996003 Academic Writing (WS) (SoSe 2012)

Audience:
This workshop is addressed to all those members of the BGHS who are currently working on academic texts in English – e.g. articles, posters, theses, thesis, grant or scholarship proposals.
Course Description:
Its main purpose is to make students become more aware of how to construct a coherent argument in English. Class work will divide into two main parts, the first of which will deal with the central textual constituents of academic texts, like abstract, introduction, review of research and conclusion. The other section will be given over to major language problems of academic English, such as constructing paragraphs, using linking expressions (or signpost language) and the appropriate ordering of information (or word order). There will also be an introductory unit on reference works, printed and electronic, and how to talk or write about one’s academic career. The main focus in all of this is firmly on the participants’ own work: they are asked to present a text of their own of not more than 400 words for discussion in class and, on day two, will write an unseen text in class.