Academic English for Psychology
| Module title | Academic English for Psychology |
|---|---|
| Module code | INT0205 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 12 | 12 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 44 |
|---|
Module description
This module is designed to support your modules in the BSc in Psychology. It is part of the International Year One programme, which leads to a Certificate of Higher Education and counts as the first year of a degree in psychology. In this course you will develop the necessary Academic English and study skills to approach assignments and tasks within the discipline. These include researching psychological literature, participating in group presentations and seminars, and developing skills for academic reading and written tasks.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to provide you with the opportunity to develop and strengthen your linguistic skills for the study of psychology if you already have a degree of proficiency in spoken and written English. At the same time, it will provide substantial support in terms of language and concepts for the psychology modules you study alongside all other first year psychology students in the university.
This module aims to provide you with the opportunity to develop and strengthen your linguistic skills for the study of psychology. Sessions will be in both larger and smaller groups which provides opportunities for questioning and discussion, peer and group work, and interaction with your tutors. An active learning approach is taken in which you are expected to participate, complete set tasks, and build your skills.
In particular, the module aims to:
- develop your skills in reading and understanding psychological literature
- develop your confidence, fluency and accuracy in language use when participating in seminar discussions or giving a presentation or interview
- support you in developing a good understanding of how to use academic conventions in your writing
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Use language creatively and flexibly for a range of purposes and audiences.
- 2. Accurately employ a broad range of grammar patterns and vocabulary for effective oral and written communication.
- 3. Identify, report, and discuss psychological issues, showing awareness of the communicative needs of others.
- 4. Demonstrate an ability to analyse and evaluate in the discipline of psychology.
- 5. Take a critical approach to the selection, organisation, and synthesis of information to develop a structured and reasoned argument.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. Undertake independent research and demonstrate the appropriate use of conventions of Academic Honesty and avoiding plagiarism.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Work co-operatively with others, interacting effectively within a group.
Syllabus plan
The following skills will be taught, practiced, and developed:
- Reading skills
- Academic writing
- Presentation skills
- Seminar skills
- Listening skills
- Vocabulary
- Grammar
- Research skills
- Incorporating sources in writing
- Summary, paraphrasing, and synthesis
- APA referencing
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 144 | 156 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Core sessions | 144 | Learning will take place in both larger and smaller groups. Sessions will take an active learning approach to encourage development of skills. A high degree of interactivity and communication will be involved both through group and pair work and through opportunities for questions with your teacher. |
| Guided independent study | 156 | Self-study, assigned reading, and assessment preparation |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Referencing and Paraphrasing Task Term 1 | 200- 300 words | 1,2,6 | General oral feedback |
| Group presentation + Q&A Term 1 | 20-25 minutes (5 minutes per student) | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 | Generic and oral feedback |
| Group Seminar Term 2 | 20-30 minutes (5 minutes per student) | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 | Generic and oral feedback |
| Reading and Writing Exam Term 2 | 2 hours; 400 words | 1,2,3,4,5,6 | Generic feedback and brief written notes |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 70 | 30 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Referencing and Paraphrasing Task Term 1 | 10 | 400-500 words | 1,2,6 | Generic feedback and brief written notes |
| Group Presentation + Q&A Term 1 | 30 | 32-40 minutes (8 minutes per student) | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 | Generic and written feedback |
| Group seminar - Term 2 | 30 | 20-30 minutes (5 minutes per student) | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 | Generic and written feedback |
| Reading and writing examination Term 2 | 30 | 2 hours; 400 words | 1,2,3,4,5,6 | Generic feedback and brief written notes |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Referencing and Paraphrasing Task | resubmission | 1,2,6 | At the next assessment opportunity |
| Group Presentation + Q&A | Individual presentation + Q&A (8 minutes) | 1,2,3,4,5,6 | At the next assessment opportunity |
| Group Seminar | semi-structured interview (15 minutes) | 1,2,3,4,5,6 | At the next assessment opportunity |
| Reading and writing examination | Examination | 1,2,3,4,5,6 | At the next assessment opportunity |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for reasons judged legitimate by the Mitigation Committee, the applicable assessment will normally be deferred. See ‘Details of reassessment’ for the form that assessment usually takes. When deferral occurs there is ordinarily no change to the overall weighting of that assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e., a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to re-do each assessment you have failed (i.e., the ones with a score of 0-39%). Marks awarded in these referred assessment(s) will not be capped at 40%. If the overall module grade including the referred assessments is 40% or more, a module mark of 40% will be awarded.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic reading:
Campbell, C. (2012) English for Academic Study: Vocabulary. Reading: Garnet
-
Campbell, C. & Smith, J. (2017) English for Academic Study: Listening. Reading: Garnet.
-
Hayes, N. & Stratton, P. (2017) A student’s Dictionary of Psychology and Neuroscience. Oxon: Routledge.
-
Vicary, A. (2014) English for Academic Study: Grammar for Writing. Reading: Garnet
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=13993
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
Other resources:
Set textbooks, ELEs and reading materials for psychology modules PSY1202, 1203, 1204, 1205, 1206 & 1207
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 0 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | PSY1203 - Introduction to Social Psychology (term 1) PSY1204 – Introduction to Clinical Psychology (term 1) PSY1205 – Introduction to Statistics (terms 1 and 2) PSY1206 – Introduction to Research Methods (term 1) PSY1207 – Cognition, Emotion and Development (term 2) PSY1202 – Introduction to Biological Psychology (term 2) |
| NQF level (module) | 4 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 30/11/2013 |
| Last revision date | 15/06/2023 |
