CJVA101 Academic English with a Focus on Writing

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2018
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 2 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Colin Kimbrell, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Dana Plíšková (assistant)
Mgr. et Mgr. Petra Zapletalová, Ph.D. (assistant)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Colin Kimbrell, Ph.D.
Language Centre Faculty of Social Studies Division – Language Centre
Contact Person: Mgr. Dana Plíšková
Supplier department: Language Centre Faculty of Social Studies Division – Language Centre
Timetable of Seminar Groups
CJVA101/01: Mon 14:00–15:40 U44, C. Kimbrell
CJVA101/02: Tue 14:00–15:40 U44, C. Kimbrell
CJVA101/03: No timetable has been entered into IS. C. Kimbrell
CJVA101/04: No timetable has been entered into IS. D. Plíšková
Prerequisites
((FAKULTA(1423) && TYP_STUDIA(BMN)) || (OBOR(MUSFSS))) && (PdF:ADAPT_AJ Adaptive Test Aj || ADAPT_B2 Adaptive Test B2) && (!NOWANY(CJVA102 Academic English with a Focus on Presentations, CJVA104 Academic English))
Passing PdF:ADAPT_AJ Adaptivní test Aj with the result indicating that you are on the B1 level or higher (https://is.muni.cz/auth/el/1441/podzim2018/ADAPT_AJ/index.qwarp)
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
The capacity limit for the course is 60 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/60, only registered: 0/60, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/60
Abstract
In this course, students analyse characteristics of written and spoken academic texts, develop awareness of academic culture and learn to avoid plagiarism. From group discussions to presentations and paraphrasing texts, the students are presented with a wealth of practice opportunities to enhance all academic skills.
Particular attention is paid to writing: by the end of the course, students should be able to produce academic texts at upper-intermediate level of appropriate quality in terms of both style and structure. With regard to speaking, they should be able to give semi-formal and formal presentations to different audiences on both concrete and abstract topics.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to: • - summarize large academic texts, identifying their main points; • - present the summary coherently; • - produce academic texts at upper-intermediate level of appropriate quality in terms of the language, style and structure • - give semi-formal and formal presentations to different audiences on both concrete and abstract topics; • - use effective reading strategies to process and analyze academic texts from their field of study; • - use effective listening strategies to process and analyze academic lectures and presentations from their field of study.
Key topics
  • The characteristics of academic writing
  • Paragraph structure, topic sentences
  • Sentence connectors
  • Signposting language in presentations
  • Paraphrasing
  • Summarizing
  • Structuring research articles and abstracts
  • Presenting results
  • Argumentation
  • Academic debates
  • Formal and informal register
  • Writing the position paper
Study resources and literature
  • HEWINGS, Martin and Craig THAINE. Cambridge academic English : an integrated skills course for EAP. Edited by Michael McCarthy. First published. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012, 176 stran. ISBN 9780521165242. info
  • HEWINGS, Martin. Cambridge academic English : an integrated skills course for EAP : student's book : upper intermediate. Edited by Michael McCarthy. First published. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012, 176 stran. ISBN 9780521165204. info
  • ŠTĚPÁNEK, Libor; Janice DE HAAFF; Alena HRADILOVÁ and David SCHÜLLER. Academic English – Akademická angličtina: Průvodce anglickým jazykem pro studenty, akademiky a vědce (Academic English: a guide for students, academics and scientists). Praha: Grada, 2011, 224 pp. ISBN 978-80-247-3577-1. info
  • MCCARTHY, Michael and Felicity O'DELL. Academic vocabulary in use. First published. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008, 176 stran. ISBN 9780521689397. info
Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
student-centered and interactive activities: debates; discussions; online work; individual work; presentations; planning, drafting and editing written texts
Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements
1) Active participation at 70% of the lessons during the semester
2) Continuous homework preparation for classes with five smaller written assignments which are graded (35 points)
3) (to be handed in seven days ahead of the exam date for which a student has signed up) A position paper consisting of a summary and critique of a research article (30 points)
4) (to take place in the exam period) Giving a 3-4 minute academic presentation of the research article followed by an interactive discussion (25 points)
5) (to be taken in the last week of the teaching part of the semester or during the exam period) A summary of a segment of a lecture (15 points)
Language of instruction
English
Teacher's information
It is possible to opt for the two-credit option (see the assessment criteria). In that case, notify the teacher at the start of the semester.

INFORMACE O KONCEPCI KURZŮ AKADEMICKÉ ANGLIČTINY CJVA101-104:
Studenti si mohou zapsat libovolnou ze čtyř alternativ akademické angličtiny (AA), tj. CJVA101, CJVA102, CJVA103 nebo CJVA104. Všechny čtyři předměty jsou zakončeny zkouškou na úrovni B2 umožňující studentům splnit si minimální jazykovou kompetenci potřebnou pro přístup ke státnicím. Ve všech čtyřech předmětech jsou zastoupeny všechny čtyři jazykové dovednosti – listening, reading, speaking a writing.
Rozhodnutí studenta, do kterého předmětu AA se zapíše, by mělo být motivováno tím, kde cítí největší slabiny, popř. kde je nejvíce motivován se dále rozvíjet.
Samotné hodnocení v konkrétním předmětu AA pak odráží jeho zaměření: např. v CJVA101 získává student celkem 35 procent bodů za úkoly postihující schopnost akademického psaní, zatímco „speaking“ má váhu 25 bodů; obdobně v CJVA102 získává student 35 procent bodů za úkoly odrážející schopnost vyjadřování a prezentace v akademickém kontextu, zatímco „writing“ je ohodnocen „pouze“ dvaceti procenty celkové známky.

Studentům, kterým nebude umožněn přístup do kurzu z důvodu nízkého počtu bodů v ADAPT_AJ testu, je doporučeno zapsat si za účelem zlepšení angličtiny předmět AJ91010 Angličtina pro neanglisty vyučovaný na KAA FF a pokusit se o absolvování ADAPT_AJ testu příští semestr.
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught each semester.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2016, Spring 2017, Autumn 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Autumn 2019, Spring 2020, Autumn 2020, Spring 2021, Autumn 2021, Spring 2022, Autumn 2022, Spring 2023, Autumn 2023, Spring 2024, Autumn 2024, Spring 2025, Autumn 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2018, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2018/CJVA101