Academic Writing in English (LCE3305)

This course aims to help students to refine and improve their English language writing skills - in particular academic writing

Class contact hours: 3 hrs (tutorials) Credits: 3

Introduction

This course focuses on developing students' general competence in writing in English. The course is based on individual and occasionally small-group reflective and practical learning tasks and aims to a) equip students with a better understanding and awareness of the characteristics of academic writing and b) enable students to write more cohesive, coherent and grammatically accurate papers for their respective major subjects.

Aims & Objectives

To enable students to:

• Improve their proficiency in written English
• Improve their accuracy and fluency in written English
• Deal more effectively with their respective academic studies in the University and their future professional requirements through improving written English communication
• Cultivate an enhanced awareness of their own proficiency levels in writing as well as to develop and improve their own independent learning strategies
• Think more logically and critically as part of their liberal arts education through activities that require the critical thought, evaluation and expression of ideas with force and accuracy in written format

Course Information

Teaching Method

Small group/tutorial.

Students will work in class on their own and sometimes in small groups on various exercises to practice the above tasks. Students will be encouraged to compare, present and discuss their ideas through a variety of mediums

Indicative Content

Tasks may include the individual or small group planning, writing and revising of short texts in response to a variety of given topics and exercises in an academic context; supporting justifying ideas and opinions and refuting counter arguments with the use of appropriate paraphrases/ citations; planning, writing and revising argumentative essays. Activities may include: discussions, quizzes, games, presentations, computer lab and on-line activities etc.

Student Feedback

Since this is a new course, importance will be put on student in-put to make the aims, objectives and content relevant and motivating. Tasks and activities will therefore also evolve from the critical discussion and analysis of students' own written output. Since the course is also student-centred there is ample opportunity for students to contribute towards the content, materials and methodology of the course. 

Assessment

There will be three short, in-class assessments plus two assessments based on an extended essay (1st and 2nd drafts) Grading pattern will be standard (A, A-, B+ etc.)

Syllabus

The structure of the course is outlined on the schedule below: