Description C AL E ND AR D E S C R I PT I O N : An introduction to the kinds of reading and writing students will encounter in lower-­‐division courses across the university disciplines. Important aspects of the writing process are discussed and illustrated in class, and students receive individual feedback on their academic writing. Students who wish to use the course to meet the language proficiency prereq of a writing-­‐intensive course must obtain a C or better. Enrolment priority is given to undergraduate students who have not yet met the language proficiency prereq of a writing-­‐intensive course. Students who receive less than a C grade on their first attempt at the course may re-­‐enroll. No student may attempt the course more than twice. Units from this course do not count toward the units required for an SFU degree; however, the course grade is included in calculation of the student's cumulative GPA. C O UR S E D E T AI L S : The following syllabus is an explanation of the 4 units of study that you will follow. Please note that your instructor may change the activities or the order of activities. UNIT 1: NARRATIVE WRITING In this unit, students will study the following: • Write about life experience • Develop personal & narrative voice • Sentence structure • Write a diagnostic task Class 1: Narrative writing – My story • Course introduction • A major event in my life Class 2: Peer review and text analysis • Peer review of major event in my life • Analysis of effective narrative writing Class 3: Sentence structure 1 • Independent and dependent clauses • Complex and compound sentences • Submit narrative writing Class 4: Diagnostic Writing Task • Writing task to diagnose each student’s strengths and weaknesses in writing UNIT 2: READING AND SUMMARIZING •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
In this unit, students will study the following: Audience, genre, and context Active and critical reading: Why they are important Assessing reliable sources Reading around the text Skimming and scanning Annotating text Locating different voices and opinions as you read Reading between the lines: Inference Focusing on what is not said Common features of summary writing Avoiding plagiarism Paraphrasing and avoiding patchwriting Searching for sources Write an assessed summary in class Class 5: Active and critical reading 1 • Audience, genre, and context • Active and critical reading: Why they are important • Assessing reliable sources • Reading around the text • Skimming and scanning Class 6: Active and critical reading 2 • Annotating text • Locating different voices and opinions as you read • Reading between the lines: Inference • Focusing on what is not said • Receive diagnostic writing task and self-­‐study guidelines Class 7: Writing summaries • Common features of summary writing • Writing a practice summary Class 8: Peer review and text analysis • Peer review of complete draft of the practice summary • Analysis of effective summary writing • Submit practice summary and peer review sheets Class 9: Paraphrasing • Avoiding patchwriting • Paraphrasing strategies Class 10: Avoiding Plagiarism • What is plagiarism? •
•
•
•
In-­‐text citations Reference lists Attribution Receive marked practice summary and peer review sheets Class 11: Searching for sources (Library visit) • Visit SFU library • Finding materials • Assessing reliability of sources Class 12: Assessed In-­‐Class Writing 1: Summary (30%) • Write an assessed summary in class UNIT 3: THINKING AND WRITING CRITICALLY In this unit, students will study the following: • Understanding critical thinking • Stating arguments • Avoiding logical fallacies • Exploring critical thinking through writing • Common features of a critical summary • Improving style in academic writing • Incorporating sources • Using reporting verbs • Write an assessed critical summary in class Class 13: Thinking critically 1 • Understanding critical thinking • Stating your arguments Class 14: Thinking critically 2 • Avoiding logical fallacies • Exploring critical thinking through writing Class 15: Writing a critical summary • Review features of critical summaries • Analyzing texts, summarizing, critiquing, arguing • Starting the process Class 16: Peer review and text analysis • Peer review of complete draft of the practice critical summary • Analysis of effective critical writing • Submit the practice critical summary and peer review sheets Class 17: Improving style in academic writing •
•
•
•
Using formal verbs Using the personal ‘I’ Personal and impersonal writing Common examples of weak style Class 18: Incorporating sources: review • Reporting verbs • Attribution • Receive the marked practice critical summary and peer review sheets Class 19: Assessed In-­‐Class Writing 2: Critical Summary (40%) • Write the assessed critical summary in class UNIT 4: WRITING AND RESEARCH In this unit, students will study the following: • Common features of research essays • Introductions and conclusions • Paragraphs • Punctuation • Write an assessed research essay Class 20: Writing research essays • Instructions and strategies for the assessed research essay • Making outlines Class 21: Introductions and conclusions • Common features of introductions & conclusions • Write the introduction Class 22: Paragraphs 1 • Topic sentences • Paragraph coherence • Keeping to one topic Class 23: Paragraphs 2 • Supporting your ideas • Concluding sentences • Write the main body paragraphs and conclusion Class 24: Peer review of assessed research essay draft • Self-­‐review of complete draft of research essay • Peer review of draft by two peers • Submit complete draft of research essay and peer review sheets Class 25: Punctuation • Commas • Semi-­‐colons • Colons • Receive marked draft of research essay and peer review sheets Class 26: Course review • Review of course • Questions and answers • Submit the Research Essay (20%) Grading • Assessed In-­‐class Writing 1: Summary (30%) • Assessed In-­‐class Writing 2: Critical Summary (40%) • Research Essay (20%) • Active Learning (10% -­‐ consisting of the following: Narrative writing; Attendance, punctuality, and engagement; Homework and completion of tasks; Peer review; Improvement) R E QUIR E D REA DING : Marshall, S. (2012). Academic writing: Making the transition. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Pearson Education.