Course Orientation &

Introductory Language Lecture

*Orientation to FOUN 1105
*Introduction to myeLearning
*Writing vs Speech
*Language Choice in the Caribbean
*The Nature of Academic Writing at University
*Formal & Informal English
*Introduction to Summary Writing and Paraphrasing
FOUN 1105
Scientific and Technical Writing
Plenary 1

2015/2016
SUMMER PROGRAMME
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 Objectives
At the end of this session students will be able to:
1. Outline course particulars relating to FOUN 1105
2. Identify the role of myeLearning in this course
3. Describe a range of functions for language
4. Identify the features of academic writing at university
5. Distinguish between formal and informal English
6. Differentiate between summary writing and paraphrasing

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 What is this course about?
Scientific and Technical Writing is a Year I academic
writing course.
Students are exposed to multiple writing focal points
including summary, paraphrasing, review of related
literature, technical writing and expository writing. The
writing process with regard to organizing, prewriting,
writing and editing is an area of focus.
Developing research skills, as well as employing accurate
documentation of sources, is also covered.
Standard English grammatical patterns and mechanics
pertinent to formal exposition are emphasized.

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 What is the overall aim of
this course?
To improve students written competencies in the realm of
academic, scientific and technical writing based on sound
research and documentation appropriate to tertiary level
studies.

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 What are the objectives of
this course?
At the end of the course, students should be able to:
Recognize a range of functions for language;
Distinguish between written language and spoken
language;
Appreciate the language variety in the Caribbean and
differentiate between official and vernacular forms;
Choose a language code appropriate to context;
Differentiate between summary writing and paraphrasing
Demonstrate competence in creating a sound review of
related literature

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 Objectives continued
Produce clear, objective and formal prose based on given
graphical or tabular information
Develop critical thinking skills in the area of technical
writing
Organize a formal essay using specific essay-building tools
and strategies
Apply research principles reflective of the Chicago Manual
of Style
Utilize grammatical and other language skills depictive of
formal academic writing
Work independently as well as collaboratively in pairs

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 Who must read this course?
ALL students belonging to the Faculty of Science and
Technology and the Faculty of Food and Agriculture,
regardless of disciplines and majors/minors

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 How is secondary school / ECIAFs use of English
different from a universitys use of English?

Secondary schools/Pre-university institutions:

The focus is on writing as a product. This is marked by general
adherence to grammar rules, creativity, merging modes of
writing, mixing formal and informal language structures, and a
mixture of both anecdotal and academic writing styles.
Universities:
The focus is on writing as a process. Characteristics of this are
specific adherence to grammar rules, generative capacities of
language marked by coherence and effective transition devices,
understanding and ascribing to specific modes of writing to suit
audience and contexts, formal language use, and academic
writing underpinned by research and documentation.
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 The English Language Foundation
Unit
Resides in the Department of Modern Languages and
Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities and Education.

Delivers Foundation English courses to the Faculties of

Law, Social Sciences, Science & Technology, Food &
Agriculture, and Humanities & Education

Located on the Ground Floor, School of Humanities

Building

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 Course Delivery
The 3-credit, 36-hour course is delivered through a
web-enabled blended learning mode of:

Compulsory plenary lectures

Compulsory tutorial sessions
myeLearning technology (links, readings and self-
assessment tasks)

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 What is myeLearning?
myeLearning is the Universitys electronic learning
platform. Students accounts become active once they have
completed the registration process and have received
financial clearance.
This eLearning environment :
allows students to be placed into tutorial groups
gives them access to available material
is also one of the means by which course work will be
submitted
contains necessary announcements and self-assessment
answers

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 Course Registration
Students must be registered with the
university and financially cleared
Be registered
Be financially cleared Students must also register for a tutorial
via myeLearning

Note: Access to the course, course

outline, and all its materials, on
myeLearning, is only possible when the
above two registration steps have been
completed!

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 Course Assessment
Coursework 50%
Final Examination 50%
The Pass mark in this course is 50%
The Pass mark in each of the components of this course
(course work and the final examination) is 25 out of 50

Students MUST pass BOTH coursework and the final

examination in order to pass the course, regardless of
their mark in coursework!

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 Assessment Breakdown
Coursework Pass + Final Exam Pass = Course Pass
that is: 25 or more/50 plus 25 or more/50
e.g. (1). 26/50 plus 43/50 = 69 (Course Pass)
e.g. (2). 37/50 plus 25/50 = 62(Course Pass)
Coursework Pass + Final Exam Fail = Course Fail
that is: 25 or more/50 plus less than 25/50
e.g. (1). 45/50 plus 23/50 = 68 (Course Fail)
e.g. (2). 37/50 plus 21/50 = 58 (Course Fail)
Coursework Fail + Final Exam Pass = Course Fail
e.g. (1). 24/50 plus 44/50 = 68 (Course Fail)
e.g. (2). 23/50 plus 25/50 = 48 (Course Fail)

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 Coursework: 50%

Coursework Assignment 1 (Group work):

a technical writing piece (20%)

Coursework Assignment 2 (Group work):

a review of related literature (30%)

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 Final Examination: 50%
An essay using one of the following methods of expository
writing:

* Cause and Effect

* Comparison and Contrast
* Process Analysis
* Extended Definition

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 Course Work and
Final Examination Topics
The specific coursework questions for Credit
Assignments 1 & 2 are found on myelearning.

The broad topic, from which the final examination

questions are taken, is found in the course outline. The
broad topic is presented for research purposes.

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 Course Policies
ALL business related to the English Language Foundation Unit is
conducted either in class or during fixed hours, in our offices.

Attendance at plenary and tutorial sessions is compulsory.

Students will be debarred from sitting the final examination if they

do not have a minimum of 75% attendance in the course.

All students MUST register for tutorial sessions using myeLearning.

Students are responsible for completing all class work and related
activities including regularly accessing myeLearning.

Transfer of course marks is not allowed.

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 Assignment Policies
Credit Assignments are to be submitted on due dates to
respective tutors during tutorial sessions.

ABSOLUTELY no late assignments will be accepted!

Weekly assignments must be submitted to class tutors

during tutorial sessions.

Plagiarism of assignments will be severely penalized.

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 Course Attendance
Your attendance will be closely monitored each week.
If you have to miss a class, you must inform your tutor in
advance.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you sign the register
in EACH plenary and in EACH tutorial session!

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 Materials required
You MUST use the course outline and student manual in
this course (available on myeLearning).
A list of suggested texts and web sites is included in the
course outline.
The course outline and student manual MUST also be
downloaded from myeLearning and brought to each
plenary and each tutorial session.

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 Information
Important information will be placed on the notice
boards outside the ELFU offices, Ground Floor, School
of Humanities Building, as well as on myeLearning.
It is your responsibility to access these regularly.

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 What am I to do if I have to
change my tutorial hour?
Students must be very careful when registering for a
tutorial session. Please select a tutorial that does not clash
with another course.
If, after registering, you need to switch tutorials, it is not
sufficient for you to simply attend another tutorial. You
will receive no credit for this. You MUST de-register
from the initial tutorial and re-register for another.
This is done by Ms. Cadia Raymond, at her office located
on the Ground Floor, School of Humanities Building. You
will need to physically visit her there.

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 Make-Up Tutorial Sessions
This may be required because of the following observances this
semester:

Tuesday 30th May - Indian Arrival Day

Thursday 15th June Corpus Christi

Please liaise with your tutor about make-up sessions.

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FOUN C -Claudette
1105 ClaudetteJessop
Jessop 24
 What am I to do if I believe I deserve a
higher grade for my
credit assignments?
Discuss your assignment with your tutor. Be aware of
his/her office hours.

If, after consultation with your tutor, you are still not
satisfied, make an appointment to see the Course
Coordinator

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 Contact Us!
Course Coordinator :
Jannine Horsford
Jannine.Horsford@sta.uwi.edu
Room 14, Ground Floor, School of Humanities Building
Office Hours: Monday: 2:00 pm 3:00 pm
Wednesday: 11:00 12:00 pm

Secretariat:
Cadia Raymond
Cadia.Raymond@ sta.uwi.edu
Ground Floor, School of Humanities Building
Office Hours: Monday - Friday,
8:30am 4:30pm

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 Any Questions?

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 Communication Skills
There are four major communication skills
in any language:
Speaking
Listening
Writing
Reading

These are all underpinned by thinking

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 Productive vs. Receptive Skills
Productive skills
speaking
writing

Receptive skills
listening
reading

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 Productive Skills
Speaking and Writing manifest
themselves using various language
codes and language systems
They both have specific characteristics
that make them unique to the
communication process

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 Spoken Language Attributes
Primary language skill (infancy)
Rhythms, nuances and intonation (cultural
meaning)
Proximity between speaker/listener
Content can be amended forthwith
Clarification is immediate
Largely informal (depends on context!)
False starts
Turn taking

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 Written Language Attributes
Secondary language skill (taught)
Separation between writer and reader in time and
space
Content cannot be immediately amended
Largely formal
Usually in sentences / paragraphs
Less redundant & more organised
Fewer mispronunciation situations

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 Features of a Language
Communicative
Generative
Creative
Rule-governed
Maturational
Differing levels ranging from the formal to the
informal
A blueprint of a peoples history
Culturally transmitted

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4 dimensions of language use
These are applicable to both speech and writing
contexts, whether the language is official or unofficial:
Your situation
Your purpose
Your audience
Your topic

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 Caribbean Languages:
Discussion Point
What languages exist in the Caribbean today?
Why is the Caribbean a crucible for these
various languages?
Do any of these languages reflect more status
than others?
Why is it necessary to be schooled in an official
language?

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Language Choice in the Caribbean
The Caribbean is a multi-lingual region
It is characterized by the presence of a standard
language alongside a number of non-standard ones
English, French, Spanish and Dutch are the official,
accepted standards depending on the history of the
territory
Creole, not dialect, is the correct term for non-
standard languages within the region

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 Standard Languages
Caribbean Standard languages are connected to the
Europeans who conducted the slave trade within the
Caribbean
Standard languages in the Caribbean are associated,
therefore, with power, wealth, education and
authority
Internationally Acceptable Languages
We speak Caribbean Standard English

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 Creole Languages
Creole languages are associated with those who
were enslaved
These languages were forged out of contact and
the necessity to survive linguistically
Creole language has been historically looked down
upon and scorned
Only relatively recently has it been seen as a source
of nationhood by some

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 An official language
The one adopted by a country for the purposes of
education, law, business, commerce and international
trade

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 Language Continuum
The official language is considered the standard form of
language

The Creole is considered non-standard

People in the Caribbean operate along the language

continuum from Creole to formal standard.

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Formal and Informal Standard English
Standard English
(both formal and informal)

Informal Standard Formal Standard

English English

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 Formal and Informal English
Informal Standard Formal Standard
e.g. e.g.
I dont know I do not know
The phone is off The telephone is
switched off
We going to the lime Are we going to the
tonight? party tonight?

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 COFHER:
The Nature of Academic Writing at
University
Complexity
Objectivity
Formality
Hedging
Explicitness
Responsibility

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 COFHER - Complexity
Complexity: - higher level thought
- substantial and critical
information
- maturity of thought
- formal structure
- synthesis of
information

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 COFHER - Objectivity
Objectivity: - no personal
pronouns
- no emotive
language
- neutral in giving
information (no bias)
- an impersonal tone

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 COFHER - Formality
Formality - no abbreviations
- no contractions
- no cliches/slang
- no use of Creole
- no sweeping
generalisations
- no superfluous
expressions
- use of linking words

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 COFHER - Hedging
Hedging - use of doubt
expressed via modality
- You have to know when to use
words like may and might
- adopt a safe stance by saying a
writer seems to suggest, etc.

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 COFHER - Explicitness
Explicitness - PEE:
Point,
Explanation,
Empirical evidence

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 COFHER - Responsibility
Responsibility - acknowledge others work and
contributions
- do not make unrealistic claims
- no false information

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 So, never use the following in
formal academic writing
Contractions: Im, cant, shouldnt, etc.
Personal pronouns: I, you, me, mine, yourself, etc.
Informal language: tv, cell phones, kids, etc.
Slang, clichs, colloquialisms, Creole
Idiomatic language: cooking with gas
Emotive language: horrid, spectacular, etc.
Chatty/familiar tone
Sentence fragments: (parts of sentences)
Sexist language. (s/he)
Inconsistent spellings: American AND British
Points without evidence and examples

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Introduction to Summarising and
Paraphrasing
Summarising and Paraphrasing are two essential skills
which allow you to incorporate the views of another
writer into your work, using your own words. When
you paraphrase, you rewrite another writers views or
ideas in your own words without altering the meaning.
The paraphrase is usually the same length as the
original passage, or slightly longer, since you retain the
meaning of the original passage. However, when you
summarise, you are meant to include only the main
points of the original. As a result, the summary is
substantially shorter than the original passage.
Introduction to Summarising and
Paraphrasing, continued
Do try to read the notes on summarising and
paraphrasing on myeLearning before your first
tutorial!
 Todays Recap!

Orientation to FOUN 1105

Introduction to myeLearning
Writing vs. Speech
Language Choice in the Caribbean
The Nature of Academic Writing at University
Formal & Informal English
Introduction to Summarising and Paraphrasing

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 Remember to
Register online for tutorial sessions
Download course outline & the student manual
Explore myeLearning:
Complete Self-Assessment

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 Next Plenary Lecture
Summary Writing
Paraphrasing
Introduction to Technical Writing

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