Semester 1

We will focus on a number of function, conventions and aspect of grammar common to academic writing (e.g. describing, classifying, comparing & contrasting, cause and effect, introductions, in-text citation, reporting results, conclusions, bibliographies etc.).

There will also be opportunities to relate the content to work in your own discipline.

Overview of the module

This module is intended for non-native speakers of English who wish to familiarise themselves with the conventions of academic writing and to practise some of the language that will be expected of them during their postgraduate studies.

The main aim is to prepare students for all the academic writing tasks that will be required during their studies. Students will become familiar with a number of reference sources and academic writing styles.

Aims of the module

The main aims of this unit are to:

. Introduce essential aspects of academic writing

. Introduce students to referencing methods and help students to avoid plagiarism

. Help students to build up argument in writing and  to comment on data

. Demonstrate  how to use impersonal language and own ‘voice’ when writing

. Give advice on writing introductions and conclusions

Student learning outcomes

Having successfully completed the unit, students will be aware of:

. Different genres and styles and use of formality for writing

. How to avoid plagiarism and use referencing methods

. How to build up arguments, and comment on data in writing

. How to include their own ‘voice’ when writing

. How to write introductions and conclusions.

 Learning and teaching methods

The sessions will run as a mixture of seminars and workshops. Students will be expected to participate actively and to produce some written work.

Assessment

This is not a credit bearing module. There is no formal assessment.

Further information can be found on English for Academic Purposes website:

http://www.southampton.ac.uk/ml/international/language_support/eap.page

We aim to equip you with the skills and strategies you need to think, read and write critically during your studies here.

There will also be opportunities to relate the content to work in your own discipline

Overview of the module

This module has been designed to meet the needs of international or overseas students who wish to broaden their study skills by incorporating critical thinking. The module aims to give you the ability to critically read, analyse and comment upon texts written by other people. It also aims to give you the ability to use these texts (written by others) to build your own arguments and become a critical writer. You will become more aware of  what ‘criticality’ is, in the academic sense of the word; be able to conduct basic critical analysis on a text and see how critically analysed source material can build new arguments.

Aims of the module

The main aims of this module are to:

. Develop an understanding of why critically examining knowledge claims is important

. Demonstrate a critical capacity to analyse and evaluate own and others’ beliefs and knowledge claims in a variety of contexts

. Understand the selective and interpretative nature of information (e.g. personal and ideological bias)

. Evaluate reasoning of different kinds

. Make interdisciplinary connections and synthesise information and arguments

. Generate your own arguments and alternatives

Student learning outcomes

Having successfully completed the unit, students will be aware of: 

. How to accurately assess the nature and strength of justification in arguments, even when measures are taken to disguise this

. The use of bias and persuasion in written, diagrammatic and numerical sources

. How to select and summarise arguments clearly and accurately and produce well developed or critical pieces of successful argumentation

. Processes used to evaluate evidence

. How arguments are reasoned and structured, both orally and in written form

. How to extract and synthesise key information from written and spoken sources.

 Learning and teaching methods

The sessions will run as a mixture of lectures and discussions. Students will be expected to participate actively and to produce some written work.

Assessment

This is non- credit bearing. There is no formal assessment for this module.

Further information about the English Academic Purposes can be found on website:

http://www.southampton.ac.uk/ml/international/language_support/eap.page

We will cover all the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Topics will include grammar, idioms and phrasal verbs, vocabulary development with particular reference to collocation, and different registers and genres.

There will also be opportunities to relate the content to your daily life in the UK.

Rational

This module will allow students to improve their listening, reading, writing, and speaking in English in a variety of contexts.  They will integrate the study of the four language skills with a wide use of vocabulary, and grammatical structures of the English language.

Module aims

. Improve their ability to demonstrate their use of English by doing various tasks at text and sentence level

. Improve their listening ability in terms of listening for gist and detail

. Build on the vocabulary that they already know and increase their range of expression

. Improve their reading skills so that they read more effectively

. Enable them to write more effectively

. Provide them with numerous opportunities to improve their speaking in discussions

. Increase their awareness to the appropriate use of English in different situations

Student learning outcomes

Having successfully completed the unit, they will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

. Different genres and styles for writing

. Different accents of English and wider use of general and idiomatic English

. Skills and strategies for more effective reading

. The appropriate use of English in various situations

. How to build up arguments when writing and speaking

. Strategies to help them understand a variety of accents

Learning and teaching methods

The sessions will run as a mixture of seminars, workshops and group work.

Students will be expected to prepare for classes (where necessary) and participate actively. 

Assessment

This is a not a credit bearing module. There is no formal assessment.

Further information about English for Academic Purposes can be found on website:

http://www.southampton.ac.uk/ml/international/language_support/eap.page

Good writing skills allow you to communicate your message clearly to a reader. We will focus on grammar, punctuation and sentence structure as these are key elements of written communication. 

There will also be opportunities to relate the content to work in your own discipline 

These sessions aim to enhance your awareness of how language and culture can affect communication, and  to improve your communication skills to be more effective when working with people from a range of backgrounds.

Upon completion of the course, you will have gained knowledge of what intercultural communication is and why it is important. Through the ideas and activities engaged with, you will become more self-aware of how your experiences have influenced the choices you make when interacting with others. You will also gain a greater understanding of what influences your perceptions of others, and how others could perceive your communicative choices. Overall, the two sessions aim to bring together awareness (e.g. knowledge of others, ideas and orientations), practice (enhancing intercultural communicative competence) and understanding (empathy, patience and tolerance).