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

Assessment Strategy

-threshold -

-good -Pass 50%A student has achieved a good standard in English grammar and writing in coursework and examination relating to the learning outcomes above (equivalent to IELTS 6.5)A student shows the ability to produce good written English for a variety of purposes and in a variety of registers and has good awareness of structure, content, style and grammatical accuracy, although there may be some minor lapses in adherence to academic conventions and register. There are only a few errors in grammar and/or format but most are identified and self-corrected and do not interfere with the communication of ideas. Writing may be ambitious in terms of structure but this may not be fully fulfilled.

-excellent -Excellent 70%A student has achieved an excellent standard in English grammar and writing in coursework and examination relating to the learning outcomes above (equivalent to IELTS 7.0 or above).A student shows the ability to produce excellent written English for a variety of purposes and in a variety of registers and has very good awareness of structure, content, style and grammatical accuracy. Writing closely follows academic conventions with appropriate register. There is evidence of effective error identification and self-correction with accurate use of sophisticated structures in writing. The communication of ideas is clear and effective.

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.