Dr Teresa Hsieh
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Languages & Cultures School
WRIT1001 is for undergraduate students who speak English as a second language, including international and certain domestic students. The course teaches a range of skills necessary to participate in academic life, including academic English, digital literacy, critical thinking, and citation and referencing. The course runs in a blended online and face to face format (with live online tutorials via Zoom for 'external' mode). Online content is hosted on UQ's edX learning platform, with weekly face to face workshops (via Zoom for 'external' mode). The online content introduces the steps for writing an argumentative essay, including developing and structuring an argument, planning, critical thinking and analysis, using and evaluating sources, editing and proofreading, and using corpora of academic language. In the tutorial workshops, students participate in activities and discussions to develop and practise these skills. The in-person or external course offering may be cancelled unless a minimum of 20 students enrol.
The key parts of the WRIT1001 course include:
- Academic English: Enhancing students' proficiency in academic English to support their participation in academic activities.
- Digital Literacy: Teaching students how to effectively use digital tools and resources for academic purposes.
- Critical Thinking: Developing students' abilities to think critically and analyze information rigorously.
- Citation and Referencing: Instruct students on the proper methods for citing sources and creating references in academic work.
- Argumentative Essay Writing: Covering the steps for writing an argumentative essay, which includes:
- Developing and structuring arguments
- Planning essays
- Critical thinking and analysis
- Using and evaluating sources
- Editing and proofreading
- Utilizing corpora of academic language
IMPORTANT:
- Blended Learning Format: Combining online content hosted on UQ's edX platform with in-person or live online tutorials via Zoom.
- Tutorial Workshops: Providing interactive sessions where students participate in activities and discussions to practice and enhance their skills.
Course requirements
Assumed background
WRIT1001 is designed forﾠstudents educated in languages other than English, or from non-English speaking backgrounds. Please note this course is not suitable for native speakers of English, who are catered for by the course WRIT1005. Please also note that a student's enrolment in a course for which s/he holds incompatible qualifications may be cancelled at any time of the semester. This cancellation may involve a forfeiture of credit, and students may remain liable for course fees.
IMPORTANT: Students taking this course in China due to the travel ban may be strongly impacted by technical issues due to firewalls. UQ VPN is a requirement for such students to overcome these issues.
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
WRIT1005
Restrictions
WRIT1001 is designed to assist international and domestic undergraduate students who use English as a second language. It is not suitable for native speakers of English.
The in-person or external course offering may be cancelled unless a minimum of 20 students enrol.
Course staff
Course coordinator
Lecturer
Dr Teresa Hsieh
Mrs Alicia Gazmuri Sanhueza
Ms Franciele Spinelli
Dr Sandra Worrall
Mr Quy Pham
Dr Annita Stell
Ms Haruka Fukuda
Dr Mia Tarau
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Public holidays:
Alternative arrangements for affected students will be announced through the Blackboard site.
Class allocation:
In order to optimise the student experience, it may be necessary to reallocate students to a different class from their first choice.
Before this happens, every effort will be made to enable students to voluntarily change into an alternative class that is suitable.
Please note: Teaching staff do not have access to the timetabling system to help with class allocation. Therefore, should you need help with your timetable and/or allocation of classes, please ensure you email hass.mytimetable@uq.edu.au from your UQ student email account with the following details:
- Full name,
- Student ID, and
- the Course Code
Additional information and support can be found here.
Aims and outcomes
This course seeks to assist speakers of English as a second language to gain competency in English academic writing. The focus is the argumentative research essay. Online content introduce the basics of academic writing such as choosing a topic, planning an essay, developing a logical argument, conducting research, analytic writing, and academic English expression. Face to face workshops provide opportunities for students to apply knowledge gained in lectures practically, through group activities, exercises, and class discussions. The course also equips students with broader skills for studying at university in English, including digital literacy, critical thinking and evaluating sources of information.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Understand the nature of overarching issues in academic writing which often cause problems for speakers of English as a second language.
LO2.
Demonstrate the ability to convey ideas and information clearly and fluently in written form through written assessment.
LO3.
Demonstrate the ability to collect, analyse and organise information in order to be able to present it in the form of written assignments.
LO4.
Demonstrate critical thinking skills: the ability to identify and evaluate issues in written forms of assessment.
LO5.
Demonstrate knowledge of ethics and ethical standards in academic writing, especially as they pertain to conducting research.
LO6.
Demonstrate the acquisition of scholarly research skills which enable students to make their own contribution to knowledge.
LO7.
Demonstrate the ability to interact effectively with others in order to work towards a common outcome.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation/ Student contribution |
Online Module Participation
|
15% |
30/05/2025 4:00 pm
All UQExtend content must be completed by 4pm Friday Week 13. |
| Essay/ Critique |
Essay Plan
|
20% |
4/04/2025 4:00 pm
WEEK 6 |
| Essay/ Critique |
Complete Essay
|
30% |
9/05/2025 4:00 pm
WEEK 10 |
| Essay/ Critique, Reflection |
Improving on generative AI essay and video reflection
|
35% |
11/06/2025 4:00 pm
Exam Week 1 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Online Module Participation
- Hurdle
- Online
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution
- Weight
- 15%
- Due date
30/05/2025 4:00 pm
All UQExtend content must be completed by 4pm Friday Week 13.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07
Task description
This course is built around an online course hosted on UQ's Extend online learning platform. This online course contains a wide range of activities that will help you to learn about (and improve) your academic writing. These activities are available via WEEKLY MODULES.
IMPORTANT:
- There are a total of 13 weekly online modules available for completion from the beginning of the semester. Students are advised to complete each module in sequence on the corresponding week of the teaching semester, e.g., Module 1 in Week 1, Module 2 in Week 2, etc.
- Each weekly online module can take between 2-4 hours to complete, depending on the week and content covered.
- Participation tracking will begin from Week 1 and end at 4:00pm on Friday of Week 13. Activities completed after this time will not count towards your online participation score.
- Students will be able to track their online activity completion rate through the 'progress' tab in the Extend course (instructions will be provided online and in Week 1's workshop).
Criteria & Marking: Here is how the grading works for the online component:
- To be awarded full participation marks, students must complete ALL online activities (except where an activity is specific as OPTIONAL). An online activity completion rate of between 90%-100% will result in you receiving 15% of the grade for the whole course as 'online participation’.
- An online activity completion rate of between 80%-90% will result in you receiving 10% of the grade for the whole course as 'online participation'.
- An online activity completion rate of between 70%-80% will result in you receiving 5% of the grade for the whole course as 'online participation'.
- Please note that in order to PASS WRIT1001, you must complete at least 70% of all online activities.
- An online activity completion rate of <70% will result in a FAIL grade for the course.
- This participation score does NOT include face-to-face workshops - attendance for these is OPTIONAL and will NOT affect your online participation grade (although you are strongly encouraged to attend).
Your completion of these activities is tracked by the course coordinator, and your score will reflect the extent of your completion of the following activity types:
- PROBLEM QUESTIONS (Multiple choice, dropdown menu, checkboxes, etc.).
- COMPLETION OF VIDEOS (entire video must be watched).
- DISCUSSION FORUMS (following all accompanying instructions).
- PEER INSTRUCTION QUESTION (including meeting minimum character count for replies).
- DRAG AND DROP activities.
- CIRRUS ANNOTATION TASKS (see online modules for instructions).
IMPORTANT:
You do not have to get all activities CORRECT - you only have to COMPLETE the activities (it is OK to provide incorrect answers, although you will have the opportunity to revise your answers upon receiving feedback).
Generative AI & MT Statement
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Hurdle requirements
You must complete 70% of all online activities on UQExtend to pass WRIT1001. An online activity completion rate of <70% will result in a Grade of 3 or below for the course, even if your total mark for the course is more than 50/100.Submission guidelines
All activities completed on UQ Extend.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Online modules are available for completion throughout the 13-week teaching period. While students are expected to complete these modules on a weekly basis, there are no individual weekly submission deadlines. Student completion rate is monitored throughout the semester, and the final check is completed at 4pm, Friday, WEEK 13.
Late submission
All UQExtend content must be completed by 4pm Friday Week 13.
Essay Plan
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
4/04/2025 4:00 pm
WEEK 6
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
Topic
An academic topic of your choice.
Length
MAXIMUM 2 pages in Word (including references), in note (dot, bullet point) form - not full text.
Content
The plan’s format and content should be set out as discussed on the UQExtend online materials and in the workshops. Your essay plan will need to list three [3] contributing arguments (CAs). Each CA will require at least two [2] pieces of supporting evidence.
Submission
Submit an electronic copy (in Word or PDF) to the Turnitin link in the Blackboard Assessment folder.
Resubmissions are acceptable up until the deadline.
IMPORTANT
An APA 7th reference list is REQUIRED, and the plan should contain in-text citations as evidence that you have begun research. There is no 'magic number' to the number of citations required - use citation wherever you make a claim, or use direct quotations of someone else's work.
Generative AI & MT Statement
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
Submission via Turnitin link on Blackboard. Allow time to check the similarity report before the deadline.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
The maximum extension length ensures that assessors can provide timely feedback, supporting the progressive, sequential, and cumulative nature of language learning that underpins this course.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Complete Essay
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
9/05/2025 4:00 pm
WEEK 10
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
Topic:
The same academic topic as used for your Essay Plan assessment
WRIT1001: Essay Assessment: General instructions
Write a complete argumentative (persuasive) Essay based on your Essay Plan and the feedback you received on it, using the information and knowledge that you have learned throughout this course.
Length
1,200 words (+/- 10%) in formal academic English
The essay’s format and content should be set out in three sections (Introduction, Body, Conclusion) but DO NOT use subheadings for these sections. (Part of the skill of writing short academic texts is making smooth transitions between sections.)
A reference list in APA format is required. The reference list is not counted in the word count.
Direct quotations are counted in the word count, but they should NOT exceed 5% of the essay.
Submission
Submit an electronic copy (in Word or PDF) to the Turnitin link in the Blackboard Assessment folder. Resubmissions are acceptable up until the deadline, but note that similarity reports are only generated once every 24 hours.
IMPORTANT
You must cite at least six scholarly sources. The reference list should be in APA format. Any claims/evidence in the essay should be supported by in-text citations, also in APA format, e.g. (Davidson, 2017).
Use of AI/essay writing / ghostwriting companies is subject to SEVERE penalty - we are able to know if you produced your own work or not and have the tools to prove it.
Generative AI & MT Statement
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use Al technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference Al use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of Al tools.
Submission guidelines
Submission via Turnitin link on Blackboard. Allow time to check similarity report before the deadline.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Improving on generative AI essay and video reflection
- Identity Verified
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique, Reflection
- Weight
- 35%
- Due date
11/06/2025 4:00 pm
Exam Week 1
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
This assessment is in two parts (PART A and PART B). The assessment is not considered submitted until both parts are received following the instructions below.
-------------------------------
PART A:
Drawing on the knowledge you have gained from the WRIT1001 course content, you are to produce an argumentative essay as taught in the course. You are not to write your own essay on your own topic—you must improve the provided essay produced by generative AI (e.g. ChatGPT).
The essay produced by a generative AI will be provided to you on the Monday of Week 13 (in the assessment folder).
Part A of this assessment requires you to improve the AI-generated model essay, bringing its quality up to university standard with the skills you have learned in this course, including critical argumentation, logical structure, detailed research skills, appropriate and valid referencing of sources, etc.
As the AI-generated essay will be short in length, you will be required to also increase the word count to approximately 1200 words. A reference list in APA7 will be required (this is NOT part of the word count).
This part of the task is worth 28 marks (out of 35).
----------------------
PART B:
Submit a video reflection explaining in detail how you drew upon:
- The knowledge gained from the WRIT1001 course content to improve upon the Generative AI-produced essay, and
- How you will transfer and apply this knowledge to your writing in the future.
Note: You MUST be able to explain how you revised the Generative AI essay step by step in the video, AND explain how you used the WRIT course materials to help you do this.
This part of the task is worth 7 marks (out of 35). Students who fail to submit the video as per the instructions below will receive a mark of 0/35 on this assessment.
--------------------------------
IMPORTANT
Both PART A and PART B of this assessment must be submitted following these instructions in order to be considered “submitted” for marking.
If either part of the assessment is not submitted BY THE DUE DATE, the assessment will accrue a penalty of 10% per day up to 7 days, after which it will receive a mark of 0/35
-------------------------------
DETAILED UPLOAD INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Submit a Word or PDF file of the argumentative essay to the Turnitin link on Blackboard.
2. Upload video reflection on Blackboard. Instructions on how to do this are on Blackboard.
- At the START of the video, you must talk to the camera (i.e. NOT a photograph) and introduce yourself clearly showing your UQ ID card on FULL SCREEN. If you do not have a UQ ID card, please use a passport or valid Australian driver’s license with your name in English. If the marker cannot see your ID clearly, your video will be considered not submitted.
- Presentations must be under 3 minutes - submissions that are significantly longer will have marks deducted.
- ALWAYS take a screenshot after the submission of your assessment. This is a way to ensure your submission is done successfully if there is a problem.
----------------------------------
Your written assessment must be new work that you have not written this semester. Do not submit previously completed work.
Submitted work which is suspected to have used ghost-writing services will be investigated for academic misconduct and potentially face severe academic penalties.
We are able to know if you produced your own work or not and have the tools to prove it.
Generative AI & MT Statement
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use Al technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference Al use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of Al tools.
Submission guidelines
Submit a Word or PDF file of the argumentative essay to the Turnitin link on Blackboard. Upload video reflection on Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student has not submitted any work of substance. Student has notﾠparticipated satisfactorily inﾠtutorial activities. 0-24% |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates very sketchy knowledge of concepts covered in the course, with large gaps evident. Student does not answer the question being posed. Not all assessment items completed. Lacks analytic skills. Student has not participated satisfactorily in tutorial activities. Little evidence of careful essay planning. 25-44% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Fail: Falls short of satisfying all basic requirements for a Pass. 45-49% |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates some grasp of concepts covered in the course, but exhibits knowledge gaps in some key areas.ﾠWork is by and large descriptive, without critical analysis.ﾠWork contains many factual errors and grammatical inaccuracies. Student hasﾠparticipated satisfactorily in tutorial activities. Little evidence of careful essay planning or response to feedback (where required). 50-64% |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates an excellent grasp and application of some concepts covered in the course, but exhibits knowledge gaps in a few key areas. S/he demonstrates the ability to represent some differing ideas on a theme. There is some attempt at critical analysis, albeit with incoherencies and little depth in argument. Work is rarely innovative. Work contains some factual errors and grammatical inaccuracies. Student has participated well in tutorial activities. Some evidence of careful essay planning and response to feedback (where required). 65-74% |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates an excellent grasp and application of most concepts covered in the course, with some minor knowledge gaps in specific areas.ﾠS/he demonstrates the ability to comprehensively discuss the important works written on a theme.ﾠThere is some attempt at critical analysis, albeit with some incoherencies and only moderate depth in argument.ﾠWork is sound and somewhat innovative. Work contains rare factual errors, and few grammatical inaccuracies. Student has actively participatedﾠin tutorial activities. Evidence of careful essay planning and response to feedback (where required). 75-84% |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates an excellent grasp and application of concepts covered in the course.ﾠS/he demonstrates the ability to comprehensively and critically analyse works written on a topic. Arguments are well formulated and presented coherently. Essay structure is sound. Work is original and well presented, with no factual errors and few grammatical inaccuracies. Student hasﾠactively participated in tutorial activities. Clear evidence of careful essay planning and response to feedback (where required). 85-100% |
Additional course grading information
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Raymond Murphy, English Grammar in Use: A Self-Study Reference and Practice Book for Intermediate Students, 3rd or 4th edition (Cambridge University Press, 2004, 2012).
Stella Cottrell, The Study Skills Handbook, 3rd edition (Macmillan Press, 2008).
Stephen Bailey, Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students, 4th edition (Routledge, 2014). An electronic copy available to UQ users is held by Central library.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Tutorial |
Module 1: Course Introduction Introduction to the course and EDX sign on Learning outcomes: L01 |
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Tutorial |
Module 2: Becoming an Academic Writer Becoming an academic writer - what to write about, writing formats, and preparing to write Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L06, L07 |
Week 3 (10 Mar - 16 Mar) |
Tutorial |
Module 3: What is different about academic writing What is different about academic writing? Arguments, stance and the academy Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Week 4 (17 Mar - 23 Mar) |
Tutorial |
Module 4: Planning your writing Planning your writing: Getting ideas, finding information, and building structures Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L06 |
Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Tutorial |
Module 5: Starting to write Starting to write: Introductions, paragraphs and conclusions Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L06 |
Week 6 (31 Mar - 06 Apr) |
Tutorial |
Module 6: Academic integrity and you Academic integrity and you: Plagiarism, misconduct and why it is important Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04, L05 |
Week 7 (07 Apr - 13 Apr) |
Tutorial |
Module 7: Referencing and citation practices Referencing and citation practices: What is it, why bother? Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05, L06 |
Week 8 (14 Apr - 20 Apr) |
Tutorial |
Module 8: Critical thinking Critical thinking: How to evaluate arguments and research sources Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Tutorial |
Module 9: Academic genres across the university Academic genres across the university: Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Week 10 (05 May - 11 May) |
Tutorial |
Module 10: The language of academic writing Tone and metadiscourse Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L07 |
Week 11 (12 May - 18 May) |
Tutorial |
Module 11: Using language corpora Using language corpora to boost academic writing Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L06 |
Week 12 (19 May - 25 May) |
Tutorial |
Module 12: Style, editing, proofreading Style, editing, proofreading and dealing with common errors Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Week 13 (26 May - 01 Jun) |
Tutorial |
Module 13: Assessment preparation/Course revision Improving on generative AI Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L06, L07 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.