American International University- Bangladesh (AIUB)

Department of English, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Bachelor of Arts in English
Course Title: English Writing Skills & Communications
Course code: ENG 1202
Pre-requisite: English Reading Skills & Public Speaking
General/ Major course: General (Core)
Course Description:
This course aims to improve students’ academic writing skills by giving students extensive practice in inventing substantial content and expressing it using effective
language. Different units in the module guide students through each stage of the process of writing an academic essay: from brainstorming ideas, finding suitable
sources, making notes from the sources, planning and structuring an essay, writing a draft using paraphrasing and referencing, integrating data and finally editing
and proofreading using an appropriate academic style. The course will also develop students’ English skills more generally and so help them interact more effectively
in English in the wider world.
Course Intended Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
Cognitive (Knowledge):
1. Clearly understand the rudiments of the process approach to writing and create well- structured, coherent academic texts
2. Demonstrate their understanding of different purposes of academic writing
3. Understand and maintain the key features of academic writing
4. Analyze and evaluate different sources, take notes, paraphrase and summarize to create their own text.
Psychomotor (Skills):
1. Effectively employ the basic processes of writing--planning, composing, editing and revising
2. Produce Identify suitable supporting evidence from a wide range of sources and arrange them coherently in multi- paragraph essays
3. Analyze and interpret data presented graphically and incorporate them in their writing.
Affective (Attitude, Behavior):
1. Integrate the writing skills in planning and developing academic essays
2. Understanding the value of academic ethics.
2. Adhere to the appropriate writing style for academic purposes
Duration: 1 Semester (4 Months), Class hour: 1.5 hours, Total number of classes: 24
Credit Hour: 3

Topics/Units Specific Objective(s) Teaching Activities/Strategies Time frame & Readings

Mid Term:
Unit 1: Gathering Ideas and Developing Focus
Unit 2: Using Sources, Data and Graphics;
Taking Notes (Session 1)
Unit 3: Organizing Ideas
Unit 4: Linking Ideas
• To identify some of the features
of academic writing, understand
the purposes of academic writing
• To generate ideas for writing
task, narrow down a topic and
develop a focus.
• To select suitable sources for
writing essays/ reports,
understand the role of note- taking
in writing essays/ report, make
effective notes.
• To structure an academic
essay and make an essay plan
to help put ideas together.
• To write and introduction
• To formulate a thesis
statement for essay
• To connect ideas within a
paragraph and structure
paragraphs in an essay
• To develop paragraphs
thematically
• To write a conclusion
Preliminary interactive lecture on 1 week
writing, in-Class discussion, Unit 1, Chowdhury et al. (2017)
supplementary writing activities
Interactive lecture, collaborative 1 class
classroom activities, group or pair Unit 2, Chowdhury et al. (2017)
work.
Brainstorming, group work, 1 Week
preparing essay plan, portfolio task Unit 3, Chowdhury et al. (2017)
on making essay outline
Classroom discussion on structure
of essay introduction, practice
activities on writing thesis
statement and introduction
Practice tasks on right use of 1 Week
cohesive devices, lecture on Unit 4, Chowdhury et al. (2017)
paragraph structures, writing
supporting paragraphs
Interactive lecture on thematic
organization of paragraphs and
conclusion structure, practice
activities.
Unit 7: Academic Style • To recognize key features of
academic style, understand
formality and the tone needed for
academic writing.
• To use objective and impersonal
language, maintain precision in
academic writing , write cohesively
and coherently.
Quizzes and Portfolio Submission
Final Term
Unit 5: Referencing: Paraphrasing and • To recognize when to use
Summarizing references in writing,
paraphrase information and
ideas from sources
• To summarize information
and ideas from sources
Unit 2 (Session 2) •To Identify types of data and
graphics in text
• To use appropriate
language to interpret data
and graphics.
Unit 9: Types of Writing: Comparison and • To understand better how
Contrast to compare and contrast
objects or ideas, express
comparison and contrast
in different ways.
• To evaluate different
styles of organizing
comparative essays, plan a
comparative essay
Unit 10: Cause and Effect • To recognize cause and Practice activities on use of 1 week
effect relationships, use effective cause and effect language, Unit 10, Chowdhury et al. (2017)
cause and effect language cohesive devices, pair or group
Lecture on academic writing style, 1 week
individual and pair work on Unit 7, Chowdhury et al. (2017)
different features of writing,
portfolio task on writing and
revising academic essay
1 Week
Interactive classroom discussion on 1 Week
paraphrasing strategies, practice Unit 3, Chowdhury et al. (2017)
activities on paraphrasing and
summarizing, portfolio task on text
paraphrasing for essay writing
Interactive lecture, collaborative 1 Week
classroom activities, group or pair Unit 4, Chowdhury et al. (2017)
work.
Supplementary reading and 1 week
interactive discussion on Unit 9, Chowdhury et al. (2017)
comparative structure, activities on
use of language and cohesive
devices, pair or group work on
planning, outlining and writing
comparative essays
 to express a cause effect work on planning, outlining and
relationship. writing cause and effect essays
• To organize and plan a
cause and effect essay.
Unit 11: Argument and problem – solving • To understand better the Brainstorming, practice activities on 1 week
argumentative mode of gathering ideas, pair or group work Unit 11, Chowdhury et al. (2017)
writing. on planning, outlining and writing
• To Find and evaluate a argumentative essays, portfolio
solutions to a particular task on argumentative essay,
problem
• To identify and use
appropriate language and
structures for talking
about problems and
solutions.
• Structure a problem-
solution essay
Quizzes and Portfolio Submission Quizzes and Portfolio Submission

Course Policies
Class Attendance: Students must attend at least 80% of classes to pass the course. Students are expected to come to class having completed the readings assigned for
each lecture to qualify participation marks.
Class Participation: Students will get mark for their timely attendance. Participation marks will be assigned based on a student’s active participation during the class,
such as responding to questions asked by the instructor, raising discussion questions, contributing to discussion and active learning activities.
Use of Electronic Devices: The use of mobile phones, laptops and similar devices in the classroom is a distraction from teaching purpose, and thus is not permitted
unless the class requires it.
Student Counselling: Office hour is listed on the door of the faculty room. Alternatively, students may also try to arrange an appointment via email for a time. Students
are expected to check their VUES accounts regularly.
Assignment Submission Policy: All submission should contain a cover page with providing the following information a) course code and name, b) name of the instructor,
c) type of assignment, d) name of the student(s) e) student ID, f) date. Unless pre-approved, all submissions should be made both in print. Written assignments handed
in late without prior notification and valid excuse will be penalized.
Academic Integrity: The consequences of cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty are serious.

Assessment Tasks and Grades

 i. Term Exam 40%
ii. Quizzes 20%
iii. Presentation of the assigned Topic(s) 20%
iv. Attendance 10%
v. Class Participation and Performance 10%
Total 100%

Text Books:
Chowdhury, Q.H., Rahman, A.R.M.M., & Kamal, M.A. (2017). English for Academic Purposes 2 Essay and Report
Writing. Dhaka: University Grants Commission of Bangladesh.
Reference Book/ Materials: Handouts distributed by course teacher.