Introductory description

The English for Academic Purposes for Social Sciences and Law module is designed to help students develop academic listening, reading, speaking and writing skills to succeed in related undergraduate courses in the United Kingdom.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

ACADEMIC LISTENING

1. Identifying the purpose of a lecture
2. Using signposting/discourse markers to follow the structure of a lecture
3. Following speakers’ line of argument
4. Identifying main points, supporting details and digressions
5. Inferring speaker’s opinion / attitude
6. Developing strategies for dealing with unknown vocabulary
7. Recognising features of pronunciation that reduce comprehension eg. connected speech
8. Using an appropriate note-taking strategy, including using abbreviations and symbols
9. Understanding a range of accents
10. Using notes to produce a written or spoken summary

ACADEMIC READING

1. Finding suitable and relevant texts for the study of the Social Sciences and Law
2. Identifying the structure of texts
3. Unpacking difficult texts (nominalisation, cohesion, complex sentences eg reduced relative clauses)
4. Developing appropriate reading strategies according to purpose
5. Developing appropriate note-taking strategies
6. Distinguishing main ideas from supporting information
7. Distinguishing fact from opinion, and supported claims from unsupported claims
8. Identifying common and divergent ideas across different texts
9. Evaluating texts (CRAAP) currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, purpose
10. Developing strategies for using texts to expand academic vocabulary

ACADEMIC WRITING

1. Writing in a formal and academic style particular to the Social Sciences and Law (eg. hedging, nominalisation)
2. Interpreting assignment titles and using grading guidelines
3. Organising different written texts commonly found in the Social Sciences and Law
4. Using signposting/cohesive devices as a means to structure writing
5. Citing sources and writing a reference list in a style appropriate to the disciplines of the Social Sciences and Law
6. Incorporating others’ ideas by paraphrasing and summarising from sources
7. Using appropriate reporting verbs
8. Synthesizing ideas from different sources
9. Constructing written summaries from listening/reading notes
10. Demonstrating academic integrity and applying strategies for avoiding plagiarism

ACADEMIC PRESENTATIONS

1. Structuring a presentation appropriately.
2. Supporting main points with explanation, evidence and examples.
3. Referring to visual data and sources, including appropriate references
4. Engaging the audience through the use of presentation techniques, (eg. pausing, pacing, emphasis and repetition)
5. Creating effective PowerPoint slides
6. Using cue cards (or similar) to avoid reading from a script
7. Leading a Q&A session and responding to questions effectively
8. Using intonation and pronunciation features appropriately

SEMINAR DISCUSSIONS

1. Considering the qualities a good seminar participant
2. Formulating arguments on topics related to students’ field of study.
3. Formulating counter-arguments (refutation) and counter-counter-arguments (rebuttals)
4. Referring to reading to support arguments
5. Clarifying and confirming understanding
6. Referring to and building on what other speakers have said
7. Encouraging participation from peers
8. Showing consideration for other participants

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Analyse, interpret and evaluate spoken and written discourse for the study of the Social Sciences and Law
• Synthesise relevant information/data to produce discipline specific written or spoken genres incorporating own ideas
• Communicate effectively in written and spoken genres, employing academic conventions relevant to the discipline.

Indicative reading list

Muller, J. (2015) Writing in the social sciences Oxford: Oxford University Press
Short & Phillips (2011) English for Psychology Reading: Garnet
Redman, P. (2001) Good essay writing: a social sciences guide London: Sage Publications
Singh, A. & Lukkarila, L. (2017) Successful academic writing a complete guide for social and behavioural scientists New York: Guildford

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Interdisciplinary

Students will have the opportunity to draw on the knowledge and skills acquired within the different modules on their pathway.

International

The international nature of the student cohort allows for the teaching and learning to be approached from and inclusive of a range of international perspective.

Subject specific skills

Academic listening, reading, speaking and writing skills appropriate to the study of the Social Sciences and Law
Information literacy skills for the study of the Social Sciences and Law
Academic integrity within the Social Sciences and Law
Critical thinking within the Social Sciences and Law
Vocabulary building within the Social Sciences and Law

Transferable skills

Listening, reading, speaking and writing skills
information literacy skills
group work skills
independent study skills
critical thinking
academic integrity