Academic Discourse

Timetable

Meetings take place:

• Mondays (from 9 October 2023)
• 13:15-14:45
• Collegium Heliodori Swiecicki, 6 Grunwaldzka Street, Poznan
• Faculty of English, Room 153 (info updated 2023-10-11)

Module aim (aims)

The course is aimed at graduate students (of English-language humanities subjects, especially) working on diploma papers (e.g. MA theses) or research articles in English, and/or preparing research-based academic presentations. We revise academic text / discourse organisation, logic, rhetoric and language, develop / enhance students’ ability to integrate sources into their argument, explore methodological descriptions, describe and discuss research findings, practise introducing and concluding – in the context of the students’ ongoing MA research projects. In doing so, we propagate and practise the use of ‘proper’ academic vocabulary and style – in both writing and speech (presenting, discussing).

The specific prioritised aims of the module are:

1. Consolidation of the ability to build logical, convincing scholarly arguments (in compliance with the norms of Anglo-American academic / scientific prose), particularly in the context of the MA project work. Revision of selected excerpts of the MA text; drafting and revising of the MA abstract.

2. Preparation for public presentations and discussions of one's and others’ research. Delivery of a formal presentation of a chosen aspect of one's MA project in a quasi-conference setting including follow-up Q&A discussion - accompanied by peer-feedback and graded by the teacher.

3. Consolidation and refinement of the active use, in both writing and speech, of the English academic / scientific style and rhetoric, also in the context of disciplinary specialization.

4. Further improvement of academic editing skills to optimise presentation of content and maintain formal accuracy (based on the Faculty of English Stylesheet editing standard).

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

Knowledge of English at CEFR B2+ level. Candidates should be students actively involved in a research process towards, e.g., a diploma paper in English on a subject associated with humanities (e.g. literature, linguistics, applied linguistics, language teaching, culture studies).

Syllabus

(The list below is provisional. Some shifts and modifications are possible depending on the group’s needs.)

Week 1:	About the course. Introductions of your MA projects.
Week 2:	MA Outline presentations (1)
Week 3:	MA Outline presentations (2)
Week 4:	MA Abstracts (1)
Week 5:	MA Abstracts (2)
Week 6:	Discussion of selected MA Samples
Week 7:	Introduction to main MA research presentations
Week 8:	Detail slides - mini presentations (1)
Week 9:	Detail slides - mini presentations (2)
Week 10:	MA Sample Consultations (1)
Week 11:	MA Sample Consultations (2)
Week 12:	MA Presentations and Discussions (1)
Week 13:	MA Presentations and Discussions (2)
Week 14:	MA Presentations and Discussions (3)
Week 15:	MA Presentations and Discussions (4)

Reading list

The course will feature a dedicated Moodle page with proposed readings.

Some other recommended sources include:

Hyland, Ken. 2006. English for academic purposes: An advanced resource book. London: Routledge.

Macpherson, Robin. 2004. English for Academic Purposes. Warszawa: PWN.

Swales, John M. and Christine B. Feak. 2000. English in today's research world: A writing guide. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.

Swales, John M. and Christine B. Feak. 2004. Academic writing for graduate students: Essential tasks and skills (Second edition.) Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.

WWW resources:

Academic Phrasebank (https://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/) (An excellent collection of phrase patterns typically used by scientists to express various meanings, divided by function and sub-function. By Dr John Morley from the University of Manchester.)

Using English for Academic Purposes (UEfAP) (http://www.uefap.net/) (Andy Gillet's comprehensive website introducing EAP. Many useful lessons and exercises. UK-based.)

The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) (https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html) (US-based repository of recommendations and tasks for English writers, including academic writers.)