BHEA_JKA/CR01-08

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

COURSE INFORMATION

Confidential

Course Code : ELC501

Course Name : English for Critical Academic Reading

Level : Degree

Total SLT : Equivalent to 2 Credits

Face-to-Face (F2F): 22 Hours

Non Face-to-Face: 24.5 Hours Guided and 33.5 Hours Non-
Guided
Part :

Course Status :

(Core/ Non-core)
Pre-requisite : None

Nama Fakulti: Akademi Pengajian

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Tahun Mula: 2016

Tahun Semakan: 2017

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Course Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, students should be able to:

1. demonstrate the ability to identify critical reading elements; (A2)

2. present a critical analysis of an academic reading text in writing; (A4)

3. express critical opinions in speaking by comparing and contrasting academic

reading topics (A4)

Course Description

This course is designed to develop students’ ability to read analytically and think critically. It
focuses on the relationship between reading and critical thinking and provides students with
a structured method for interpreting content and organisation of written texts. Tasks and
activities suggested are discipline-based.

Syllabus Content

1. Interpreting the meaning of words (CLO1, CLO3, C4, C5)

● Define meanings of words using the dictionary Analyse word structure

● Use contextual clues

2. Identifying main ideas and supporting details in texts (CLO1, CLO2, CLO3, A4, C4,
C5)

● Determine the topic of a paragraph

● Identify the stated main ideas and supporting details in texts Recognise types
of supporting details in texts

● Formulate the implied main ideas of texts

3. Identifying the logical reasoning and assumptions used in texts (CLO1, CLO2, A4, C4)

● Identify the underlying assumptions in texts Identify the logical reasoning in

texts

4. Determining author’s purpose, tone, point of view (argument), intended audience and
issue involved in an argument (CLO2, CLO3, A4, C5)

● Determine the issue in a given argument

● Identify author's purpose for writing the text

● Determine author's tone from the language used in the text Determine author's
point of view or position in the argument

● Determine author's intended audience from the given argument

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5. Identifying and applying critical reading skills in reasoning through inferencing, drawing
conclusions, and analysing language when evaluating an argument (CLO1, CLO2,
CLO3, A4, C4, C5)

● Make inferences and draw conclusions

● Recognise and apply critical reading skills

● Analyse the language for author’s bias

● Analyse and evaluate the arguments in texts

Assessment

Week Assessment Duration Weightage

Test

The test requires students to answer 12

questions based on a given text (approximately

1000-1200 words in length) that is pitched at
higher Intermediate to advanced level. It is
either expository or argumentative in nature and
9 deals with a contemporary issue. 1½ hours 35%
Students are required to determine the meaning 2 ½ hours
(ODL)
of words from context; identify the topic and the
main ideas (stated and implied); analyse the
supporting details, the types of reasoning and
the assumptions, as well as make inferences
and draw conclusions.

Written Article Analysis

The assignment involves pair work where

students analyse a given text (approximately

700-900 words in length) that is argumentative
in nature and deals with a contemporary issue.
The text is pitched at higher intermediate to

8-13 advanced level and is assigned by the lecturer. 5 weeks 25%

The type-written critical analysis of the article
must be approximately 600-800 words.
Students are required to identify the issue and
the writer’s argument and discuss the tone, the
purpose, the intended audience, assumptions,
inferences, and conclusions involved in the
reasoning as well as the validity, credibility and
quality of the support.

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 BHEA_JKA/CR01-08

The scoring of the assignment is based on the

Grading Scale for the Written Article Analysis
where the allocation of marks is as follows:
Content (12 %)

Language (10 %)
Organisation (3%)

Forum Discussion

The forum involving 4 to 6 panel members

requires students to participate in discussion on

a topic. It involves applying critical reading skills
from articles read to support panel member’s
point of view. It is pitched at higher intermediate
13-14 to advanced level. It is argumentative in nature 25-30 30%
and deals with a contemporary issue. minutes
Students are required to express their opinion

on a topic and support them using articles they

have researched. Members of the panel forum
are required to react to each other’s points and
present their counterargument as well as their
own views.

Portfolio

Students are required to present a portfolio

consisting of articles researched for the forum.

Each student should include at least 2 articles

13-14 that he has referred to. Points taken from the 10%
articles should be highlighted. An outline for
each panel member from both sides should be
included. Other elements in the portfolio are:
Timeline for discussions
Discussion notes
Reference list

Total 100%

Recommended Text

Elder, J. (2008). Exercise your college reading skills. NY: McGraw-Hill.

Teoh, S.A., Chai, M.H., Azlina Abd. Rahman & Paul-Evanson, C. (2010). Reading and critical
thinking. KL: McGraw-Hill.

Summers, D. (Ed.) (2009). Longman dictionary of contemporary English. (4th ed.). London:
Pearson Education.
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References

Barnet, S. & Bedau, H. (2010). Critical thinking, reading and writing: A brief guide to

argument. (7th ed.). USA: Bedford/ St. Martin’s.

Browne, M. N. & Keeley, S. M. (2009). Asking the right questions: A guide to critical

thinking. (9th. ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Carter, C.E. (2010). Mindscapes: Critical reading skills and strategies. (11th ed.). USA:
Wadsworth Publishing Company.

Diestler, S. (2008). Becoming a critical thinker: A user friendly manual. (5th ed.). New
Jersey: Pearson/ Prentice Hall.

Lunsford, A., & Ruskiewicz, J. (2009). Everything’s an argument. (5th ed.). Bedford: St.
Martins.

Mather, P. & McCarthy, R. (2011). The art of critical reading. (3rd ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Moore, B.N. & Parker, R. (2009). Critical thinking. (9th. ed.). New York: McGraw Hill.

Ruggiero, V.R. (2011). Becoming a critical thinker (7th ed.). USA: Wadsworth Cengage
Learning.

Spears, D. M. (2008). Developing critical reading skills. (9th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Internet Sources

http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/critical/ct.php

http://www.criticalreading.com/critical_reading_thinking.htm

http://wps.ablongman.com/long_licklider_vocabulary_2/0,6658,416421-,00.html

http://wps.ablongman.com/long_licklider_vocabulary_2/4/1105/283083.cw/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRmhB3MW6GE&list=PLpbtRdN7xWUcPT0qWBfC52Fub
Qxcgdgjk

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073513474/student_view0/index.html

http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0073047678/student_view0/index.html

http://grammar.about.com/od/tests/a/Exercise-In-Eliminating-Gender-Biased-Language.htm

http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-deductive-reasoning.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbeD20mTTRk

http://www.internetlogic.org/argtypes.html
http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples/examples-of-inductive-reasoning.html

http://schools-education.knoji.com/how-to-conduct-a-panel-forum/

http://iknowpolitics.org/.../ndi.20guide20to20organizing20public20meetings20-20pakistan

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