CENTRE FOR LANGUAGE STUDIES

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK

Course Code

: PBI 1102

Course Status

: Generic

Instructors

: 1. Amee Joan (Course coordinator)

2. Pung Wun Chiew
3. Yvonne Michelle Campbell
4. Florence Kayad
5. Feona Albert Abell
6. Mohamad Fairuz Ali
7. Lim Yong Wee (Part timer)
8. Edmund Robertson Linang (Part timer)
9. Maimunah Imor Phillips@ Flora Imor Phillips (Part timer)

Pre-requisite

: MUET Band 3

Course Title
Coordinator

Course Synopsis

: Academic English
: Amee Joan

: This course aims to develop students ability to use of English

for academic purposes in the university. The course enhances
students reading skills by teaching them how to extract
information from different parts of the text. Students are
taught how to paraphrase information from various academic
texts to present their thoughts in spoken and written forms.
They are guided to produce types of writing frequently
required in university assignments using accurate citation and
referencing conventions as well as appropriate structures and
language features.

Learning
Outcomes

: By the end of this course, students will be able to:

1. Reading
extract various kinds of information from academic texts
(C2)
2. Listening (formal)
Infer main ideas and supporting details in recorded speech
(C2)
3. Writing
produce various types of academic writing using the
appropriate structures and language features (C3)
4. Speaking
present viewpoints using appropriate structures and
language features (A2)

Student Learning
Hours

Guided LHs

Self LHs

Lectures

14

14

Student-Centred Learning

14

28

Continuous Assessment

Final Examination/
Assessment

Sub-total

32

48

Total

80 hours

Course Content
Week 1-2

5-9 September
12-16 September

Guided LHs

: Introduction to the course

course outline
course aim and objectives
Textbook: Oxford EAP , A course in

English for Academic Purposes

UNIT 1: Presenting Factual Information
Listening and Speaking
Understanding main ideas in a
presentation
Noting down key information
Identifying questions asking for
information
Asking questions for further information
Reading
Understanding a text
Identifying factual information
Identifying statistics and time references
Writing
Simple sentences- identifying parts of a
simple sentence and writing simple
sentences
Compound sentences- writing compound
sentences using and, but and or.
Weeks 3-4

19-23 September
26-30 September

: UNIT 2: Defining and Explaining

Listening and Speaking
Listening for the main and supporting
ideas
Understanding spoken definitions
Defining and explaining a simple concept
in a seminar discussion
Reading
Identifying definitions and explanations in
a text
Identifying the language of simple
definitions and explanations
Understanding meaning from context
Writing
Writing simple definitions
Writing definitions with relative clauses
UNIT 3: Describing and Explaining
Listening and Speaking

Understanding the main idea and

supporting details in a presentation
Noting down examples in a presentation
Describing a concept
Asking for repetition and clarification
Reading
Understanding a descriptive text
recognizing the use of description in a text
Understanding noun phrases in
descriptions
Writing
Sentences using articles
Identifying the use of articles
Using articles in sentences and in a short
paragraph
Sentences using noun phrases
Identifying the use of determiners to give
cohesion
Adding descriptive detail to nouns
Writing sentences using noun phrases

Weeks 5-7
3-7 October

10-14 October
17-21 October

: UNIT 4: Comparing and contrasting

Listening and Speaking
Understanding comparison and contrast
Giving a short presentation referring to
visual information
Comparing data in a short presentation
Reading
Understanding the main idea and specific
details in a text
Identifying the language of comparison and
contrast
Understanding comparison and contrast in
a text
Writing
Identifying the language of comparison and
contrast

Writing connected sentences comparing

and contrasting ideas
Comparison contrast organization(*B1
level from Effective Academic Writing
Book)

Assessment 1: Essay WritingCompare and Contrast- Individual

(20%) to be conducted in Week 7
Date: 17-21 October 2016

UNIT 5: Expressing Stance

Listening and Speaking
Identifying stance
Expressing stance with supporting
evidence
Asking and responding to stance in a
discussion
Reading
Identifying the main arguments in a text
Recognising stance in a text
Writing
Writing sentences expressing stance
Writing a paragraph expressing stance

Weeks 8-10

: MID SEMESTER BREAK (22-30 OCTOBER)

22 October- 30
October

UNIT 6: Summarizing and Paraphrasing

Listening and Speaking

31 October- 4
November

7-11 November

Understanding sign posting language

Note-taking: organizing notes into
summaries
Using sign posting language
Giving a summary of a talk
Reading
Identifying key features of a summary
Understanding references in a text
Summarizing information in a text
Writing
Paraphrasing sentences
Paraphrasing paragraph
Citation and referencing

Academic honesty versus plagiarism

Citation conventions
Referencing conventions

ASSESSMENT 2: SPEAKING- GROUP

DISCUSSION (20%)

Date: 7-11 November

Weeks 11-14
14-18 November
21-25 November
28 November- 2
December

: UNIT 7: Cause and Effect

Listening and Speaking
Understanding cause and effect
Recognising and noting down key cause
and effects relations
Using indirect questions to respond to
lecture content
Giving a brief explanation of causes and
effects
Reading
Understanding cause and effect
relationship in a text
Using verbs to describe cause and effect
Writing
Cause and effect connections

Using nous expressions to express cause

and effect
Expressing cause and effect using verbs
and nouns
Writing a paragraph expressing cause and
effect
Cause and effect organization essay (*B1
level from Effective Academic Writing
Book)

Assessment 3: Listening- Individual

(20%)
To be done on the 21-25 November.
5 December- 9
December
UNIT 8: Argument
Listening and Speaking
Identifying main argument and supporting
evidence
Identifying structure of well-reasoned
argument
Presenting arguments FOR and AGAINST
Reading
Understanding a short argument text
Identifying arguments
Evaluating the strength of arguments
Writing
Identifying arguments and supporting
ideas
Writing main body paragraphs
Openings and conclusions
Planning opening and concluding
paragraph
Writing an argument essay

REVISION WEEK: 17-26 DECEMBER 2016

TeachingLearning

Approach

Evaluation

: Lecture mode and tutorials

The emphasis is on developing students writing, reading and
speaking skills in English
Students are required to attend two hours of face-to-face
sessions each week.
Incorporate computer lab sessions where possible, using online
exercises and practise, such as MyLine (http://myline.utm.my/)
and Morpheus.
: Continuous assessment (60%):
Assessment 1: Essay Writing- Compare and ContrastIndividual (20%)
Assessment 2: Speaking- Informal Group Discussion (20%)
Assessment 3: Listening- Individual (20%)
Examination (40%):
Final examination : 40%
Section A: Reading
Section B: Citation and Referencing
Section C: Essay Writing (Argumentative Essay)

References

: American Psychological Association. (2010). Mastering APA

style: Student's workbook and training guide (6th ed.).
Washington, DC : American Psychological Association
Dummett,P.,Hird,J.(2015).OxfordEAP:AcourseinEnglishfor
academicpurposes.Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress.
DeChazel,E.,Hughes,J.(2015).OxfordEAP:AcourseinEnglishfor
academicpurposes.Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress.
Folse, K. S., Muchmore-Vokoun, A. & Solomon, E. V. (2014).
Great Writing 4: Great Essays (4th ed.). Boston, MA:
Cengage Learning.
Giltrow, J. (2002). Academic writing: Writing and reading in
the disciplines (3rd ed.). Orchard Park, NY : Broadview

Press
Publication manual of the American psychological association.
Washington, DC: American Psychological Association,
2001.