English Language Centre

Pre-masters Programme

ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES MODULE

[Module Code OLEC1002]
Module Description
The aim of this module is to improve your communicative English ability in an academic setting. You will
practise and develop your listening, speaking, reading and writing skills as well as improving your grammar,
vocabulary knowledge and pronunciation. This module will concentrate on the following specific areas:
Essay writing & critical thinking
Reading academic texts effectively
Academic discourse, syntax and lexis
Discussion & presentation skills
Examination techniques
Listening & note-taking skills.
Research methods
Educational Aims

To provide you with the necessary skills in reading and writing to be able to interpret and produce
recognisable academic discourse.
To provide you with skills and strategies required to identify and source reading and research texts
appropriately
To provide you with the necessary listening skills to follow lectures, seminars and small-group
teaching.
To develop your spoken English so that you can communicate effectively in a range of academic
contexts.
To develop your grammar and vocabulary, allowing you to express yourself with accuracy and
complexity in a range of contexts and on a range of topics.
To train you in approaching topics, issues and texts in a critical manner
To provide you with suitable skills for successful study, both in class and independently.
To provide you with the fundamental tools required for effective postgraduate research.

Learning outcomes
By the end of the Module you should:

Be better able to read and produce a range of academic genres on a range of appropriate topics;
Be aware of a range of reading strategies which will help you approach academic texts more
effectively;
Be more aware of typical conventions in academic reading and writing;
Know where to find suitable sources for your writing and know how to reference them suitably.
Be able to use grammar and vocabulary typical of academic discourse in a more accurate and more
complex manner;
Be able to read, think and write in a critical manner;
Be able to listen more effectively in English, in a range of situations and contexts, such as lectures,
seminars and small classes;

Be able to communicate better in a range of situations and contexts, such as seminars, tutorials and
informal communication with staff and peers;
Be more conversant with a range of study skills which will allow you to continue to study effectively,
both in-class and independently, after the end of the programme;
Have an awareness of key research methods and be able to carry out basic research project.

Reading and writing indicative syllabus

Term One
Week
1

Indicative content
Reading & Writing skills overview / needs analysis and diagnostic written test

In-text referencing conventions (guide); Incorporating sources: introduction to quoting, paraphrasing and
summarising and using thesauri effectively

Incorporating sources: summarising; Understanding and recognising plagiarism; Plagiarism awareness

task

4`

Analysing (actual) assignment questions / brainstorming; Library skills (using titles, contents page etc. to
select relevant material) Feedback on plagiarism awareness task

Planning / writing an outline; Reading around the topic / note-taking skills / expanding the outline
Paraphrase and parallelism when taking notes and writing outlines

Assignment format / essay structure (1); (discursive assignments and reports; Reading skills:
understanding text organisation (time / relationships between ideas)
READING WEEK

Paragraph structure (1): supporting main ideas (exemplification, detail etc.); Reading skills: identifying and
understanding main and supporting ideas.

Writing introductions; Writing bibliographies (guide); Writing thesis statements / topic sentences

Formative presentations (non-assessed)

10

Writing conclusions; Editing, proofreading and reviewing assignments; In-class progress checks

11

TBA

Term Two
Week
12

Indicative content
Reading skills (using example critiques): understanding a writers attitude and purpose / critical analysis;
thinking about audience etc.

13

Feedback on Term 1 formative assignments general areas for advice; Structure and elements of a
critique; Reading skills (using example critiques): recognising connotations, inference, cultural difference,
objectivity/subjectivity / critical analysis

14

Synthesising sources within a text; Distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant information in a text /
being concise and sticking to the point; Expressing caution (qualification)

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15

Editing, proofreading and reviewing assignments; Reading skills: scanning for detail / guessing unknown
vocabulary.

16

Writing discursive texts (distinguishing between fact and opinion); Reading comprehension under timed
conditions: time management;

17

Writing answers in reading tasks (expectations); Reading coursework task practice; Generic work on
critiques
READING WEEK

18

Writing comparison and contrast / cause and effect texts; Reading skills overview / practice

19

Summative presentations (assessed)

20

Writing (short) essays under timed conditions: time management etc

21

Mock exams

22

Writing (short) essays under timed conditions

Term Three
Week
23

Indicative content
Generic feedback on reading and writing mock exams

24

Writing descriptive / process texts; Reading skills (using descriptive / process texts)
Grammar / vocabulary structures review

25

Summative presentations (assessed)

26

Overview of writing skills Overview of reading skills Grammar / vocabulary structures revision

27 & 28
FINAL EXAMINATIONS
Texts will predominantly follow the topics covered in the Culture, Theory and Society module.
The timing of these classes is intended to support the requirements of assessment, although not all topics will necessarily
be covered in the classes allocated here.

Page 3

Listening and speaking indicative syllabus

Term One
Week
1

Indicative content
Listening and speaking skills overview / needs analysis / strategies for skills development (hand out
listening / speaking syllabus / programme overview)

Listening and note-taking skills (1): lecture structure, sequencing and styles

Participating in discussion (1): expressing opinion, agreement and disagreement / pronunciation /

strategies for skills development

Listening and note-taking skills (2): listening for main points and details / note-taking styles and skills

Participating in discussion (2): giving explanations / making suggestions / pronunciation / strategies for
skills development

Listening and note-taking / summarising skills (3): recognising forward and backward reference /
recognising sequence markers / identifying relevance / summary writing
READING WEEK

Presentation skills (1): features of effective presentations / distinguishing between good and bad
presentations (students work towards group PowerPoint presentations for next week)

Presentation skills (2): structuring and introducing presentations / moving between sections / language
/ pronunciation

Formative presentations (non-assessed)

10

TBA

11

Presentation skills review

Term Two
Week
12

Indicative content
Listening and note-taking / summarising skills (4): identifying expansion of points and arguments
through exemplification and explanation / summary writing*

13

Participating in discussion (3): interrupting / questioning / pronunciation / strategies for skills

development*

14

Group presentations (video-ed) (2): applying acquired presentation skills and giving and receiving
peer/teacher feedback on presentations*

15

Presentation skills (3): managing timing / giving the right amount of support and detail / effective visual
aids & handouts*

16

Presentation skills (4): delivery (emphasis and phrasing) / making it interesting / body language /
referring to visual aids*

17

Listening coursework task practice (question / answer format etc.) / Listening and writing responses
under timed conditions: applying skills for effective listening (identifying main ideas and relevant
information / listening for markers, emphasis etc.)*
READING WEEK

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18

TBA

19

Summative presentations (assessed)

20

Generic listening practice task / presentation practice (1)*

21

Mock exams

22

TBA

Term Three
Week
23

Indicative content
Listening and note-taking / summarising skills (5): identifying recycling of information through
reformulation, repetition and summary / summary writing*

24

Presentation skills (5): concluding / dealing effectively with questions / language / pronunciation and
intonation*

25

Summative presentations (assessed)

26

Review of listening and presentation skills, and exam practice

27 & 28
FINAL EXAMINATIONS
Texts will predominantly follow the topics covered in the Culture, Theory and Society module.
The timing of these classes is intended to support the requirements of assessment, although not all topics will necessarily
be covered in the classes allocated here.

Page 5

Discourse, syntax and lexis indicative syllabus

Term One
Week
1

Indicative content
Overview of academic discourse, syntax and lexis. What are these terms? How do they relate? Why
are they important?

Developing cohesion and coherence in an essay (1): anaphoric, cataphoric and exophoric referencing

Formality and style in academic writing (1): nominalisation & noun clauses

Formality and style in academic writing (2): reporting verbs

Developing cohesion and coherence in an essay (2): lexical referencing

Formality and style in academic writing (3): passive voice,

READING WEEK
7

Formality and style in academic writing (4): relative clauses

Developing cohesion and coherence in an essay (3): signposting

Formality and style in academic writing (5): hedging

10

Formality and style in academic writing (6): sentence adverbs

11

Developing cohesion and coherence in an essay (4): TBA

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Research methods indicative syllabus

Term Two
Week
12

Indicative content
The importance of research. Research across disciplines, with particular reference to the Social
Sciences

13

Basic distinctions: positivism, constructionism and interpretivism

14

Qualitative and quantitative methods

15

Application (1) using questionnaires. Running tools and writing up findings

16
17

Application (2) using semi-structured interviews. Running tools and writing up findings

READING WEEK
18
19
20
21
22

Term Three
Week
23

Indicative content

24
25

Summative presentations (assessed)

26
27 & 28
FINAL EXAMINATIONS

Page 7