ST.
PAUL’S UNIVERSITY
Course Name ACADEMIC WRITING AND INFORMATION
LITERACY
Course Code UCC 102
Semester JANUARY – APRIL 2024
Lecturer/Contacts DR. ANNE EBOI
Mode/Time REGULAR
Day of Week/Room/Campus TUESDAY; LIMURU
1. Course objectives
The purpose of this course is to help the student coherently and logically express themselves, in
writing, to an academic audience. Today’s student lives and works in a knowledge-based, hyper-
connected world. Although this is so, social communication and writing does not necessarily
translate to effective academic writing. Thus, as information users, students must be helped to
overcome inadequacies and frustrations from inability to search, analyze, synthesize, and use
information. Through this course, the student will develop analytical skills, learn to synthesize
multiple sources of information and advance coherent arguments. Lastly, the student will be
empowered to use and create scholarly knowledge.
2. Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, the learner should be able to:
Explain the research process; how information is organized, searched, and retrieved both
manually and online.
Plan, draft, and revise written tasks using correct sentence and paragraph structures.
Identify and develop researchable topics as well as evaluate the sources of information.
Use the recommended referencing style to cite sources of information.
Appropriately use citation software (Microsoft Word, Zotero, etc).
Enhance typing skills by speed, accuracy, and words per minute
Critically analyze, paraphrase and summarize written texts.
Articulate clear and logical arguments in writing.
Effectively prepare and disseminate the content of their research to appropriate academic
audiences via appropriate formats (PPT, online hosting, and presentation of printed text).
Explain the role of information literacy to society and the world.
Discuss Kenya copyright law; types of copyright infringements (plagiarism, piracy,
reproduction), and exemptions and limitations (importance, fair use, & issues).
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3. Detailed course content
Week Subject area Discussion topics
Week 1 Introductions Scholarly Communication
What is Academic Writing?
Who is an academic writer?
Types of academic audiences & contexts
Importance of deadlines and meeting
them
What is the Writing Process (Prewriting,
Writing, Revising, Editing, Proofreading)
Week 2 The Basic Structure of an The Basic Structure of an Academic Paper
Academic Paper Selecting a topic
Developing a title
Introduction
Thesis statement
Body
Conclusion
Other Sections of the Term Paper
Cover page
Preliminary pages
Line spacing
Page numbering
Appendices (What are they? How to use
them)
Week 3 Academic Style Guides What are style guides?
What is the APA style (basic)
What resources are available to you?
Week 4 Typing Skills (Basic) Learn how to type the standard way
Complete skills test (See Link below,
after the References)
CAT 1; Typing Test by Students (Instructions below)
Week 5 Information Literacy, Information Literacy, Library
Library and What is Information Literacy?
Information Search and Types of information
Retrieval Methods Information needs
Information sources (Primary, Secondary,
Tertiary, Scholarly, & Electronic)
How information is organized in libraries
(physical holdings / electronic databases)
Information Search and Retrieval Methods
Information search techniques: keyword,
Boolean, & truncation phrase
Information retrieval (manual / online)
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Week 5 Evaluation of Information Criteria of information evaluation
Sources Peer-reviewed journals
What are they?
Why use them?
How to evaluate and retrieve data
out of journals
Referencing (in-text citation & end of text
reference list)
Ethical and Legal Issues Plagiarism
to Use and Dissemination Definition
of Information Types of Plagiarism
Why do students Plagiarize?
How to guard against Plagiarism
Consequences of Plagiarism (to
self, academic community, and
society)
Intellectual property rights
Copyright law & infringement
Exemptions and limitations
CAT 2-LIBRARY Department
Week 6 Grammar Parts of Speech
Phrases and Clauses
Tenses
Punctuations
Spelling
Week 7 Technical Elements of Writing sentences
Writing Basic English sentence structure
Writing effective sentences
Basic structure of a paragraph
Thesis statements
Writing effective paragraphs
Week 8 Language of Academic Tone and tense
Writing Writer’s voice
Use of transitions
Commonly misused words
Week 9 Instructions will be provided by each lecturer CAT 3-BAC Department
Week 10 Required Reading Skills Reading effectively (Skills: Skimming,
scanning, & note-taking)
Reviewing written texts
Summarizing content
Meaning of the key instruction words
(such as explain, discuss, etc)
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Week 11 & How to Summarize
Selection of journal articles
12 Journal Articles
Reading process
Selection of content from journal articles
How to cite in text
Week 13 Adhering to Assignment
Tying it all together
Instructions
What instructions are there? (Format,
submission, deadline)
Always include references
Adhere to last 2 stages of the writing
process
Week 14 Final Assessment; Each semester the learners will be advised on the nature of
the assessment.
4. Teaching methodology
The course delivery will be largely through lectures and tutorials; demonstrations/practical
activities; and group work and presentations.
5. Instructional Materials
Computers/Laptop; Computer laboratory with adequate software (MS Word, Zotero, Endnote);
Internet Connectivity; Writing and Literacy Handbooks, Manuals and Style guides; Projector; and
Backboard/ Whiteboards and markers.
6. Course Assessment
The course will be assessed through two Continuous Assessment Tests (both Sit-in) as well as
one final assessment item (Term paper). The CATs will be 60% of the final mark while the Final
assessment item will be 40% of the final mark.
Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs) 60 marks
CAT 1 (20 marks) BACS CAT
CAT 2 (20 marks) Library Department CAT
CAT 3 (20 marks) BACS CAT
Final Assessment 40 marks Total 100 marks
7. Core texts and other readings
Core texts
Aliotta, M. (2018). Mastering academic wring it the sciences: Step by step guide, A. Boca Raton, FL:
Taylor & Francis.
APA style manual, 7th Edition: http://www.apastyle.org/
Greene, S. & Lidinsky, A. (2015). From inquiry to academic writing: Practical guide, A (3rd ed.). Boston,
MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Johnson, A. P. (2003). Short guide to academic writing, A. Lanham, MD: University Press of America,
Inc.
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Singh, A. A. & Lukkarila, L. (2017). Successful academic writing: Complete guide for social and
behavioral scientist, A. NY: The Guilford Press.
Thomas, N. P., Crow, S. R. & Franklin, L. (2011). Information literacy and information skills instruction
(3rd ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.
Texts for further reading
Dictionary (print or online).
Kang’ethe, S. Karani, A. Onditi, E. Mangera, B. & Pemba, K. (2008). How to Write a Winning Thesis.
Kenya: Zapf Chancery.
Kavulya, J. M & Lodiaga, M. J. (2007). How to Write Research and Term papers: Guidelines for
selecting topics, conducting research, writing and referencing sources. Kenya: Jomo Kenyatta
Foundation.
Murray, R. & Moore, S. (2006). Handbook of Academic Writing: A Fresh Approach. New York, NY:
McGraw-Hill Education.
Keyboard skills and test
Alexander, A. Learn to Type for Beginners.
https://youtu.be/qYQRWW-1Yxg?si=6dwQXCADo-yrmLJn
Typing speed test
https://www.typingspeedtests.com/test-result.html
Required:
1. Complete a 3min test
2. WPM between 40-50WPM
3. Backstrokes allowed 150
4. Accuracy +60%
5. KPM (not tested)
6. CPM (not tested)
7. Submit a screen grab that you will post in an MS Word document. Include your student number.
See sample below:
UCC 102
JANUARY 2024 SEMESTER
SPEED TEST CAT 1: Marks ___________/20__
STUDENT NUMBER
Screen grab/Screenshot
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Grading Rubric (Total Marks (20)
Marks With Below With Above
Allocated skills skills
1. Time 3 mins Complete the test 5m 5m 5m
2. WPM Below 39 4m 4m
40-50 5m 5m
+50 8m 8m
3. Backstrokes Below 150 5m 5m
Above 150 3m 3m 3m
4. Accuracy +60 5m 5m
Below 60 (30-59) 3m 3 3m
(0-29) 1m 1
Example of how to award marks 15m (with 20m (With
Accuracy Backstroke below
between 30- 150; Accuracy
59) or 13m +6m)
(Accuracy 0-
29)
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