Preliminary Course Description

 

ENGLISH FOR THESIS WRITING (ETW) I

Winter 2008

 

Classes: Tuesday & Thursday, 6th period (6:00 PM-7:30 PM), (classroom to be announced)

Instructor: Richard Smith (tel: x513; e-mail: smith)

 

ENROLLMENT POLICIES
 
q       Enrollment in the course is limited order to allow the classes to be highly interactive and to allow for intensive feedback on course assignments.
q       Registration priority will be given to applicants who:
(1) present, in writing, good reasons for enrolling in the course
(2) (if the reasons are equal) register early for the course
q       Any student who wishes to take this course must have the consent of the instructor in advance in order to join the course.
q       The course is not open to students who took the same course in the fall term.
 
 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

 

This course is designed for second-year students who are non-native speakers of English.  It aims to help students develop writing skills that can be directly applied to their IUJ thesis/research essay.  All the activities and assignments of the course will be linked to this goal.

 

The basic goals of the course are developing an understanding of:

 

  • an academic writing style emphasizing clarity, accuracy, and logic;
  • basic principles of organization and development in academic writing;
  • structure and organization of research papers; and
  • proper attribution of source material.

 

In order to achieve these goals, the specific skills that will receive attention are:

 

  • summarizing, synthesizing and interpreting information from multiple sources;
  • documenting sources accurately and consistently;
  • analyzing and commenting on data; and
  • presenting visual information (tables, figures, and so forth) accurately. 

The primary material for the course will include:

 

  • selected English language textbooks;
  • journal articles;
  • theses by IUJ students; and
  • examples from other sources.

Main features

 

Individual writing projects

Within a common framework introduced in the course, each student will engage in a major individual writing project that will concern directly his/her thesis preparation activity (or another research project to be decided in consultation with the instructor).  Individual goals for this project will be set early in the course, and all the written assignments will be linked to the project. 

 

Reading-based review of language use

Students will review and discuss how language is actually used in research writing. 

 

In-class quizzes

There will be in-class quizzes that test key language points in research writing.

 

Short oral presentations

Towards the end of the course, each student will make one short oral presentation on his/her thesis/research essay.  These presentations are designed to offer students opportunities for developing skills for presenting their work to, and absorbing feedback from, an audience of peers.

 

Preparation of a “references” list

Students will be expected to complete a list of references which identifies relevant sources for their thesis or research projects, and which presents them in a consistent manner using an acceptable format.

 

Individual tutorials

Students will be required to attend two tutorials during the course.  Tutorials will give students a chance to get specific feedback on writing assignments and to discuss with the instructor plans for individual writing projects.

 

Input from supervisors

Students will also be encouraged to ask specific questions of their supervisors about thesis requirements.  Students should always consult their supervisors in regard to questions about thesis content.

 

 

ASSESSMENT SCHEME

The main elements of the assessment scheme will be:

·         a final paper

·         various short writing assignments inn preparation for the final paper

·         language-focused quizzes

·         a “references list” assignment

·         a short individual oral presentation

·         attendance and participation

 

More details will be provided on the first day of the classes.

 

 

 

TEXT MATERIALS

 

Students are required to buy the following text:

  • Swales, J. & Feak, C. (2004). Academic writing for graduate students, 2nd edition. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

The following texts will also be utilized, but do not need to be purchased:

  • (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th edition. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
  • Gelfand, H., Walker, C. (2002). Mastering APA style: Student's workbook and training guide. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
  • Selected materials from academic journals.
  • Selected materials from theses written by IUJ students.

 

COURSE POLICIES

 

  • attend class and tutorials regularly and punctually;
  • prepare for class by completing any assigned homework;
  • participate actively in class discussions by

o       contributing ideas and opinions,

o       asking questions when clarification is needed,

o       respecting other classmates' right to contribute;

  • follow due dates for all assignments;

 

  • At the end of the term, students will be asked to pay photocopying charges for materials the instructor will bring to the classes (except for test, assignment, and course description/schedule materials).