URD-231                                         Academic Writing                                           3 (3+0)

Learning Outcome:

Academic writing is formal, structured, and sophisticated writing to fulfill the requirements for a particular field of study. The course aims at providing an understanding of the 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 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 an 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

1. Academic vocabulary
2. Quoting, summarizing, and paraphrasing texts
3. Process of academic writing
4. Developing an argument
5. Rhetoric: persuasion and identification
6. Elements of rhetoric: Text, author, audience, purposes, setting
7. Sentence structure: Accuracy, variation, appropriateness, and conciseness
8. Appropriate use of active and passive voice
9. Paragraph and essay writing
10. Organization and structure of paragraph and essay
11. Logical reasoning
12. Transitional devices (word, phrase, and expressions)
13. Development of ideas in writing
14. Styles of documentation (MLA and APA)
15. In-text citations
16. Plagiarism and strategies for avoiding it

Text Book: 

1. Bailey, S. (2015). Academic writing: A handbook for international students (4th ed.). New York: Routledge.

Suggested Readings

1. Craswell, G. (2004). Writing for academic success. London: SAGE.
2. Johnson-Sheehan, R. (2019). Writing today. Don Mills: Pearson.

                  Prerequisites:     none​

                  Credit Hrs:               03

                  Tutor:                  Muhammad Maaroof Iqbal

                  Email: [email protected]

Course Assessment: 

Final Term Exam: 50 Marks

Mid Term Exam: 30 Marks

Sessional Marks: 20 Marks

1. Presentation            05Marks
2. Assignment             05 Marks
3. Attendance              05 Marks
4. Class Participation  05 Marks