OAKTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
GENERIC COURSE SYLLABUS
I.
II.
Course
Prefix
EGL
Course
Number
090
Course
Name
Academic Writing Skills
For the Non-Native
Speaker IV
Credit Lecture
Lab
3
1
3
Prerequisite:
College placement test or successful completion (grade of “P”) in EGL 076
III.
Catalog Description:
Advanced academic grammar and composition course for the non-native speaker taking
courses for college credit. Introduces the student to advanced sentence structures and a
variety of academic writing. Content includes a variety of essay and academic writing
tasks, sophisticated sentence structures, and advanced grammar.
IV.
Learning Objectives:
At the completion of this course, the student will be able to:
A. Write an advanced ESL-level summary, summary/response essay, persuasive essay,
and process-analysis or observation essay.
B. Demonstrate understanding and beginning competence in attribution and citation.
C. Use concise and accurate academic vocabulary.
D. Write informally (journal assignments) with sophistication of ideas in response to texts
and current questions.
E. Use intermediate and advanced ESL grammar correctly in writing: word order, simple,
progressive, and perfect verb tenses, coordinate and subordinate conjunctions, gerunds
and infinitives, noun clauses, relative pronouns, adverbial conjunctions, real and
hypothetical conditionals, and indirect (reported) speech.
F. Edit and proofread one’s own work to improve grammar, sentence structure and ideas.
V.
Academic Integrity:
Students and employees at Oakton Community College are required to demonstrate
academic integrity and follow Oakton’s Code of Academic Conduct. This code prohibits:
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cheating,
plagiarism (turning in work not written by you, or lacking proper citation),
falsification and fabrication (lying or distorting the truth),
helping others to cheat,
unauthorized changes on official documents,
Generic Syllabus
EGL 090
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Page 2
pretending to be someone else or having someone else pretend to be you,
making or accepting bribes, special favors, or threats, and
any other behavior that violates academic integrity.
There are serious consequences to violations of the academic integrity policy. Oakton’s
policies and procedures provide students a fair hearing if a complaint is made against
you. If you are found to have violated the policy, the minimum penalty is failure on the
assignment and, a disciplinary record will be established and kept on file in the office of
the Vice President for Student Affairs for a period of 3 years.
Details of the Code of Academic Conduct can be found in the Student Handbook.
VI.
Sequence of Topics:
A. The writing/drafting process, including pre-writing, drafting, editing, and
proofreading
B. Essay structure, including unity and coherence
C. Thesis statements
D. Topic sentences
E. Paragraph development
F. Journal writing to discover ideas
G. Using concise and accurate vocabulary in essays
H. Paraphrasing and summarizing
I. The summary-response essay
J. The observation or process/analysis essay
K. The persuasive essay
L. Review of: verb form and use: simple, progressive, and perfect verb tenses
M. Review of: sentence sophistication and variety using coordinate and subordinate
conjunctions, and relative pronouns
N. Noun clauses
O. Adverbial conjunctions
P. Reported/Indirect speech
Q. Real and hypothetical conditionals
R. Attribution and citation
S. Sentence variety and sophistication
VII.
Methods of Instruction:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
Lectures and discussion
Small group work
Homework writing
In-class writing
Writing responses to short readings
Editing, revising, and proofreading exercises
In-class and online grammar practice
Generic Syllabus
EGL 090
VIII.
Page 3
Course Practices Required:
Course may be taught as a face-to-face, hybrid, or online course.
A. 3 hour lecture: Lectures, discussion, small group work
B. 1 hour lab: Students will complete short writing assignments in the computer lab.
Lab time may also be used for individualized grammar work using web sites.
IX.
Required Materials:
Note: Current textbook information for each course and section is available on Oakton’s
Schedule of Classes.
This list will be updated regularly.
Blass/Block/
Friesen
Meyers
Hogue/
Oshima
X.
Creating Meaning
Longman Academic Writing
Series 5
Writing Academic English
Oxford University
Press
Pearson
2008
978-0-19-472300-8
2014
978-0-13-291274-7
Pearson/
Longmann
2006
4th Ed.
978-0-13-152359-3
Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
Students who complete EGL 090 with an “A,” “B,” or “C” average (70% or higher) for the
semester’s work will receive a grade of “P” and a placement of EGL 101NN.
Students who complete EGL 090 with a “D” or “F” (below 70%) average for the semester’s
work will receive a grade of “F.” Their placement will remain EGL 090.
The course average will be determined as follows:
Observation or Process Analysis essay
Summary
Summary/Response Essay
Persuasive Essay
Journal and other informal and pre-writing
(most in-class)
Quizzes
Sentence-Level/Grammar Exercises
15%
10%
20%
20%
15%
15%
5%
Generic Syllabus
EGL 090
XI.
Page 4
Other Course Information:
The Oakton Community College Catalog states:
Oakton Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed,
religion, national origin, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, or marital status in
admission to and participation in its educational programs, College activities and services,
or employment practices. The College does not tolerate sexual harassment or sexual assault
by or of its students or employees.
In keeping with this policy of tolerance and non-discrimination, in this class all of us
(myself included) should strive to:
-listen and give careful consideration to all ideas expressed in class, especially those that
are different from our own, without attacking or demeaning the people who hold those
views, and
-avoid using insulting terms or telling offensive jokes when talking to or about individuals
or groups.

Attendance Policy: Attendance in the lecture and lab components of the course is
required. It will be very difficult to pass this class if you miss class.

Late Assignments:
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Extra Help: Free tutoring in writing and grammar is available in the Learning Center
on each campus.
If you have a documented learning, psychological, or physical disability you may be
entitled to reasonable academic accommodations or services. To request
accommodations or services, contact the Access and Disability Resource Center at the
Des Plaines or Skokie campus. All students are expected to fulfill essential course
requirements. The College will not waive any essential skill or requirement of a course
or degree program.
Effective beginning term: Spring 2016
Ending term:
Syllabus prepared by: Amy Blumenthal
Date: June, 2015
Reviewed by Chair: Lynn Woodbury
Date: June, 2015
Approval by Dean: Linda Korbel
Date: June 2015