Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Advanced Editing - Content and Collaboration

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
COMM2466	City Campus	Undergraduate	345T Media and Communication	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2013, Sem 1 2014, Sem 1 2015, Sem 1 2017, Sem 1 2018, Sem 1 2019
COMM2466	City Campus	Undergraduate	375T Vocational Design and Social Context	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2020
COMM2466	City Campus	Undergraduate	515T Creative Industries	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2022, Sem 1 2023, Sem 1 2024, Sem 1 2025

Course Coordinator: Dzintra Boyd and Sarah Vincent

Course Coordinator Phone: +61399254269 (Dzintra)

Course Coordinator Email: pwecoordinators@rmiteduau.onmicrosoft.com

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Prerequisites

None

Required Prior Study

Successful completion of COMM2455 Copyediting and Proofreading

OR

Alternatively you may be able to demonstrate the required skills and knowledge before you start this course. Contact your course coordinator if you think you may be eligible for recognition of prior learning.

Course Description

This course will focus on the knowledge and skills required to edit a book. You will identify the stages and relationships involved in a complex edit, and examine the role of the editor in negotiating the expectations of author, publisher and reader. By investigating the distinct requirements of specific genres, you will develop strategies to apply genre attributes. You will develop advanced editing skills in the areas of editorial collaboration, structural/substantive editing, copyediting and proofreading, and explore ways to enhance and improve a manuscript through the use of illustrative material, navigational devices, cross referencing and support material.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Program Learning Outcomes

This is an option course, which will complement the Program Learning Outcomes you are developing in your program.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• analyse readers’ needs, editors’ roles and publishers’ responsibilities
• interpret and apply genre conventions within a range of editing and publishing models
• analyse, evaluate and edit long-form manuscripts
• perform advanced levels of editing involving structural editing, copyediting and proofreading
• collaborate as an editor with a range of publishing professionals and content providers.

Overview of Learning Activities

The learning activities included in this course are:

• lectures and demonstrations, including guest lectures, which provide the framework for exploring sample texts and developing and articulating responses
• class exercises designed to clarify course content and practise relevant skills
• independent study, working through the course requirements as presented in classes, online and through learning materials to deepen understanding through reading, immersion and critique
• writing and editing workshops to assist development of appropriate techniques with feedback from peers and teacher
• individual and group work.

Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems.

A list of recommended learning resources will be provided by your lecturer, including books, journal articles and web resources. You will also be expected to seek further resources relevant to the focus of your own learning.

The University Library has extensive resources for Professional Writing and Editing students. The Library has produced a subject guide that includes quality online and print resources for your studies http://rmit.libguides.com/wcprp. 

The Library provides guides on academic referencing https://www.rmit.edu.au/library/study/referencing and subject specialist help via your Liaison Librarian.

Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1: Genre project (30%)

You will investigate a specific genre of publishing activity, exploring it from a range of relevant perspectives, and present your findings individually and collaboratively.

Aligned Course Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 5

Assessment Task 2: Manuscript development assignment (25%)

You will undertake developmental edit of a sample manuscript (or long extract), using appropriate editorial tools and techniques to analyse and assess its substance and structure, and advise on appropriate development and revision to a given publishing brief.

Aligned Course Learning Outcomes: 3, 4

Assessment Task 3: Editorial collaboration project (45%)

You will explore a range of editorial roles and relationships through work on selected publications, liaising with collaborators and team members as appropriate. You will reflect on your learning at the end of the project.

Aligned Course Learning Outcomes: 1–5