OFFICIAL COURSE SYLLABUS

FORMAT

FACULTY: EDUCATION
PROGRAM: ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM

1. COURSE INFORMATION
COURSE TITLE: ACADEMIC WRITING I
CODE: BEEDLI28 NUMBER OF CREDITS: 3 WEEKLY HOURS: 3
PRE-REQUISITE(S): INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH
AREA OF KNOWLEDGE: SOCIO-HUMANISTIC
UNIT IN CHARGE OF CURRICULAR DESIGN: ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHER
EDUCATION PROGRAM
BASIC COMPONENT ☒ FLEXIBLE-ELECTIVE COMPONENT ☐
SEMESTER: 2018-1
INSTRUCTOR: María Fernanda Jaime Osorio
EMAIL: mariafernanda.jaime@usco.edu.co
MEETING DAYS AND TIMES: Wednesdays (6:00 – 9:00 a.m.)
OFFICE HOURS: Wednesdays 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
TIME OF STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC WORK

Students’ Academic Total

In-class Work Independent Work
Activity (Hours)
Number of hours 3 6 9

TOTAL 48 96 144

2. COURSE DESCRIPTION
Academic writing is a vital constituent of higher education. This course is aimed to raise
students’ awareness about writing as a process and at the same time to introduce them to
various types of academic texts they are expected to produce as part of their university
coursework. Academic writing demands from students the abilities to observe, research, be
creative and open-minded in order to achieve good results. It is due to these complexities
that our learners need to be taught what is required to write academic texts in view of the
fact that “no-one speaks (or writes) academic English as a first language” (Bourdieu &
Passeron, 1994, p. 8).

3. RATIONALE
 “Writing is the primary basis upon which your work, your learning, and your intellect
will be judged—in college, in the workplace, and in the community” (Based upon
brochures from Brown University and the University of Missouri)

As stated above, writing is one of the most essential tools human beings need to use in
order to communicate effectively with others. The development of this skill constitutes a
fundamental element for language learners to achieve academic success as it facilitates the
transmission of ideas and the empowerment of the language in meaningful and creative
ways. Writing reinforces grammatical structures, vocabulary, and general topics that
language learners are required to deal with. In many academic contexts, writing is the least
developed skill due to the fact that it is demanding and time-consuming for both teachers
and learners alike. In this regard, Marianne Celce-Murcia (1991) states that the receptive
skills require less grammatical knowledge than the productive ones and, between the two
productive skills, writing is more grammatically demanding than speaking. For this reason,
this course on academic writing offers students a great opportunity not only to improve
their writing skill but also to enhance their grammatical competence. The course offers
students initial foundations, strategies, techniques, and a series of practical activities for the
construction of written texts.

4. GENERAL COMPETENCES
GENERAL COMPETENCES
INTERPRETIVE At the end of this course learners will
be able to:
● Understand the demands and
challenges of the writing
process.
● Reflect on world events and
take a stand towards them
through writing.
● Interpret and respond to
writing prompts and life
dilemmas.
KNOW/KNOWLEDGE
ARGUMENTATIVE At the end of this course learners will
(Savoir)
be able to:
● Produce cause/effect and
argumentative essays in
response to a writing prompt.
● Offer suggestions to peers’
writing pieces.
● Use strategies such as listing,
clustering, and freewriting,
among others, to identify and
select the writing subject.
CONSTRUCTIVE At the end of this course learners will
be able to:
 ● Recall personal experiences
and thoughts, and use them as
main or supporting topics in
written texts.
● Read peers’ paragraphs and
essays, and suggest
grammatical or stylistic
corrections or alternatives.
● Outline and plan the organization of written texts.
KNOW HOW/ SKILLS ● Create logically connected and linearly sequenced texts on
(Savoir faire) a range of familiar topics.
● Write different types of texts considering different genres
and registers.
● Use the appropriate spelling, punctuation, capitalization and
grammar to enhance the quality of written production.
● Write short, simple essays on a variety of topics.
At the end of this course, the student should demonstrate:
BE/EXISTENTIAL ● Openness towards and interest in, new experiences,
(Savoir être) other persons, ideas, peoples, societies and cultures.
● Willingness to relativize one’s own cultural viewpoint
and cultural value-system.
● Willingness and ability to distance oneself from
conventional attitudes to cultural differences

5. DEFINITION OF THEMATIC UNITS AND ALLOTMENT OF TIME FOR IN-

CLASS AND INDEPENDENT WORK
TOTAL
STUDENTS’ WORK (hours)
OF
No.
NAME OF THEMATIC UNIT a) In-class b) Independent HOURS
work Work (a + b)
● How to write paragraphs and
1 21 42 63
essays

● Writing different kinds of

2 9 18 27
paragraphs and essays

● Common errors and concerns in

3 6 12 18
writing

● Using outside sources in one’s

4 3 6 9
writing
 ● Final reflections on academic
5 9 18 27
writing
TOTAL 48 96 144

6. COURSE PLANNER
H. T. P. H.T.I.
L
a
b
G
& Ind
PEDAGOGIC C ui
The p epe
ACTIVITIES AND l de
mati r nde
CONTENTS STRATEGIES a d
Unit a nt
s W
c Wo
s or
t rk
k
i
c
e
Week 1 ✓ Class Presentation 3 2 4
✓ Introductions ✓ Group discussion
✓ Course syllabus policies of course syllabus
✓ The basic sentence. An overview
Intro (pp. 311-324)

Week 2 ✓ Independent 3 2 4
✓ Reading basics: How to understand reading
what you read (pp. 22-29) ✓ Using the internet
✓ Writing basics: Audience, purpose,
and process (pp. 35-41)
✓ Commas (pp. 559-573)
Week 3 ✓ Guided writing 3 2 4
✓ Writing your topic sentence or ✓ Free writing
thesis statement (pp. 57-71)
✓ Other punctuation (pp. 590-595)
Week 4 ✓ Enhancing 3 2 4
✓ Supporting your point: finding metacognition
details, examples, and facts (pp. 72- ✓ Analysis of writing
1 79) models
✓ Making a plan: arranging your ideas
(pp. 80-87)

Week 5 3 2 4
 ✓ Cause and effect: writing that
explains reasons or results (pp.
239-256)
Writing Essay 1 and Peer revision
Week 6 3 2 4
✓ Drafting: putting your ideas
together (pp. 88-102)
✓ Essay 1 final draft
Week 7 3 2 4
✓ Revising: improving your paragraph
or essay (pp. 104-114)
✓ Paralellism: balancing ideas (pp.
468-475)
Weeks 8 ✓ Collaborative work 3 2 4
✓ Argument: writing that persuades and peer feedback
(pp. 258-275) ✓ Guided writing
✓ Using the internet
Week 9 ✓ Analysis of writing 3 2 4
Essay 2 and Peer Revision models
2
Week 10 ✓ Revising APA 3 2 4
Run-ons: Two sentences joined writing guidelines
incorrectly (pp. 343-359)
Essay 2 Final draft

Week 11 ✓ Reviewing 3 2 4
Coordination: joining sentences mechanics and
3 with related ideas (pp. 451-460) punctuation

Week 12 ✓ Enhancing 3 2 4
✓ Subordination: joining sentences metacognition
with related ideas (pp. 461-467)
Week 13 ✓ Reviewing 3 2 4
✓ Using and Incorporating outside mechanics and
4 sources(St.Martin´s guide-pp. 747- punctuation
757,773-780)
✓ Enhancing
Week 14 metacognition 3 2 4
Essay 3 and Peer Revision
Week 15 3 2 4
5 ✓ Essay 3 Final Draft
Week 16 3 2 4
✓ Final Reflections and Grades report
H. T. P. = On-site work hours
H. T. I. = Independent work hours

7. ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING
PERCENTAGE
ASSESSMENT STRATEGY
(%)
In-class assignments and quizzes 10%
Essay 1 – Peer revision of first draft 5%
Essay 1 – Cause and effect (final draft) 25%
Essay 2 – Peer revision of first draft 5%
Essay 2 – Arguing a position (final draft) 25%
Essay 3– Peer revision of first draft 5%
Essay 3 – Arguing a position (final draft) 25%

8. BIBLIOGRAPHY
8.1 Basic Bibliography:
● Anker, S. (2010). Real Writing with Readings - Paragraphs and Essays for College,
Work, and Everyday Life. Boston: Bedford, St. Martin’s
● Axelrod, R., Cooper, C. R. (2004). The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing. New York. St.
Martin’s Press.
● Celce-Murcia, M. (1991). Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. Heinle
and Heinle.
● Harmer, J. (2004). How to teach writing. England: Pearson Education.
● Savage, A., Masoud, S. (2007). Effective Academic Writing 1. The paragraph.
Oxford University Press.
● Savage, A., Masoud, S. (2007). Effective Academic Writing 2. The paragraph.
Oxford University Press.
● Savage, A., Masoud, S. (2007). Effective Academic Writing 3. The paragraph.
Oxford University Press.
● Sebranek, P., Kemper, D., & Meyer, V. (2001). Writers INC. A student handbook for
writing and learning. Houghton Mufflin Company.

8.2 Complementary Bibliography/resources:

● http://www.wikibooks.org
● http://www.uefap.com/writing/writfram.htm
● http://www.ntnu.edu/hf/studies/course-in-academic-writing
● http://www.indiabix.com/verbal-ability/sentence-correction/014002
● http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/index.htm
● http://www.victoria.ac.nz/llc/academic-writing/
● http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice
● https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/1/2/
● https://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/studyadvice/StudyResources/sta-academic.aspx
● http://www.uefap.com/writing/feature/featfram.htm
● http://www.cristinacabal.com/?p=6434
COMMENTS:
● Plagiarism is taking credit for someone else’s work whether purposefully or
unintentionally. Avoid plagiarism by carefully and correctly citing your sources
whenever you use someone else’s words or ideas. Evidence of plagiarism may
result in failure of the assignment, failure of the course, and/or disciplinary action
by the University.
● Cell phone and other electronic devices should not be used in class, unless your
instructor allows you to do so.
● Please plan on staying for the whole class period unless you have made
arrangements with the instructor ahead of time.
● In-class and out-of-class writing will be assigned throughout the course. Students
not in class when writing is assigned are still responsible for completion of the
assignment when due.
● It is your responsibility to submit your work by the established deadline.
● It is your responsibility to submit the correct version of your assignment (e.g. first
draft, final draft).
● Students are required to keep copies of all drafts and major assignments until after
the end of the semester.
● Drafts must be turned in with subsequent versions. Final drafts should show
significant changes in purpose, audience, organization, or evidence.
● Essays should be typed and follow the appropriate guidelines for the APA style.
● Be alert to any schedule changes that may impact your work in the class.
● Remember computers can crash and flash drives can be easily lost. Back up your
files!