MPV_ACAD Academic writing

Faculty of Economics and Administration
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Martin Guzi, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Martin Guzi, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Dev Mani Sharma, MCom (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Martin Guzi, Ph.D.
Department of Public Economics – Faculty of Economics and Administration
Contact Person: Mgr. Jana Nesvadbová
Supplier department: Department of Public Economics – Faculty of Economics and Administration
Prerequisites
! XPX_ACAD Academic writing
This course aims to equip MA students with the essential skills needed for academic writing. Course is specifically suited to students who have begun working on their master thesis and already selected their thesis topic.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 50 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/50, only registered: 26/50
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The goal of this course is to equip MA students with the academic writing skills required for thesis writing. Students will practice critical reading and writing through summarizing and evaluating academic texts. Students will also learn how to incorporate the work of other authors effectively into their own texts. Students will practice revision skills and learn how to develop their writing style. The main outcome of this course is a short but well-written literature review on which their master thesis is based.
Learning outcomes
The course focuses on the academic skills and basic elements of academic writing. Students will write about their own research; learn to analyze and critique texts written by others; produce texts that will become part of their master thesis (e.g. literature review); learn to cite other people's work and avoid plagiarism; receive feedback on the structure, logic and language of their texts; revise and rewrite their text; learn how to find and use literature sources powerfully.
Syllabus
  • The course consists of 6 lectures and 6 seminars.

    Lectures:
    * A Short Guide to Academic Writing Style
    * The Use of Academic Research Databases; Effective Use of Tables and Figures in Academic Writing
    * References and Citations in Academic Writing; Mechanics of Academic Style
    * Critical Literature Review; Citation and Qualification Signals
    * Tips to Improve Your Academic Writing
    * Avoiding Plagiarism

    Seminars:
    * Summarizing
    * Paraphrasing
    * Annotated bibliography assignment - discussion
    * Introducing Paragraphs and Linking Them Together​
    * Referring Verbs
    * Critical literature review assignment - discussion
Literature
    recommended literature
  • SWALES, John and Christine B. FEAK. Academic writing for graduate students : essential tasks and skills. 3rd ed. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Press, 2012, xiv, 418. ISBN 9780472034758. info
Teaching methods
Group discussions; group and individual writing tasks; reading and text analysis; peer review; online quizzes; vocabulary study.
Assessment methods
Academic Writing is a required course, which you need to pass in order to complete your degree. During the course, students will have to complete written assignments, pass online quizzes and attend classes. Requirements for passing grade:
1. At least 70% attendance at lectures and seminars.
2. Pass online quizzes (ROPOT tests).
3. Assignment 1: Annotated bibliography (400 words).
4. Assignment 2: Peer assessment (200 words).
5. Assignment 3: Critical literature review (1000 words).
6. Reflection on your progress during the course (150 words).
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Teacher's information
Instructor: Martin Guzi
Office Hours: by appointment
Email: martin.guzi@econ.muni.cz
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2023, Spring 2024, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/econ/spring2025/MPV_ACAD