Institute of Business Administration Karachi English Grammar and Composition Course Outline Course Instructors: Maria Hasan BBA I, Spring 2012 Course Description: Writing is an essential component of higher education experience. Most of the courses taught at undergraduate level use written work of students as a major pedagogical and assessment tool. In the given context it is pertinent that students writing skills are enhanced in order to meet the higher education standards. This introductory course covers all the key writing skills in a comprehensive, step by step approach. It is premised on utilizing the process approach to writing with a comprehensive focus on correctness guided by communicative competence. Students are also given an overview of critical reading and are exposed to different kinds of writing. The students are required to be extensively involved in reading and writing in class as well as at home. Course Objectives: This course aims to enable students to improve their writing skills especially in genres that are meant for persuasion and information. It enables students to compose coherent and focused written texts that convey a well-defined perspective on a wide array of topics. Efforts are made to polish learners recognition of the stylistic and structural techniques used to shape their writings and their sensitivity to the nuances of word choice. It tries to encourage thoughtful, active, and critical reading and discussion. The course is designed to inculcate the concept of learner autonomy among students and make them realize that writing is a recursive process which requires learners to revisit their work. Methodology: The course instruction is guided by communicative and task based methods of language learning and aimed at addressing the problems arising due to large class size. The students are provided with a stimulating activity-based learning environment that offers opportunities for improving communication skills employing critical thinking and fostering analytical abilities. The students are made aware of the importance of collaboration by engaging in group work. The written tasks will be subjected to both peer and teacher evaluation to give maximum feedback to each student. ~ 1 ~
Writing Portfolio: A portfolio is a collection of students work. It showcases what they have learnt during the semester and demonstrates how far they have achieved the aims and objectives of the course. You will keep a record of the various writing tasks given throughout the course in a ring binder, which you are required to bring to every class. You may add samples of other work that you did (either individually or in groups) that you think helped you in achieving some of the objectives of this course. However, this work must be put in a separate section marked Extra Work and also contain a brief rationale for selection. This additional effort might earn you additional marks. You will be given a contents page to put in the file, which must be regularly updated. You must also keep a stack of free pages handy for your class work. Three will be three mandatory one-on-one tutorial sessions for each student, in which you will bring your portfolios. In this way the portfolio would provide valuable ongoing formative assessment of your work. In addition to these mandatory session, you are encouraged to consult your respective tutors for any relevant academic concern during their office hours. Reading Assignment: The reading assignment aims to inculcate the dying habit of extensive reading and broaden students perspectives, and develop analytical skills. Each student will be assigned a book to read at the beginning of the course. Students would be required to demonstrate their knowledge of the assigned book in a book club discussion. Each student would be required to speak for five (5) minutes on a randomly assigned aspect of the novel, followed by 10 min Q & A session. You are advised to read the book before the second term exam. Books once assigned would not be changed. The books are: 1. The Diary of Ann Frank 2. Our Lady of Alice Bhatti Muhammad Hanif 3. Banker to the Poor Muhammad yunus 4. The Reluctant Fundamentalist Mohsin Hamid Term Paper Term paper is an assessed component of the course that requires you to write an academic essay on a given theme. The word range for the paper would be 1200-1500. The assessment criteria comprise use of referencing, diction & style, novelty of ideas, logical progression and research base. Submission : You are required to submit an Outline, first draft and the final draft according to the given schedule. All the submissions would be done through the CR. You should attach outline while submitting the first draft and both the previous documents with the final draft. Final drafts only would not be accepted. ~ 2 ~
Outline: 15 th Feb 2012 Draft 1 : 17 th March, 2012 Final Draft : 28 th April 2012 Code of Conduct For every teaching session, you are required to: reach in time. carry essential stationery items needed for writing. bring an English daily of the previous day. have a ring binder for keeping your session writings. Sessions Topics 1 Introduction Methodology Course Contents Syllabus Negotiations 2 Avoiding Plagiarism Referencing Paraphrasing sentences Quoting appropriately Using and documenting sources 3-4 Active Reading and Writing Response Paper 5-6 Comparison of Different Genres of Writing Letters, poems, short story, jokes, research article, advertisements Differences in purposes, audience, tone, language, style and effects 7-9 The Writing Process Stages of the writing process View of the situation, reader, subject and purpose Finding and selecting ideas Looking for subjects and exploring for topics Making a plan Outlining Getting and using information Drafts and revision 10-11 Effective Language Qualities of good diction Common expression problems Using gender inclusive language Figurative language ~ 3 ~
12-13 Summary Writing Elements of a summary Summarizing various genres 14-15 Elements of Writing Introduction to academic writing Dealing with exam questions Structure of essays 16-19 Different Patterns of Development I Narration Description Definition Illustration 20-22 Different Patterns of Development II Classification Comparison Causal Analysis Persuasion 23-24 Creative Writing : Advertisements, Skits/ Playlets 25-26 Guest Speaker 27-28 Review Extra sessions for Book Club Course Material Students Handbook Essential Reading 1. The St. Martin s Guide to Writing by Rise B. Axelrod and Charles R. Cooper. 9 th Edition 2010 2. From Idea to Essay by Rise Mc. Cuen Metherell. 12 th Edition 2009 3. Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students by Stephen Bailey. 2007 Recommended Readings: 1. English Grammar Composition and Effective Business Communication by M.A. Pink and S. E. Thomas. 12 th Edition. 2004 2. Murphy s English Grammar with answers by Raymond Murphy. 3 rd Edition ~ 4 ~
Magazines: Harvard Business Review Fortune The Economist Readers Digest Grading Plan: Portfolio 20 Marks Term paper (Argumentative Essay) 10 Marks Reading Assignment 10 Marks Term Examinations (Term 1 & Term 2 15 marks each) 30Marks Final Examination 30 Marks Total 100 Marks ~ 5 ~