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Course profile

Fundamentals of Academic Writing (WRIT1005)

Study period
Sem 2 2024
Location
St Lucia
Attendance mode
In Person

Course overview

Study period
Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
Study level
Undergraduate
Location
St Lucia
Attendance mode
In Person
Units
2
Administrative campus
St Lucia
Coordinating unit
Communication & Arts School

This course covers the fundamentals of reading, writing and critiquing as an academic.

Hello, writers, and welcome to Fundamentals of Academic Writing!

Writing is a critical skill for navigating the world and participating in our communities, but far too often, it's one we're expected to just pick up along the way. As students and researchers, you'll produce writing for assessment activities; in your employment, you'll be expected to communicate clearly and effectively with a wide range of readers.

WRIT1005 sets you up for success in your university writing, focussing on hands-on, practical strategies to enhance the substance, structure and style of your academic writing.

The material presented in lectures and practiced in tutorials will enhance your understanding of and skills in research, writing and editing. You'll learn about finding and evaluating research, developing persuasive arguments, and the ethics of research. In tutorials, you'll work as a community of writers, actively developing your writing skills through interactive writing and workshopping tasks. Over the course of the semester, you'll complete short writing tasks that build towards your own academic argument, and we'll talk about how you can apply these skills in other classes. Overall, by taking this course, you'll develop the competence and confidence to reflect on your own work and continue developing as a writer throughout your studies, and your career.

Welcome, writers. We're looking forward to working with you.

Advice from previous students

I asked students who completed WRIT1005 what they wish they'd known before starting the class, and what advice they have for future students. Some of their advice is below:

  • "I wish I had known that while this course would not be content-heavy, everything was designed to help me excel in the class."
  • "Complete all the short writing tasks -- easy opportunities for good marks and feedback."
  • "I wish I had known that it's OK if you think your writing is bad because everyone's going through the same thing. Also that the small tasks are easy to get out of the way so don't stress. And if you need help, just ask!"
  • "Don't go into this course thinking you'll be alone and totally lost. It's structured so that you get regular targetted feedback -- you won't be left in the dark!"
  • "I wish I had known that academic writing can be creative and inventive; it isn't just about plugging information into a set structure."ᅠ
  • "Everything you will learn is worthwhile and important for future classes, even if you aren't majoring in writing - it's relevant for all disciplines."

Course requirements

Assumed background

You will need to read and analyse scholarly articles to strengthen both your critical reading and writing skills. You should also be prepared to share and discuss your own writing with your peers in your tutorial.

Incompatible

You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:

WRIT1000, WRIT1001

Course contact

Course staff

Lecturer

Tutor

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Additional timetable information

The full WRIT1005 timetable—which includes details about weekly topics, readingsᅠand exercises—is available on the WRIT1005 Blackboard site. You should read thisᅠ profile in conjunction with the full timetable.

The WRIT1005 Blackboard site is available for student access. Go to https://learn.uq.edu.au/webapps/login and sign in with your UQ username and password.