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
Contact hours:
24
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.
Learning Objectives
- 1. Differentiate basic and academic writing - and differentiate between basic academic, and advanced academic writing
- 2. Provide students with materials and sources for home study and enable effective preparation of hometasks for grading and assessment
- 3. Show students how to improve their cognitive skills to assist advanced academic writing - specifically concentration, reading, critical thinking, and argumentation
- 4. Show students how to improve their relevant L2 language skills, notably vocabulary, grammar and writing
- 5. Introduce students to international academic scientific journal style and publication standards, notably citation requirements, and how articles come to publication (including proofreading)
- 6. Brief introduction to student Dissertations and Theses in the context of THIS subject - what they can expect if they have to do one at a future date (not to recap what they have already studied elsewhere)
- 7. To improve the student's ability to read quickly and effectively and simultaneously make succinct notes as "aide-memoires"
- 8. Overall-to give every student the opportunity to pass with the highest marks that represent their real and auditable achievement on the course, leave them with a useful body of work, and give them a "software upgrade" for the mind that makes them more aware and alert of their own potential.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Join the dedicated VK channel (already set up) to access course materials and internet sources
- Small writing exercise and discussion of outputs. Hometask 1 - Reading and Notetaking on Critical Thinking Part 1, Chapter 1)
- Notetaking using the skills learned earlier, and noting their improvements - on Critical Reading (Chapter 2)
- - Reading using the skills learned earlier, and noting their improvements - on Critical Reading (Chapter 2)
- Written exercise on the ethics of plagiarism
- Written exercise on presenting an argument to support an opinion Hometask 3 - Reading and Notetaking on Critical Reading and getting deeper into arguments (Chapter 3)
- Written task to demonstrate Critical Reading activity
- Written task to augment the ability to describe Hometask 4 - Reading and Notetaking on Visual Rhetoric (Chapter 4)
- Written task on data presentation for academic papers
- Written task on academic level wordplay Hometask 5 - Reading and Notetaking on Writing and Analysis of an Argument (Chapter 5)
- Written task on argumentation.
- Written task giving an Opinion
- Reading and Notetaking on Developing an Argument of your own (Chapter 6)
- Written task on a Dissertation proposal
- Written task on Scientific Method. Reading and Notetaking on Using Sources (Chapter 7)
- Written task on Citations and Referencing
- Written task on computer referencing and webpages. Reading and Notetaking on the Toulmin Model (Chapter 8)
- Written task critiquing poor writing
- Written task on Kant's ethics. Reading and Notetaking on Deduction, Induction and Fallacies (Chapter 9)
- Written task on Deductive and Inductive reasoning
- Reading and . Reading and Notetaking on Arguing about Literature (Chapter 11)
- Written task on stylish writing
- Written task on academic writing
- Reading and Notetaking on Arguing about Literature (Chapter 11)
Course Contents
- Introduction
- Writing in L2 -
- Discussion of HT1
- Reading.
- Discussion of HT2
- Topics in persuasion
- Discussion of HT3.
- In depth review of a scientific paper's arguments
- Discussion of HT4.
- The New Academic Word List (NAWL) and its use in academic writing.
- Discussion of HT5.
- Argument in Opinion Journalism
- Discussion of HT6.
- The Scientific Method
- Discussion of HT7.
- Review of some important additional materials and systems.
- Discussion of HT8.
- Philosophy and its importance to study.
- Discussion of HT9.
- Counter-intuitive propositions.
- Discussion of HT11.
- Review of the course
Assessment Elements
- Class Participation
- Course Book Home Tasks
- Oral Exam
- Course Reader Annotated & New Words
Interim Assessment
- 2025/2026 1st moduleCourse Mark= 0,24 Class Participation + 0,36 Course Book Home Tasks+ 0,14 English Work Reader HT + 0,5 New Words + 0,21 Oral Exam
- 2025/2026 2nd moduleCourse Mark= 0,24 Class Participation + 0,36 Course Book Home Tasks+ 0,14 English Work Reader HT + 0,5 New Words + 0,21 Oral Exam
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Publication manual of the American Psychological Association, , 2012
- Review of Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Sixth Edition by American Psychological Association. (2011). Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.1DAB4A13
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Bailey, S. Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students / Stephen Bailey. – 4th edition. – Oxon: Routledge; Taylor & Francis Group, 2015. – 305 p. – ISBN 978113877668022. - Текст: электронный // DB ProQuest Ebook Central (ebrary) [сайт]. – URL: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/reader.action?docID=1811067&query=Bailey%252C%2BStephen
- How to write a lot : a practical guide to productive academic writing, Silvia, P. J., 2019