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SSS034 Essay Writing - Style and Structure (5)

Abstract

'Essay Writing - Style and Structure' aims to provide students with the key skills required to write essays successfully at university. The subject content covers the broad academic categories of style and structure, with a focus on complexity and formality, referencing, punctuation, grammar, as well as writing an essay introduction, body, and conclusion. There is an emphasis on practice activities and short online tests to check for understanding of the concepts presented.

This subject is an online, extended version of the face-to-face workshop subject, 'Academic Writing Skills' (SSS031). In addition to completing online language tasks, students will deconstruct exemplar texts in order to identify and analyse the features of quality academic writing before producing a short practice essay that demonstrates their control of these.

 

+ Subject Availability Modes and Location

Term 1
OnlineOrange Campus
Term 2
OnlineOrange Campus
Term 3
OnlineOrange Campus
Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: SSS034
Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject information

Duration Grading System School:
One termSY/USOffice for Students - Administrative

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
  • Identify the features of academic writing.
  • Use the conventions of academic writing to produce texts.
  • Write a variety of simple, compound and complex sentences.
  • Demonstrate the ability to write formal and complex structures, where appropriate.
  • Identify some basic grammatical terms and understand their relevance to formal academic writing.
  • Use punctuation to organise meaning in a text and be able to edit a text to ensure that correct punctuation is used.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of referencing at university and be able to produce correct in-text citations and an end-of-text reference list.
  • Demonstrate effective strategies for note taking.
  • Critically evaluate evidence.
  • Plan and structure a text that presents and supports a point of view based on research.
  • Write an introduction to an academic essay.
  • Write a coherent body paragraph that includes a topic sentence, elaboration and evidence.
  • Demonstrate the ability to integrate sources into a body paragraph.
  • Write a concluding paragraph.
  • Find resources or services that support further development in academic writing skills.

Syllabus

The subject will cover the following topics:
  • Formality in academic writing.
  • Complexity in academic writing.
  • Grammar.
  • Punctuation.
  • Writing essay introductions and conclusions.
  • Writing body paragraphs.
  • Integrating sources and paraphrasing.
  • APA style referencing.

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The information contained in the 2017 CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: 25 August 2017. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.