WRITING 098: Preparation for University Writing and the LPI SAMPLE COURSE OUTLINE Course Description: A comprehensive course in grammar and composition, Writing 098 benefits students who are preparing for university writing courses such as English 112 or Arts Studies 150. Writing 098 is also of interest to anyone writing the Language Proficiency Index or planning to return to school after an absence. The course helps participants develop university­level communication and composition skills. Topics include parts of speech, sentence and paragraph structure, and the writing and revision of at least five in­class essays. By examining model essays and completing several written assignments, students will develop confidence in writing papers and exams. Prerequisites and/or Course Restrictions: Applicants for Writing 098 do not have to be native speakers of English or UBC students to register for the course, but they must have an advanced level of English and be at least 18 years old or in Grade 12. • UBC students must register online for WRIT 098 through UBC’s Student Service Centre (www.students.ubc.ca). • Non­UBC students can register online through the Student Service Centre as Access Studies students (www.students.ubc.ca/accessstudies), or through the UBC Continuing Studies registration site (www.cstudies.ubc.ca/registration.html). Format of the course: The course is a combination of lecture, discussion and in­class writing. Required and Recommended Reading: Required: The Canadian Writer’s Handbook, 4 th Edition, William E. Messenger et al Recommended: The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary Course Assignments and Grading: There will be 5 in­class essays, and the essays will be graded according to LPI standards. Attendance: Most students who attend class regularly and complete all the assignments achieve a higher score on the LPI. Writing 098 students who meet the course requirements (attendance and completion of work) also receive an extended LPI deadline and priority on waiting lists for first­year English courses. Withdrawal Deadline: Students who wish to withdraw must do so by the end of the first week of class.
­1­ Sample Course Schedule: Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Topics Getting Started q choosing the right topic on the LPI Starting with the Basics: Parts of Speech and Sentences Writing the Comparison/Contrast Essay Writing Introductions q thinking about audience and purpose Sentences (cont’d) q combining phrases and clauses Getting Control Over Verbs q form q tense q agreement q idiom Constructing a Good Thesis q thinking about purpose q using parallelism Writing the Process Essay Tackling Nouns and Articles q analyzing the noun system q learning the article rules Writing the Cause and Effect Essay Putting Paragraphs Together q thinking about unity, coherence and development Writing the Summary q the LPI summary q the critical summary Coming to a Conclusion Writing the Argument/Persuasive Essay Demystifying Modifiers Editing Your Work q high level editing q style Going Beyond the LPI q rhetorical analysis q poetry analysis q research essays Essay Assignments Mock LPI essay In­class essay (comparison/contrast) In­class essay (process essay) In­class essay (cause and effect) At­home summary In­class essay (argument) Mock LPI essay Copyright © 2009 UBC Writing Centre Ponderosa Annex C Tel: 604­822­9564 2021 West Mall Fax: 604­822­0886 Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1 Web: www.writingcentre.ubc.ca
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