Academic Writing

Bachelor 2022/2023

Type: Optional course (Management and Digital Innovation)

Area of studies: Business Informatics

Delivered by: School of Foreign Languages

Where: Graduate School of Business

When: 2 year, 1 module

Mode of studies: offline

Open to: students of one campus

Instructors: Anna Viktorovna Zakharova

Language: English

ECTS credits: 3

Contact hours: 36

Full Syllabus

Abstract

This course is designed to introduce students to academic writing, its genres, features and conventions. Starting from the basic stylistic features of academic writing, students work their way through the step-by-step writing process towards complex academic texts. The course exposes students to academic vocabulary and grammar, strategies of attaining objectivity and clarity, approaches of structuring academic texts, and referencing. Moreover, students practise vital writing skills such as summarizing, paraphrasing, emphasizing, arguing, exemplifying, etc. and learn how to use the Internet in the process of writing. Upon completing the course students improve their academic writing style and become more confident writers who are able to plan, organise, write, review and revise their texts. This course is originally designed for students of B2+ level (HSE Scale 60-69) aspiring to excel in writing for academic purposes.

Learning Objectives

The aim of the course is to make students confident writers who can properly organise the writing process and produce a written text that meets the requirements of academic style and common academic conventions.

Expected Learning Outcomes

know the basics of an academic style
know the academic style recommendations provided by London University
know how to ensure objectivity and clarity of their texts
enrich academic vocabulary and extend a grammar range
be able to use the Internet in writing (online dictionaries, thesauruses, corpuses, online writing assistants, online reference generators, etc.)
know the writing process steps
know how to structure academic texts
improve writing skills: summarizing, paraphrasing, exemplifying, classifying, etc.
learn about citation styles and types of citations
how to cite original sources according to the Harvard Style
be able to produce clear and properly structured academic texts
be able to write academic essays

Course Contents

Introduction to an academic style
Objectivity in academic writing
Formality in academic writing
Improving academic writing style
Formal structure and text organisation
Referencing
Genres of academic writing

Assessment Elements

Test
The test includes tasks that check understanding of the course content. It may include two parts: theoretical (short answers) and practical (gap-filling, multiple choice, cloze-text, etc.). The maximum point for the test is 10. The weight of this element of assessment is 0.25. The test is done in class. Doing the test must meet the deadline and all the requirements. The formula of assessment is as follows: TEST x 0.25+ homework x 0.25 + self-study x 0.25 + essay x 0.25
Homework
Homework includes activities that students do at home on the SmartLMS platform. These activities include reviewing class notes, reading supplementary materials, watching videos and then doing tasks that help students rehearse class materials and practise writing skills. In Smart LMS each class has a section Homework which contains a list of tasks recommended and obligatory. The obligatory tasks have a label ‘test’ and must be done to ensure the points for Homework. The ultimate point for Homework is calculated as an average of all homework activities marked as obligatory. The deadline for doing Homework is the last day of the course (including this day). The weight of this element of assessment is 0.25. The formula of assessment is as follows: test x 0.25+ HOMEWORK x 0.25 + self-study x 0.25 + essay x 0.25
Self-study
Self-study includes activities that students do at home on the SmartLMS platform. These activities include reading materials on topics that follow the logic of the course but are not discussed in class. Self-study is checked via tests. Materials for Self-study and tests are in the section Self-study. The ultimate point for Self-study is calculated as an average of all tests. The deadline for doing Self-study tests is the last day of the course (including this day). The weight of this element of assessment is 0.25. The formula of assessment is as follows: test x 0.25+ homework x 0.25 + SELF-STUDY x 0.25 + essay x 0.25
Essay
The essay is written in class. Topics for an essay represent the non-specific issues connected with Digital Innovation in Management. Students are given three topics to choose from. Number of words – 250. Time – 1h 20 min. The weight of this element of assessment is 0.25. The formula of assessment is as follows: test x 0.25+ homework x 0.25 + self-study x 0.25 + ESSAY x 0.25

Interim Assessment

2022/2023 1st module
0.25 * Test + 0.25 * Self-study + 0.25 * Essay + 0.25 * Homework

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Academic writing : a handbook for international students, Bailey, S., 2011
Academic writing : from paragraph to essay, Zemach, D. E., 2005
Sawaki, T. (2016). Analysing Structure in Academic Writing. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1243326
Yucuis, N. (2016). Basics of Academic Writing ; A guide for navigating the perils of mechanics, punctuation, grammar, and style. United States, North America: Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.29CD07C0
Антонова, М. Б. Academic Writing in English for Mathematics and Computer Science: Академическое письмо на английском языке: фундаментальная и прикладная математика и компьютерные науки. Уровни владения языком В2-С1 : учебник / М. Б. Антонова, А. В. Бакулев. — Москва : ФЛИНТА, 2019. — 264 с. — ISBN 978-5-9765-4269-3. — Текст : электронный // Лань : электронно-библиотечная система. — URL: https://e.lanbook.com/book/151302 (дата обращения: 00.00.0000). — Режим доступа: для авториз. пользователей.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

50 steps to improving your academic writing : study book, Sowton, C., 2012
Hartley, J. (2008). Academic Writing and Publishing : A Practical Handbook. New York: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=224109
Johnson, A. P. (2016). Academic Writing : Process and Product. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1222793
Pecorari, D. (2015). Academic Writing and Plagiarism : A Linguistic Analysis (Vol. Bloomsbury classics in linguistics edition). London: Bloomsbury Academic. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=993909

Course Syllabus