ACA492 - Critical Writing: Theory and Contexts
Unit details
| Year | 2026 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 2: Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 2: David Cross |
| Cohort rule: | This unit is only available to students enrolled in A450 |
| Prerequisite: | ACA403 |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | Nil |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | 1 x 2-hour online seminar per week |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
Content
This unit will support you to develop your critical writing through an investigation of critical writing processes, functions and techniques. The skills and theories learned through this unit will support you to write your Honours dissertation, which will be an exegesis or thesis depending on your research practice. Through contextual study, exemplars of critical writing and hands-on writing activities, you will develop your capacity to unite theory, context and analysis within an exegetical or theoretical account of critical scholarship and/or creative practice. Assessment tasks within this unit will assist you to build your planning, discursive and expressive skills as a critical scholar. Your dissertation will sit alongside the creative/critical work undertaken across supervision units throughout your Honours study.
Learning outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Identify and apply critical analysis, engagement and evaluation within discipline specific contexts | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Articulate discipline specific and interdisciplinary ideas, through a range of practical creative processes, to inform discussions of processes and relevant contemporary ideas | GLO2: Communication
|
| ULO3 | Engage in high-level independent critical thinking to investigate, describe and synthesize ideas and their application within discipline specific discourse | GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO4 | Exercise autonomy, adaptability, responsibility and a continued commitment to learning and skills development in professional, creative and scholarly contexts | GLO6: Self-management |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Dissertation plan | 1000 words or equivalent | 20% | Week 4 |
| Assessment 2: Research practice discussion | 1000 words or equivalent | 20% | Week 8 |
| Assessment 3: Dissertation (Exegesis or Thesis) | 4000 words or equivalent | 60% | Week 11 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for ACA492 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
To fully engage with Deakin's learning experiences, students must be able to access and use internet-connected devices as outlined in computing requirements at Deakin.
To support student success at Deakin, we have a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) learning environment that acknowledges that students and educators bring with them the digital tools they regularly use to complete academic tasks. These tools stay with you beyond the classroom, helping you to keep learning, explore ideas more deeply, and connect with knowledge in ways that matter to you.
Students requiring a loan device should visit our Loan Laptop webpage or students requiring longer-term assistance should visit our Student Financial Assistance webpage.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.