Academic Writing and Self Reflection
Academic Writing and Self-reflection develops and empowers those thinking and monitoring skills in writing as a literacy skills essential to study at university. There is a particular focus on developing meta-cognitive skills, as well as the issues dealing with academic writing skills. This unit also introduces you to important learning strategies that enable you to engage fully in your academic studies. This unit introduces skills and strategies that will be further developed in Faculty of Education courses, and are available as an elective unit in other degree programs.
This unit is sequenced as follows:
- A focus on meta-cognitive strategies to study
- A focus on monitoring your written assignment
- A focus on promoting mentees’ professional development
- A focus on self-regulation and fostering independent learners
Learning Outcomes
| Week | Module / Topic | Other notes |
| 1 | -Uncover your skills, abilities and special talents -Choose a job objective | |
| 2 | -Learn the requirements of that job -List your relevant skills and abilities -Write one-Liners to demonstrate your skills | -Informational interviewing guide –List of action words to start one-Liners -Tips and examples for writing good one-Liners |
| 3 | -List your work history -List your education training -Summarise your key points | |
| 4 | -Assemble your resume -Produce a final one page resume | -Worksheets to assemble your resume -Examples of good resume |
| 5 | -Parts of an effective cover letter -Draft a cover letter -Sample cover letter | -highlight your skills or experiences that are most applicable to the job |
| 6 | Self-evaluation Reflecting on what you have learned | -one by one self-reflection session |
Perquisite:
We encourage students to complete Grammar Course before taking “Academic Writing Unit”.
Required texts
- Lecturer’s Handout
- Faigley, L. (2011). The little Penguin handbook. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Australia.
Teaching strategies/learning approaches specific to this unit
In this unit you will be introduced to a range of learning strategies that can improve your writing skills and your engagement with the university assignments that require good writing ability. This unit will focus on developing your confidence by improving your cognition and meta- cognition strategies. The unit will cover areas such as planning, self-monitoring, self-evaluation, and adopting attitudes that improve independent learning.
| Week | Module / Topic | Other notes |
| 1 | Outline of an academic writing | Brick, J. Chapter 2 + Teacher’s handout |
| 2 | Planning strategy for writing Preview List main ideas Assign indication for orders Note ideas | Brick, J. Chapters 3 & 4 + Teacher’s handout |
| 3 | Structuring and submitting assignment 1 | |
| 4 | Academic writing Paragraph structure Structuring an argument Referencing Part 3: Why Referencing and citation | Brick, J. Chapter 3 + Faigley, L. Chapter 9 + Teacher’s handout |
| 5 | Purpose and structure of an essay/Generating ideas Analysing question in an assignment Referencing Part 2: APA style | Brick, J. Chapters 10 & 14 Faigley, L. Chapter 8, 15 |
| 6 | Writing your introduction and body paragraphs Referencing Part 3: Incorporating sources | Brick, J. Chapter 14 Faigley, L. Chapters 3, 5, 10 & 13 + Teacher’s handout |
| 7 | Conclusion paragraph Referencing Part 4: Avoiding plagiarism | Brick, J. Chapter 11 Faigley, L. Chapter 4, 12 + Teacher’s handout |
| 8 | Structuring assignment 2 Editing and proofreading Voices in academic texts | Brick, J. Chapter 9,10 Faigley, L. Chapters 5, 18, 19, 20 |
| 9 | Developing cohesion and coherence in your essay Incorporating feedback from assignment 2 | Brick, J. Chapter 17 Faigley, L. Chapter 6 |
| 10 | Developing cohesion Structuring assignment 3 | Brick, J. Chapters 18 & 19 Faigley, L. Chapter 21, 36 |
| 11 | Individualised self-monitoring strategy Monitoring Strategy Revision, editing and proofreading | Brick, J. Chapter 20 Faigley, L. Chapter 4 & Part 5 and/or Part 6 as suited to your personal writing needs |
| 12 | Self-evaluation Reflecting on what you have learned and applications to your future university written assignments |
Course Fee:
Course Fee: 24 hours
1680 AED