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ILMAINFN - Academic Writing for Informatics

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ILMAINFN-Academic Writing for Informatics

Module Provider: International Study and Language Institute
Number of credits: 0 [0 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2020/1

Module Convenor: Mrs Anne Vicary

Email: a.m.vicary@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module focuses on the academic language and writing skills needed to perform more effectively at post-graduate level in Informatics. It is primarily designed for Informatics students whose first language is not English. The module utilises Informatics-specific written texts to develop a range of reading and writing skills needed for successful completion of coursework tasks. The module is non-credit-bearing and designed to support students’ disciplinary study, the expectation being that Ìýstudents will apply the skills they have learnt on ILMAINFN in their credit-bearing work.Ìý Therefore, for the module itself there is no assessment or expectation of independent study hours.


Aims:

This module aims to support Informatics students with their transition to the UK HE context and academic culture, with a specific focus on the key academic language and skills needed to successfully complete a master’s degree in Informatics.


Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the module, students will be better able to read disciplinary texts through employing appropriate reading skills and strategies to further critical engagement, and use task and discipline- appropriate note-taking and writing skills to communicate more accurately.


Additional outcomes:

Outline content:


  • Reading skills and strategies for dealing with a range of Informatics texts and reading purposes, e.g.

    • careful reading to build gradual understanding of ideas and relationships between them at sentence and paragraph level

    • strategic reading to identify:

      • specific sources or concepts (search reading)

      • individual words or phrases (scanning)

      • overall natu re and structure of text (skimming)





  • Key skills useful to all academic writing within Informatics

    • incorporating sources using paraphrasing, summarising and direct quotation

    • ‘information flow’ in English-language texts

    • employing linguistic features of textual cohesion to clearly signal relationships between parts of a text
    • accurately apply the referencing conventions for the discipline



  • Grammar for academic/professional communication, including such items as: verb tense and form, nominalisation, clause and sentence structure, question forms, punctuation and definite/indefinite article use.


Global context:

This module supports internationalisation at Reading by facilitating successful and equal inclusion of students whose first language is not English in UK degree programme study


Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

The module will utilise written texts from Informatics to develop students’ receptive and productive disciplinary language knowledge



Ìý



Teaching will be learner-centred, taking a task-based approach to:




  • guided ‘noticing’ of key linguistic features in context

  • exercises practising use of relevant lexical/grammatical items

  • scaffolded reading-to-write exercises

  • scaffolded written-language tasks with teacher feedback given


Contact hours:
Ìý Autumn Spring Summer
Seminars 16
Guided independent study: 0 0 0
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý
Total hours by term 16 0 0
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý
Total hours for module 16

Summative Assessment Methods:
Method Percentage

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:
Penalties for late submission on this module are in accordance with the University policy. Please refer to page 5 of the Postgraduate Guide to Assessment for further information: http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/exams/student/exa-guidePG.aspx

Assessment requirements for a pass:

Reassessment arrangements:

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Last updated: 4 June 2020

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MODULE DESCRIPTION DOES NOT FORM ANY PART OF A STUDENT'S CONTRACT.

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