MasterPhDLawBachelorMBAHealthcareCoursesOnline
Keystone logo
FutureLearn A Beginner's Guide to Writing in English for University Study Course - Reading University
FutureLearn

A Beginner's Guide to Writing in English for University Study Course - Reading University

Online United Kingdom

5 Weeks

English

Part time

USD 59 / per course *

Distance Learning

* you can learn it for free or upgrade the course and have extra benefits for $59

Scholarships

Explore scholarship opportunities to help fund your studies
Read more

Introduction

Learn how to use English for study at university or college and develop your writing skills, vocabulary and grammar.

Learn how to write using academic English in preparation for university study.

Academic writing can be very different from other types of written English. This course has been developed to help you learn the basics of academic writing and develop your English language skills.

You’ll develop some proficiency in key areas of ‘academic’ grammar, learn about the stages in essay writing, and produce an essay of your own. You’ll also explore how to organise an essay, write in an academic style, and use tools to evaluate your own writing and other learners’ writing so that by the end of the course you’re able to write a good, basic academic essay.

What topics will you cover?

Week 1

  • Key features of academic writing
  • Developing essay ideas
  • Organising your ideas effectively

Week 2

  • Essay structure and organisation
  • Choosing a title
  • Writing in an impersonal style

Week 3

  • Using academic language
  • Writing about facts and activities
  • Writing about groups of people
  • Writing longer sentences: linking words and subordinators

Week 4

  • The stages of writing an essay
  • Analysing an essay title
  • Deciding what evidence to use
  • Writing the first draft of an essay

Week 5

  • Evaluating the first draft of an essay
  • Reflecting on feedback on your first draft of the essay
  • Responding to feedback on your first draft of the essay

When would you like to start?

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts.

  • Available now
  • 6 September 2021

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to:

  • Compare one aspect of life now with life in the past in one well-constructed paragraph.
  • Explore the organisational structure of essays: identify and name the different sections of an essay.
  • Explain one aspect of your home town in one well-constructed paragraph, focussing on language accuracy.
  • Develop and write the first draft of your essay.
  • Contribute and receive feedback on first essay drafts.
  • Reflect on feedback received and improve your draft to create and submit a second draft of your essay.

Who is the course for?

This course is aimed at non-English speakers who have studied some English. You should have a minimum level of IELTS 4.5 or equivalent.

Who will you learn with?

Brian Turner

I’m an English for Academic Purposes teacher & materials developer at the University of Reading. My research interest is different modes of thought & reasoning across different language & cultures.

Steve Thomas

I am the Director of the Academic English Programme at the University of Reading, helping international students to achieve their full academic potential.

Jonathan Smith

I’m an Associate Professor in Technology-enhanced Learning at the University of Reading. I also teach pre-sessional courses in the English language and study skills.

Anne Vicary (educator)

Hi there! I’m Anne and I teach English for Academic Purposes at the University of Reading. I’m particularly interested in the teaching of grammar and writing. Looking forward to the course!

Sebastian Watkins (Educator)

I work at the University of Reading, as a tutor in English for Academic Purposes. I’ve taught academic writing for many years now and always enjoy seeing my students make progress.

 

Who developed the course?

University of Reading

The University of Reading has a reputation for excellence in teaching, research and enterprise.

Learn on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps, but you can complete them as quickly or slowly as you like
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Join this course

Free
$0

Upgrade
$59

Unlimited
$279.99 for one year

Join free and you will get:

  • Access to this course for 6 weeks

Upgrade this course and you will get:

  • Access to this course for as long as it’s on FutureLearn
  • Access to this course’s tests as well as a print and digital Certificate of Achievement once you’re eligible

Buy Unlimited and you will get:

  • Access to this course, and hundreds of other FutureLearn short courses and tests for a year
  • A printable digital Certificate of Achievement on all short courses once you’re eligible
  • The freedom to keep access to any course you've achieved a digital Certificate of Achievement on, for as long as the course exists on FutureLearn
  • The flexibility to complete your choice of short courses in your own time within the year

Accreditations

English Language Requirements

Certify your English proficiency with PTE. The faster, fairer, simpler English test, accepted by thousands of universities around the world. PTE, Do it worry-free!

Try a free PTE Taster Test today

About the School

Questions

Similar Courses

  • MSc Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) (online)
    • Stirling, United Kingdom
  • Diploma of Higher Education in English
    • Online United Kingdom
  • Diploma of Higher Education in English Language
    • Online United Kingdom