Academic English
| Module title | Academic English |
|---|---|
| Module code | EAS1040 |
| Academic year | 2019/0 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Emily Bernhard Jackson (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 275 |
|---|
Module description
This module aims to provide new undergraduate students of English with the discipline-specific skills you need in order to make the most of your degree including skills in close reading, critical analysis, research, writing and referencing. It invites you to work closely with a single tutor in small seminar groups and to study a range of texts which, while close to the tutor’s own broad field of teaching and research interests, will also include a range of genres, styles and historical and cultural contexts.
The module will pay specific attention to academic writing, including everything from mechanics to sophisticated essay construction.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to:
- provide new undergraduate students of English with the discipline-specific skills you need in order to make the most of your degree including skills in close reading, critical analysis, research, writing and referencing.
- invite you to work closely with a single tutor in small seminar groups and to study a range of texts which, while close to the tutor’s own broad field of teaching and research interests, will also include a range of genres, styles and historical and cultural contexts.
- through weekly discussion and critique, accompanied by writing and research exercises, this module will enable students to develop and practice the high-level academic skills that will enhance your learning as you proceed throughout your undergraduate career and beyond.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate an awareness of the conventions and practices of studying English at undergraduate level
- 2. Demonstrate enhanced skills in close reading, research, writing and in the presentation of material in accordance with the conventions of the discipline by planning, researching, constructing and concluding an independent essay
- 3. Show an awareness of literary form, style and convention and of the relevance of historical and cultural contexts
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Demonstrate a basic understanding of formal and/or thematic, and/or generic analysis of literature
- 5. Demonstrate a basic ability to analyse the literature of selected periods and / or cultures and to relate its concerns and its modes of expression to its historical and / or cultural contexts
- 6. Demonstrate an ability to apply key research and writing skills appropriately in relation to different projects
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Through essay-writing, demonstrate appropriate research and bibliographical skills, a capacity to construct a coherent, substantiated argument and a capacity to write clear and correct prose
- 8. Through research for seminars and essays, demonstrate a proficiency in information retrieval and analysis
- 9. Through seminar discussion and essay writing, demonstrate a capacity for critical thinking, including the questioning of your own and others assumptions, and a willingness to engage with different philosophical viewpoints
Syllabus plan
Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:
- Introduction to undergraduate study
- MLA Referencing and Works Cited – good academic practice
- Close reading
- Thesis statements and research questions
- Research strategies and databases
- Evaluating sources – texts and contexts
- Choosing and working with secondary material
- Engaging with the reader – tone and style
- Writing an Introduction
- Writing a Conclusion
- Presentation
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | 126 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 22 | Two hour seminars |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 2 | Lectures |
| Guided Independent Learning | 95 | Proposal planning and essay preparation |
| Guided Independent Learning | 31 | Seminar preparation |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 600 words | 1-9 | Written and oral |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay proposal | 25 | 1000 words | 1-9 | Written and oral |
| Essay | 50 | 1500 words | 1-9 | Written and oral |
| Presentation | 15 | 5 minutes | 1-9 | Oral |
| Seminar participation | 10 | Ongoing | 1-9 | Oral |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seminar participation | Repeat study or mitigation | 1-9 | Referral/deferral period |
| Essay proposal | Essay proposal | 1-9 | Referral/deferral period |
| Essay | Essay | 1-9 | Referral/deferral period |
| Presentation | Detailed abstract | 1-9 | Referral/deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the 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 submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Core Reading
The core reading is set by individual tutors, with the MLA handbook recommended. The list of secondary reading below is general secondary reading, and tutors will also suggest more tailored secondary reading for their individual groups and texts,
Each seminar group will read up to four primary texts covering several periods and genres; the precise details of chosen texts for each group will be made available to students at the beginning of term 1. The first two weeks of the module will draw on material made available via ELE, in photocopy form, or online.
It is recommended that students purchase a copy of the MLA Handbook:
- MLA Handbook Eighth Edition, Modern Language Association of America, 2016.
Secondary Reading
- Abrams, M.H., with Geoffrey Harpham. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Ninth ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2008.
- Babington, Doug, and Don Le Pan. The Broadview Guide to Writing, 5th ed. Buffalo: Broadview, 2010.
- Copus, Julia. Brilliant Writing Tips for Students. London: Palgrave, 2009.
- Felski, Rita. Uses of Literature. Oxford: Blackwell, 2008.
- Miller, Susan, ed. The Norton Book of Composition Studies. New York: Norton, 2009.
- Sommers, Nancy. “Between the Drafts.” College Composition and Communication 43 (1992): 23-31. Web. Available on JSTOR.
- Stebbins, Leslie. Student Guide to Research in the Digital Age: How to Locate and Evaluate Information Sources. Libraries Unlimited, 2005.
- Villanueva, Victor. Cross-Talk in Composition Theory: A Reader. National Council of Teachers in English, 2003.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 4 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | May 2013 |
| Last revision date | 25/09/2018 |
