AJ0204 Academic Skills: Writing

Faculty of Education
Autumn 2019
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 2 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Radek Vogel, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Olga Dontcheva-Navrátilová, Ph.D.
Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: Jana Popelková
Supplier department: Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Timetable of Seminar Groups
AJ0204/01: Mon 8:00–9:50 učebna 63, R. Vogel
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
In the course Academic Skills: Writing the students will:
be familiarised with the principal properties of the English written formal style (style of science / Academic English);
expand and practise their knowledge of the lexical, syntactic, graphic and structural means of Academic English;
learn to use functional strategies of writing for academic purposes and to apply adequate research methods;
distinguish between and use appropriately the basic genres of academic/scientific English;
learn how to use sources, quote from them and make references properly, create notes.
Learning outcomes
The student
• is able to use the introduced devices and structures of professional and scientific styles in writing his/her own texts;
• is able to choose the appropriate research method and describe stages of his/her research, as well as to analyse and interpret its findings;
• can use sources appropriately and refer to them in the text;
• writes an academic text on a chosen topic as the final assignment in the course, using the prescribed means and procedures of the style of science.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction. Properties of the style of science (English for Academic Purposes).
  • 2. Academic text / essay - instructions and recommendations. Written vs. spoken medium; formality, objectiveness.
  • 3. Methodology of science and research.
  • 4. Genres of academic and scientific writing. Scientific prose style vs. popular scientific / didactic style.
  • 5. Cohesion and coherence. Devices of lexical and grammatical cohesion. Connectors.
  • 6. Highlighting of meaning: hedging and boosting.
  • 7. Vocabulary of academic texts. Structure of terms and noun phrases.
  • 8. Abbreviation. English punctuation.
  • 9. Syntax of academic texts. Word order.
  • 10. Quotations and paraphrases. Use of sources, references.
  • 11. Endnotes and footnotes. Use of tables/charts, graphs, diagrams.
  • 12. Didactic aspects of Academic English. The style of textbooks and popular scientific texts.
Literature
    required literature
  • HAMP-LYONS, Liz and Ben HEASLEY. Study writing : a course in writing skills for academic purposes. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006, 213 s. ISBN 9780521534963. info
  • MCCARTHY, Michael and Felicity O'DELL. Academic vocabulary in use. First published. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008, 176 stran. ISBN 9780521689397. info
    recommended literature
  • URBANOVÁ, Ludmila and Andrew Philip OAKLAND. Úvod do anglické stylistiky (Introduction to English Stylistics). 1st ed. Brno: Barrister & Principal, 2002, 148 pp. Studium. ISBN 80-86598-33-0. info
  • MACPHERSON, Robin. Základy anglické stylistiky. Praha: Academia, 1997, 239 s. ISBN 8301118644. info
Teaching methods
Teaching methods:
explanation, practice and discussion in class;
home study and written assignment.
Assessment methods
Completion prerequisites:
• attendance - minimum 80%;
• active participation in seminars;
• seminar essay - a piece of academic text, due on December 20, 2019. Pass mark: minimum 70%.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
General note: Předmět bude realizován, pokud se přihlásí alespoň 15 studentů.
Teacher's information
http://moodlinka.ics.muni.cz/course/view.php?id=2879
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2017, Spring 2018, Autumn 2018.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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