Course Catalogue

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Through engagement with some of the key concepts in the study of language, the course will guide students through an investigation and analysis of the linguistic and stylistic components of academic writing.* This course will use linguistic and corpus analysis to introduce students to the underlying principles and structures of academic writing. The course provides students with a theoretical and practical understanding of the structures and styles that underpin academic writing, and will enable students to identify, utilise and evaluate effective academic writing.

*The course requires no prior knowledge of linguistics and/or corpus analysis.

None

Already registered UofG PGT students in College of Arts and/or College of Social Sciences

None

PGT students in College of Arts and/or College of Social Sciences

Online set exercises (25%): Students will receive fortnightly online exercises (complete any time within that fortnight). The online exercises will allow students to build elements of their portfolio style guide; each online exercise will take the form of a guided workshop (aligned with the seminars/practical classes). Students will be provided with opportunity for peer review of the set exercises via Aropä (see formative feedback). (ILO 1)

Portfolio (15%): A 500-word 'style guide' for academic writing within their context. Building on the online set exercises, students will submit a 500-word style guide for academic writing within their discipline. Students will create a portfolio from the set exercises, and then expand/complete this for the submission of a full 'style guide. (ILOs 1 & 2)

Written assessment (60%): Students will be asked to submit a 1,500 word essay. The essay will ask students to critique and evaluate academic writing using linguistic analysis methods and tools, alongside their subject-specific style guide (portfolio). (ILOs 2 & 3)

This course aims to:

■ Introduce students to the characteristics of academic writing as a genre

■ Introduce students to some key concepts in the study of language

■ Allow students to use those key concepts to investigate and analyse academic writing

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Identify and evaluate the key linguistic features of academic writing as a genre, as well as evaluate academic writing within their subject area(s)

2. Appraise their own academic writing and edit their own work in light of that appraisal

3. Examine academic writing using popular tools and methods of linguistic analysis

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.