Bachelor
2025/2026
Research Seminar "Advanced Acadеmic Writing"
Type:
Compulsory course (International Programme 'International Relations and Global Studies')
Delivered by:
Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs
When:
2 year, 1, 2 module
Open to:
students of one campus
Instructors:
Годдард Чарльз Адриан Скотт
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
3
Course Syllabus
Abstract
As an introduction to university writing, this course will take students through the necessary elements of writing for academic purposes: the process itself, its features and conventions. The writing process implies factual and analytical writing, organizing an essay, developing a thesis, evaluating information, providing supporting evidence, and citing and referencing outside sources. Starting from general culture-specific and stylistic features of academic writing in English, students will work their way through the writing process, including prewriting steps, towards argumentative academic essays. Alongside with the key theoretical concepts and major practical issues, the course will develop knowledge of basic linguistic structures and punctuation through practice in composing and revising.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- be aware of formal writing conventions;
- use strategies of effective written communication;
- produce clear coherent text using appropriate logical connectors;
- be able to manage their own writing process through different strategies of prewriting;
- be able to critically evaluate sources of information;
- develop effective arguments using a variety of rhetorical techniques (examples, statistics, authoritative quotations…);
- master academic citation standards.
Course Contents
- Module 1 Overview of the course. Academic genre. Writing process: main stages. Brainstorming techniques. Selecting and evaluating sources for academic writing.
- 2.Paragraph writing. Paragraph structure: topic sentence, supporting sentences and concluding sentence. General rules of writing topic sentences and concluding sentences.
- 3. Supporting details: facts, quotations and statistics. Fact vs opinion. Citing and referencing outside sources.
- 4. From paragraph to essay: three parts of an essay. Introductory Paragraph. General rules of writing a thesis statement. Body Paragraphs. Concluding Paragraph. General Rules of writing concluding paragraph.
- 5. Patterns of Essay Organization: Logical Division Essay. Comparison/ Contrast Essay. Cause/Effect Essay. Specific Linking words.
- Module 2 Argumentative essay: organization patterns, specific transition elements. Specificity & formulation of tasks.
- 2. Writing an Introductory Paragraph. Specificity of writing a thesis statement for argumentative essay.
- 3. Writing an Argumentative Essay. Unity & Coherence. Punctuation Rules.
- 4. Overview of the material. Module Test.
Assessment Elements
- Exam ( 20% written part+ 10% oral part)
- Attendance/ oral assessment /participation
- Module 1, Module 2 Tests
- Written assessment
Interim Assessment
- 2025/2026 1st moduleExam ( 20% written part+ 10% oral part)+ 20% Attendance/ oral assessment /participation +30% Module 1, Module 2 Tests +20% Written assessment
- 2025/2026 2nd module0.2 * Attendance/ oral assessment /participation + 0.3 * Exam ( 20% written part+ 10% oral part) + 0.3 * Module 1, Module 2 Tests + 0.2 * Written assessment
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Bailey, S. (2015). Academic Writing : A Handbook for International Students (Vol. Fourth edition). Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=862062
- Talalakina, E. V. Academic Skills through Cases in American Studies / E. V. Talalakina, I. V. Yakusheva. — Москва : Высшая школа экономики, 2011. — 144 с. — ISBN 978-5-7598-0919-7. — Текст : электронный // Лань : электронно-библиотечная система. — URL: https://e.lanbook.com/book/65968 (дата обращения: 00.00.0000). — Режим доступа: для авториз. пользователей.
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Ekaterina Talalakina, Tony Brown, Jennifer Bown, & William Eggington. (2014). Mastering English through Global Debate. Washington: Georgetown University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=2200417