Advanced Academic English

Course Objectives

The course objectives are to develop and continue practice of skills acquired in the Academic Skills and Research Methods courses taught in Semester One of the Pre-Masters course. Advanced Academic English will also provide students with assistance in writing up coursework and the Guided Research Project in Semester two of the Pre-Masters course.

Key Learning Outcomes

The Advanced Academic English Course aims at giving students continued practice of those skills learnt in the Academic Skills and Research Methods courses of Semester One. By continued practice in class the learning outcomes of the previous semester will reinforced and refreshed. The course will also assist students in the writing of their Guided Research Project and other academic papers required for the completion of Semester Two of the Pre-Masters course. In addition the course will further refine and develop student presentation skills and enable them too effectively to take part in a Tutorial and Seminar.

Course Structure

On the course students will practice and develop the following:

1.Avoiding Plagiarism: this will include correct referencing, quoting and citing sources, and employing these correctly in writing the Guided Research Project and other academic papers required for the Pre-Masters Course.

2.Note-taking: continued practice in selecting information and taking effective notes from lectures and the written page. Organizing and writing up notes.

3.Participating in Tutorials and Seminars: students will practice listening and discussion skills developed in the previous semester’s courses and be encouraged to take part in seminars and ask questions.

4.Writing up Assignments- the following tasks will be revised and practiced during the course: summaries, writing essays including outlines, data commentaries, writing up research papers in the correct form.

5.Making a Presentation: this will give students further practice in giving a presentation. Speaking to a small audience, taking questions from the floor and using visual aids and supporting material in an appropriate manner.

Assessment and Minimum Standards

The minimum standards that students meet at the end of this course are similar to those of Academic Skills and Research Methods; the difference being that the minimum standards are achieved through practice and application of earlier skills learnt in the Academic Skills and Research Methods courses.

The course will be assessed in five ways:

1.Written Coursework: this will be assessed through four written assignments of different types set to assist students in planning and writing the Guided Research Project. These activities will refresh and reinforce skills learnt in the previous Academic Skills course. Assessment will be as follows: note-taking from a text 5%, writing a summary 5%, constructing an essay outline 5% and writing an essay 10%. Total 25%.

2.End of Module Tests: there will be tests on note-taking in lectures 5%, paraphrasing and writing in correct style 5% and commenting on data 5%. Total 15%.

3.A Presentation will be done in class and as homework. The actual presentation will take place in class time with the group as an audience. The content of the presentation will be the student’s Guided Research Project.

4.End of Course Exam: this will consist of an exam lasting 1 hour 45 minutes with a wide range of questions testing competence in the Key Skills practiced during the writing of and presentation on the Guided Research Project 50%.

5.Verbal Skills Grades: separate grades will be given for (a) improvement and (b) competence in verbal skills.Â

Books Recommended for the Course

Bailey, S., (2006). Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students (2nd Edition) Abingdon Routledge.

Oshima & Hogue., (1999). Writing Academic English (3rd Edition) New York: Longman.

Porter D., (2003) Check Your Vocabulary for Academic English (2nd Edition), London: Bloomsbury

White, B., (2002). Writing Your MBA Dissertation. Thomson.

Wisker, G., (2001). The Postgraduate Research Handbook. Palgrave.