UNTS1101 - Academic Writing in English

This course develops the academic literacy, critical thinking, research, writing, and presentation skills required for successful undergraduate study. It begins by helping students understand the expectations of tertiary education, including independent learning, time management, active participation, respectful academic discussion, and effective communication in a diverse university community.

Students learn to read academic texts critically by skimming, scanning, deconstructing arguments, identifying main ideas and evidence, and taking effective notes. They practise paraphrasing, summarising, direct quotation, synthesis, source evaluation, and the ethical integration of other authors’ ideas into their own writing.

The course focuses on analytical and argumentative writing. Students develop evidence-based positions, thesis statements, concessive arguments, essay scopes, introductions, TEECL body paragraphs, conclusions, coherence, and cohesion. Academic style is developed through objective, formal, impersonal, and appropriately tentative language, supported by accurate vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, editing, and proofreading.

Students also develop academic presentation skills, including audience and purpose analysis, presentation structure, visual aids, audience engagement, non-verbal communication, teamwork, and responding to questions. Academic integrity, referencing, Turnitin, plagiarism prevention, and responsible use of digital and AI tools are embedded throughout the course.