Unit outline_

WRIT6002: Writing for the Digital World

Semester 1, 2025 [Online] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

In this unit, you will learn how to create and disseminate knowledge in order to inform broad global audiences while simultaneously boosting the diversity of voices that contribute to networked knowledge. You will edit and write articles in an electronic setting using HTML and a visual editing tool while adhering to the conventions of online discourse communities. You will gain knowledge about open licencing and how to use freely obtainable structured data to present that data in interesting visual ways. You will create content for and use resources from public domain archives like Creative Commons.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit English and Writing
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Frances Di Lauro, frances.dilauro@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Frances Di Lauro, frances.dilauro@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s) Gabriel Lee, gabriel.lee@sydney.edu.au
The census date for this unit availability is 31 March 2025
Type Description Weight Due Length
Online task hurdle task Self-assessment
Responses to questions
10% Week 01
Due date: 28 Feb 2025 at 23:00

Closing date: 03 Mar 2025
400 Words
Outcomes assessed: LO1
Assignment Restricted AI Research Proposal
Justification of topic choice and annotated bibliography
30% Week 04
Due date: 21 Mar 2025 at 23:00

Closing date: 25 Mar 2025
1500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3 LO5
Online task Restricted AI Peer-review
Review an article using a rubric
10% Week 06
Due date: 04 Apr 2025 at 23:00

Closing date: 08 Apr 2025
600 words total
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3
Assignment Restricted AI Draft article review
Collaboratively engage in authentic editorial practice by peer-reviewing draft articles.
25% Week 09
Due date: 02 May 2025 at 23:00

Closing date: 06 May 2025
1000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Assignment Restricted AI Final Article
Combined polished draft plus 1000 words and media
25% Week 13
Due date: 30 May 2025 at 23:00

Closing date: 03 Jun 2025
1000 word
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
hurdle task = hurdle task ?
restricted AI = restricted AI ?

Assessment summary

Assessment Summary:

The final assessment will be uploaded to an article platform. All other assessments are to be submitted to Canvas.

 

Assessment criteria

 

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

Except for supervised exams or in-semester tests, you may use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessments unless expressly prohibited by your unit coordinator. 

For exams and in-semester tests, the use of AI and automated writing tools is not allowed unless expressly permitted in the assessment instructions. 

The icons in the assessment table above indicate whether AI is allowed – whether full AI, or only some AI (the latter is referred to as “AI restricted”). If no icon is shown, AI use is not permitted at all for the task. Refer to Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks for this unit. 

Your final submission must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of automated writing tools or generative AI, and any material generated that you include in your final submission must be properly referenced. You may be required to submit generative AI inputs and outputs that you used during your assessment process, or drafts of your original work. Inappropriate use of generative AI is considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply. 

The Current Students website provides information on artificial intelligence in assessments. For help on how to correctly acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the  AI in Education Canvas site

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

The Assessment Procedures 2011 provide that any written work submitted after 11:59pm on the due date will be penalised by 5% of the maximum awardable mark for each calendar day after the due date. If the assessment is submitted more than ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded. Exceptions: Where an academic plan, special consideration or simple extension are approved,

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 1) Online lecture: Introduction and Essentials. Training Modules, creating User page and ID, Registration to Dashboard, and topic selection. Online class (1 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 02 1) Online lecture: Encyclopaedic writing and research. 2) Online tutorial hour 1: finding, evaluating and using sources. 3. Tutorial hour 2: Using sources legitimately Online class (3 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 03 1) Online lecture: Integrity, copyright regulations around published material and eliminating the risk of plagiarism. 2) Online tutorial hour 1: the academic context 3) Tutorial hour 2: using sources to preserve your integrity Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 04 1. Online lecture: the "Lead" section. 2. Online tutorial hour 1: what is Wikipedia's "Summary" writing Style? 3. Tutorial hour 2: Your proposal. Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 05 1) Online lecture: On allusion, intertextuality, hyperlinking and hypertext. 2) Online tutorial hour 1: Present truth, boldly linking and watchlisting 3) Tutorial hour 2: Peer-review Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 06 1) Online lecture: table of contents, reference list, quality and scope. 2) Online tutorial hour 1: Quality and scope TOC. 3) Tutorial hour 2: Adding a paragraph to your sandbox. Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 07 1) Online lecture: Visual Media 2) Online tutorial hour 1: Finding and adding visual media legitimately 3) Tutorial hour 2: Wikimedia and Creative Commons. Using the mobile apps. Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 08 1) Online lecture: Other ways of improving your article visually and aurally. 2) Online tutorial hour 1: Free music and sound files. 3) Tutorial hour 2: Using templates. Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 09 1) Online lecture: Tidying up infoboxes, tags and checking quality. 2) Online tutorial hour 1: Article tagging 3) Tutorial hour 2: Template messages/Cleanup/Hatnotes Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 10 1) Online lecture: Drawing attention to your article 2) Online tutorial hour 1: Elements of articles 3) Tutorial hour 2: Writing style Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 11 1) Online lecture: "Perfection is not required" but why not aim for it? 2) Online tutorial hour 1: Navigational procedures and linking. 3) Tutorial hour 2: Navigation templates and talk pages. Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 12 1) Online lecture: Editing culture, and Wikidata: Linking data visualisations. 2) Online tutorial hour 1: Edit wars. 3) Tutorial hour 2: User pages. Online class (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 13 1) Online tutorial hour 1: Great articles and the future. 2) Tutorial hour 2: Perfecting your draft, and consultations. Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6

Attendance and class requirements

Below are the attendance and class requirements for this unit of study.

R U OK? If not, you should contact the coordinator, frances.dilauro@sydney.edu.au, to adjust these requirements, due dates, etc. This also applies even if you are ok but situations are making it difficult or impossible to meet our requirements.

Attendance and class requirements   

Preparation: students should commit to spending approximately two hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Attendance: Students are expected to attend 90% of scheduled classes.WRIT6002 will be taught completely online so “attendance” will be measured by

  1. completion of all online modules (approximately 2 hours asynchronously)
  2. attendance and participation in 1-hour online Zoom classes (synchronously)

If you miss more than one synchronous Zoom seminar, please contact the coordinator, Associate Professor Frances Di Lauro, at frances.dilauro@sydney.edu.au.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All reading and viewing material for WRIT6002 is free via embedded hyperlinks in the online modules and eReadings.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. cultivate scholarly skills in research, critical thinking, and high-quality content creation.
  • LO2. develop a nuanced understanding of public vs. encyclopaedic writing styles and conventions.
  • LO3. demonstrate expertise in responsible research practices, copyright law, and ethical publishing standards.
  • LO4. evaluate, edit and write engaging, accessible, and accurate online content for diverse audiences.
  • LO5. use HTML codes and visual editor software to format and create high-quality written content.
  • LO6. create and contribute open access material to Creative Commons, and Wiki Commons, and integrate materials from those and other public domain sources into your own article.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

We look forward to receiving your feedback anytime during the semester and welcome the opportunity to make any immediate improvements that will benefit your learning. In response to students' feedback after the last iteration of this unit in S1, 2024, we reduced the number of assessments and increased the weighting of more weighty ones.

Additional costs

N/A.

Site visit guidelines

N/A.

Work, health and safety

This unit is always taught online.

To help you to protect your well-being while primarily learning online, consult the University’s advice on this page: https://www.sydney.edu.au/study/why-6 tips to help you study successfully online
choose-sydney/student-life/student-news/2020/06/18/6-tips-to-help-you-study-successfully-online.html.

You will find additional useful advice to maximise your success by planning ahead of the semester here https://www.sydney.edu.au/study/why-choose-sydney/student-life/student-news/2019/08/16
/how-to-plan-your-semester.html.

Study habits are crucial to achieving better results. Read about them here: https://www.sydney.edu.au/study/why-choose-sydney/student-life/student-news/2020/03/11/four-study-habits-for-
success.html.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.