basic+writing+skills program hs2012

7/30/2019 Basic+Writing+Skills Program HS2012

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Basic Academic Writing Skills - Arts, Humanities and Social Science B2

Target ParticipantsThough open to participants at all stages in their studies (Bachelor, Master, Doctorate and post-doc.

fee applicable for doctoral students and post-docs.), this course focuses on familiarisation with, and/or

revision of, basic academic writing skills. It is thus aimed at participants whose present writing skills in

this area may be described as modest.

Entry Requirements/Level of CourseThe minimum entry level for the course is B2 on the European Framework Global Scale.

AimsThis course aims to familiarise students with the basic requirements and conventions of academic

writing in English. It does not focus primarily on improving participants general English language skills,

such as grammar, though common problems that are of particular relevance to academic writing, such as

relative clauses, passive structures, and punctuation are addressed. Attention is also paid to aspects of

vocabulary and register that are considered appropriate to an academic context.

Content and ApproachThe course focuses on both the techniques and the linguistic conventions of academic writing. Specific

areas to be covered include organisation and structure (including paragraphing), coherence and

cohesion, and clarity of expression. Practice is offered in essential writing techniques such as

summarizing and paraphrasing. Participants are encouraged to produce written work that is based on

their own field of study or academic interest.

Assessment and CreditsParticipants are awarded 2 ECTS credits for successful completion of the course The workload is 2 hours


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Participants are awarded 2 ECTS credits for successful completion of the course The workload is 2 hours

Gradesheet for .

Criteria Grouping points awarded1

0 1 2 3 4

Vocabulary

accuracy of general vocabulary

register and precision of vocabulary

collocation and use of discipline-specific terms

Grammar

use of articles and formation of noun phrasesverb system

agreement of determiners, dependent prepositions, subject-verb, etc.

construction and use of relative and other subordinate clauses

Clarity and Coherence

sentence length

basic sentence structure: SVO

adverb placing

distribution of familiar and new information within sentences

delivery of subject and verb within sentence front-loading, etc.

complex and compound sentences, enumerations, etc.

Organisation and Cohesion

use of basic topic progression devices (repetition, pronouns, condensed noun phrases,

etc.)

use of more advanced topic progression devices (changes to parts of speech,hyperonyms, metonyms, etc.)

use of sentence adverbs and adverbials

paragraph structuring devices use of topic sentences, preview sentences, etc.

paragraph formation (argumentation, breaking text into digestible pieces) and length

di ti b t h


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Basic Academic Writing Skills Arts, Humanities and Social Science B2

Anna Ekert www.sprachenz entrum.uzh.ch 3/4

Week Date Vocab and grammar Sentences, paragraphs andtexts

Self-study Writing

1 20.09 Vocab: register 2.10 Style (pp150-153)

Vocab general academic vocabulary:

AWL exercises + Formality in verbs(p182)

Basic paragraph structure 1.10

Organizing paragraphs (pp77-80)

topic sentences, from general/abstract

to specific, developing argument,concluding and linking to another

paragraph

Writing in paragraphs (p9)

Most common mistakes: Proof-reading

& Confusing pairs (pp93-97)

Avoiding repetition and redundancy(pp154-155)

course

introduction

2 27.09 Vocab: fluency, accuracy andprecision online resources, 3.11

Synonyms (pp222-225); Abstract

nouns (p201-202)

Basic sentence structure: SVO main

and subordinate clauses; compound

and complex sentences

Simple and complex sentences (p8) deadline

paragraph A

3 4.10 Vocab: collocation and use ofdiscipline-specific terms online

resources, collocations

Sentence length, sentence variety 3

Practice B (p93); Varying sentence

length (pp156-157)

paragraph A

checked

4 11.10 Verb system: revision of verb tenses 3.15 Verbs tenses (pp241-245)

Text flow: given-new pattern of

information; front-loading

deadline revision

of paragraph A

5 18.10 Verb system: passive vs. active forms 3.13 Verbs - passives Topic progressionbasic devices:repetition, pronouns, condensed nounphrases, etc. 2.3 Cohesion (pp115-

118), Reading abstracts (p22)

condensed NPs;

6 25.10 Formation of noun phrases: heavyNPs, articles 3.3 Articles (pp184-

187)

Topic progressionadvanced

techniques: changes to parts of

speech, hyperonyms, metonyms, etc.

2.9 Problems and solutions (p145);

3.6 Nouns and adjectives (pp198-

201); Providing evidence (p107)

synonyms, terminology

deadline

2 paragraphs

7 1.11 Agreement of determiners anddependent prepositions, subject-verb:complex subjects & SVA, etc. 3.10

Singular or plural? (pp215-221); 3.8

Prepositions (pp207-211)

Coordination within paragraphs(coordinating conjunctions,

subordinate clauses and sentence

adverbs) 3.5 Conjunctions (pp192-

195), 2 Practice A (pp91-92) as a

rewrite exercise

DependentPrepositionPatterns.pdf 2 paragraphschecked

8 8.11 Modification: relative clauses,misplaced modification

Coordination between paragraphs

(coordinate and subordinate

relationships between paragraphs)

1.4 From understanding titles to

planning (pp36-42)

+ any of the below if applicable:

4.3 Reports, case studies and literature

reviews (pp257-266), 4.4 Designing

deadline revision

of

2 paragraphs


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Basic Academic Writing Skills Arts, Humanities and Social Science B2

Anna Ekert www.sprachenz entrum.uzh.ch 4/4

and reporting surveys (pp267-272), 4.5

Writing longer essays (pp273-281),

2.11 Visual information (pp158-165)

9 15.11 Adverb placing Using adverbs(pp232-233)

Introductions: generalizations,

definitions and examples 1.11

Introductions and conclusions (pp83-87), Building on generalizations

(p138), 2.5 Definitions (pp126-129),

2.6 Examples (pp130-133)

2.1 Argument and discussion (pp101-

108)

outline essay

10 22.11 Cause-effect and problem-solutiontexts 2.9 Problems and solutions

(pp145-149)

Introductions: generalizations,

definitions and examples 1.11

Introductions and conclusions (pp83-

87), Building on generalizations

(p138), 2.5 Definitions (pp126-129),

2.6 Examples (pp130-133)

deadline essay

11 29.11 Verb system: verbs of reference 3.14 Verbs of reference (pp236-240)

Conclusions Conclusions (pp88-

89)

12 6.12 Paraphrasing and summarizing

1.6Paraphrasing, 1.7 Summarizing (pp50-

61); Degrees of plagiarism (p32),

Avoiding plagiarism by summarizing

and paraphrasing (p33-35); Taking a

critical approach (pp73-76)

Summarizing a report (pp284-285) essay checkedfeedback on

essay (in-class)

13 13.12 Punctuation 3.9 Punctuation(pp212-216)

Cautious language 3.4 Caution

(pp188-189); 2.7 Generalizations

(pp134-136)

deadline revision

of essay

feedback on

course

14 20.12 Course summary

basic+writing+skills program hs2012

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