LUE1001 University English I

Course Introduction

Welcome to LUE1001 University English I.  We hope that you will find this course interesting, stimulating and useful for your academic studies at Lingnan and for your future professional development. 

LUE1001 University English I is a 3-credit English enhancement course in tutorial mode. There are four hours of tutorial classes per week (2 x 2 hours). Class size is about 20 and you will be encouraged to both actively participate in class and to study English outside class through some assigned tasks.

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Aims

This foundational course aims to improve your English language competence and academic skills necessary for you to succeed in an English-medium university and to cultivate your awareness of the language conventions, arts and research skills in academic contexts, with particular focus on how to scaffold a text by using appropriate lexico-grammatical resources, patterns and strategies. All the tasks, readings and in-class materials are based on a particular context relevant to your interests and needs. Remedial practice in grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation will also be provided to help you to facilitate your scaffolding and learning process during the course.

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Intended Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, you will be able to:

General

• demonstrate the awareness of language conventions and features used in academic contexts
• describe the importance of rhetorical situations such as purpose, audience and genre
• identify the similarities and differences between different media (e.g. verbal vs. visual) and between different registers (e.g. spoken vs. written)

Written/Visual

• demonstrate how to analyse a visual text and write a report to summarize the findings
• use the process of research such as research plan, evaluating sources, paraphrasing, acknowledging, etc.
• deploy a range of patterns/strategies to organize writing and speaking such as introduction/conclusion, thesis statement, definition, comparison, cause and effect
• write coherent academic texts with a particular focus on expository texts such as reports, visual analysis using lexico-grammatical resources appropriate to the task

Spoken

• conduct effective interviews using appropriate and accurate language and how to report findings
• demonstrate the ability to give effective group oral presentations appropriate to academic contexts

More specific and detailed Intended Learning Outcomes are given at the beginning of each unit.

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Key Content

The course has 4 topics as the focus:

Throughout the course, the four topics will be explored and illustrated with their inter-relationships in various communication contexts.

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Measurement of Learning Outcomes

The learning outcomes will be measured through 100% continuous assessments, with details as follows:

• Writing coursework (I):  A 2-page (200-300 words) analysis of a visual chosen by yourself. The analysis consists of two main parts: description of the context and visual analysis. (20% of final mark)
• Speaking coursework (I) A simulation interview between a researcher and an interviewee in order to elicit views and preferences. Each interview takes 5 minutes, and you will be playing both roles in turn. (25% of final mark)
• Writing coursework (II):  After conducting an internet homepage evaluation and a detailed interview, write a report comparing two homepages containing both words and visuals. The report consists of four main parts: introduction, methodology, findings and discussion, and conclusion and recommendations. Write about 1,100 – 1,300 words.  (25% of final mark)
• Speaking coursework (II):  Give an individual oral presentation based on writing coursework II, involving the use of data, appropriate language and delivery skills. Each presentation takes about 10 minutes. (25% of final mark)
• Attendance and participation: For your attendance and active participation in class activities and discussion. (5% of final mark)

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Course Guidelines

1. Attendance and class participation
You are expected to attend all lessons and to be punctual in attending all classes, consultations and in-class assessments.  Generally, illness is the only reason to miss classes.  Other cases should have the teacher’s prior approval.  In case of illness preventing attendance at classes, you must present a doctor’s letter or other acceptable documentary evidence.  Late coming will be noted and lateness of more than 15 minutes will result in your being marked absent from that hour of the class.   You are also expected to actively participate in activities and class discussion.

2. Homework
You will be given homework to do outside the class. There are coursework assignments to complete throughout the course.

3. Assessment Policy
Any student who fails to be present at an in-class assessment because of illness will be given one further opportunity for assessment, provided there is sufficient documentary evidence justifying his/her absence and it is administratively possible.  Only in cases approved by the class teacher will you be allowed to take a make-up assessment. 

If you disagree with the awarded marks for any assessment you should meet with their teacher and appeal within 3 days after receiving the disputed marks. Appeals made after this time are not likely to be considered. When making an appeal, justification for a change of mark should be presented.

4. Late Submission Penalties
For each assessment, there are deadlines. Five per cent (5%) of the total possible mark will be deducted for late submission each day (including Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays after the due date), but any assessment submitted 7 days after the due date will not be accepted.  This penalty applies to all work that is not submitted on the due date without prior approval and/or in failure to produce supporting documentary evidence such as a doctor’s certificate in the case of illness.

5. Presentation of Work
There is a task sheet for each course assessment. Pay close attention to the instructions in the task sheet that tell you how to present and submit your work. Your work will be done in class or submitted through Moodle. Your teacher will show you how to do this in class and there will be other support available.

6. Plagiarism
If plagiarism is demonstrated, the student concerned may receive a zero mark on that assignment and dishonest practice cases may be referred to the Student Disciplinary Committee.  If you have any doubts about a piece of submitted work, you should discuss the work with your teacher before officially submitting it. 

To understand more about plagiarism – what it is and how to avoid it – you are advised to read the following information on the University’s intranet:
http://www.ln.edu.hk/current-students/student-orientation/academic-pursuit/academic-integrity

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Important Notes:

(1)     Students are expected to spend a total of 12 hours (i.e. 4 hours of class contact and 8 hours of personal study) per week to achieve the course learning outcomes.
(2)     Students shall be aware of the University regulations about dishonest practice in course work, tests and examinations, and the possible consequences as stipulated in the Regulations Governing University Examinations. In particular, plagiarism, being a kind of dishonest practice, is “the presentation of another person’s work without proper acknowledgement of the source, including exact phrases, or summarised ideas, or even footnotes/citations, whether protected by copyright or not, as the student’s own work”. Students are required to strictly follow university regulations governing academic integrity and honesty.
(3)     Students are required to submit writing assignment(s) using Turnitin.
(4)     An online ‘Plagiarism Awareness Tutorial’ (https://pla.ln.edu.hk/) has been provided to help students understand what plagiarism is and how to avoid it. All new undergraduate students starting from the 2016-17 intake are required to complete this online tutorial by the end of their first year in Lingnan. Completion will be indicated by ticking the check-box at the end of the course. The tutorial takes approximately one hour to finish. Students will be blocked from course registration for the coming academic year if they have not studied the materials by the end of the academic year.

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