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Overview

This course provides an introduction to university studies for students who wish to attend a postsecondary institution where English is the medium of instruction. The aim of this course is to prepare students to succeed in complex academic tasks in writing and reading. This is a general academic preparatory course designed from an ESL perspective. However, it is also appropriate for native speakers of English who are in need of general academic and writing preparation.

Outline

This course is composed of six units, which are each divided into three or more lessons drawn from the instructional material in The Canadian Writer’s World. In many cases supplementary material is also available, along with helpful online exercises. The first lesson in each unit, on structure and language, tackles one or more elements of English grammar and usage. The second lesson, on reading, presents a selection of essays that exemplify a particular way of organizing and communicating ideas. The third lesson, on writing, which may be subdivided into two or more sections, looks at how those essays have been composed and offers a number of exercises to practice the necessary skills. Each unit ends with an assignment that asks you to reflect on your progress through the course and to compose a piece of writing that demonstrates your understanding of the skills that were practiced in that unit.

Evaluation

To receive credit, you must complete all the assignments and achieve a minimum grade of 50 percent on the final examination and a composite course grade of at least C– (60 percent). The weighting of the course assignments is as follows:

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.

Materials

Digital course materials

Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:

Gaetz, L., Phadke, S., & Sandberg, R. (2019). The Canadian writer’s world (3rd ed.). Pearson Canada.

Other Resources

All learning resources will be available online.

Important links

• Academic advising
• Program planning
• Request assistance
• Support services