JV005 Academic Writing_ONLINE

Faculty of Education
Spring 2020
Extent and Intensity
0/0/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Dita Hochmanová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Joseph Lennon, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Radim Herout (assistant)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Radim Herout
Language Centre, Faculty of Education Division – Faculty Branches of University Departments – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: Jitka Autratová
Supplier department: Language Centre, Faculty of Education Division – Faculty Branches of University Departments – Faculty of Education
Prerequisites
!NOWANY( AJ1101 Practical Language 1A , AJ1201 Phonetics and Phonology A , AJ1203 Grammar A , AJ1208 Introduction to Linguistics for Teachers , AJ3101 Practical and Professional English 1 , AJ3201 Lexicology and Lexicography , AJ3301 Contemporary British Literature and Society , AJ3401 Methodology of English Language Teaching 1A , AJ9101 Practical and Professional English 1 , AJ9201 Lexicology , AJ9301 Contemporary British Literature and Society , AJ9401 Methodology of English Language Teaching 1A , AJ4101 Practical and Professional English 1 , AJ4201 Lexicology , AJ4301 Contemporary British Literature and Society , AJ4401 Methodology of English Language Teaching 1A , FF:AJ02003 English Grammar I , FF:AJ02003 English Grammar I , FF:AJ42003 English Grammar , FF:AJ20001 Literary & Cultural Theory I , FF:AJ20001 Literary & Cultural Theory I , FF:AJ50001 Literary and Cultural Theory I , FF:AJ69012 Theory of Translation I , FF:AJ69012 Theory of Translation I )||(! AJ1101 Practical Language 1A )||(! AJ1201 Phonetics and Phonology A )||(! AJ1203 Grammar A )||(! AJ1208 Introduction to Linguistics for Teachers )||(! AJ3101 Practical and Professional English 1 )||(! AJ3201 Lexicology and Lexicography )||(! AJ3301 Contemporary British Literature and Society )||(! AJ3401 Methodology of English Language Teaching 1A )||(! AJ9101 Practical and Professional English 1 )||(! AJ9201 Lexicology )||(! AJ9301 Contemporary British Literature and Society )||(! AJ9401 Methodology of English Language Teaching 1A )||(! AJ4101 Practical and Professional English 1 )||(! AJ4201 Lexicology )||(! AJ4301 Contemporary British Literature and Society )||(! AJ4401 Methodology of English Language Teaching 1A )||(! FF:AJ02003 English Grammar I )||(! FF:AJ42003 English Grammar )||(! FF:AJ20001 Literary & Cultural Theory I )||(! FF:AJ20001 Literary & Cultural Theory I )||(! FF:AJ50001 Literary and Cultural Theory I )||(! FF:AJ69012 Theory of Translation I )||(! FF:AJ69012 Theory of Translation I )
The course is open to all MU students who DO NOT STUDY ENGLISH AS THEIR MAJOR. (Kurz je určen studentům MU, kteří nestudují anglický jazyk jako hlavní obor.) Students enrolling in the course should have at least B1+ to B2 level of English. The course is particularly recommended to students who 1) plan to take an international exam in English (IELTS, CAE, CPE, etc.), 2) plan to study abroad, 3) plan to study in doctoral study programmes, 3) plan to publish in English, 4) want to improve their (academic) writing skills/English.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 16 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 3/16, only registered: 0/16, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/16
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to enhance students’ EFL academic writing skills and to develop learner autonomy by means of providing multiple learning opportunities in an online learning environment (IS.MUNI + Peer-review application). The course is designed for students with B1+/B2 and higher levels of English. It combines many features of both traditional and more recent approaches to teaching writing, following the genre-process based approach. The main focus is placed on two areas: 1) quality input and practice in the form of exercises and quizzes and 2) practising writing, with emphasis on the individual stages of the writing process. Special attention is paid to meeting common genre/academic writing expectations and achieving coherence in one’s writing plus developing the skill of producing a meaningful peer-feedback, and incorporating the received feedback into own writing. At the and of the course, students can follow all common academic writing style conventions and can meet the genre expectations for selected genres; can produce meaningful, coherent, well-organised and grammatical texts at B2+ or C1 level of the CEFR; and can use citation appropriately throughout their writing. They can also produce quality peer-feedback and respond adequately the feedback they receive.
Learning outcomes
By the and of the course, the student will be able to: identify common academic writing style conventions in various academic texts; meet genre expectations for comparison/contrast essay and argumentative essay in their own writing; use referencing throughout own academic writing (apply the APA format and style conventions); produce quality peer-feedback based on a set of criteria; respond adequately to the feedback they receive.
Syllabus
  • The course addresses the following areas: 1) The academic writing process: from the first idea to the final product (pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing and proofreading + incorporating received feedback); 2) The academic writing style: the accuracy, clarity and brevity principle; 3) Text structure and organization: sentence, paragraph and text level (introduction + the thesis statement, paragraph + the topic sentence, conclusion) 4) Language to express different functions: classification, comparison and contrast, definition, generalization, describing processes and products, argumentation) 5) Unity, coherence and cohesion 6) Academic honesty, quoting and citation styles 7) Selected grammar areas (with a focus on those causing problems to Czech learners of English): subject-verb agreement, active and passive voice, articles, punctuation, etc. 8) Academic vocabulary: academic/scientific words (general academic vocabulary - academic word list, rephrasing, tautologies, irregular plural nouns), tricky words and phrases, differences between BrE and AmE
Literature
    required literature
  • Course materials available in the interactive outline (IS.MUNI)
    recommended literature
  • DE CHAZAL, Edward and Sam MCCARTER. Oxford EAP : a course in English for academic purposes. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012, 152 s. ISBN 9780194001786. info
  • MCCARTHY, Michael and Felicity O'DELL. Academic vocabulary in use. First published. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008, 176 stran. ISBN 9780521689397. info
  • DE CHAZAL, Edward. English for academic purposes. First published. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014, xix, 380. ISBN 9780194423717. info
  • 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
  • BARRY, Marian. Steps to academic writing. 1st pub. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011, vi, 154. ISBN 9780521184977. info
  • TURABIAN, Kate L. Student's guide to writing college papers. Edited by Gregory G. Colomb - Joseph M. Williams. 4th ed. London: The University of Chicago Press, 2010, xiv 281. ISBN 9780226816319. info
  • GILLETT, Andy, Angela HAMMOND and Mary MARTALA. Successful academic writing. 1st pub. Harlow: Pearson, 2009, xxvi, 334. ISBN 9780273721710. info
  • HARTLEY, James. Academic writing and publishing : a practical handbook. London: Routledge, 2008, viii, 196. ISBN 9780415453219. info
  • HYLAND, Ken. English for academic purposes : an advanced resource book. First published. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2006, xvi, 340. ISBN 0415358698. info
  • LEKI, Ilona. Academic writing : exploring processes and strategies. 2nd ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998, xxix, 433. ISBN 0521657687. info
  • JORDAN, R. R. English for academic purposes : a guide and resource book for teachers. First published. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997, xx, 404. ISBN 0521554233. info
Teaching methods
100% online learning: 1) autonomous study of the language input including reading and analysing sample texts; completing assigned language practice: language exercises, tasks and quizzes; and participating in e-discussions with peer-writers 2) writing two essays and producing peer-feedback.
Assessment methods
Credit requirements: 1) becoming familiar with and respecting course requirements including deadlines where required; 2) regular autonomous online participation (approx. 120 - 150 min per week); 3) successful completion of online quizzes; 4) participation in asynchronous online discussions; 5) submitted in-term assignments (two writing tasks + peer-feedback): 50% of the final grade; 6) final test: writing tasks + a quiz checking the awareness of and the ability to apply the information presented in the course materials: 50% of the final grade.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: Online kurz se studijní zátěží min. 90 - 120 min./týden.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2020, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/spring2020/JV005