230715 Englisch: English Academic Writing I (S) (WiSe 2024/2025)

Please note that this course will be online only. All lessons will be given using Zoom and Lernrnraum plus. --

Required Writing Projects (for LPs): 2 texts with several stages of revision and editing following detailed line-by-line notes from the teacher. There will also be a minimum of 3 one-on-one Zoom conferences to discuss your work.

Four types of English writing covered in this course:

- A Comparison Summary text: a summary of an article which describes research comparing two or more dissimilar things, e.g. cultures, processes, techniques. Students will learn how to correctly organize a text into paragraphs with topic sentences, write / create correct parallel sentences and structures, and learn standard academic English phrases and vocabulary used when comparing two or more dissimilar topics.

- An Intro-Background text: the first paragraphs which summarize and gives selected details which the reader needs to know in order to understand the main topic / main body of a text or article.

- A Sequential Events Description: a chronological text which includes selected details organized and linked using typical academic English connectors. Typical chronlogical texts describe chronological events or processes, e.g. historical events, a scientific process, or the conflict/climax section of a short story.

- A Conclusion-Summary: this comes at the end of an article, analysis or research paper and links the introduction/background from the beginning to the conclusion/summary which constitutes the final paragraph(s) of an academic text.

- HOMEWORK: In addition to the project writing assignments, a homework script will be used for weekly exercises in grammar and English writing techniques. Students should expect to spend between 1-2 hours each week on their writing assignments and homework exercises.

A key part of our weekly class meeting will be online group-writing projects using Epads which are guided and supervised by the teacher.

Genauere Informationen zu Umfang, Dauer und Anforderungen werden den Teilnehmern zu Beginn der Veranstaltung mitgeteilt.

Teilnahmevoraussetzungen, notwendige Vorkenntnisse

"English Academic Writing I" requires a minimum English reading level of B1+ ...and a B2 reading level is highly recommended. Note that this course will take place entirely ONLINE.

This course requires considerable determination, self-discipline and persistence. Students are asked to do a lot of highly-focused writing homework throughout the semester. Please be prepared to give this course the necessary time, focus and energy required.

** Note: a questionnaire is required to secure a place in the course.

-> After you register on the EkVV for the course, download and complete the questionnaire at https://robertcthomas.com/uni-writing-i-ii-questionnaire/ and send it to robert.thomas@uni-bielefeld.de .

-> If you are unsure whether Writing I or Writing II would be best for you this coming semester, there is a SELF-TEST available at https://robertcthomas.com/uni-writing-i-ii-questionnaire/ To have me do an evaluation of your test, after completing it, please send it to me at robert.thomas@uni-bielefeld.de

You can definitely learn to write good academic English during this semester, but you will need self-discipline and persistence. Note also that you will sometimes feel discouraged by the challenges you will encounter learning to do university level academic writing in a foreign language. You will need to stay focused on your goals to become a good writer in Academic English. Please keep that in mind when considering taking this course (and don't forget to keep this in mind during the course!).

A C-test (placement test) result is not required for this course