Overview

This module encourages the development of grammatical accuracy and academic writing skills within a research context. There are 2 strands; firstly to review the English grammar system, especially grammar for academic writing and work on individual problem areas and secondly, to develop appropriate academic writing skills for posygraduate academic writing.

Course content (Writing)

• Accuracy in writing
• Planning writing
• Paraphtrasing
• Academic style
• Hedging and cautious language
• Synthesising sorce materials
• Using appropriate register in writing
• Citation conventions
• Reviewing and proof reading your work
• Using reading in writing

Course Content (Grammar)

• Noun phrases
• Article use
• Verb tenses
• Linking words
• Modals
• Conditionals
• Complex sentences and clauses
• Relative clauses
• Other student problem areas

Learning Outcomes

• On successful completion of this module, students will: 1. Have improved their ability to organise and write theses and other written academic assignments in correct and appropriate English and according to BU conventions. 2. Be aware of BU academic conventions in writing and be able to conform to them. 3. Have raised awareness of personal errors in English and strategies for overcoming them. 4. Have developed the skill of proof-reading & self-correction. 5. Be aware of plagiarism and how to avoid it; and be more confident in appropriately incorporating information from source materials into academic writing.