ENN103F/101/3/2016

Tutorial letter 101/3/2016

English for Academic Purposes

ENN103F
Semesters 1 & 2

Department of English Studies

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
This tutorial letter contains important information
about your module

CONTENTS

Page
1

INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................. 3

PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES OF THE MODULE ....................................................... 3

2.1

Purpose ........................................................................................................................... 3

2.2

Outcomes ........................................................................................................................ 3

LECTURERS AND CONTACT DETAILS....................................................................... 3

3.1

Lecturers ......................................................................................................................... 3

3.2

Department..................................................................................................................... 4

3.3

University........................................................................................................................ 4

MODULE-RELATED RESOURCES .............................................................................. 4

4.1

Prescribed books............................................................................................................ 4

4.2

Recommended books .................................................................................................... 4

4.3

Electronic reserves (e-reserves) .................................................................................. 5

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE MODULE................................................ 5

MODULE-SPECIFIC STUDY PLAN .............................................................................. 5

PRACTICAL WORK AND WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING ...................................... 5

ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................... 5

8.1

Assessment plan ........................................................................................................... 5

8.2

General assignment numbers ...................................................................................... 5

8.3

Unique assignment numbers ...................................................................................... 6

8.4

Due dates for assignments .......................................................................................... 6

8.5

Submission of assignments ......................................................................................... 6

8.6

The assignments ............................................................................................................ 7

8.7

Other assessment methods ......................................................................................... 28

8.8

The examination ............................................................................................................ 28

8.8.1

Examination admission 28

8.8.2

Semester mark 28

8.8.3

Examination period 29

8.8.4

Previous examination papers. 29

8.8.5

Tutorial letter with information on the examination.. 29

ADDENDUM .................................................................................................................... 30

ENN103F/101

1.

INTRODUCTION

Dear Student
Welcome to ENN103F, English for Academic Purposes.
Primary Lecturer
Dr SC Ndlangamandla
Level Coordinator
Prof. B Nchindila
Chair of the Department of English Studies
Professor L Rafapa
Secretary: AELS UNIT
Mr ML Molepo
Tel: 012 429 6702
Email: molepml@unisa.ac.za
2.
2.1

PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES OF THE MODULE

Purpose

The purpose of English for Academic Purposes is to:

provide an understanding of the theory of reading and writing
develop your ability to read critically with comprehension and insight
improve your linguistic competence
develop your ability to write logically and effectively
2.2

Outcomes

If you apply yourself to this module, you will develop the general competence to:

read and write effectively

reflect on, and explore, a variety of strategies to learn more effectively
analyse, organise and critically evaluate information
organise and manage yourself and your activities responsibly and effectively

3.
LECTURERS AND CONTACT DETAILS
3.1
Lecturers
NB: Whenever you contact the Department of English Studies, you should have your
student number handy. Always use it in correspondence and have it ready when you
phone the university. Please also specify your course code (ENN103F). Never address
enquiries concerning administrative matters to the Department of English Studies.
Never enclose enquiries in assignments, as the letter is likely to be delayed or may
even go astray. Please remember that we have thousands of students and, therefore,
cannot return your phone calls. If you phone and the person you are looking for is
not available, you will have to phone back at another time.

The myUnisa system gives you the opportunity to contact your lecturers as well as
fellow students.
For all academic matters, you may contact the following lecturers:
Dr Ndlangamandla, SC:
Ms Britz, A:
Dr Conduah, A:
Mr Kekana, A:
Ms Tlaka, HN:
Ms Thoka, B:
Ms Westbrook, T:
3.2

012 429 6765

012 429 6219
012 429 6575
012 429 3806
012 429 6933
012 429 8332
012 429 6440

cndlanga@unisa.ac.za
britza@unisa.ac.za
conduan@unisa.ac.za
kekantj@unisa.ac.za
tlakahn@unisa.ac.za
thokabm@unisa.ac.za
westbgs@unisa.ac.za

Department
Department of English Studies
Room 6-04, Theo van Wijk building
Muckleneuk
Unisa main campus

3.3

University

For general enquiries, please use the contact details below:

The Registrar: Academic
PO Box 392
Unisa
0003
For assignment-related queries:
For examination-related queries:
4.

assign@unisa.ac.za
exams@unisa.ac.za

MODULE-RELATED RESOURCES

4.1

Prescribed books

There are no prescribed books for this course.

4.2

Recommended books

We recommend that you purchase a copy of one of the following:

a. Gaetz, L. and Phadke, S. (2015) The Writers World; Essays, (3rd Edition), Boston:
Pearson
b. Seligmann, J. (2012) Academic Literacy for Education Students, Southern Africa:
Oxford University Press
c. Beekman, L., Dube, C., and Underhill, J. (2011) Academic Literacy, Cape Town:
Juta
d. Crme, P. and Lea. M. (2003) Writing at University: a guide for students,
Philadelphia: Open University Press, available online

ENN103F/101

4.3

Electronic reserves (e-reserves)

There are no e-reserves for this module.

5.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE MODULE

There are no discussion classes for this module. You may, however, participate in the
online discussion forums and blogs, and use the other resources that are available online,
both from Unisa and any other university.
Tutorials are offered at most of the Unisa learning centres around the country. A tutor will
be assigned to a group of students i n order to facilitate and augment the learning
process. Contact your local learning centre for further details. You will find their
addresses in the my Studies @ Unisa booklet.
6.

MODULE-SPECIFIC STUDY PLAN

This is a practical skills module in the sense that you need to read and write extensively in
order to improve your general English Language proficiency and then be able to master the
EAP skills which are taught in the module and apply them in academic studies across the
University. Refer to the addendum in this Tutorial Letter for the skills, assessment criteria
and marking procedure for the module.
7.

PRACTICAL WORK AND WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING

There are no practical sessions for this module.

8.
8.1

ASSESSMENT
Assessment plan

Assignments are regarded as part of the learning materials for this module. As you do the
assignments, you should study the reading texts, consult other resources, discuss the work
with fellow students and tutors or do additional research to ensure that you are actively
engaged in the learning process. Looking at the assessment criteria given for each
assignment will help you to understand more clearly what is required of you. In some
cases, additional assessment opportunities might be available on the myUnisa site for
your module. For students attending tutorial sessions, tutors may also set additional
tasks and give feedback in class.
8.2

General assignment numbers

There are four compulsory assignments for each semester. Turn to 8.8.2 to find out how
the semester marks and exam marks are calculated.

8.3

Unique assignment numbers

Semester 1 unique numbers

Semester 2 unique numbers

Assignment 01 820179

Assignment 01 786595

Assignment 02 710393

Assignment 02 710770

Assignment 03 730994

Assignment 03 799455

Assignment 04 N/A

Assignment 04 N/A

8.4

Due dates for assignments

Semester 1

Semester 2

Assignment 01 29 February 2016

Assignment 01 5 August 2016

Assignment 02 18 March 2016

Assignment 02 22 August 2016

Assignment 03 08 April 2016

Assignment 03 - 16 September 2016

Assignment 04 29 April 2016

Assignment 04 30 September 2016

8.5

Submission of assignments

You may submit written assignments

Assignments may not be submitted
assignments directly from students. For
assignments are concerned, see the my
with your study materials.

either by post or electronically via myUnisa.

by fax or e-mail. Lecturers do not receive
detailed information and requirements as far as
Studies @ Unisa brochure, which you received

Address all written assignments to the Assignments Section, and use the assignment
covers provided by the university. At the top/beginning of your assignments, write all
the information required on the university assignment cover. Make sure that your
assignments are numbered according to the unique numbers given in 8.3 and 8.4
above. Make sure that you submit ALL the sections of an assignment together
in one cover. No marks will be awarded for incomplete assignments. If you submit
via myUnisa, please submit as a pdf file.

ENN103F/101

8.6

The assignments

8.6.1 FIRST SEMESTER ASSIGNMENTS

Assignment:
Unique number:
Due date:
Compulsory:

01
820179
29 February 2016
Yes

Function: The purpose of this assignment is to teach you how to critically read an article,
and to engage with and reflect on it in an academic manner by answering the assigned
questions in short paragraphs. When marking the assignment, poor language expression
will be penalised. Examples of poor language expression include serious errors in
sentence structure, incomprehensible and barely literate vocabulary, spelling, punctuation,
and so on.
Read the passage below and then answer the questions that follow.

Early men and women were equal, say scientists

(Study shows that modern hunter-gatherer tribes operate on an egalitarian basis,
suggesting inequality was an aberration that came with the advent of agriculture)
Our prehistoric forebears are often portrayed as spear-wielding savages, but the
earliest human societies are likely to have been founded on enlightened egalitarian
principles, according to scientists.
A study has shown that in contemporary hunter-gatherer tribes, men and women
tend to have equal influence on where their group lives and who they live with. The
findings challenge the idea that sexual equality is a recent invention, suggesting
that it has been the norm for humans for most of our evolutionary history.
Mark Dyble, an anthropologist who led the study at University College London,
said: There is still this wider perception that hunter-gatherers are more macho or
male-dominated. Wed argue it was only with the emergence of agriculture, when
people could start to accumulate resources that inequality emerged.
Dyble says the latest findings suggest that equality between the sexes may have
been a survival advantage and played an important role in shaping human society
and evolution.
Sexual equality is one of an important suite of changes to social organisation,
including things like pair-bonding, our big, social brains, and language, that

distinguishes humans, he said. Its an important one that hasnt really been
highlighted before.
The study, published in the journal Science, set out to investigate the apparent
paradox that while people in hunter-gatherer societies show strong preferences for
living with family members, in practice the groups they live in, tend to comprise few
closely related individuals.
The scientists collected genealogical data from two hunter-gatherer populations,
one in the Congo and one in the Philippines, including kinship relations, movement
between camps and residence patterns, through hundreds of interviews. In both
cases, people tend to live in groups of around 20, moving roughly every 10 days and
subsisting on hunted game, fish and gathered fruit, vegetables and honey.
The scientists constructed a computer model to simulate the process of camp
assortment, based on the assumption that people would choose to populate an
empty camp with their close kin: siblings, parents and children.
When only one sex had influence over the process, as is typically the case in maledominated pastoral or horticultural societies, tight hubs of related individuals
emerged. However, the average number of related individuals is predicted to be
much lower when men and women have an equal influence closely matching what
was seen in the populations that were studied.
When only men have influence over who they are living with, the core of any
community is a dense network of closely related men with the spouses on the
periphery, said Dyble. If men and women decide, you dont get groups of four or
five brothers living together.
The authors argue that sexual equality may have proved an evolutionary advantage
for early human societies, as it would have fostered wider-ranging social networks
and closer cooperation between unrelated individuals. It gives you a far more
expansive social network with a wider choice of mates, so inbreeding would be less
of an issue, said Dyble. And you come into contact with more people and you can
share innovations, which is something that humans do par excellence.
Dr Tamas David-Barrett, a behavioural scientist at the University of Oxford, agreed:
This is a very neat result, he said. If youre able to track your kin further away,
youd be able to have a much broader network. All youd need to do is get together
every now and then for some kind of feast. The study suggests that it was only with
the dawn of agriculture, when people were able to accumulate resources for the first
time, that an imbalance emerged.
8

ENN103F/101

Men can start to have several wives and they can have more children than
women, said Dyble. It pays more for men to start accumulating resources and
becomes favourable to form alliances with male kin.
Dyble said that egalitarianism may even have been one of the important factors that
distinguished our ancestors from our primate cousins. Chimpanzees live in quite
aggressive, male-dominated societies with clear hierarchies, he said. As a result,
they just dont see enough adults in their lifetime for technologies to be sustained.
The findings appear to be supported by qualitative observations of the huntergatherer groups in the study. In the Philippines population, women are involved in
hunting and honey collecting and while there is still a division of labour, overall
men and women contribute a similar number of calories to the camp. In both
groups, monogamy is the norm and men are active in childcare.
Andrea Migliano, of University College London and the papers senior author, said:
Sex equality suggests a scenario where unique human traits, such as cooperation
with unrelated individuals, could have emerged in our evolutionary past.
From: http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/may/14/early-men-women-equal-scientists

Answer the following questions in short paragraphs of not more than 100 words.
Any verbatim copying from the passage or plagiarism will be penalised. Try as far
as possible to use your own words in your answers.
1. In paragraph 4, the writer asserts that "Sexual equality is one of an important suite of
changes to social organisation". Explain how equality between the sexes could be
important to social organisation.
(10 marks)
2. Paragraph 9 indicates that an egalitarian society has a lower density of men in the
community. Explain why Dyble makes this assertion.
(10 marks)
3. Discuss the link that the writer is making between polygamy and the dawn of
agriculture in paragraph 12.
(10 marks)
4. In paragraph 10 the writer uses the phrase par excellence. Explain the meaning of
this term in the context of the article and what Dyble is implying by it.
(5 marks)
5. Using your own ideas, compare and contrast the egalitarian society (as discussed in
the article) to modern society. Write a paragraph not exceeding 200 words.
(15 marks)
Total: [50 marks]

Assignment:
Unique number:
Due date:
Compulsory:

02
710393
18 March 2016
Yes

Function:
The purpose of this assignment is to teach you how to adopt a point of view and
defend it.
Research-based essay
This assignment should be about 500 words. Find at least five academically valid sources
and include a reference list. At least one source must be from a printed book or journal.
Website sources are allowed as a main source only if they are authored articles from
journals or books from nationally/internationally recognised institutions (This means you
may not use websites such as Wikipedia). Articles from newspapers, magazines or civic
organisations may not be used as a reliable source of scientific information. Website
articles written by unidentified individuals or authors may not be used.
The writing process
You are encouraged to study units 3 and 4 in your study guide. There is an overview of the
writing process on page 68 of the study guide.
Choose one of the following topics:
1. Plagiarism is a concern to both students and academics. Based on what you know
and your research, discuss matters surrounding the issue of plagiarism (e.g.
academic honesty or theft or corruption, academic integrity, referencing,
knowledge production, and so on). Do not limit your discussion to these aspects
on plagiarism, you can add other pertinent issues. State why plagiarism has
become a major concern and reflect on the extent to which it has featured in your
experience.
2. Global warming is a debated issue at present. Based on your research, discuss
the causes and effects of global warming. Your essay should provide solutions for
some of the effects.
3. The advantages of globalization outweigh its disadvantages. With reference to your
own research and from your own experiences, write an essay in which you show
the extent to which you agree or disagree with this claim.
NB: Support your arguments as much as possible by using published
literature on the chosen topic and refer to the essay assessment criteria.
[100 marks]

10

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Assignment:
Unique number:
Due date:
Compulsory:

03
730994
8 April 2016
Yes

Function:
The purpose of this assignment is to teach you how to critically read an article, and to
engage with and reflect on it in an academic manner by answering the assigned questions
in short paragraphs. When marking the assignment, poor language expression will be
penalised. Examples of poor language expression include serious errors in sentence
structure, diction, spelling, punctuation, and so on.

Moocs, and the man leading the UK's charge

Twenty months ago, Simon Nelson was shown a picture of a Highland cow, known in
Gaelic as a kyloe. It was the Open University's code name for a secret project which,
according to some accounts, will revolutionise higher education, making it available to
millions across the world at zero cost. Today, Nelson, whose previous job at the BBC
involved launching iPlayer, heads FutureLearn, a company that, 11 months after it opened
for business, has 450,000 learners studying courses from 40 leading universities, 10 of them
overseas including two in China. The subjects range from dentistry to Shakespeare,
archaeology to cancer, the Higgs boson to 15th-century England. Many more students and
courses will follow, Nelson says. "We have just built the foundations. See where we are in
six months, a year, two years, three years. There's tens of millions in the UK who'll be
interested in what we offer and the international audience is enormous."
FutureLearn is the first big British venture into Moocs (hence the OU's cow, geddit?), a
name which Nelson admits is "appalling". Moocs are "massive open online courses":
"massive" because they can be taken by thousands simultaneously; "open" because there is
no selection of students and no fees; and "online" because you can read course materials,
hear lectures, watch videos and take tests from just about anywhere on the planet. David
Willetts, science minister until last month's reshuffle, has said Moocs "will revolutionise
conventional models of formal education". Thomas Friedman, the New York Times
columnist and enthusiast for globalisation, has said nothing "has more potential to lift
people out of poverty". Lifelong learning for all a goal that visionary educationalists have
pursued for decades can at last become a reality. If, that is, you believe the hype.
"The revolution that has higher education gasping" (New York Times) began on America's
west coast, in the computer science department of Stanford University, California. In 2011,
the department's internationally renowned academic Sebastian Thrun, developer of Google's
driverless car, put his three-month introductory course on artificial intelligence online,
allowing anybody to access the same lectures and homework assignments as his Stanford
students. To his astonishment, 160,000 people, aged from 10 to 70, from more than 190
countries, signed up. Even more amazingly, the top 400 places in the final exam went to the
internet students, not to Stanford students paying annual fees of $52,000 (31,000). Thrun
was so excited that, with colleagues, he set up a company, Udacity, to deliver more courses.

11

"I can't teach at Stanford again," he said. "I've seen Wonderland." Udacity now has 1.6
million users. It is one of several American platforms for Moocs, including edX (2.5 million
users, 215 courses), founded by Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of
Technology.
The sceptics are almost as numerous as the enthusiasts. Oddly, Thrun is now among them,
saying a few months ago that "we don't educate people as I wished; we have a lousy
product". Udacity has switched its focus to vocational courses a computer science
master's degree offered jointly with Georgia Institute of Technology, for example for
which students pay fees, albeit only a third or less of what they would pay on campus.
Other critics accuse Moocs of peddling outdated pedagogy; of playing a cruel trick on the
masses because, even if courses are openly accessible, credentials will be as tightly
controlled as ever; and even of being a new tool of western imperialism. Far from reaching
new audiences, the majority of Moocs students over 70% in FutureLearn's case already
have degrees. Yet the completion rates are usually below 10%. Some critics warn of a
future in which thousands of academics lose their jobs (echoing journalists who work for
newspapers that lack an online paywall, many ask "why give away our content for
nothing?"); only the elite institutions flourish because everybody prefers output from, say,
Oxford or Harvard; and higher education, turned into a mass market industry, settles into
uniformity with a few courses and a few star lecturers. When the Harvard professor and
2009 Reith lecturer Michael Sandel turned his course, Justice, into a Mooc, staff at one
university protested that it would be "downright scary" if every philosophy student in
America took the same social justice course.
Nelson doesn't accept most of the criticisms but also distances himself from some of the
hype. "There have been some wild claims about solving world poverty and the educational
problems of the developing world," he says. Moocs won't, he promises, develop into a
winner-takes-all market, as the books and recorded music markets have. "There are huge
differences between the providers. Learning is not something you can commodify."
We meet in FutureLearn's open-plan offices in the British Library in London. Nelson, 45, is
an unlikely geek. He went to Manchester grammar school and Downing College,
Cambridge, where he was tutored for a time by the very ungeekish classicist and TV
presenter Mary Beard. From 16 to 21, he studied nothing but ancient languages and
civilisations. He says his mother, a passionate bridge player, adopted the internet before he
did. With no particular career ambitions, he took a part-time MBA at Manchester University
while working for a family friend in a wholesale wig and toupee business. He later worked
in the marketing department of the Independent newspaper before joining the BBC where
he eventually rose to a senior management position in charge of digital operations. He left
the BBC in 2010 and freelanced briefly before the Highland cow came into his life. He has
ended up where he is, he says, by "bizarre serendipity".
So how is FutureLearn different from its American competitors? Nelson claims that
FutureLearn alone is optimised for mobile devices but then moves on to what seems to be,
in the marketing jargon, its unique selling point. "We started from the belief that learning
has to be social," he explains. "If you go on many online learning platforms, you see a
succession of videos while message and discussion groups are add-ons. Here, on every
page, every video, every article" he switches on his laptop to demonstrate "we integrate
the discussion right alongside the content. You can click a button, even in the middle of a
video, and make a comment, ask a question or answer one. OU facilitators can come in.

12

ENN103F/101

Learners can choose to follow particular facilitators or fellow students. We have peer
review. Learners can write short pieces and then discuss each other's work. We put
discussion steps into the course materials.
"We believe that much of the learning comes from the discussion. Nearly 40% of our
learners are actively commenting. At the BBC, I ran message boards for Radios 3 and 4.
They could be horrible places, with terrible trolling. We have nothing like that. We are
already getting superb results, even though the tools are still rudimentary we shall develop
them much further."
By minimising what he calls the "loneliness of distance learning", Nelson says, FutureLearn
is cutting non-completion rates. Of those who begin its six- to eight-week courses
(discounting those who sign up but never start), 22% complete a majority of steps and all
assessments, a figure that Nelson claims as "two to three times better than other providers".
Those who complete can get a "statement of participation", costing 24. "Since you can't
prove it was you who did the course," Nelson says, "it's not an authenticated certificate. But
people do see it as valuable." On some courses, students can take an exam costing about
120 set by the university that runs the course in a test centre which requires ID and
supplies invigilators.
Charging for end-of-course assessment is just one way that FutureLearn a profit-making
company owned by the non-profit OU expects to make money. Others include tuition and
the sale of supporting material, such as CDs of Shakespeare plays. Student data, however,
will not be sold to private companies. "This is an extremely sensitive area and we want our
students to feel they can trust us," Nelson says.
Who are the students? Isn't FutureLearn, like other Moocs, simply offering further
advantages to the already advantaged? "I'm very sanguine that the majority have degrees.
We're offering demanding courses from leading universities. But that said, 30% don't have a
degree, which is quite a large number." Some study for professional development Nelson
mentions dentists scattered across Paraguay who are together studying dental photography
others as preparation for full-time university courses. A large number, however, are leisure
learners pursuing knowledge without explicit vocational ambitions.
Will students ever get university degrees, in whole or in part, if they take sufficient
FutureLearn courses? Nelson says that's up to the universities; a reasonable answer, but
perhaps also an evasive one. So far, one course is recognised by a professional accountancy
body so that students who complete it are exempt from one module of its exams. But the
universities that provide Moocs, here and in America, are reluctant to offer degree credit.
Like the future of newspapers, the future of universities in a digital world is a mystery to
which nobody can give a confident answer. "The internet is disrupting higher education and
it's not going away," Nelson says. He's probably right about that. If nothing else,
universities will surely stop holding conventional on-campus lectures; what's the point of
standing in front of students talking for an hour when there's a superior means of
introducing them to new knowledge? But it's hard to believe Moocs will ever replace the
dreaming spires of Oxford and Cambridge, neither of which has signed up to FutureLearn,
or, indeed, that they pose much threat to other Russell Group universities. The real
attraction of elite universities, and the value of their degrees, lies in their exclusivity. Their
exacting entry requirements determine their reputation, not the quality of their teaching.

13

For FutureLearn, says Nelson, "the sky's the limit". That may be true for those who crave
learning for its own sake, but not for those who seek the prestige and status of a top-level
university degree.
Adapted from, The Guardian; http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/aug/19/moocsman-leading-uk-foray-simon-nelson-futurelearn
Questions
Answer the following questions in short paragraphs of not more than 100 words.
Any verbatim copying from the passage or plagiarism will be penalised. Try as far
as possible to use your own words in your answers.
1. Discuss three advantages and three disadvantages of Moocs. Conclude your
discussion with a sentence that expresses your view on Moocs.
(10 marks)
2. Using your own words, describe the nature of the course developed by Thrun in
2011, including its outcomes.
(10 marks)
3. In the penultimate paragraph, the author says, it's hard to believe Moocs will
ever replace the dreaming spires of Oxford and Cambridge Explain what the
author means and briefly give your opinion regarding this matter.
(10 marks)
4. People normally react negatively to anything labelled or regarded as being a new
tool of western imperialism. Explain what you understand as western imperialism
and briefly discuss some of the reasons linked to this form of reaction. You may cite
your own examples.
(10 marks)
5. The Highland cow is mentioned twice in this article. Explain what it represents and
its significance in Nelsons life.
(10 marks)
Total: [50 marks]

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Assignment:
Due date:
Compulsory:

04
29 April 2016
Yes

Function: The purpose of the questionnaire is to assess the impact of the module. We
would like you to provide your honest opinion so that we can review the module and
improve our teaching. There is no right and wrong answer. Please submit this assignment
the same way in which you submit other Unisa assignments. If you are not submitting
online, use the mark reading sheet provided.
QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE QUALITY, EFFECTIVENESS AND DELIVERY METHOD OF
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES:
STUDENT NUMBER (OPTIONAL):.

Statements on the quality, effectiveness and delivery method

of the module on ENN103F
Example: The module on English for Academic Purposes supports a creative learning
environment. Rating:
1 2 3 4 5
1.

Rating on a scale
from1to 5 (1 =
strongly disagree; 2 =
disagree; 3= undecided; 4=
agree; 5 = strongly agree)
1 2 3 4 5

6.

The study guide invites and assists me to actively engage with the learning
material.
The module is interactive and involves me in the learning experience through a
variety of media, such as pictures, activities, exercises, DVDs, journals, glossaries,
group discussions and myUnisa discussions.
The module provides me with sufficient assignments to improve my English for
Academic Purposes.
The activities within the study guide are useful and help me to understand the
topics being discussed and improve my academic literacy.
The assignments are relevant to the topics covered in the module and help to put
into practice what I have learnt.
The module helps to improve my academic reading.

7.

The module helps to improve my academic writing.

8.

The module addresses my specific academic purposes relevant to my qualification.

The module should focus on texts, skills and forms needed by students within
individual academic disciplines.
10. The module provides adequate teaching on English Grammar.

11. The module explains all aspects of English Grammar in a way that is easy to
follow and understand.
12. The discussions in the study guide and on myUnisa help to improve my academic
literacy.
13. All the topics that are covered in the module are explained and discussed in a way
that is easy to understand and follow.
14. The overall experience of English for Academic Purposes has been a positive one
and has improved my Academic English.
15. The staff on the module are helpful and readily available, responding to email and
telephone queries promptly.
16. The feedback on assignments is fair with adequate comments to explain the mark
received and help with improvement.

2.

3.
4.
5.

9.

15

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8.6.2 SECOND SEMESTER ASSIGNMENTS

Assignment:
Unique number:
Due date:
Compulsory:

01
786595
05 August 2016
Yes

Function
The purpose of this assignment is to teach you how to critically read an article, and to
engage with and reflect on it in an academic manner by answering the assigned questions
in short paragraphs. When marking the assignment, poor language expression will be
penalised. Examples of poor language expression include serious errors in sentence
structure, language, diction, spelling, punctuation, and so on.
Read the passage below and then answer the questions that follow.

Early men and women were equal, say scientists

(Study shows that modern hunter-gatherer tribes operate on an egalitarian basis,
suggesting inequality was an aberration that came with the advent of agriculture)
Our prehistoric forebears are often portrayed as spear-wielding savages, but the earliest
human societies are likely to have been founded on enlightened egalitarian principles,
according to scientists.
A study has shown that in contemporary hunter-gatherer tribes, men and women tend to
have equal influence on where their group lives and who they live with. The findings
challenge the idea that sexual equality is a recent invention, suggesting that it has been the
norm for humans for most of our evolutionary history.
Mark Dyble, an anthropologist who led the study at University College London, said:
There is still this wider perception that hunter-gatherers are more macho or maledominated. Wed argue it was only with the emergence of agriculture, when people could
start to accumulate resources that inequality emerged.
Dyble says the latest findings suggest that equality between the sexes may have been a
survival advantage and played an important role in shaping human society and evolution.
Sexual equality is one of an important suite of changes to social organisation, including
things like pair-bonding, our big, social brains, and language, that distinguishes humans,
he said. Its an important one that hasnt really been highlighted before.
The study, published in the journal Science, set out to investigate the apparent paradox that
while people in hunter-gatherer societies show strong preferences for living with family
17

members, in practice the groups they live in, tend to comprise few closely related
individuals.
The scientists collected genealogical data from two hunter-gatherer populations, one in the
Congo and one in the Philippines, including kinship relations, movement between camps
and residence patterns, through hundreds of interviews. In both cases, people tend to live in
groups of around 20, moving roughly every 10 days and subsisting on hunted game, fish
and gathered fruit, vegetables and honey.
The scientists constructed a computer model to simulate the process of camp assortment,
based on the assumption that people would choose to populate an empty camp with their
close kin: siblings, parents and children.
When only one sex had influence over the process, as is typically the case in maledominated pastoral or horticultural societies, tight hubs of related individuals emerged.
However, the average number of related individuals is predicted to be much lower when
men and women have an equal influence closely matching what was seen in the
populations that were studied.
When only men have influence over who they are living with, the core of any community
is a dense network of closely related men with the spouses on the periphery, said Dyble.
If men and women decide, you dont get groups of four or five brothers living together.
The authors argue that sexual equality may have proved an evolutionary advantage for early
human societies, as it would have fostered wider-ranging social networks and closer
cooperation between unrelated individuals. It gives you a far more expansive social
network with a wider choice of mates, so inbreeding would be less of an issue, said Dyble.
And you come into contact with more people and you can share innovations, which is
something that humans do par excellence.
Dr Tamas David-Barrett, a behavioural scientist at the University of Oxford, agreed: This
is a very neat result, he said. If youre able to track your kin further away, youd be able
to have a much broader network. All youd need to do is get together every now and then
for some kind of feast.
The study suggests that it was only with the dawn of agriculture, when people were able to
accumulate resources for the first time, that an imbalance emerged.
Men can start to have several wives and they can have more children than women, said
Dyble. It pays more for men to start accumulating resources and becomes favourable to
form alliances with male kin.

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Dyble said that egalitarianism may even have been one of the important factors that
distinguished our ancestors from our primate cousins. Chimpanzees live in quite
aggressive, male-dominated societies with clear hierarchies, he said. As a result, they just
dont see enough adults in their lifetime for technologies to be sustained.
The findings appear to be supported by qualitative observations of the hunter-gatherer
groups in the study. In the Philippines population, women are involved in hunting and
honey collecting and while there is still a division of labour, overall men and women
contribute a similar number of calories to the camp. In both groups, monogamy is the norm
and men are active in childcare.
Andrea Migliano, of University College London and the papers senior author, said: Sex
equality suggests a scenario where unique human traits, such as cooperation with unrelated
individuals, could have emerged in our evolutionary past.
From: http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/may/14/early-men-women-equal-scientists

Answer the following questions in short paragraphs of not more than a 100 words.
Any verbatim copying from the passage or plagiarism will be penalised. Try as
much as possible to use your own words in your answers.

1. Referring to Dyble and Migliano, discuss how equality between the sexes shaped
human society.
(10 marks)
2. In paragraph 2, the writer states that our pre-historic forebears are often portrayed
as spear-wielding savages. In your own words, discuss what could be the probable
bases for such portrayals.
(10 marks)
3. In your own words, discuss how agriculture is seen as the cause of inequality
between the sexes. Provide two reasons whether you agree or not with this
argument put forward by the author.
(10 marks)
4. Write a paragraph in which you discuss whether these findings about equality in
hunter-gathering societies are of any relevance to 21st century society. (10 marks)
5. Read paragraph 14 closely. Write a paragraph in which you discuss the ways in
which the findings referred to, affect your views of marriage relationships and the
involvement of men in the family.
(10 marks)
Total: [50 marks]

19

Assignment:
Unique number:
Due date:
Compulsory:

02
710770
22 August 2016
Yes

Function:
The purpose of this assignment is to teach you how to adopt a point of view and
defend it.
Research-based essay
This assignment should be about 500 words. Find at least five academically valid sources
and include a reference list. At least one source must be from a printed book or journal.
Website sources are allowed as a main source only if they are authored articles from
journals or books from nationally/internationally recognised institutions (This means you
may not use websites such as Wikipedia). Articles from newspapers, magazines or civic
organisations may not be used as a reliable source of scientific information. Website
articles written by unidentified individuals or authors may not be used.
The writing process
You are encouraged to study units 3 and 4 in your study guide. There is an overview of the
writing process on page 68 of the study guide.
Choose one of the following topics:
1. Several countries in Africa are facing problems resulting from the conflict between
politics and the justice system e.g. Egypt, South Africa, Swaziland, are some
examples. Take a stance on the topic, formulate your own thesis and write an
argument on politics and the law based on research. The essay should be based
on any country of your choice.
2. Discuss both the positive and negative effects of a particular scientific
advancement on a society of your choice. Based on your research, consider
whether any constraints should be put in place to ensure ethical and legal
practice.
3. Due to greater economic stability, people living in developed countries are happier
than those in developing countries. Argue for or against this statement. Give
relevant examples to support your argument.
NB: Support your arguments as much as possible by using published
literature on the topic chosen and refer to the essay assessment
criteria.
[100 marks]

20

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Assignment:
Unique number:
Due date:
Compulsory:

03
799455
16 September 2016
Yes

Function:
The purpose of this assignment is to teach you how to critically read an article, and to
engage with and reflect on it in an academic manner by answering the assigned questions
in short paragraphs. When marking the assignment, poor language expression will be
penalised. Examples of poor language expression include serious errors in sentence
structure, diction, spelling, punctuation, and so on.

Moocs, and the man leading the UK's charge

Twenty months ago, Simon Nelson was shown a picture of a Highland cow, known in
Gaelic as a kyloe. It was the Open University's code name for a secret project which,
according to some accounts, will revolutionise higher education, making it available to
millions across the world at zero cost. Today, Nelson, whose previous job at the BBC
involved launching iPlayer, heads FutureLearn, a company that, 11 months after it opened
for business, has 450,000 learners studying courses from 40 leading universities, 10 of them
overseas including two in China. The subjects range from dentistry to Shakespeare,
archaeology to cancer, the Higgs boson to 15th-century England. Many more students and
courses will follow, Nelson says. "We have just built the foundations. See where we are in
six months, a year, two years, three years. There's tens of millions in the UK who'll be
interested in what we offer and the international audience is enormous."
FutureLearn is the first big British venture into Moocs (hence the OU's cow, geddit?), a
name which Nelson admits is "appalling". Moocs are "massive open online courses":
"massive" because they can be taken by thousands simultaneously; "open" because there is
no selection of students and no fees; and "online" because you can read course materials,
hear lectures, watch videos and take tests from just about anywhere on the planet. David
Willetts, science minister until last month's reshuffle, has said Moocs "will revolutionise
conventional models of formal education". Thomas Friedman, the New York Times
columnist and enthusiast for globalisation, has said nothing "has more potential to lift
people out of poverty". Lifelong learning for all a goal that visionary educationalists have
pursued for decades can at last become a reality. If, that is, you believe the hype.
"The revolution that has higher education gasping" (New York Times) began on America's
west coast, in the computer science department of Stanford University, California. In 2011,
the department's internationally renowned academic Sebastian Thrun, developer of Google's
driverless car, put his three-month introductory course on artificial intelligence online,
allowing anybody to access the same lectures and homework assignments as his Stanford
students. To his astonishment, 160,000 people, aged from 10 to 70, from more than 190
countries, signed up. Even more amazingly, the top 400 places in the final exam went to the
internet students, not to Stanford students paying annual fees of $52,000 (31,000). Thrun
was so excited that, with colleagues, he set up a company, Udacity, to deliver more courses.

21

"I can't teach at Stanford again," he said. "I've seen Wonderland." Udacity now has 1.6
million users. It is one of several American platforms for Moocs, including edX (2.5 million
users, 215 courses), founded by Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of
Technology.
The sceptics are almost as numerous as the enthusiasts. Oddly, Thrun is now among them,
saying a few months ago that "we don't educate people as I wished; we have a lousy
product". Udacity has switched its focus to vocational courses a computer science
master's degree offered jointly with Georgia Institute of Technology, for example for
which students pay fees, albeit only a third or less of what they would pay on campus.
Other critics accuse Moocs of peddling outdated pedagogy; of playing a cruel trick on the
masses because, even if courses are openly accessible, credentials will be as tightly
controlled as ever; and even of being a new tool of western imperialism. Far from reaching
new audiences, the majority of Moocs students over 70% in FutureLearn's case already
have degrees. Yet the completion rates are usually below 10%. Some critics warn of a
future in which thousands of academics lose their jobs (echoing journalists who work for
newspapers that lack an online paywall, many ask "why give away our content for
nothing?"); only the elite institutions flourish because everybody prefers output from, say,
Oxford or Harvard; and higher education, turned into a mass market industry, settles into
uniformity with a few courses and a few star lecturers. When the Harvard professor and
2009 Reith lecturer Michael Sandel turned his course, Justice, into a Mooc, staff at one
university protested that it would be "downright scary" if every philosophy student in
America took the same social justice course.
Nelson doesn't accept most of the criticisms but also distances himself from some of the
hype. "There have been some wild claims about solving world poverty and the educational
problems of the developing world," he says. Moocs won't, he promises, develop into a
winner-takes-all market, as the books and recorded music markets have. "There are huge
differences between the providers. Learning is not something you can commodify."
We meet in FutureLearn's open-plan offices in the British Library in London. Nelson, 45, is
an unlikely geek. He went to Manchester grammar school and Downing College,
Cambridge, where he was tutored for a time by the very ungeekish classicist and TV
presenter Mary Beard. From 16 to 21, he studied nothing but ancient languages and
civilisations. He says his mother, a passionate bridge player, adopted the internet before he
did. With no particular career ambitions, he took a part-time MBA at Manchester University
while working for a family friend in a wholesale wig and toupee business. He later worked
in the marketing department of the Independent newspaper before joining the BBC where
he eventually rose to a senior management position in charge of digital operations. He left
the BBC in 2010 and freelanced briefly before the Highland cow came into his life. He has
ended up where he is, he says, by "bizarre serendipity".
So how is FutureLearn different from its American competitors? Nelson claims that
FutureLearn alone is optimised for mobile devices but then moves on to what seems to be,
in the marketing jargon, its unique selling point. "We started from the belief that learning
has to be social," he explains. "If you go on many online learning platforms, you see a
succession of videos while message and discussion groups are add-ons. Here, on every
page, every video, every article" he switches on his laptop to demonstrate "we integrate
the discussion right alongside the content. You can click a button, even in the middle of a
video, and make a comment, ask a question or answer one. OU facilitators can come in.

22

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Learners can choose to follow particular facilitators or fellow students. We have peer
review. Learners can write short pieces and then discuss each other's work. We put
discussion steps into the course materials.
"We believe that much of the learning comes from the discussion. Nearly 40% of our
learners are actively commenting. At the BBC, I ran message boards for Radios 3 and 4.
They could be horrible places, with terrible trolling. We have nothing like that. We are
already getting superb results, even though the tools are still rudimentary we shall develop
them much further."
By minimising what he calls the "loneliness of distance learning", Nelson says, FutureLearn
is cutting non-completion rates. Of those who begin its six- to eight-week courses
(discounting those who sign up but never start), 22% complete a majority of steps and all
assessments, a figure that Nelson claims as "two to three times better than other providers".
Those who complete can get a "statement of participation", costing 24. "Since you can't
prove it was you who did the course," Nelson says, "it's not an authenticated certificate. But
people do see it as valuable." On some courses, students can take an exam costing about
120 set by the university that runs the course in a test centre which requires ID and
supplies invigilators.
Charging for end-of-course assessment is just one way that FutureLearn a profit-making
company owned by the non-profit OU expects to make money. Others include tuition and
the sale of supporting material, such as CDs of Shakespeare plays. Student data, however,
will not be sold to private companies. "This is an extremely sensitive area and we want our
students to feel they can trust us," Nelson says.
Who are the students? Isn't FutureLearn, like other Moocs, simply offering further
advantages to the already advantaged? "I'm very sanguine that the majority have degrees.
We're offering demanding courses from leading universities. But that said, 30% don't have a
degree, which is quite a large number." Some study for professional development Nelson
mentions dentists scattered across Paraguay who are together studying dental photography
others as preparation for full-time university courses. A large number, however, are leisure
learners pursuing knowledge without explicit vocational ambitions.
Will students ever get university degrees, in whole or in part, if they take sufficient
FutureLearn courses? Nelson says that's up to the universities; a reasonable answer, but
perhaps also an evasive one. So far, one course is recognised by a professional accountancy
body so that students who complete it are exempt from one module of its exams. But the
universities that provide Moocs, here and in America, are reluctant to offer degree credit.
Like the future of newspapers, the future of universities in a digital world is a mystery to
which nobody can give a confident answer. "The internet is disrupting higher education and
it's not going away," Nelson says. He's probably right about that. If nothing else,
universities will surely stop holding conventional on-campus lectures; what's the point of
standing in front of students talking for an hour when there's a superior means of
introducing them to new knowledge? But it's hard to believe Moocs will ever replace the
dreaming spires of Oxford and Cambridge, neither of which has signed up to FutureLearn,
or, indeed, that they pose much threat to other Russell Group universities. The real
attraction of elite universities, and the value of their degrees, lies in their exclusivity. Their
exacting entry requirements determine their reputation, not the quality of their teaching.

23

For FutureLearn, says Nelson, "the sky's the limit". That may be true for those who crave
learning for its own sake, but not for those who seek the prestige and status of a top-level
university degree.
Adapted from, The Guardian; http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/aug/19/moocs-manleading-uk-foray-simon-nelson-futurelearn

Questions
Answer the following questions in short paragraphs of not more than 100 words.
Any verbatim copying from the passage or plagiarism will be penalised. Try as far
as possible to use your own words in your answers.
1. Paragraph 2 states: Lifelong learning for all a goal that visionary educationalists
have pursued for decades can at last become a reality. If, that is, you believe the
hype. Explain what a Mooc is and state whether you believe the hype. (10 marks)
2. Identify the main ideas in paragraphs 1 to 5 and write a summary of the section in
no more than 200 words.
(20 Marks)
3. According to the passage, what are the major criticisms of Moocs? Remember to
use your own words, as far as possible.
(10 marks)
4. In Paragraphs Seven and Eight, the author describes some of the advantages of
FutureLearn. In your own words explain why you would find FutureLearn helpful or
not helpful to you as a student?
(10 marks)
Total: [50 marks]

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Assignment:
Due date:
Compulsory:

04
30 September 2016
Yes

Function: The purpose of the questionnaire is to assess the impact of the module. We
would like you to provide your honest opinion so that we can review the module and
improve our teaching. There is no right and wrong answer. Please submit this assignment
the same way in which you submit other Unisa assignments. If you are not submitting
online, use the mark reading sheet provided.
QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE QUALITY, EFFECTIVENESS AND DELIVERY METHOD OF
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES:
STUDENT NUMBER (OPTIONAL):.

Statements on the quality, effectiveness and delivery method of Rating on a

the module on ENN103F
scale from1to
Example: The module on English for Academic Purposes supports a creative learning
5 (1 = strongly
environment. Rating:

disagree;
2
=
disagree;
3=
undecided; 4= agree;
5 = strongly agree)
1 2 3 4 5

1.

The study guide invites and assists me to actively engage with the learning material.

2.

6.

The module is interactive and involves me in the learning experience through a

variety of media, such as pictures, activities, exercises, DVDs, journals, glossaries,
group discussions and myUnisa discussions.
The module provides me with sufficient assignments to improve my English for
Academic Purposes.
The activities within the study guide are useful and help me to understand the topics
being discussed and improve my academic literacy.
The assignments are relevant to the topics covered in the module and help to put into
practice what I have learnt.
The module helps to improve my academic reading.

7.

The module helps to improve my academic writing.

8.

The module addresses my specific academic purposes relevant to my qualification.

The module should focus on texts, skills and forms needed by students within
individual academic disciplines.
10. The module provides adequate teaching on English Grammar.

11. The module explains all aspects of English Grammar in a way that is easy to follow
and understand.
12. The discussions in the study guide and on myUnisa help to improve my academic
literacy.
13. All the topics that are covered in the module are explained and discussed in a way
that is easy to understand and follow.
14. The overall experience of English for Academic Purposes has been a positive one
and has improved my Academic English.
15. The staff on the module are helpful and readily available, responding to email and
telephone queries promptly.
16. The feedback on assignments is fair with adequate comments to explain the mark
received and help with improvement.

3.
4.
5.

9.

25

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Guidelines for writing essays

Analyse/interpret the topic, keywords and action words (verbs).

Refer to unit 3 in your study guide on the writing process.
First conduct a topic analysis and then brainstorm ideas on the topic.
Read the sources and make your own notes.
Refer to the study guide, which deals with the functions of paragraphs and
cohesion within paragraphs.
There is a diagram of an overview of the writing process on page 68 of the study
guide. (Write a detailed essay plan for the essay, then draft, redraft and edit your
essay.)
Check the guidelines for how to acknowledge a direct quote/cite a secondary source/
paraphrase. (Refer to page 71 of the study guide.)
Use the recommended referencing system for your qualification, such as APA,
MLA or the Harvard system. (We use the Harvard system in English Studies.)
Provide a list of the references or bibliography at the end of the assignment.

Structure of the essay

a.

Introduction: should be generally informative, relevant and interesting

Address the question directly from the outset.
Outline the essays main argument and its structure/organisation.
Make it clear to the reader where you are heading in the essay (thesis statement).
Ensure that your introduction is not long and rambling.
Main text: should be well argued, with the main points emerging clearly

b.

c.

Use literary signposts to help the reader to follow the sequence of your argument
(e.g. furthermore; on the other hand).
Ensure that links between points are logical and not confusing or contradictory.
Ensure that your paragraphs reflect the organisation of the essay.
Always support your points with evidence, facts or literature.
Conclusion: should effectively draw together major points in the text and
outline their implications for the essay title. Focus on the following points:

Aim to draw together points made earlier.

Avoid introducing new material in your conclusion.

Electronic submission of assignments

To submit an assignment via myUnisa:
Go to myUnisa.
Log in with your student number and password.
Select the module.
Click on Assignments in the menu on the left.
Click on the number of the assignment that you want to submit.
Follow the instructions on the screen.

27

We strongly recommend that you register as a myUnisa user, since the university is moving
very rapidly to the electronic delivery of all course material and we do not want you to be
left behind!
Tutorial letters
As mentioned, you will receive tutorial letters that comment on the assignments. These
tutorial letters will contain feedback on the short-answer questions, essay questions and
difficult questions, as well as guidelines for the examination.
If you have access to the internet, you can obtain your study guide and tutorial letters from
the myUnisa website, which will save you time.
Plagiarism
The Department of English Studies places great emphasis upon integrity and ethical
conduct in the preparation of assignments. We believe that this is part of what university
education should provide. It is very important to us that all our students know how
secondary material should be used and what the scholarly method of presenting and
acknowledging references is. If you submit an assignment in which plagiarism (the
unacknowledged use of secondary material) is detectable (can be proven), you will
definitely fail that assignment, very likely with 0%. If you copy something out of a book or
an article or from a website without acknowledging the source and present it as your own,
that constitutes plagiarism. In effect, you are stealing something that belongs to someone
else and pretending that it is your own. Even if you paraphrase this material (i.e. change
the wording only slightly) or use a line of argument/reasoning without acknowledging it, that
also constitutes plagiarism and the same severe penalty will apply. Assignments that
contain plagiarized content will be penalised. Unit 5 in the study guide has guidelines for
finding and using information.
8.7

Other assessment methods

There are no other assessment methods for this module.

8.8

The examination

You will receive a tutorial letter with exam guidelines during the semester.
8.8.1 Examination admission
In order to be admitted into the examination, you are required to submit the three
compulsory assignments on the dates that they are due. You will not be allowed to write
the examination if you have not submitted all of these assignments.
8.8.2 Semester mark
It is important that you do well in the assignments, since the combined marks for the
assignments give you a semester mark, that in turn, counts towards your final mark for this
module.

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Assignment 01 counts 25%, Assignment 02 counts 50% and Assignment 03 counts 25% of
your semester mark. As mentioned previously, all the assignments are compulsory. Your
final mark will be calculated as follows:

Semester mark (40%)

Examination mark (60%)

A student needs to achieve a minimum mark of 40% in the summative assessment, for his
or her year mark to be taken into account for the purpose of calculating the final
examination mark.
8.8.3 Examination period
This module is offered in a semester period of 15 weeks. This means that if you are
registered for the first semester, you will write the examination in May/June 2016 and the
supplementary examination will be written in October/November 2016. If you are registered
for the second semester, you will write the examination in October/November 2016 and the
supplementary examination will be written in May/June 2017.
During the semester, the Examination Section will provide you with information regarding
the examination in general, examination venues, examination dates and examination
times.
8.8.4

Previous examination papers

Previous examination papers are available to students (see myUnisa). We advise you,
however, not to focus only on old examination papers, as the content of modules, and
therefore, also examination papers, changes from year to year. You may, however, accept
that the type of questions that will be asked in the examination will be similar to those
asked in the activities in your study guide and in the assignments.
8.8.5

Tutorial letter with information on the examination

To help you in your preparation for the examination, you will receive a tutorial letter that will
explain the format of the examination paper, give you examples of questions that you can
expect and set out clearly what materials you should study for examination purposes.

29

9.

ADDENDUM

1.

Module information

2.

Title of module:

English for Academic Purposes

Module code:

ENN103F

Unisa information
Discipline:

English for Specific Purposes

Department offering the module: English Studies

3.

SAQA information

4.

NQF level:

Credit value of module:

12

Field:

Communication Studies and Language

Sub-field:

Language

Learning assumed to be in place before this module is commenced

Students have attained a Level 4 English credit, first or second language. They are able to read
extended texts, comprehending the main ideas and following a line of argument. They are able to
read a number of texts on a related topic and collate the ideas. They are also able to write
extended discursive/argumentative texts that focus on a given topic, using the structure of an
introduction, body and conclusion.
5.

Purposes of the module

To develop your ability to read critically with comprehension and insight, improve your
linguistic competence and develop your ability to write logically and effectively.
6.
table

Outcomes

Learning outcome 1:

You are able to apply reading strategies flexibly in order to

read more efficiently and increase comprehension.

Range statement:

Range of non-fiction texts, including newspaper and magazine

articles, advertisements and other material commonly found in
a literate community.

Assessment criteria:
1

Adapt reading speed to the nature of the text and the specific reading purpose.

Read a variety of texts critically: identify main ideas, make predictions and inferences,
and draw conclusions.

Specific outcomes of degree: The BA graduate is able to demonstrate academic literacy.

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Critical cross-field outcomes:

communicating effectively using language skills in a written medium
reflecting on, and exploring, a variety of strategies to learn more effectively
analysing, organising and critically evaluating information
organising and managing yourself and your activities responsibly and effectively
Learning outcome 2:

Range statement:

You are able to write effectively for different purposes, which includes
implementing planning strategies, writing a draft, editing the draft
and producing a final text.
Range of writing tasks

Assessment criteria:
1

Submit a planned, edited rough draft and a final revised product.

The revised final product will be assessed according to the following criteria:
content (ideas are clear, related and fully developed)
organisation (introductory and concluding sentences/paragraphs, arrangement of
ideas, main ideas, supporting sentences)
vocabulary (range and effectiveness of vocabulary used, appropriate register)
language usage (grammatical control, for example tenses, articles, word order,
word form, prepositions) and mechanics (spelling, punctuation, capitalisation,
paragraphing, handwriting)

7.

Syllabus/Content topics/Essential embedded knowledge

Reading: competent reading, developing reading speed, identifying key
information, mapping reading texts
Writing: writing with a purpose, the writing process, reconstructing writing
Grammar at sentence level: sentence structure, ideas in sentences
Language use: contextual language use, manipulative language, persuasive
language
Vocabulary development

This is a skills-based module. Therefore, in the study guide, we follow the method of giving a
short exposition of the skill or strategy to be acquired, with examples where necessary, and then
providing activities for you to practise the skill. Assignments also require you to apply what you
have learnt.
8.

RPL assessment:

Applicants may submit a portfolio or write a challenge examination.

31

9. Assessment criteria
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA FOR ESSAYS
LEVEL
1

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RANGE

CONTENT &
STRUCTURE
75-100% Irrefutable evidence
of sound
interpretation and
knowledge of topic
Logical and
excellent
development of
ideas
Well researched with
accurate referencing
skills
Insightful and
original
Highly selective
supporting details
Captivating
introduction a n d
highly convincing
66-74% Sound
understanding and
knowledge of topic
Convincing
presentation of topic
Concerted effort at
originality
Relevant supporting
details

50-65%

Some understanding
and knowledge of
topic
Some evidence of
supporting details
Reasonable
development of
information

LANGUAGE

PRESENTATION

Excellent command
of grammatical
structures
Skilful/sophisticated
use of diction and
linking devices to
illustrate coherence,
purpose and register
Mastery of
conventions
Near-perfect
discourse

Outstanding
Painstakingly
done
Exceptionally
neat and legible
Clearly defined
paragraph
breaks
Bibliography
meticulously
listed

Very good command

of grammatical
structures
Wide range of
vocabulary, linking
devices and
sentence structures
Sound discourse
Meaning
seldom
hindered
by
grammatical errors
Occasional flawed
sentences,
punctuation and
spelling errors
Effective use of
simple sentence
constructions

Well-structured
essay
Clearly defined
paragraphs
Neat and
legible
Complete &
correctly listed
bibliography

Good-very
good

Reasonably good
presentation
A few poorly
structured
paragraph breaks
Legible, but with
some typing
errors

Satisfactory
-good

OVERALL
COMMENT
Excellentoutstanding

ENN103F/101

3 (cont.)

30-49%

0-29%

A few lapses in
content
Sometimes disjointed
and loosely
presented ideas
Inadequate/incomple
te sequencing of
ideas
Adequate
introduction
and
conclusion
Unsatisfactory
handling of topic
Some irrelevant and
repeated information
Mundane handling of
topic
Flawed by
generalisations and
inadequate
supporting detail
Ineffective
introduction/conclusi
on
Very little or no
evidence of
understanding
and knowledge of
topic Very little
understanding of
essay-writing skills
Fragmented/disjointe
d/muddled ideas
Lack of preparatory
reading of study
material/textbooks
Too little information

Complete
bibliography, but
incorrectly listed

Limited vocabulary
and sentence
variety Inadequate
use of appropriate
linking devices
Poor punctuation
and sentence
construction
Obscured/confused
meaning

Inconsistently
defined
paragraphs
Need for more
clearly defined
paragraphs
Bibliography
incomplete &
incorrectly listed

Poor

Poor command of
vocabulary,
sentence structure
and
punctuation
No knowledge of
grammar structures

Cluttered
presentation
Illegible
handwriting/
many typing
errors
No bibliography

Very poor

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Marking code
When assessing your essays, markers use the following codes in addition to written feedback.
Symbol
abb

Error

Explanation

Abbreviation
- Do not use abbreviations or contractions (such as can't, don't,
etc.) in formal writing (e.g. a written assignment).

agr (s/v) Agreement error - Your verb does not agree with your subject in number.
Check whether your subject is singular or plural.
A plural subject takes a plural verb: The students read the book.
A singular subject takes a singular verb: The student reads the book.
amb

Ambiguity - Your statement could have two meanings. Rephrase.

ap

Apostrophe error - An apostrophe is a comma that hangs above the line.

An apostrophe is used to indicate possession.

The boys hands are dirty (the hands of the boy).

Mandela's leadership (the leadership of Mandela).

The boys' privileges (the privileges of the boys).

An apostrophe is used to indicate when letters are left out (contraction or omission).

We'll (we will)

Can't (cannot)

I've (I have)

It's (it is)

Contractions such as these are unacceptable in formal writing.
NB: 'its' (without an apostrophe) is the possessive form. The dog chewed its bone.
arg

Argument - Your argument/explanation is not methodical/coherent/relevant. A clear

and logical line of thought needs to emerge.

art

Article error - You have used a instead of the, or the instead of a, or you have
omitted to use a or the where you should have. Alternatively, you have used a or the
with a word that should not have an article.

awk

Awkward phrasing - Your sentence sounds awkward and clumsy. You need to
revise your word choice and word order.

cap

Capital letter - The word should begin with a capital letter, either because it begins a
sentence, or because it is a proper noun.

c/s

Comma splice - You have joined two ideas (i.e. two separate sentences) without using
a connecting word or proper punctuation. Either add a connecting word, or change
the comma to a semi-colon, or break the comma-spliced sentence into two
separate sentences.

exp

Expression faulty - Your sentence is difficult to understand because of errors

too numerous to list.

frag

Fragmentary sentence - Your sentence does not have a verb and, therefore, is only
a fragment of a sentence.

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ENN103F/101

inc

Incomplete sentence - You have left out part of the sentence.

irr

Irrelevant - What you have said has nothing to do with the topic.

L?/ill Logic faulty/illogical - Illogical, or your writing does not make sense here.
N.P. New paragraph - You have started discussing a new idea, so you need a new paragraph.
Para Paragraph structure - A paragraph consists of a main idea (usually expressed in a topic
sentence) and several supporting sentences t h a t explain the main idea or
give examples and/or details concerning the main idea. Single-sentence paragraphs are
not acceptable because a single sentence cannot develop or expand the main idea.
Your paragraph is too long and needs to be divided where appropriate.
p

Punctuation - You have misused a punctuation mark, or omitted one where it

was necessary.

sp

Spelling - You have misspelt a word. Try to get into the habit of using a
dictionary consistently.

Tense error -

Your verb is in the wrong tense.

Note: Use the present and related tenses when discussing a literary work, such as
"Bosman's humour has a strong South African flavour."
"In her short stories, Nadine Gordimer touches on issues ..."
voc/

Vocabulary error/ - You have used the wrong word or you could have used a
better one. (Look up the word you have used in the dictionary. You will find that its
meaning is either not correct or not appropriate in your sentence.)

wdy

Wordiness - You have used too many words to say something t hat could be said far
more simply and concisely.

WO

Word order incorrect - The words in your sentence are in the wrong place. Your
marker will have used arrows

ENDS

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