ENGL 155 is designed for students who require a preparatory course in writing skills. The major objective of the course is to improve students’ reading and writing abilities so they can succeed at the post-secondary level. Students will expand their vocabulary, increase their ability to analyze complex text, and improve their writing skills. The course includes paragraph and essay structure and a systematic grammar review.
Outline
The course consists of the following eight units, each of which includes three lessons (grammar and mechanics; word study; and writing):
Unit 1 - (introduction)
Unit 2 - (paragraph writing)
Unit 3 - (summary writing)
Unit 4 - (process essay)
Unit 5 - (comparison/contrast essay)
Unit 6 - (cause-effect essay)
Unit 7 - (argumentative/persuasive essay)
Unit 8 - (personal essay and review)
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course, students should be able to do the following:
Shape their writing in accordance with audience and purpose
Use effective theses and topic sentences to focus on main ideas
Use effective organization and linking devices to develop ideas coherently
Use acceptable grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure
Use appropriate and effective vocabulary
Evaluation
To receive credit for ENGL 155, you must complete all the assignments, achieve a minimum grade of D (50 percent) on the final examination, and achieve a composite course grade of at least C– (60 percent). The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:
Activity
Weight
Assignment 1: Diagnostic Essay/Review
Complete/Incomplete
Assignment 2: Paragraph Writing
7.5%
Assignment 3: Summary Writing
7.5%
Assignment 4: Process Essay
10%
Assignment 5: Comparison/Contrast Essay
10%
Assignment 6: Cause-Effect Essay
15%
Assignment 7: Argumentative/Persuasive Essay
15%
Assignment 8: Personal Essay (includes Reflective Journal Assignment)
15%
Online Quizzes
Complete/Incomplete
Final Exam
20%
Total
100%
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
Lipschutz, Gary, Sandra Scarry, and John Scarry. The Canadian Writer’s Workplace. 8th ed. Toronto: Nelson Education, 2017. (eText)
Brians, Paul. Common Errors in English Usage. 3rd ed., William, James & Co., 2013. (Print)
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.