URCE-5103 Academic Writing 3(3+0)

Academic writing is a formal, structured and sophisticated writing to fulfill the requirements for a particular field of study. The course aims at providing understanding of writer’s goal of writing (i.e. clear, organized and effective content) and to use that understanding and awareness for academic reading and writing. The objectives of the course are to make the students acquire and master the academic writing skills. The course would enable the students to develop argumentative writing techniques. The students would be able to the content logically to add specific details on the topics such as facts, examples and statistical or numerical values. The course will also provide insight to convey the knowledge and ideas in objective and persuasive manner. Furthermore, the course will also enhance the students’ understanding of ethical considerations in writing academic assignments and topics including citation, plagiarism, formatting and referencing the sources as well as the technical aspects involved in referencing.

Contents

Academic vocabulary

Quoting, summarizing and paraphrasing texts

Process of academic writing

Developing argument

Rhetoric: persuasion and identification

Elements of rhetoric: Text, author, audience, purposes, setting

Sentence structure: Accuracy, variation, appropriateness, and conciseness

Appropriate use of active and passive voice

Paragraph and essay writing

Organization and structure of paragraph and essay

Logical reasoning

Transitional devices (word, phrase and expressions)

Development of ideas in writing

Styles of documentation (MLA and APA)

In-text citations 

Plagiarism and strategies for avoiding it

Recommended Readings

Swales, J. M., & Feak, C. B. (2017). Academic writing for graduate students: Essential tasks and skills. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press.

Bailey, S. (2018). Academic writing: A handbook for international students. New York: Routledge.

Suggested Readings

Craswell, G. (2004). Writing for academic success. London: SAGE.

Johnson-Sheehan, R. (2019). Writing today. Don Mills, Ontario: Pearson.

Silvia, P. J. (2019). How to write a lot: A practical guide to productive academic writing. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Assessment Criteria

Sessional: 20 (Presentation / Assignment 04, Attendance 08, Result Mid-Term 04, Quiz 04)

Mid-Term Exam:  30

Final-Term Exam: 50

Key Dates and Time of Class Meeting

Thursday   (B. Com 3rd Regular)                                                           08:00am-09:30am

Friday (B. Com 3rd regular)

08:00-09:30

Thursday (B. Com 3rd Self Support)                                                 12:30pm-02:00pm

Friday (B. Com 3rd Self support) 

02:00-03:30pm

October 12, 2020 (Monday ) 

 Mid-Term Examination:

December 14, 2020 to December 18, 2020 (Monday to Friday)

Final-Term Examination:

February 08 to 12, 2021 (Monday to Friday)

Declaration of Result: February 19, 2021 (Friday)

Course Breakup:

Week 1:

Academic Vocabulary 

Week 2:

Quoting, summarizing and paraphrasing texts

Week 3:

Process of academic writing

Week 4:

Developing argument

Week 5:

Rhetoric: persuasion and identification

Week 6:

Elements of rhetoric: Text, author, audience, purposes, setting

Week 7:

Sentence structure: Accuracy, variation, appropriateness, and conciseness

Week 8:

Paragraph and essay writing 

Week 9:

Appropriate use of active and passive voice

Week 10:

Organization and structure of paragraph and essay

Week 11:

Logical reasoning

Week 12:

Transitional devices (word, phrase and expressions)

Week 13:

Development of ideas in writing

Week 14:

Styles of documentation (MLA and APA) 

Week 15:

In-text citations 

 Plagiarism and strategies for avoiding it

Week 16:

Presentations 

Week 17:

Presentations

Week 18:

Final term