Course information

Title

Academic Composition

Lecturer

Daniel Nyikos

Course code

(AcComposition) YSE_BTK-011 – BA seminar

Credit

2

Location

Time

Course description

Short description

The primary aim of the course is to help you make the transition from writing short, well-structured informal texts to writing longer, academically oriented argumentative texts. The second aim of the course is to familiarize you with the habit of handling texts by others, make you look for and reproduce arguments. Also, you will be introduced to specific elements of vocabulary and grammar usually applied in argumentative texts. For this, you will be provided samples of academic writing following the topics of the course. Over the course, we are going to learn the process of academic writing by researching, outlining, drafting and rewriting a 1,500 word argumentative essay using academic texts and citations.

Schedule

Week 1 Introductions, syllabus. Write me a letter introducing yourself as a writer

Week 2 Academic source selection Brainstorm Paper topics Find 3-4 articles for your final paper showing contrasting perspectives on your topic

Week 3 Citations and Avoiding Plagiarism: in-text and references Confirm topics

References video Write 1 page of notes for first 2 articles, including the author’s thesis and paraphrasing/quoting key passages with page numbers (5% total for both)

Week 4 No class: Individual meetings with me Write 1 page of notes for second two articles

Week 5 How to write an effective outline: Thesis, structure and citations Write 3-page Outline draft 1 (5% grade)

Week 6 Appropriate sources, use of sources, logical arguments, clear thesis Write Second outline (10%)

Week 7 Revise outline

Week 8 No Class: Individual meetings with me Write outline 3, begin paper draft 1

Week 9 Citations, using sources, and plagiarism Paper draft 1 due next week (25%)

Week 10 Review citations, style and grammar points

Week 11 No Class: work week Work on paper/presentations (10%)

Week 12 Individual meetings about final presentations Work on paper/presentation

Week 13 No Class: work week Work on paper/presentation

Week 14 Final presentations

Week 15 Final presentations and discussion

Semester

Fall 2018

Requirements

Requirements to get the grade

source analysis in meeting 5%

Outline draft 1: 15%

Outline draft 2: 15%

First paper draft: 25%

Final paper: 40%

Reading list

none

Suggested reading list

none