ALJ722 - The Power and Perils of True Stories
Unit details
| Year | 2026 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne), Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 2: Matthew Ricketson |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | Nil |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | 1 x 2-hour on-campus seminar per week |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | Approximately 2-hours of online learning tasks and discussions 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
True stories is an umbrella term for a range of non-fiction genres that have in common two elements: they are about the world around us and the people in it, and they are told in narrative style. They can range from biography and autobiography to true crime and nature writing, along with several other non-fiction genres. They differ from novels because they aim to be grounded in fact, and truth. They draw from news reporting because they aim to tell a compelling story. True stories told well explore events and issues in their complexity and people in their full humanity. They make an impact on readers. The power inherent in true stories throws up important, knotty issues: how do practitioners balance their need to maintain editorial independence with the closeness to key sources that comes from gaining the deep level of trust required to construct a work of true story? Are there limits to the kinds of narrative approach writers can take when representing actual people and events? If they present their long-form journalism in a narrative style, is it read as non-fiction or, because it reads like a novel, is it read as a novel? In this unit you will explore these questions and produce your own works of narrative non-fiction.
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 | Critically analyse and explain the history, diversity and importance of true stories across a range of genres, and their continuing relevance in the digital age | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO2 | Conduct research for true stories, working with data sets and developing and managing relationships with sources | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO3: Digital literacy GLO5: Problem solving |
| ULO3 | Generate ideas for true stories and produce works of narrative non-fiction | GLO2: Communication GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO4 | Negotiate legal and ethical issues arising in the use of a narrative approach in telling true stories, whether they are primarily investigative or narrative-driven | GLO4: Critical thinking GLO5: Problem solving |
| ULO5 | Apply concepts presented in the research literature to the analysis of a range of narrative non-fiction genres | GLO4: Critical thinking GLO5: Problem solving |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Piece of narrative non-fiction or Academic Essay | 2500 words or equivalent | 50% | Week 6 |
| Assessment 2: Piece of narrative non-fiction or Academic Essay | 2500 words or equivalent | 50% | 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 ALJ722 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.
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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.
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