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Learning Outcomes

TopThis course is designed to help international graduate students from non-English speaking countries develop skills for writing their theses.

TopPrerequisite(s): Students need to complete ES5000 if required and ES5001A before taking ES5002. PhD candidates generally take ES5002 in the fourth year of their candidature when they are writing their thesis.

Teaching Modes

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Tutorials: Eight tutorials will highlight important information on the structural and linguistic aspects of writingthe main sections of a thesis: Introduction, Discussion/Conclusion and Abstract.
Workshops: Four workshops are devoted to students’ analyses of research paper and thesis portions and one to class analysis of samples of abstracts of research articles and theses.
Pre-writing: Two pre-writing sessions are arranged to discuss students’ outlines for the first two assignments (introduction sections) i.e. the writing of Context (the first assignment) and Review (the second assignment).
Peer review: Peer review sessions allow the first draft of students’ assignments to be read and commented on by fellow classmates.
Tutor feedback: In the tutor feedback sessions, students will be given ample opportunities to ask questions about teachers’ comments on their drafts and make revisions based on such comments.

Schedule

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Classes for the ES5002 module for the First Semester of AY2012/13 start on the week of Monday, 21 January 2013.

Synopsis

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ES5002 is a writing intensive course, requiring students to write five assignments which will form different sections (i.e. introduction, conclusion) and abstract of their PhD thesis. Towards this end, students will be given instruction on the structural and linguistic features of various sections of PhD thesis and research paper genre. Besides teacher instruction, students will also get help from fellow students through collaborative peer review process. Throughout the semester, students will also be exposed to abundant thesis and research paper samples through teacher- or student-led workshops.

Syllabus

Top SYLLABUS

ES5002 COURSE SCHEDULE FOR SEMESTER II AY2012/13

Week			First session in the week	Second session in the week
1		21Jan– 25Jan	Tutorial 1: Course Information Thesis Structure, TOC and Structure of introductions (Mini lecture, ML) Prepare Table of Contents for Thesis (HW) All students to bring an extract of the Context section of the introduction Chapter from a thesis	Tutorial 2: Presenting the Context/Review (ML) Tasks and analysis of thesis Context Analysis of Context/Review in thesis extract Students assigned to different workshop groups Prepare Outline for Context
2		28 Jan– 1 Feb	Tutorial 2: : Cont’d Review Tutorial 3: Cohesion in Context/Review Students to prepare for Workshop 1 Submit TOC and Context Outline	Workshop 1 (Group Discussion/presentation of analyses of thesis portions of Introduction Prepare outline for Lit Review (HW)
3		4Feb– 8 Feb	Pre-writing 1: Discuss TOC and Context outline Write Draft 1 of Context (laptop needed) Submit outline for Lit Review	Peer Review 1: Draft 1 of Context
*4		11Feb– 15 Feb	Pre-writing 2: Discuss outline for Lit Review Write Draft 1 of Lit Review (laptop needed) Submit Draft 2 Context	Peer Review 2: Draft 1 of *Lit Review* Write Draft 2 Lit Review
*5		18 Feb– 22Feb	Submit Draft 2 Lit Review Tutor Feedback 1 on Draft 2 Context Write Draft 3 Context	Tutorial 4: Presenting Gaps and Purpose (in Review, Mini lecture) Submit Drafts 1, 2 & 3 Context
*			*Recess Week 25^th*	*Feb to 1^st March*
6	4 Mar to 8 Mar		Tutorial 5: Presenting Aims and Significance Write Draft 1 Gap & Purpose	Peer Review 3: Draft 1 Gap and Purpose Write Draft 2 Gap and Purpose
7	11 Mar to 15 Mar		Tutor Feedback 2 on Draft 2 Lit Review Write Draft 3 Lit Review All students bring extracts of results portion of thesis for next tutorial Submit Draft2 Gap and Purpose	Tutor Feedback 3 on Draft 2 Gap and Purpose Write Draft 3 Gap and Purpose Submit Drafts 1, 2 & 3 Lit Review
8	18 Mar to 22 Mar		Tutorial 6: Writing Results (Mini Lecture) Students prepare for Workshop 2 Submit Drafts 1, 2 & 3 Gap and Purpose	Workshop 2: Analyses of thesis portions of Results All students bring extracts of conclusion portion from thesis for next tutorial
9	25 Mar to 29 Mar		Tutorial 7: Writing Conclusions (Mini Lecture) Students prepare for Workshop3	Workshop 3: Analyses of Conclusion (prepared by students) Write Draft 1 of Conclusion
10	1 April to 5 April		Peer Review 4: Draft 1 of Conclusion Write Draft 2 Conclusion	Tutorial 8: Writing abstracts (Mini Lecture) Workshop 4: Analyses of Abstracts Submit Draft 2 Conclusions Write Abstract Draft 1
11	8 April to 12 April		Tutor Feedback 4 on Draft 2 Conclusions Write Draft 3 Conclusions Submit Abstract Draft 1	Submit Draft 3 Conclusions Tutor Feedback 5: Draft 1 Abstract Write Draft 2 Abstract
12	15April to 19 April		Tutor Feedback 5: Final revisions of Introduction segments (Laptop needed) Submission of all three drafts of Context, Review, Gap and Purpose Submit Draft 2 Abstract	Tutor Feedback 6 Final revisions of Abstracts (D2) and Conclusions (D3) (Laptop needed) Submission of all drafts of Conclusions/Abstracts

*Public holidays during these weeks

Assessment

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Assessment (100% CA)

70% based on assignments (five assignments for Introduction, Abstract & Conclusion)
10% for analysis of selected portions of a thesis
10% for providing constructive comments to peers when reviewing assignments
10% for engagement and presence in class

Assignment	Length Requirement	Details	CA%
Introduction (1)	500 words	Context (Outline and 3 drafts)	10%
Introduction (2)	750 – 900 words	Review (Outline and 3 drafts)	20%
Introduction (3)	300 - 500 words	Gap & Purpose (3 drafts)	10%
Conclusion (4)	800 - 900 words	Conclusion (3 drafts)	20%
Abstracts (5)	500 words	Abstracts (Two drafts)	10%
Peer reviews		Four peer reviews	10%
Analyses for Workshops 1, 2, and 3		Analysis of paper/thesis portions	10%
Participation in classes (Engagement and Presence)			10%