HSY4730 - Reading and Writing Australian History

Leader: Christina Twomey

Offered

Clayton First semester 2007 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit aims to develop craftsmanship in historical prose. Through the study of historians, literary theorists and selected historical novelists. The primary orientation of the unit is practical and confessional rather than theoretical. Practical issues include setting the writer in context, story-telling, description, explanation, beginnings and endings, transitions, scene-setting, characterisation, placing oneself in the text, addressing different readerships, documentation and the onus of proof, irony and the use of different voices and tropes, and formal and colloquial prose.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this unit students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate their ability to examine issues of historiography and method through a critical reading of selected Australian historians.
2. Analyse some of the key elements of historical prose, such as story-telling, beginnings and endings, transitions, scene-setting, characterisation, placing oneself in the text, addressing different readerships, documentation and the onus of proof, irony and indirection, the use of different voices and tropes, formal and colloquial prose.
3. Demonstrate a high level of development of practical skills in reading and writing historical prose.

Assessment

Essays and writing exercises (9000 words): 100%

Contact hours

2 hour seminar per week

Prohibitions

HYM4120, HYM5120