Study Guide

Objective

After successfully completing the course, you can demonstrate academic skills in both written and spoken English at least at the B1.2-B2 levels (CEFR). You are able to write cohesive and well-structured texts for academic purposes, use the appropriate citation techniques and follow the reporting conventions of Karelia UAS. Moreover, you understand the differences between academic and business genres and spoken and written language. You are able to deliver an effective presentation to business and academic audiences.

Content

- Reading techniques
- Genres and text types
- Text organisation
- Use of sources incl. quoting, paraphrasing and summarising
- Academic integrity and citation techniques
- Reporting conventions of Karelia UAS
- Presentation techniques

Location and time

Wärtsilä Campus, weeks 36-45

Materials

Materials available in Moodle, Karelia reporting instructions at https://libguides.karelia.fi/c.php?g=689495&p=4935740
Bailey, S. 2020. Academic writing for international students of business and economics. 3rd edition. New York: Routledge. (where applicable)

Teaching methods

lectures and workshops, independent study

Completion alternatives

Students with equivalent extent of university studies on academic communication in English can demonstrate their skills and familiarity with Karelia reporting conventions by taking the test in Exam.

Student workload

20 h of lectures and workshops, 2-hour competence test and 2 h of final seminar (presentations)
66 hours of independent assignments and study

Evaluation scale

H-5

Assessment methods and criteria

At the completion of the course you able to write a coherent academic essay where you demonstrate
- B2-level English proficiency
- ability search for relevant information from reliable sources and summarise and paraphrase the source text
- knowledge of and ability to use academic reporting and citations conventions (style guide) of Karelia UAS
Additionally, you have the skills to give a short and effective presentation on a topic of related to your first semester studies.

Assessment criteria, fail (0)

There is no submission or proof of competence, the text is plagiarised (not written by the student) or
there are serious problems in the mechanics of writing, in language (structures and vocabulary) or in logical coherence that make the text or speech difficult to understand.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

The student is able to
- apply the style guide of Karelia UAS and use proper citation techniques
- express his/her thoughts in a comprehensible manner by producing rather clear and predominantly coherent text and speech although imperfections may occur in the special academic language of the field and/or the incoherence, insufficiency and/or defectiveness of the text or speech disturb to some extent
- use basic structures rather well although the influence of mother tongue may be occasionally detectable
- use the basic (academic) vocabulary of the field of expertise
- communicate in a comprehensible manner although some defects and ambiguity may occur

Assessment criteria, good (3-4)

The student is able to
- systematically apply the style guide of Karelia UAS and use proper citation techniques
- produce fluent, rather varied, coherent and stylistically proper text and speech with systematic development of argument
- express his/her thoughts clearly to an academic audience of one's discipline
- use variable grammatical structures and vocabulary in relation to the field of expertise

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

The student is able to
- systematically apply the style guide of Karelia UAS, use proper citation techniques and synthesize several relevant sources in his/her own text and speech
- produce clear, varied and coherent text on a demanding business subject
- maintain proper academic style in accordance with the topic, genre and recipient
- use varied structures with grammatical precision and a very wide range of vocabulary in relation to the field of expertise
- correctly and effortlessly use expressions typical of the English language

Further information

Students with insufficient English skills (B1.1 or lower) should first attend remedial language courses to improve their language skills.