Thammasat University
Course Syllabus
Academic Reading
First Semester 2020

Course Number/Section: BS 101, Sections 1 and 2

Course Time/Place: Section 1: Monday 9-12

Section 2: Monday 1-4
Live via Microsoft Teams, except for the dates below

On-Campus Meetings: 8/10, 8/17, 9/7, 9/28 (midterm), 10/26, 11/16

Exam dates: midterm: 9/28 (on campus) 1-3 PM

final: 11/23 (online)

Instructor: Assistant Professor Dr. Chanon Adsanatham

E-mail: chanon.a@arts.tu.ac.th (email me via Canvas)

Course Schedule: https://bs1012020.school.blog

Office Location: LA Building, fourth floor (last office on the left side)

WHAT’S THE COURSE ABOUT?

What is academic reading, and what makes it unique? What process can you use to help you
succeed as a reader in the university? What do successful readers do while reading? What before,
during, and post-reading strategies should you apply to read smarter, not harder? What can you
do when you have a difficult text you can’t understand? This class helps you acquire flexible and
transferable reading techniques to answer these questions. Reading is an essential practice—and
expectation at the university and workplace. In this course, you will learn pivotal reading
strategies that you can use to better understand academic texts in every class you take, as well as
in reading popular print and online publications. More broadly, the class will teach you to use
academic reading as a problem-solving strategy, an inquiry method, and a practice to develop
writing, listening, and speaking. To achieve these goals, we will conduct class as a workshop/studio
in which you practice different reading strategies to produce your own personalized effective
practice. In sum, the skills you gain in this class will help you improve your competence as a
reader/thinker for succeeding at TU and beyond.

HOW WILL CLASS BE ORGANIZED?

As a reading workshop/studio, class will be organized in the following manner:

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• Modeling Essential Flexible and Transferable Reading Strategies: I will

demonstrate major techniques for academic reading by modeling them for you to
try in class.
• Informal Practice and Analysis of Strategies: You will apply techniques to
different texts through a series of written exercises and writing, speaking, and
listening activities, and you will analyze strategies you used and make adjustments
as needed.
• Analysis and Application to Authentic Texts: You will use what you practiced to
read texts that answer complex inquiry questions meant to stimulate your curiosity
and critical thinking.
• Developing/Adding Your Own Voice: You will form ideas and perspectives
about issues you read and contribute responses through writing/discussion.

WHAT MAJOR TOPICS WILL THE COURSE COVER?

1. Critical reading
2. Elements of academic sources
3. Annotating texts
4. Distinguishing between credible and non-credible sources
5. Evaluating evidence, claim, support, and bias
6. Strategies for building and retaining vocabulary
7. Pre-, during-, and post- reading strategies
8. Summarizing and paraphrasing
9. Writing academic summary
10. Writing/oral moves for responding to texts with your own ideas
11. Using graphic/visual organizers for reading texts
12. Composing critical review of sources

GOALS
1. Use pre-, during-, and post-reading strategies to build reading fluency.
2. Develop a personalized, flexible, transferable set of strategies for reading across
academic contexts and purpose.
3. Use reading as a practice to inquire, question, evaluate and think.
4. Distinguish parts of academic texts and their functions.
5. Be able to evaluate the quality of claim, evidence, and conclusion in texts.
6. Acquire strategies for learning new vocabulary through reading.
7. Use graphic organizers, annotation, and note taking to enrich reading
comprehension.
8. Compose critical review of sources.

CLASS MATERIALS
Text (Purchase at the copy shop)
1. Course packet
Hardware/Software
1. Thammsat University @dome email account
2. Microsoft Teams

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3. Canvas (online learning management system)

4. Reliable access to the internet
5. Laptop or tablet with wireless and typing capability

EVALUATION
A 100-93% B+ 92-85% B 84-77% C+ 76-69%
C 68-61% D+ 60-53% D 52-45% F 44% and below

ASSIGNMENTS
• Midterm exam 120 points
• Final exam 100 points
• Critical reviews of sources 60 points
• Attendance, attentiveness, punctuality, conduct 20 points
• Vocabulary test 1 44 points
• Vocabulary test 2 55 points
• Vocabulary test 3 46 points
• Various written exercises variable points
• Weekly in-class reading quizzes variable points

MAINTAINING A SATISFACTORY QUIZ SCORE

Reading quizzes will be given unannounced to motivate reading. If you are not in your seat
when a quiz is given out, you may not take it. Moreover, if you fail to maintain at least 68%
or C on more than 3 quizzes, you will be required to complete additional exams or
assignments, and your ethos grade will be reduced by 50%.

HOW THE CLASS WILL RUN

What to Expect
This class will be conducted as a workshop/studio in which I demonstrate reading
strategies for you to try. In addition, we will approach reading as a method of inquiry to
enhance your thinking and other language skills (writing, speaking and listening). In order
to make class not boring, please be prepared to speak in class to share your ideas
during discussions. This is expected and highly valued. I want our class to function as a
supportive community of learners in which everyone can contribute diverse perspectives.

To prevent Covid-19, we will meet as a class on the dates specified on page one. All
other sessions will be taught live through Microsoft Teams.

Informal Writing
Because some texts can be challenging, to help you engage with the materials in a deep
manner, you will also be given informal weekly writing prompts in which you will write
carefully thought out reflections. The informal writing assignments will not be graded for
grammatical correctness; you will be given credits for thoroughness and thoughtfulness.

Making the Course Relevant to Your Life

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I want this course to be practical and relevant to your study at TU and future career, so
much emphasis will be placed on how we can immediately apply skills taught from class to
other courses and future studies. You will be asked to demonstrate application of course
lessons to other classes at TU.
REQUIRED TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY
This class utilizes computers and the internet extensively. Assignment descriptions and
course calendar will be released online. Ensure that you are proficient in operating email
with attachment, downloading/uploading files/software, and using Microsoft Word and
PowerPoint.

CLASS POLICIES
Protecting Communal Wellness
Because everyone’s health is a priority, doing your share to stop Covid-19 is a crucial
social responsibility. On days that we will meet in person, please wear a mask throughout
class. That means ensuring that your nose and mouth are fully covered. Do not wear a
sponge mask because it does not protect against bacteria and viruses. Without a proper
mask, you will not be allowed to enter class. By wearing a mask, you are practicing the
ethic of care to protect not merely yourself—but also, your friends, family, and community.
You are taking a necessary precaution to curb the pandemic and other diseases such as
the flu, strep, etc. Moreover, please sit at least 1.5 meter away from your classmates and
the instructor. If you have a fever or feel unwell, please stay home. I’ll be happy to
provide reasonable accommodations to help you get caught up.

Checking Course Website & Email

Assignment descriptions, course calendar, and announcements will be released online. I will
also be sending emails throughout the semester. It is expected that you will check
information often in a timely manner.

Punctuality Expectation
You are expected to arrive to class on time. If you are tardy without an extenuating
reason, you may not take quizzes given in class, and your participation points will be
deducted.

Attendance
Attendance will be taken. If you are late while attendance is taken, you will be marked
absent, even if you show up later. If you have more than 3 or more absences without a
valid document to support a legitimate reason, your final participation grade will be a
zero. When absent, you are responsible for obtaining all missed information and adhering
to assignment due dates.

Absence Due-In-Class Assignments

If you are absent the day a quiz or assignment is given in class, at your initiation, you can
make up one quiz. It must be taken in my office within one week of absence.

Late Work and Deadline Extension

Assignments are due on the date specified on the course calendar. Late work is not
accepted. If you will be absent, you are still responsible for turning things in on time. If you
are not able to complete a project because of an emergency, please inform me at least

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48 hours in advance. The sooner you let me know, the more options I might be able to
suggest to ease your stress. Extension request cannot be considered if the due date lapsed.

Academic Dishonesty: Cheating and Plagiarism

Academic dishonesty includes cheating and plagiarism. Cheating is the unauthorized use of
assistance of a source, text, notes, device, or person with the intent to deceive the
instructor that the work you are submitting originated from your effort and
knowledge. Plagiarism represents copying and/or incorporating any amount of another
person's idea, information, or words without proper citation and references in what you
are composing, so the text you submit deceptively appears as your own work. A few
examples of cheating and plagiarism:

• Using or possessing unauthorized materials such as notes, books, or soliciting

unauthorized assistance from another student during quizzes or exams.
• Reusing a previous assignment or project and re-presenting it as a new, original
work without the instructor's permission.
• Copying or using information from another source or person in your work without
citation.
• Recycling an assignment from a previous class to gain credits for another class.
• Redistributing examination or quiz materials and/or answer keys.
• Submitting an assignment someone did on your behalf.

Work submitted for assessment in any course must be the product of the student’s
individual synthesis of idea and effort. A failure to follow this expectation is considered
academic dishonesty. Both cheating and plagiarism constitute a serious violation of the
BAS Programme's honor code. If found guilty, the student will automatically receive an F
or 0 for the assignment, and other disciplinary actions may be enforced.
Technological distraction
Do not use your phone or laptop in class, unless instructed. I find laptop and phone
distraction and interruption disrespectful and detrimental to class engagement. You may
be asked to leave and/or receive a zero participation grade if technological distraction
becomes a concern.

Side Conversations in Class

Please refrain from having side conversations with friends while your instructor and
classmates are speaking. It distracts other and hurts your opportunity to listen—and learn
what others are contributing.

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