 8: Spoken word & Slam poetry / Reviewing Discussion of contemporary performance poetry: spoken word, slam. Discussion of reviewing poetry books. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Tutorial |
WEEK 8: Tutorial Writing exercises. Workshopping. Selection of poetry book(s) to be reviewed. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Lecture |
WEEK 9: Tiny epics: haiku, aphorisms, micropoetry Discussion of extremely short forms of poetry, from Antiquity to the present day. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
WEEK 9: Tutorial Discussion of weekly readings. Writing exercises. Workshopping. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Mid Sem break (23 Sep - 29 Sep) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
MID-SEMESTER BREAK |
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Lecture |
WEEK 10: Guest poet Guest poet lecture and Q&A. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Tutorial |
WEEK 10: Tutorial Intensive workshopping session. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Week 11 (07 Oct - 13 Oct) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
WEEK 11: Public holiday - no lecture or tutorials |
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Lecture |
WEEK 12: Guest poet Guest poet lecture and Q&A. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
WEEK 12: Tutorial Intensive workshopping session. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
WEEK 13 - no lecture or tutorials |
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 - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.