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Unit outline_

CHNS2611: Classical Chinese A

Semester 1, 2021 [Normal day] - Remote

Foundation work in Classical Chinese, an ancient language that still plays a role in modern China and that often challenges Western notions of how languages behave. Students will develop a basic understanding of the grammar and vocabulary, thus equipping themselves for exploration of China's distinctive philosophical and literary traditions in the original language. They will undertake supplementary reading in English on a topic of their choice, thus enriching their knowledge of premodern Chinese culture.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Chinese Studies
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
CHNS1102 or CHNS2602 or CHNS3602 or CHNS3604 or CHNS2601
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
HSC Chinese Background Speakers
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Xiaohuan Zhao, xiaohuan.zhao@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Participation participation
active participation in all three hours of class each week
10% - n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Online task 50-minute open-book test 1
Refer to Canvas for further information
15% Week 04
Due date: 22 Mar 2021 at 10:00
Equivalent to 750 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO3
Online task 50-minute open-book test 2
Refer to Canvas for further information
15% Week 07
Due date: 19 Apr 2021 at 10:00
Equivalent to 750 words
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO5 LO4
Online task 50-minute open-book test 3
Refer to Canvas for further information
15% Week 10
Due date: 10 May 2021 at 10:00
Equivalent to 750 words
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO5 LO4
Online task 90-minute open-book final
Refer to Canvas for further information
25% Week 13
Due date: 31 May 2021 at 12:00
Equivalent to 1000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO3
Assignment Reading project resulting in essay
Essay building on supplementary reading assignments
20% Week 13
Due date: 04 Jun 2021 at 23:00
1250 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO5

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Content has now moved online.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

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.

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.

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.

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

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

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.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Why learn classical Chinese? How to learn classical Chinese (and have fun) Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2
Five structures of classical Chinese grammar Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 02 Working with traditional characters; Working with Classical Chinese grammar hands-on Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Introduce Lunyu (Fuller Lesson 1) Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 03 Fuller Lesson 1 and supplement hands-on Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Introduce Han Feizi (Fuller Lesson 2) Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 04 Fuller Lesson 2 and supplement hands-on Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Revision; discuss take-home quiz 1 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 05 Revision; First short test Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4
More on Han Feizi (Fuller Lesson 3) Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 06 Fuller Lesson 3 and supplement, hands-on Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Introduce Lüshi chunqiu (Fuller Lesson 4) Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 07 Fuller Lesson 4 and supplement hands-on Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Han Feizi yet again (Fuller Lesson 5) Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 08 Fuller Lesson 5 and supplement, hands-on Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Revision; preliminary discussion of essay Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 09 Revision; second short test Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Introduce Liezi (Fuller Lesson 6) Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 10 Fuller Lesson 6 and supplement, hands-on Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Introduce Zhanguo ce (Fuller Lesson 7) Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 11 Fuller Lesson 7 and supplement, hands-on Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Introduce Mengzi (Fuller Lesson 8) Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 12 Fuller Lesson 8 and supplement, hands-on Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Revision; discuss take-home quiz 2 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 13 Discussion of final essay; revision Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Third short test Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4

Attendance and class requirements

  • Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.

  • Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

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 readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

Required:

  • Michael A. Fuller, An Introduction to Literary Chinese (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2004)
  • Supplementary readings posted on Canvas and distributed in class

Recommended:

  • A classical Chinese dictionary such as Paul W. Kroll, A Student's Dictionary of Classical and Medieval Chinese (Leiden: Brill, 2017) – also available via Pleco

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. interpret basic Classical Chinese grammar both in original context and in its frequent occurrences within modern Chinese.
  • LO2. apply skills in interpreting classical Chinese to gain firsthand access to many of the key sources necessary for the serious study of most aspects of traditional (and some aspects of modern) Chinese history, philosophy and culture.
  • LO3. develop lateral thinking abilities by practicing the flexible, creative application of grammatical principles to make sense of baffling sentences, also supported by independent reading in an individually chosen area of cultural background.
  • LO4. discriminate between full-form ("traditional") characters and simplified ones, as well as comprehending both, equipping them to decipher texts from Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as many other types of premodern material including inscriptions.
  • LO5. use digital tools and effective academic presentation techniques for basic research in the study of premodern Chinese texts.

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.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered

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.