LANG 0037 Introduction to Academic Communication 1 (WSTC)

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Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 900107

Coordinator Jackson Howard Opens in new window

Description This unit is designed to introduce students to academic culture as a culture of critical debate and equip students with the academic literacy skills necessary to perform successfully in this culture. In particular, the unit aims to help students access the conventions of academic English by focussing on attitudes to knowledge, and the ways in which ideas are structured and presented in academic texts and speech. The unit assists students to comprehend academic texts, identify key ideas and concepts, and identify and use the rhetorical moves used in academic texts. It also aims to help students compare and contrast ideas across texts, improve grammatical skills that relate to academic writing, summarise and synthesise information, and understand why, when and how to reference information.

School Western Sydney The College

Discipline English Language

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 1 10cp

Check your HECS Band contribution amount via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 0 Preparatory subject

Equivalent Subjects LANG 0006 - Academic English 1 (UWSC) LANG 0031 - English for Tertiary Study 1 (UWSC) LANG 0036 - Introduction to Academic Communication 1 (UWSCFS) LANG 0030 - English for Tertiary Study 1 (UWSCFS) LANG 0001 - Academic Communication 1 (UWSCFS) LANG 0034 - Essential Skills for Academic Success (WSTC Prep) LANG 0019 - Communication Skills for Construction Management (WSTC Prep) LANG 0042 - Professional Communication Skills for Engineering (WSTC Prep) LANG 0012 - Academic and Professional Communication (WSTC Prep)

Restrictions Students must be enrolled at The College in a Foundation Studies program

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
  1. Define academic culture and explain the use of evidence to support an argument.
  2. Employ effective listening strategies to identify main ideas and supporting evidence.
  3. Utilise appropriate reading strategies to comprehend academic texts.
  4. Produce writing that successfully summarises and paraphrases the work of others.
  5. Demonstrate a command of academic English, including grammar, phrasing, effective sentence structure, spelling and punctuation in a variety of written contexts.
  6. Apply the conventions of academic presentations in written and oral formats.
  7. Critically reflect on their own learning.

Subject Content

1. Academic culture as a culture of argument
2. Active listening and note-taking skills
3. Reading in an academic culture: the development of ideas
4. Reading in an academic culture: the relative importance of ideas
5. Reading in an academic culture: identifying arguments
6. Writing in an academic culture: academic language skills and grammar
7. Writing in an academic culture: paraphrasing/summarising and synthesising skills
8. Writing in an academic culture: comparing and contrasting ideas across multiple texts
9. Writing in an academic culture: research and referencing
10. Speaking in an academic culture: the structure of presenting ideas
11. Speaking in an academic culture: tutorial/presentation skills

Assessment

The following table summarises the standard assessment tasks for this subject. Please note this is a guide only. Assessment tasks are regularly updated, where there is a difference your Learning Guide takes precedence.

Item Length Percent Threshold Individual/Group Task
Summary: In-class listening and summarising task 300 words 15 N Individual
Essay a) Essay Plan 10% b) Expository Essay 30% a) 300 words b) 1000 words 40 N Individual
Presentation: Oral Presentation including audience participation 3 – 5 mins 15 N Individual
Final Exam 2.5 hours (plus 60 minutes to upload the responses) 30 N Individual

Online

The following table summarises the standard assessment tasks for this subject. Please note this is a guide only. Assessment tasks are regularly updated, where there is a difference your Learning Guide takes precedence.

Item Length Percent Threshold Individual/Group Task
Homework tasks (Preparation / support for major assessments 4 tasks @ 1 hr each 20 N Individual
Timed listening task 2 hrs – 250 words 10 N Individual
Timed writing task 2 hrs – 300 words 10 N Individual
Essay Plan 150 words 10 N Individual
Expository Essay 1000 words 40 N Individual
Oral Presentation 3-5 mins 10 N Individual

Teaching Periods

Structures that include subject