UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

(All rights reserved)

LANGUAGE CENTRE, COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES

FIRST SEMESTER 2023/2024 ACADEMIC YEAR

COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE CODE AND TITLE: UGRC 110 ACADEMIC WRITING I (CREDITS: 3)

Lecture Period(s) and Venue: ………………………………………………………………

Prerequisites: NONE
Course Instructors1: (see footer)
Name: …………………………………………………………………………………………
Office Location: .……………………………………………………………………………...
Office Hours: …………………………………………………………………………………
E-mail: ………………………………………………………………………………………..

Course Overview
The course orientates fresh students to understand the expectations of lecturers concerning
university-level reading and writing assignments, and equips them with the skills and strategies
to meet the requirements. In furtherance of this goal, students will be taught the characteristics
of academic writing as opposed to non-academic writing. Academic reading skills associated
with the writing process will be considered along with skills related to writing with clarity and
coherence. These will be consolidated through practical tasks. Also, grammar review exercises
aimed at firming up students’ knowledge of grammar will be done along with specific writing
tasks. There will be preliminary discussions on strategies for incorporating information from
multiple sources into an academic essay and avoiding plagiarism. These discussions will cover
the nature of in-text citations and the list of references at the end of the essay.

Course Objective/Goals:
The broad objective of the course is to prepare fresh students to understand the expectations of
lecturers with regard to university-level reading and writing assignments, and equip them with
the skills and strategies to meet the expectations.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
1. Identify and describe the distinctive features of academic writing
2. Distinguish between academic and non-academic writing

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Dr N. A. Agyeman (Coordinator), Prof E. K. Amuzu, Dr D. A. Odoi, Dr S. E. Jacobs-Quashie, Dr C. C. Asante, Mr S.
N. M. Allotey, Dr P. K. Adika, Dr K. Ofori, Mr P. Agordjor, Dr B. Akrong, Dr. A. Wornyo, Dr M. Ansre, Dr E. J.
Mandor, Dr S. Banini, Mr K. Adjei-Fobi, Dr M. Sadat, Mr I. Darko-Danquah, Ms H. S. Jibril, Mr B. Sam, Mrs. J.
Bannerman-Wood, Ms. E. Ellis, Mr Charles Arthur, Dr. A. E. Ayaawan, Mrs. I. Jones-Mensah, Mr Charles Arthur,
Dr R. Thompson, Dr G. Opoku.
Page 1 of 4
 3. Demonstrate awareness of academic reading skills
4. Identify the parts of a paragraph and its different patterns of development
5. Compose paragraphs using different methods or patterns of development
6. Write an academic essay
7. Demonstrate knowledge of a reference style
8. Explain plagiarism and master strategies to avoid it

Course Delivery:
Students are taught online via Sakai LMS in manageable groups. Each group meets twice a
week for a two-hour lecture per session. In addition, one hour tutorial is provided for each
group on Sakia Chatroom, Commons, and Forums. Students are expected to have registered
online for a group that suits their timetable in order to avoid clashes with their lecture/tutorial
times for other courses.

Plagiarism policy
The University of Ghana has a plagiarism policy which spells out the context in which a student
or faculty member may be accused of plagiarism and the sanctions thereof. Please visit the
University’s website for more information.

Assessment and Grading

Continuous Assessment (Assignments, Quizzes, Forums) 50%
Final Exam 50%

Grading Scale:
Refer to Undergraduate Handbook.

Reading List
Adika, G.S.K. (2011). Deviant usage and confusing words. Accra: Black Mask.
Cottrell, S. (2003). The study skills handbook. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Crème, P. & Lea, M.R. (2010). Writing at the university. Maidenhead: McGraw Hill.
Elbow, P. & Belanoff, P. (2000). A community of writers: A workshop course in writing. (3rd
Ed.) Boston: McGraw Hill.
Faigley, L. (2010). Writing: A guide for college and beyond. (2nd Ed.). New York: Longman.
Langan, J. (2007). Exploring writing: Sentences and paragraphs. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Langan, J. (2008). Ten steps to improving college reading skills. (5th Ed.). West Berlin (NJ):
Townsend Press.
Langan, J. & Winstanley, S. (2000). English skills with readings. Toronto: McGraw-Hill
Ryerson.
Langan, J. & Winstanley, S. (2003). College writing skills with readings. Toronto: McGraw-
Hill Ryerson.
Nukui, C. & Peace, M. (2015). Referencing and avoiding plagiarism. University of Reading:
Garnet Publishing.
Oshima, A. & Hogue, A. (2007). Introduction to academic writing. White Plains, NY: Pearson
Education.
Opoku-Agyeman, J.N. (1998). A handbook for writing skills. Accra: Ghana Universities
Press.
Smalley, R. (1995). Refining composition skills. New York: Heinle & Heinle.
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Dr N. A. Agyeman (Coordinator), Prof E. K. Amuzu, Dr D. A. Odoi, Dr S. E. Jacobs-Quashie, Dr C. C. Asante, Mr S.
N. M. Allotey, Dr P. K. Adika, Dr K. Ofori, Mr P. Agordjor, Dr B. Akrong, Dr. A. Wornyo, Dr M. Ansre, Dr E. J.
Mandor, Dr S. Banini, Mr K. Adjei-Fobi, Dr M. Sadat, Mr I. Darko-Danquah, Ms H. S. Jibril, Mr B. Sam, Mrs. J.
Bannerman-Wood, Ms. E. Ellis, Mr Charles Arthur, Dr. A. E. Ayaawan, Mrs. I. Jones-Mensah, Mr Charles Arthur,
Dr R. Thompson, Dr G. Opoku.
Page 2 of 4
Spatt, B. (1991). Writing from sources. (3rd Ed.) New York: St. Martin’s Press.
Wyrick, J. (2011). Steps to writing well. Wadsworth: Cengage Learning.

Required Text
Bailey, S. (2015). The essentials of academic writing for international students. London
& New York: Routledge.

Other Information
Students are to ensure that they have registered for their groups online. A student can belong
to only one group. The specific date for interim assessment will be announced in the course of
the semester.

Course Delivery Plan/Schedule

WEEK DATE TOPIC/ACTIVITY COMMENTS/

(2024) READINGS
Jan. 15-19 Registration: (Monday -Friday) Registration for
individual groups
based on finalized
departmental
schedules
1. Jan. 22-26 Lecture 1: General Introduction to Bailey (2015, pages
Academic Writing 3-8)

2. Jan. 29 – Lecture 2: Reading for Information: Skills Bailey (2015, pages

Feb. 2 and Strategies 9-18)
Scanning
Skimming
close reading
SQ3R
3. Feb. 5-9 Lecture 3: Paragraphing I Wyrick (2011, pages
a. Paragraph structure (Topic sentence; 50-69)
supporting sentences; topic closure)
b. Principles of paragraphing (Unity;
completeness; coherence)

4. Feb. 12-16 Lecture 4: Paragraphing II Wyrick (2011, pages

a. Introductions 50-69)
b. Conclusions

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Dr N. A. Agyeman (Coordinator), Prof E. K. Amuzu, Dr D. A. Odoi, Dr S. E. Jacobs-Quashie, Dr C. C. Asante, Mr S.
N. M. Allotey, Dr P. K. Adika, Dr K. Ofori, Mr P. Agordjor, Dr B. Akrong, Dr. A. Wornyo, Dr M. Ansre, Dr E. J.
Mandor, Dr S. Banini, Mr K. Adjei-Fobi, Dr M. Sadat, Mr I. Darko-Danquah, Ms H. S. Jibril, Mr B. Sam, Mrs. J.
Bannerman-Wood, Ms. E. Ellis, Mr Charles Arthur, Dr. A. E. Ayaawan, Mrs. I. Jones-Mensah, Mr Charles Arthur,
Dr R. Thompson, Dr G. Opoku.
Page 3 of 4
 5. Feb. 19-23 Lectures 5&6: Essay Structure Oshima and Hogue
a. Introduction (2007, pages 158-
b. Body (Developmental Paragraphs) 170)
c. Conclusion

6. Feb. 26- Lecture 7: Essay Writing I Bailey (2015, pages

Mar. 1 Planning the Essay: Terms and 40-47)
Directives for Essays/ Titles

Lecture 8: Essay Writing II Bailey (2015, pages

a. Students practise writing a full-length 105-114)
essay
b. Rewriting and proofreading

7. Mar. 4-8 Lecture 9: Academic style Bailey (2015, pages

a. Academic Vocabulary: Nouns, 117-127)
Adjectives, Verbs & Adverbs etc.
b. Sentences Langan (2007,
i. Sentence fragments pages, 163-208)
ii. Run-On sentences
iii. Sentence variety

8. Mar. 11-15 Lecture 10: Language Issues: Bailey (2015, pages

Tense and Punctuation 147-158)

9. Mar. 18-22 Lecture 11: General introduction to Nukui and Peace

referencing skills & Avoiding Plagiarism (2015, pages 2-10)

10. Mar. 25-29 Lecture 12: Revision: Overview of

semester’s work
REVISION WEEK

TBA END OF SEMESTER EXAMINATION

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Dr N. A. Agyeman (Coordinator), Prof E. K. Amuzu, Dr D. A. Odoi, Dr S. E. Jacobs-Quashie, Dr C. C. Asante, Mr S.
N. M. Allotey, Dr P. K. Adika, Dr K. Ofori, Mr P. Agordjor, Dr B. Akrong, Dr. A. Wornyo, Dr M. Ansre, Dr E. J.
Mandor, Dr S. Banini, Mr K. Adjei-Fobi, Dr M. Sadat, Mr I. Darko-Danquah, Ms H. S. Jibril, Mr B. Sam, Mrs. J.
Bannerman-Wood, Ms. E. Ellis, Mr Charles Arthur, Dr. A. E. Ayaawan, Mrs. I. Jones-Mensah, Mr Charles Arthur,
Dr R. Thompson, Dr G. Opoku.
Page 4 of 4