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HU Credits:
2
Degree/Cycle:
Responsible Department:
English as a Foreign Language
Semester:
2nd Semester
Teaching Languages:
English
Campus:
E. Safra
Course/Module Coordinator:
Dr. Tanya Sermer
Coordinator Office Hours:
By appointment
Teaching Staff:
Dr. Tanya Sermer
Course/Module description:
Course in academic writing in English for doctoral students in mathematics, designed specifically for the work that students are expected to submit to the department. This may include research proposals, doctoral dissertations, and articles intended for publication. The course is designed to address issues relevant to these genres, and most assignments come from the students’ own research and writing. The course focuses on linguistic, stylistic, and analytical challenges faced by students conducting research in mathematics.
Course/Module aims:
• To acquire the skills and knowledge for producing various genres of academic writing and publication in science disciplines;
• To lay the foundations for further English writing development, beyond the scope of the course.
Learning outcomes - On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
• Apply the rules and principles of English language in their academic writing, with self-awareness and self-critique;
• Take advantage of the English language to communicate in writing, while adapting and tailoring their writing to their purpose and audience.
Attendance requirements(%):
100% Students must notify the instructor of absences.
Teaching arrangement and method of instruction:
Study of language modules; presentation of central principles enriched by class discussion and immediate implementation; peer assessment and self-editing; work on individual doctoral projects.
Course/Module Content:
1. Mechanics and Techniques of Academic English
- expanding vocabulary;
- phrasing;
- paragraph and sentence structure;
- improving the clarity, strength, and succinctness of writing;
- proper choice and definition of terminology (including terminology not originally in English);
- hedging language;
- common verb tenses in academic writing;
- conventions of passive and active voices;
- incorporating technical terminology, symbols, and formulas into texts.
2. Structure, Style, and Purpose
Parts of academic articles and dissertations:
- introduction, literature review, theoretical and conceptual frameworks, methodology, findings, analysis, and discussion;
- the contents, goals, focus, typical vocabulary, phrases, and verb tenses of each;
- establishing the conventions of each as well as identifying possibilities for choice, adaptation, and creativity;
- differences in structures and stylistic conventions typical of specific genres of academic writing, such as abstracts, conference papers, journal articles, dissertations, books.
How to deal with sources:
- the ways in which citation affects writing and intellectual activity;
- quotation and paraphrase;
- author-prominent and research-prominent statements;
- techniques of citation and reference (quotes and sources both in English and other languages).
Using a variety of sources, we also explore:
- purpose and goals of writing;
- telling scholarly narratives;
- audience and market;
- authorial voice, tone, and register;
- writing based on reader expectations;
- how to make titles and texts engaging and creative;
- how to structure texts that both suit the uniqueness of the research and meet expectations of advisors and publishers;
- how to write for varying audiences.
3. Scholarly Thinking about Writing: On the highest level, we read and discuss materials from scholars on the activity, philosophy, and politics of writing.
Student Output:
Students will have a number of writing assignments throughout the semester. These assignments may include various parts of their writing and reflections on their work and process.
Required Reading:
Materials provided on Moodle
Additional Reading Material:
Grading Scheme :
Other 100 %
Additional information:
Course Evaluation:
All course assignments must be submitted during the semester, until the last day of class. Every assignment will be marked complete/incomplete. The course grade will constitute a sum of all completed work.
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