学术英语写作大纲

学术英语写作大纲

-CAL-FENGHAI.-(YICAI)-Company One1

Academic Writing (3 credits )

Module syllabus

1. Unit description

Academic writing is the study of how to organize a research paper appropriately, including the choosing of a topic, the layout of the thesis and the outline, using of the library and computer to do the research, revising of the rough draft and recognizing of three systems of documentation (MLA, APA, and CMS).

This course is designed to help students learn how to write a research paper and to lay a foundation for writing more advanced academic papers in English for their future career. The course is an essential guide to effective academic writing in English.

Through the course, the students will learn to write a research paper, which has great benefits to their future research fields. Meanwhile, students can develop their abilities of strong logic and critical thinking towards an issue, and it means more for their work and study. The academic writing skills and reasoning ability absolutely will lay the forceful foundation for the students’ future career. On successful completion of the module, learners will be able to: • List the basic information about the research paper • Set up a sensible framework of a research paper • Carry out a research with the help of the computer

• Transform the notes into a rough draft and navigate the revision process • Recognize the documentation styles of the MLA, APA, and CMS

2. Pre-requisite units and assumed knowledge

None.

3. Learning aims and Outcomes

Learning outcome 1

List the basic information about the research paper.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA: a. Define the research paper.

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b. Differentiate the report paper and the thesis paper. c. State the steps and schedule of writing the research paper. Learning outcome 2

Set up a sensible framework of a research paper.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

a. Manage to choose a proper topic. b. Write the thesis statement accurately. c. Construct the outline reasonably.

Learning Outcome 3

Carry out a research with the help of the computer.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

a. Judge the credibility of online sources. b. List useful internet sites. c. Assemble a working bibliography. d. Collect information through skimming.

Learning Outcome 4

Transform the notes into a rough draft and navigate the revision process.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

a. Write the rough draft with unity, coherence, and emphasis. b. Revise the opening paragraph. c. Revise sentences for variety and style. d. Revise words: Diction.

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Learning Outcome 5

Recognize the documentation styles of the MLA, APA, and CMS.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

a. Memorize the format for “worked Cited” (MLA). b. List the format for “References” (APA). c. Recall the footnotes and endnotes in CMS.

4. Weighting of final grade

Attendance Class Participation Final Exam Midterm Exams

Written assignments

10% 40%

10% 20% 20%

5. Grading

A 100- 95 B 86-83 C 76- 73 D 66-63

A- 94-90 B- 82-80 C- 72-70 D- 62-60

B+ 89-87 C+ 79-77 D+ 69-67 F 59 or low

6. Policies

Attendance Policy

Attendance in class is mandatory for all students enrolled in the course. Any excused absence must be discussed directly with the teacher. Being late to class within 15 minutes will be recorded as 1 LATE and being late over 15 minutes will be recorded as l ABSENCE. 3 LATES equal to 1 ABSENCE. 20 % absences of the total teaching hours will cause an F (a failing grade ) directly . However, students are still welcome to continue to attend class. F students have no right to drop this course anymore. Each unexcused absence will result in the lowering of the attendance grade by 1 point. Each excused absence will result in the lowering of the attendance grade by 0.5 point.

Participation Policy

Students should participate in their chosen classes actively and effectively. The Participation Grade is related to the Attendance Grade. Students' final attendance grade is the maximum of their participation grade. Participation grade will be based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to taking part in class discussions

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and activities, completing assignments, being able to answer questions correctly, obeying class rules, and being prepared for class, frequent visiting your instructors and chatting in English during their office hours is highly recommended.

Policy on Assignments and Quizzes

Students should finish their assignments completely and punctually. Assignment should be submitted on the date appointed by the instructor. If a student cannot hand in the assignment on time, the reasonable excuse will be needed. Late assignments will receive a maximum grade of 80. An assignment that is late for 3 days will be corrected but receive 0.

You are recommended print all your assignment in the uniform format with the heading of Student’s Pledge of no cheating. Written assignment or printed ones without the uniform heading of pledge will receive a maximum grade of 80.

It is mandatory to have weekend assignment every week. Any weekend assignment should be submitted on first class of next week.

It is mandatory to have holiday assignment on the public holidays. Any holiday

assignment should be submitted on the first day on returning to school. Students are required to do a multitude of presentations during the course.

Plagiarism

Any form of Cheating is NEVER tolerated. Any Student ONCE Caught Cheating assignment or examination will receive a 0 for that particular work of the whole semester. At the beginning of the semester the definition of plagiarism will be

carefully explained. When any thoughts or writings of another person are used, the sources must be clearly identified (using quotes, bibliography and giving reference) .

Classroom Polices

1. No eating, cellular phones, electronic dictionaries, smoking, chatting or drowsing in class.

2. Please speak in English rather than Chinese in class.

3. Students are not allowed to attend class without textbooks. 4. Stand up when answering questions.

5. Respect classmates’ ideas, opinions, and questions of your classmates. 6. You are welcome to visit the instructor’s office in his/her office hours.

7. Take good care of the laboratory facilities. Do not splash water on the desktop. 8. When each class is over, hang the earphone on the hanger. Put the trash into the trash-bin.

9. All your classroom involvement, performance and after-class communications with instructor will affect your participation score.

10. All communications with the teacher must be in English, both inside and outside class time.

7. Texts and other resources

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Winkler, Anthony C；McCuen-Metherell, Jo Ray (2008), “Writing the Research Paper: A Handbook”, Seventh Edition, Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

8. Teaching methods

Assigned readings, class discussions, writing assignments, and revisions

9. Week by week topic and study guide

Week Duration Contents 1 3 Basic Information about the Research Paper Definition of the research paper. (1a) Format of the research paper. Reasons for the research paper. The report paper and the thesis paper. (1b) Drafts of the research paper. Writing the research paper: steps and schedule. (1c) 2 3 Choosing a Topic How to choose a topic. (2a) Topics to avoid. Narrowing the topic. The Thesis and the Outline The thesis: definition and function. (2b) The outline. (2c) Choosing an outline form. 2 2 Chapters covered 1 Outcomes covered 1 3 3 3 2 6

4 3 Using the Computer in Your Research Computers and the research paper. Online resources. Researching with search engines. Evaluating internet sources. (3a) Using the Computer in Your Research Running a research. Useful internet sites. (3b) Doing the Research What information to look for. Where to look for information. Assembling a working bibliography. (3c) 4 3 5 3 4 3 6 3 5 3 7 3 Doing the Research Selecting your sources: skimming. (3d) Note-taking. Plagiarism and how to avoid it. 5 3 8 3 Mid Term Examination (Outcome 1,2,3) Transforming the Notes into a Rough Draft Preparing to write the rough draft: a checklist. How to use quotations to explore and discover. (4a) Writing with unity, coherence, and emphasis. (4b) 9 3 6 4 7

10 3 Transforming the Notes into a Rough Draft Using the proper tense. (4c) Using graphics in your research paper. (4d) Writing the abstract. 6 4 11 3 Revising Your Rough Draft Principles of revision Revising the opening paragraph. (4e) 7 4 12 3 Revising Your Rough Draft Revising sentences for variety and style. (4f) 7 4 13 3 Revising Your Rough Draft Revising words: Diction. (4g) Rules for writers. Introduce to Individual Assignment: Write a short research paper(less than 3000 words). Hand in both the rough draft and the revised draft.(Outcome 4) The MLA System of Documentation Format for “Works Cited” (MLA). (5a) Content notes. Finished form of the paper. 7 4 14 3 8 5 15 3 The APA System of Documentation Format for “References”. (5b) Finished form of the paper. Peer review checklist. 9 5 8

16 3 The Traditional System of Documentation Footnotes and endnotes. (5c) Subsequent reference in footnotes and endnotes. Finished form of the paper. Individual Assignment Due Final exam (Outcome 5) Feedback and Re-assessment 10 5 17 3 18 3 9