• ACADEMIC WRITING II – COURSE OUTLINE

Objectives: Academic Writing II

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

1. Demonstrate and apply knowledge of basic essay structure, including introduction, body and conclusion; logical, methodical, structure (the “5 Rule) will be emphasized, in presentation of information, in sentence, paragraph and essay response.

2. Employ the various stages of the writing process, including pre-writing, writing and re- writing/revision

3. Employ descriptive, narrative, persuasive and expository modes; active voice vs passive.

4. Demonstrate ability to write for an academic audience- Academic language /Vocabulary – emphasis on the use of precise vocabulary and concision in sentence structure. Improve academic and idiomatic vocabulary. Recognize and correct basic grammatical errors, specifically errors of subject/verb agreement, verb tense, pronoun agreement, usage of prepositions and articles / mechanics of writing

5. Demonstrate understanding of and apply the principles of effective paragraph structure; write concise sentences, paragraphs, and essays – understanding of wordiness and redundancy.

6. Introduce, position and integrate source material into the body of an essay; employ quotation, paraphrase and summary; citations – Employ correct MLA or APA citation style, including parenthetical, in-text citation and works-cited pages. Evaluate sources for relevance and reliability.

* 7. Read, analyze and respond to assigned readings with an understanding of structure and mechanics; analyse information /data / infographics – recognizing what constitutes a sound argument and what is a fallacy. Evaluating information – disinformation /misinformation and propaganda. Understanding Media.

Specifics:

Specific topics will include the following:

1. Paragraph structure (topic sentence, supporting examples, transition sentence) “The 5 Rule”

2. Basic rhetorical modes (narration, description, exposition) emphasis on Expository and Persuasive Writing.

3. Writing process (pre-writing, writing, revision)

4. Effective use of quotation, paraphrase and summary – MLA , APA, and other formats for citation

5. Stylistics (vocabulary, conciseness) – emphasis on precise vocabulary

7. Grammar & mechanics as needed

8. Reading and responding to assigned readings – logical / critical thinking application to formulating and argument – evaluating information, understanding persuasive techniques used in propaganda, and media ( critical thinking ).

9. use /misuse of technology in research and writing

Types of Assignments:

1. Short papers /essays

2. Assigned readings /responses

3. Independent reading/ evaluation

4. Class presentation

LEARNING OUTCOMES /SPECIFICS – Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to demonstrate the following: Critical and Creative Thinking:

– recall and interpret information (identify subject/topic, main ideas, supporting ideas, and sequence)

– summarize information

– make inferences by:

using prior knowledge identifying purpose and audience evaluating information for accuracy, relevance, and importance recognizing underlying assumptions (bias and tone) synthesizing information, recognize “mis” and “dis” information, logical fallacies,

– compare and contrast

– classify

– define

– draw conclusions

– respond to information (create solutions, identify impact of solutions, modify solutions)

– identify and discuss examples of fact and opinion

Reading, Research, Reference

– use context clues and word structure analysis (prefix, suffix, root) to determine meaning

– use a dictionary and a thesaurus to expand vocabulary and to learn homonyms, antonyms and synonyms

– use in-book reference tools (index, table of contents, glossary

– recognize point of view, illogical argument, fallacies, stereotypes, bias and propaganda

– critically evaluate, make inferences, and draw conclusions

Written Communication:

– use the steps of the writing process (prewrite, outline, draft, revise, edit)

– write paragraphs and essays in a variety of rhetorical modes including exposition and persuasion

– write a summary

– adjust content and style of writing to suit purpose, audience, and situation

– revise and edit work to improve content, organization, word choice, phrasing, grammar, sentence and paragraph structure, spelling, and punctuation

– recognize and edit for clichés, jargon, slang, and wordiness

– use complex and compound sentence structures

– write paragraphs and essays on demand

– gather, evaluate, and organize information into a research assignment using appropriate documentation (MLA or APA)

– understand and avoid plagiarism