Seminar 1

Introduction to Academic English:

Essence and Importance
Agenda
Part 1 The essence of Academic English

Part 2 Introduction to Teaching Calendar

Introduction to In-class test and CW 1

Part 3 Assessment criteria

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ICE BREAKING ACTIVITY

Taken from [Link]

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Discuss the questions

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 Typical Features of Academic English
• Precision, clarity and sentence structure easy to understand
• Terminology closely connected with a particular scientific discipline
• Sub-technical vocabulary (common to academic writing)
• Words of Latin and Greek origin
• No words/phrases common in informal English
• Full forms of words instead of contracted forms
• Limited use of phrasal verbs, use of formal and prepositional verbs
• Less usual prepositions (e.g., versus, apropos, anti, cum, via etc.)
• Passive and Infinitive constructions
• Constructions expressing cause/reason, result/effect, purpose, contrast, similarity
• Hedging, i.e., use of modal verbs (may, might, could, would … ) and some other words and phrases to
avoid a definite statement
• Appropriate punctuation, i.e., use of commas, colons, semicolons, inverted commas.

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Avoid:

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 Avoid:
• Abbreviations
e.g., ads - advertisements
assoc - association
i.e. - that is/for instance
• Contractions
e.g., doesn’t - does not
won’t - will not
wasn’t - was not
• Starting sentences with
• And
• But
• Yet
• Or
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Part 2 Introduction to In-class test

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 Pre-listening

1. What is franchising?

2. Can you think of any businesses

that are run as franchises?

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 Listening

Listen to the recording and take notes.

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 Comprehension questions
1. What is the part 1 lecture mainly about?
A) It defines ups and downs of the franchising
B) It provides definition to the franchising
C) It explains benefits and drawbacks of franchising
D) It talks about franchising in terms of why, what and how.

2. Identify the three sections which have been covered in the listening and put them in correct order.
A) a definition of franchising
B) examples of successful franchises
C) one reason for setting up a franchise business
D) how franchising works
E) the types of business that are suitable for franchising

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3. What may you need in order to develop a small or medium-sized enterprise? Choose three
right answers.
[Link] amounts of capital
[Link] experience in business
[Link] reorganize your business
[Link] bring new skills into the management team

4. What example of such a business is given? Short answer.

_____________

5. Which of these statements are true or false according to the recording?

[Link] your business can be very risky.
[Link] your business can minimize the risks involved in its expansion.
[Link] your business can be very profitable.

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In-class test: Summarizing Listening 20%
This assessment is a computer-based in-class test happening in mid-October.

Follow the guidelines below:

[Link] an active part in seminars to improve your academic listening skill and
practice listening activities which will prepare you for the in-class test.
[Link] in the seminars and develop your note-taking skill.
[Link] for general and specific information.
[Link] your listening comprehension by completing multiple choice, gap
filling, short response, inferencing and other question types.
[Link] academic writing features (e.g., argumentation, referencing and formal
vocabulary) while answering the test questions.
[Link] in-class mock tests to evaluate your listening comprehension and
level of preparedness for the in-class test.

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 Summary Response Essay
• Summary literally means – Brief / Concise Paraphrase
• The word Response literally means - Assessment / Evaluation

•A summary response essay summarizes and responds to an author's

argument on a particular subject or issue. Firstly, this requires careful, faithful
explanation of what the author is actually saying in the “summary” part of your
essay, even if you disagree with their premise, chain of evidence, argument, or
conclusion ...

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Coursework 1: a) Summary Response Essay

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Coursework 1: b) Reflection
Write a 400-450 word reflection on how you worked completing Academic English
assessments tasks during the semester.
The following questions may guide you in writing your reflection.
[Link] you describe the process of developing your academic listening and summary
response writing?
[Link] did you learn from the process of preparing for your in-class test and summary
response writing?
[Link] were the challenges you have experienced before and during the in-class test
and writing your summary response?
[Link] helpful was the feedback from your lecturer for improving your academic
listening/summary response writing?
[Link] was more important/interesting/useful/positive/negative/relevant in writing your
assessment tasks? Why do you think so?
[Link] did you learn from this experience during the first semester?

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Part 3 Assessment criteria

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 Summary-response of reading 50%
80+% 50-59% 30-39%
The response presents an outstanding The response contains some relevant information The response presents some relevant information
summary of information from the reading from the reading passage. Connection of the from the reading passage but is marked by
passage. The writer’s coherent and accurate important ideas given in the reading summary is significant omission or inaccuracy of important
presentation of selected information in relation good. Key points made in the reading are to some ideas. Connection of points is weak. The
to the information in the reading is extent complete and accurate. response misrepresents the overall points made
outstanding. A response is occasionally focused. Ideas are in the reading. The response has a poor focus.
The response is masterly organized. mostly relevant in the introduction, body and There is a lack of clear structure. Some parts are
Introduction, body and conclusion are conclusion. missing. Few relevant ideas are presented. The
outstanding. Masterly supported ideas are The organization is evident but more cohesion is response is occasionally impossible to follow.
presented in an excellent logical flow. Writer’s needed. Writer’s position is not clear and poorly supported
position is excellently presented and Writer’s position is clear. It is supported by by evidence from sources. There is inappropriate
supported by evidence from source(s). evidence from source(s). Quotations are paraphrasing. Sources are rarely relevant/reliable.
Quotations are masterly chosen and appropriately chosen and incorporated into the There is little evidence of academic writing style.
excellently incorporated into text. text. Paraphrasing and sources are more relevant. There is a poor use of appropriate vocabulary.
Paraphrasing is exceptional. All sources are There is an appropriate use of academic writing Frequent errors in grammar, sentence structure,
relevant and reliable. There is an outstanding style. The use of vocabulary is appropriate. There punctuation and spelling mostly prevent
use of the academic writing style. Appropriate are occasional inaccuracies in grammar, sentence communication. The piece might be under the
vocabulary is excellently used. There are no structure, spelling, and punctuation. Minor errors word limit. There are clear examples of plagiarism.
mistakes in grammar, sentence structure, sometimes prevent communication.
punctuation and spelling.

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 Reflection 30%
80+% 50-59% 30-39%
The writing demonstrates an The writing demonstrates a good ability The writing demonstrates a poor ability
outstanding ability to reflect. A to reflect. An appropriate demonstration to reflect. A limited demonstration of
masterly demonstration of the ability of the ability to describe. An appropriate the ability to describe. A limited
to describe. A masterly demonstration of the ability to interpret. demonstration of the ability to interpret.
demonstration of the ability to An appropriate demonstration of the A limited demonstration of the ability to
interpret. A masterly demonstration ability to present an outcome. All parts present an outcome. Most part of the
of the ability to present an outcome. are presented. The organization of reflective writing is missing.
Organization of ideas and ideas and paragraphing is proper. Organization of ideas and paragraphing
paragraphing are excellent. There is There is an appropriate use of neural is poor. There is little evidence of
an outstanding use of neutral writing style. The use of reflective neutral writing style. There is a poor
writing style. Appropriate reflective vocabulary is appropriate. There are use of reflective vocabulary. Frequent
vocabulary is excellently used. occasional inaccuracies in grammar, errors in grammar, punctuation and
There are no mistakes in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Minor errors spelling mostly prevent communication.
punctuation and spelling. sometimes prevent communication. The piece might be under the word
limit. There are clear examples of
plagiarism.
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 Reference List and Presentation 20%
80+% 50-59% 30-39%

The sources are masterly There might be occasional The sources are poorly referenced
acknowledged and referenced problems with acknowledgment of and acknowledged. The
according to the conventions of sources according to the presentation is poor. There are
Westminster Harvard Style for conventions of Westminster serious problems with formatting.
Referencing. The coursework is Harvard Style for Referencing. There is no page numbering. A
excellently presented with Acceptable overall presentation. different template is used. Few
appropriate formatting (font, font There are occasional problems with conventions are followed.
size and spacing), and page formatting. Usually conventions are
numbering. All conventions are followed.
followed.

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Homework
• Download the seminar materials, PowerPoint presentation, coursework description
available on LMS and study them at home.

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