Course Description
This course is designed to instruct students and help them develop the core writing, reading, and communication skills needed for success in scientific and technical fields at the university level. The course emphasizes clarity, structure, and accuracy in English, focusing on effective ways to present information, explain technical ideas, and support academic integrity. Students will strengthen their understanding of grammar and mechanics, while also exploring university learning goals and ethical principles that guide scholarly communication.
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate proficiency in academic writing in scientific and technical contexts.
- Communicate complex information effectively in multiple formats.
- Comprehend writing as a process involving multiple stages for the development of the final text.
- Create organized, readable works for a variety of situations and audiences.
- Employ appropriate grammar, spelling, and tone for an academic audience.
Required Texts
- Graff, G. & Birkenstein, C. (2024). They say, I say: The moves that matter in academic writing. W.W. Norton & Company, Ltd.
- Hall, B. & Wallace, E. (2018). College ESL writers: Applied grammar and composing strategies for success. English Open Textbooks. Link.
- Juyal, D., Thawani, V., & Thaledi, S. (2015). Plagiarism: An egregious form of misconduct.North American Journal of Medical Science, 7(2), 77 – 80.
- Morleym J. (2023). Academic Phrasebank. The University of Manchester. Link.
- Rhetoric and Composition . (2023, July 5). Link.
- Tijerina, T., Powell, T., Arnett, J., & Logan, M. (2020). Open technical communication (4th edition). Affordable Learning Georgia.
Course Schedule
Annoucements
Assignment List and Grade Breakdown
| Assignment | Total Points | Percentage of Grade |
| University Goals Response | 30 | 6% |
| Ethical Code Summary & Presentation | 70 | 14% |
| Brainstorming your topic | 50 | 10% |
| Topic Selection & References | 70 | 14% |
| Paper Outline | 80 | 16% |
| Paper Outline #2 | 90 | 18% |
| Final Paper & Presentation | 110 | 22% |
Professor Karen Sichler 