English composition 1/ENGA100 OERu course specification

Work in progress, expect frequent changes. Help and feedback is welcome. See discussion page.

Part A: Course specification

Metadata

• OERu course name: English for academic writing / English composition 1
• Level: 1st year Bachelor's degree level
• Notional learning hours: 120
• Micro-courses (Three micro-courses of 40 hours each)
  1. The process of writing (ENGA101)
  2. Writing for academic purposes (ENGA102)
  3. Insert micro-course name here (ENGA103)
• OERu course codes: ENGA101, ENGA102, ENGA103
• OERu assessing institutions: Thomas Edison State University
• Micro-credential options: No
• OERu mode of study: Self-directed study or cohort-based independent study with peer-learning support.

Course aim

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Develop appropriate processes, style and method to produce clear and effective academic writing

Learning outcomes

(: consultant to generate 3 or 4 generic learning outcomes)

Indicative content

(: consultant to fill out indicative content summary)

• Description of a problem, explanation of a solution and evaluation of outcome
• Proper conventions of written English (Grammar, mechanics, style, spelling, punctuation)
• Sentence anatomy
• Writing types
• Product-based versus process-based writing
• PWR method (pre-writing, writing and revising)
• What is academic writing
• Effective thesis statement
• Building strong arguments
• Using Rogerian persuasive arguments
• Supporting arguments
• Rhetorical strategies
• Sourcing appropriate evidence
• Determining credible sources
• Quoting, paraphrasing and plagiarism
• Citation styles
• The revision process
• Applying the most appropriate voice, tone and persona

Assessment and credit transfer options

Thomas Edison State University (TECEP)

Assessment type	Learning outcomes	Details	Weighting	Completion requirements
Challenge examination	LO?, LO? etc	Essays (ENC-101)	100%	Passing score of 70%. Grade will be reported as CR (credit)

Pre-requisites

• Learners whose primary language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in written and spoken English as indicated by a Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 550 on the written version; 213 on the computer version; or 79 on the Internet based version.

Part B: Detailed objectives

Micro-course structure

Writing for academic purposes comprises four micro-courses.

Micro 1: The process of writing

Learning objectives

• Distinguish between different theories of writing.
• Identify the various elements that inform writing (e.g. audience, purpose, context, media).
• Recognise and apply the three steps in the PWR (pre-writing, writing, and revision) method.
• Understand how a sentence is constructed.
• Apply the most appropriate voice, tone and persona in your writing.

Micro 2: Writing for academic purposes

Learning objectives

• Distinguish between other types of writing and academic writing.
• Write effective thesis statements.
• Develop successful arguments to defend the thesis.
• Apply Rogerian persuasive arguments to convince readers of the point of view.
• Employ other rhetorical strategies to defend arguments.

Micro 3: Making your arguments more credible

Learning objectives

• Use published academic work of others to support arguments
• Locate and evaluate credible sources.
• Avoid plagiarism through the proper use of quotations and paraphrasing.
• Properly source academic works chosen to support arguments.
• Correctly apply different referencing and citation styles.

Micro 4: Revising and polishing your writing

Learning objectives

• Understand the proper anatomy of a sentence.
• Identify the steps involved in revising academic texts successfully.
• Apply various editing techniques.
• Revise writing for more effective academic argument and justification.

Course links (if available)

• Planning page
• Course materials