VV064 Syllabus – Academic and Professional Skills in English for IT

                                  Mgr. Antonín Zita, M.A., Ph.D.

                              Spring 2018, Monday 12:00 – 13:40, A319

Course Description:

Life, whether inside or outside academia, requires multiple sets of skills. As a consequence, the
course takes a holistic approach to academic and professional skills, therefore giving the students
an opportunity to widen their abilities that will be useful in their future careers. The course
covers the following areas: the difference between formal and informal language and their proper
use, participation in group discussions, text analysis (facts and arguments), and presentation
style and delivery.


Evaluation:

The course evaluation is based on the following:

-          class participation/homework (25%)

-          formal/informal exam (in Week 6) (20%)

-          vocabulary test (last week) (10%)

-          class presentation (25%)

-          summary assignment (20%)

Class participation

Active participation in class assignments and discussions is expected. In addition, a timely
submission of short homework exercises is also vital for completion of the course. This includes
creating a vocabulary list shared with the whole class to be used for the vocabulary test (see
below); students will work on the list every other week.

Formal/informal exam

There will be an in-class exam in Week 6. The exam focuses on formal and informal vocabulary as
well as grammar and overall style.

Presentation in class

Students will give a presentation during the last two weeks of classes. The presentations should
last between 10 and 15 minutes and the topic will be chosen after a discussion with the instructor.

Vocabulary test

There will be a small vocabulary test during the last class of the semester. The test will contain
only words from the vocabulary list created by students.

Summary assignment

This assignment takes place during the examination period and has two parts. First, students will
write a summary of a source, and then they will review two other summaries written by their peers.


Course policies:

Students are allowed not to attend two classes.


Syllabus:

Week 1 – Feb 19

Introduction to the course, formal/informal language and vocabulary, using the appropriate register


Week 2 – Feb 26

Formal/informal language and vocabulary (continued), reporting verbs


Week 3 – March 5

Group discussion exercises


Week 4 – March 12

Understanding texts – facts vs. opinions, paraphrasing and plagiarism


Week 5 – March 19

Understanding texts – arguments and levels of arguments


Week 6 – March 26

Summaries: the basics of summaries, focusing on important information.

Formal/informal exam

Week 7 – April 2

No class – Easter


Week 8 – April 9

Introduction to presentations, how not to give a presentation; the basics of summaries


Week 9 – April 16

Some problems with presentations, polishing presentations


Week 10 – April 23

No class – students discuss drafts of their presentation with the lecturer in his office


Week 11 – April 30

Further presentation discussion – analysis of the presentation, understanding the construction and
argument; body language


Week 12 – May 7

Presentation session 1

Further discussion of class topics.


Week 13 – May 14

Presentation session 2

Vocabulary test

Course wrap-up