Final Day of Class: Oral Presentations

It's the final day of class! Hooray! You made! As you all know, today we will be giving the final oral presentations. With an extra time, we can do some holiday related activities. 

Presentation Rubric -> Here

Thanks for a great semester! I wish you all a happy holiday season and a wonderful start to 2015! с новым годом! 

Oral Presentation Skills Day 3: Rehearsal

Today we will spend the majority of class rehearsing for the final oral presentations next week and giving feedback to our classmates. An outline of today's class can be found below:

Oral Presentation Skills Day 3: Rehearsal

Objectives: Students will be able to...

1. Give a "first draft" rehearsal version of their final presentation
2. Give feedback to classmates about their presentations
3. Process/reflect on the feedback they've received 

I. Warm-Up
How are you? How are things? How was your weekend? How are your other classes? What plans do you have for the end of the semester? Any questions for me?

II. Comments on the IMRD Analysis
I want to take a couple of minutes to comment on the IMRD Analysis assignment.

III. Final Cumulative Vocabulary Quiz 
I hope you studied!

IV. Presentation Rehearsals
We will do this by employing the following procedure:

1. I will check your outlines/topic adaptations
2. I'll ask for volunteers/pick an order for the presentation
3. You will give your presentations 
4. Your classmates will give you feedback using this form

Your homework this week will be to reflect on this feedback.

V. Advice on Preparing Visual Aides
With the remaining class time, we will discuss how to prepare visual aides for your presentation using this presentation and this handout.

Homework
1). Prepare for the Final Presentation: We will spend our final class giving presentations and having a little holiday gathering. In order to prepare for you presentation, you should...

1. Preparing your visual aid
2. Completing the outline (if you haven't already) 
3. PRACTICING! 

2). Complete Your Rehearsal Reflection 
Using this prompt, write a 350-500 word reflection on the feedback you received on your rehearsal presentation. You will be asked to identify two areas for improvement. In addition to the visual aid and the way you adapted your topic for a general audience, these are the areas that I will be assessing you during the presentation. Good luck!

Oral Presentation Skills (Day 2: Practice & Planning)

Today we are going to continue our discussion on how to best prepare, practice and present oral presentations. We spent a lot of the last class just getting comfortable with speaking in front of others and analyzing the physical features of good presentations. Today we will be discussing how to effectively organize the information in our presentations and plan them for maximize efficacy. An outline of today's class can be found below.

Oral Presentation Skills Day 2: Practice and Planning

Objectives: Students will be able to...

1. Describe and emulate two helpful verbal techniques used by effective presenters
2. Describe and emulate two helpful non-verbal techniques used by effective presenters
3. Describe and explain the importance of planning an oral presentation
4. Describe and explain one outline pattern for planning their oral presentation
5. Begin planning the first draft of their oral presentation (for use during next week's rehearsal)

I. Warm-Up
How's it going? How are you? What's new? How was your weekend? How are your other classes going? How did the IMRD analysis go? Was it difficult? Fun? What was the biggest challenge?

II. Vocabulary Quiz
(Cue Chopin's "March Funébre")

III. Oral Presentation Practice
We will begin our discussion with some more practice activities. First, each person in class will be asked to read a tongue twister from the list. Then, we will review the presentation from last week. As we proceed through the presentation, we will stop and do a couple of short activities (appearance practice, voice practice).

IV. Planning Your Presentation
Now, we will move on to discuss how to plan for your presentation. PLANNING IS VITALLY IMPORTANT!  Hopefully by the end of today's class you will have a clear understanding as to why it is so important. We will take the following steps to analyze the importance of planning your presentation: 

1. Step One: Discussing these questions with a partner. 
2. Step Two: Examining a "tried and true" outline for effective presentations
3. Step Three: Examining key phrases and a completed outline 
4. Step Four: Considering ways to incorporate data visualizations 

This short video also offers a few practical tips for improving your presenting skills.

Homework for Tuesday, December 16th, 2014
1). Prepare for the Oral Presentation Rehearsal
Next Tuesday, everyone in class will give a practice version of their oral presentation without the visual aid. Classmate's will be asked to give feedback. In order to ensure that everyone prepares for this, you need to 1). sign-up for a topic (here) and 2). come to class with the following two documents completed: 

1. Content Outline
2. Adjusting Your Topic for a GENERAL Audience

If you do not come prepared to present, you will lost 20% off of your final presentation grade. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Oral Presentation Skills

Today we will begin the final portion of our class time together dedicated to discussing and practicing the skills necessary to give a good and effective oral presentation in English. No matter your field, communication is important and, more often than not, you will be asked to speak in front of other people from time to time. Through good preparation and practice, this can be a really enjoyable experience. We'll talk about how to do both of these things in class today. 

An outline for today's class can be found below:

Oral Presentation Skills: An Overview

Objectives: Students will be able to...

1. Describe a process approach to preparing for an oral presentation
2. Identify, describe and exemplify tactics for promoting an appropriate appearance during a presentation
3. Identify, describe and exemplify "best practices" for speaking during a presentation
4. Begin giving short, spontaneous presentations in front of classmates and the instructor
5. Recognize the importance of reflection as part of the presentation preparation process

I. Warm-Up 

How are you? How are things? How was your weekend? What's new? How are your other classes going? Do you have any questions about this class? 

II. Vocabulary Quiz

End of the line... I hope you studied! 

III. Reviewing the IMRD Critical Analysis Assignment

I want to spend a few minutes discussing the final writing assignment for class. Details can be found here. Remember, you are not writing your own article. You are analyzing the article from your field that you have chosen and answering the questions laid out in the prompt. This assignment is due by next Tuesday (December 9th, 2014) at 4:20pm. 

IV. An Overview of Presentation Skills

We will begin talking about presentations by viewing my favorite speech example of all time, Charlie Chaplin's final speech from the film, "The Great Dictator". We will then continue with a few discussion questions (found here). From there, we will discuss the "3 P" process (prepare, practice and present) using this sequencing activity. 

Then, we'll move on to a little practice. You will be given a topic from this list and asked to prepare a :30 - 1 min speech for or against the topic in question in front of the class. 

Finally, once we've had the chance to discuss you knowledge and describe the process, we'll take a look at the features of an effective presentation using this presentation as a guide. As part of the presentation, you will be asked to do three activities, which can be found below: 

1. Appearance Activity
2. Voice Activity One
3. Voice Activity Two

V. Audiences: General vs. Expert

Occasionally, you will be faced with the challenge of adapting the content of your speech to a general audience. This activity offers a few tips on how to do so as well as some practice on adapting the content for a use with a general audience.  

Homework for Next Tuesday (December 9th, 2014)

1). Finish your IMRD Critical Analysis. Email it to me (as a MS Word or PDF document) and name the file "IMRDAnalysis_YourName". If you have not sent me your article yet, I will need a copy of that, too. It is due by December 9th at 4:20pm.

2). Sign-up for a presentation topic here by this Friday (December 5th) at 11:55pm. The information for the presentation schedule can be found here. We will be doing a rehearsal without visuals on Tuesday, December 16th. The final presentations (with visuals) will be on Tuesday, December 23rd. We will have a small holiday gathering after. 

3). Start preparing your speech using this guide. 

4). Prepare for a short vocabulary quiz on these words. 

IMRD: Introductions and Literature Reviews

Today we will finish our discussion of the format of an IMRD paper by talking about literature reviews. These are complex and difficult to write but the process can be made easier by discussing a few different kinds of patterns and highlighting important and/or useful terms. An outline for today's class can be found below...

IMRD Structure: Writing Literature Reviews

Objectives: Students will be able to...

1. Discuss how literatures can differ in structure and organization
2. Analyze example literature reviews for variation in structure and organization
3. Understand and comment on the different linguistic conventions common in literature reviews

I. Warm-Up 

How are you? How are things going? How are your other classes going? Did you do anything fun over the weekend? Do you have any questions about this class? 

II. Vocabulary Quiz

I hope you studied! 

III. Returning Past Assignments

I have a variety of assignments from the past few weeks of class that I have review, graded and will return to you in class today. 

IV. Brief Review of IMRD Structure

We'll briefly review what's already been discussed of the structure using this presentation. To finish our examination of the "Discussion" section, we will do this short information sequencing example. 

V. Literature Reviews

Today we will spending the majority of our time talking about literature reviews (which are often part of the introduction section of an IMRD paper). I've included a few sample literature reviews below: 

1. Review Article (here)
2. Section of a Journal Article (here)
3. Integrated into a Journal Article (here)

These examples go to show that, once again, there is no "one size fits all" solution when writing a literature review.

NOTE: As with any academic writing, you have to be aware of the conventions of your field and the requirements of your department and/or the publication you are trying to get your work into! 

To begin, consider these questions with a partner: 

1. Why do we need to review the literature?
2. What is the difference between a “narrative” literature review and a “focused” literature review? In which types of papers might you use each one?
3. How might you organize the sources in a literature review? Think of at least two ways.
4. True or False: Your literature review should focus on very recent publications because they are likely the most relevant. Why?
5. True or False: Your literature review should be as long as possible in order to persuade your reader that you have read very widely. Why?
6. What process do you employ (or do you think you should employ) when approaching the task of writing a literature review?

VI. Steps to Writing a Literature Review

This handout goes over the steps for writing a literature review. This handout contains the same information with examples. 

Thesis Statement (main claim/argument)

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V

Introduction (background info, make the claim, overview of paper organization)

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V

Body (organization of source summaries (indicating importance)

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V

Conclusion (summary of main findings, provide closure, so what?)

VII. Review

Finally, we'll end our discussion with a short review activity. 

Homework

1. Prepare for a short vocabulary quiz on these words
2. Start working on the IMRD paper. Instructions can be found here. It is a critical analysis of your IMRD article. You will have two weeks to submit the paper. It will be between 1200 and 1600 words. Please review the instructions carefully. If you have questions, ask me SOONER rather than LATER :) This paper constitutes a major part of your grade, so it needs to be complete and you need to submit it on time. Also, in order to help you write your paper, you may want to consult the following resources: 

• IMRD Overview Presentation
• Strategies for Organizing the Literature Review
• MRD Information

Please let me know if you have any questions! 

IMRD: The "Results" and "Discussion" Sections and Summary Skills

Today we will continue our discussion of the IMRD format for research articles with an overview of the "Results" section. An outline can be found below. 

The "Results" Section and Summary Skills 

I. Warm-Up

How are you? How are things? What's new? How are your other classes? Do you have any questions about this class? 

II. Vocabulary Quiz

Any questions? No? "Speak now... or forever hold your peace!" 

III. IMRD: Review of "Methods" and Intro to "Results" 

Let's take a look at this presentation. It reviews the information we discussed last week and advances our dialogic analysis of the IMRD structure. The presentation covers: 

1. An overview of IMRD structure
2. An brief explanation of the purpose of each component of the IMRD article structure
3. An introduction and overview of the "Methods" section
4. An introduction and overview of the "Results" section

After our discussion, we will practice the following activities designed to increase your awareness about the features of and language used within the "Results" section: 

1. Finding Information within the "Results" Section
2. Understanding the Role of Comments Within the "Results" Section

IV. Summary Skills

Finally, let's take a look at a formula for summarizing an IMRD article. The formula can be found here. 

Once you've accessed the plan/formula, take a few minutes to read through the material. We will be using this strategy to try and summarize an academic article of your choosing for homework. 

Homework for Next Tuesday (11/25/2014)

1). Bring your IMRD article to class (you won't be given credit for attending class without the article)

2). Summarize your article before class using the strategy found in Part IV above. Send me your summary for feedback by Sunday (11/23/2014) at 11:55pm. Title your work: "IMRDSummary_YourName"

3). Prepare for the next vocabulary quiz on these words. 

An Introduction to IMRD Research Paper Format

Today we are going to begin a four-week long discussion of the IMRD format for scientific articles. We will be discussing this format because it is considered the most prominent format for the publication of original research. We will be adhering to the following schedule: 

1. Day One (11/11): Overview and Methods
2. Day Two (11/18): Results & Discussion
3. Day Three (11/25): Introductions
4. Day Four (12/3): Literature Review

An outline for today's class can be found below:

Introduction to IMRD Format: Overview & Methods

Objectives: Students will be able to....

1. Identify and define the primary components of the general, IMRD format
2. Identify and explain ways in which IMRD format varies between disciplines 
3. Demonstrate understanding of how different tenses are used within an IMRD research paper
4. Identify and define the characteristics of the "Methods" section of a general, IMRD research paper
5. Analyze a sample IMRD article

I. Icebreaker

How was your weekend? How was the holiday break? How are your other classes? Any questions about this class? 

II. Vocabulary Quiz

Time to "face the music". I hope you studied!

III. An Introduction to IMRD Format

Let's begin with what you know. With a partner, answer the following questions: 

• What are the basic parts/sections of a journal article? 
• What purpose does each part/section serve? 
• Is there variation between different scientific fields? How do you know? Can you give an example? 

After the discussion, we will look at this overview of the format. It is a general overview, intended for use with many different fields of study. To find out the requirements you will need within your field, we will have to do some genre analysis. 

For more information about this format, click here

IV. Identifying the Sections
There are usually hints that tell you which section of an IMRD you are in. These hints include things like: verb tense, the presence of author commentary and/or the (extensive) use of citation. Let's practice getting acquainted with these tenses using this activity.

1. Present Tense: This study is part of our research on....
2. Past Tense: We conducted this study as part of our research on....
3. Passive Voice (subject + finite form of to be + 3rd person past participle): The study was conducted....

V. The Methods Section

Now, let's look at the characteristics of the 'Methods' section. To do this, first read this article and answer the comprehension questions. Once you have finished, compare your answers with a class mate. 

After we discuss the answers as a class, we will do this activity to practice identifying the information that should be included in the 'Methods' section. 

Homework for Next Tuesday (11/18/2014)

1. Prepare for another vocabulary quiz on new words
2. Work through this brief overview of articles in English
3. Find an scientific article from your field of study written in English. The article should match the following criteria:

• Be between five and 10 pages long
• Pertain to your field (materials science, engineering, etc.)
• Contain each of the four components of the IMRD structure (it can contain more than that, too)

Once you have your article, email it to me (as a link or an attachment) so I can check it. Once I have told you it is 'ok', then print out the article. Bring this article with you for every class until we finish the unit! 

Finally, write a 300-500 word summary of the articles main points. 

Holiday Break Update

I hope you are all enjoying your holiday break in honor of the National Day of Unity. In addition to the email I just sent out to each of you, I wanted to update the course website with the homework for our next class (Tuesday, November 11th, 2014).

The homework assignments for next Tuesday include:

1). Reading this chapter on thesis statements for thesis/dissertations and being ready for a short quiz on the differences between general thesis statements (what we have been talking about in class) and dissertation thesis statements

2). Write a short reflection essay on your first PIE essay that answers these questions in ~250-300 words

-What did you do you well?
-What is one area I told you you could improve on? How will you do so?
-What is one area you think you can improve on? How will you do so?

Please title your work, "PIEReflection_YourName" by next Sunday (11/9) at 11:55pm.

3). Review these EAP vocabulary words and prepare for a short quiz on them during our next class.

As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to send me an email. Have a nice week! 

Happy Halloween

Hi all. I hope this post finds you well. I just wanted to share a bit about Halloween! On Friday, October 31st, 2014, people all of the U.S. will celebrate Halloween. But what is Halloween? What are its origins? How do people celebrate it? What are the popular costumes this year? 

Below, I've included a few links below to help you answer all your "Halloween 2014"-related questions. Enjoy and have a "Spook-tacular Halloween"! 

1. The Origins of Halloween
2. Classic Halloween Costumes
3. Charlie Brown & The Great Pumpkin
4. A Few "Classic" Halloween Jokes
5. Halloween Music: Rihanna "Disturbia" and "Boris" Pickett "Monster Mash"

BONUS!  Since it's Halloween, here are some obligatory, embarrassing pictures of your teacher in his last Halloween costume. I went as a Zombie teacher! My friends went as other members of a fictional Zombie High School. Enjoy :) 

Day Four: Thesis Statements

We will dedicate today's class to a discussion of thesis statements. Writing a clear, specific, direct thesis statement is something that takes lots of time to perfect, so we will be spending an entire class on identifying what makes a good thesis statement and practicing writing, re-writing, improving and editing thesis statements. An outline for today's class can be found below: 

Day Four: Thesis Statements

Objectives: Students will be able to...

1. Identify and explain the characteristics of an effective thesis statement
2. Understand and explain the importance of thesis statements in organizing and focusing the claim/arguments of an essay or other piece of writing
3. Improve existing thesis statements
4. Analyze examples of effective thesis statements and explain their utility and importance as "road maps" 
5. Create their own effective thesis statements

I. Warm-Up

We will begin today's class with a few warm-up questions...

• How was your weekend? 
• How are classes? 
• Does anyone have any plans for the upcoming holiday? 
• Any questions from last week?

II. Review

We will start the content portion of today's class with a review "quiz" on the material from last time. You may use your notes and/or work with a partner, but you will only have 10 minutes. 

III. Five Paragraph Essay Structure

We will quickly review the basic five paragraph essay structure. The presentation can be found here.

NOTE! This presentation represents certain foundational skills associated with EAP writing. Much of the writing you do in your fields will be a variation on these themes and not exactly represent/replicate this information. However, we cannot begin to discuss more complex forms of rhetorical structure/purposes without this common "field of experience". 

IV. Thesis Statements

The rest of our class will be dedicated to an analysis of thesis statements. This will be based off a lecture and series of activities found here.

Homework

We will not have class next Tuesday (Nov. 4th, 2014) due to a national holiday. These assignments will be due by next Monday (Nov. 3rd, 2014). I will assigned additional homework on 4/11/2014 as well. 

• Reflective essay on EAP essay structure (I will send the prompt via email)
• Reading this chapter on dissertation thesis statements by Eric Hofstee (and preparing for a short review quiz on Nov. 11th)
• Possible revisions on "Drinking & Driving" essay

Day Three: Basic EAP Essay Structure

For stability, you need structure. This is just as true in writing as it is in architecture or atomic structure. To give something structure means to arrange it or organize it based on a plan. In writing, planning leads to a more logical presentation of a central idea and its support. Today, we will be talking about the most basic EAP essay structure: the five paragraph essay. An outline can be found below: 

Day Four: EAP Essay Structure

Objectives: Students will be able to...

1. Describe and implement a basic five paragraph EAP essay structure
2. Describe the features of an effective EAP introduction and conclusion
3. Use the PIE-C technique to promote coherence and cohesion in their EAP writing
4. Use lexical signposts in their EAP writing to guide their readers 

I. Introduction

We will begin today's class by you telling me what you already know about EAP essay structure. With a partner, complete this short overview assignment activity. We will discuss the answers afterwards together as a class. 

II. Five Paragraph Essay

The five paragraph essay is the most basic form of EAP writing. It is taught in Freshman rhetoric/composition classes all over the U.S. This presentation provides a brief overview of the components of this type of essay. 

III. Practice Activities

In order to review the principles discussed in the overview PPT, I've created a few practice activities. I don't think we will have enough time to get through all of these activities in class today, but I wanted to put them up on the course website for any ambitious students interested in continuing there EAP writing practice outside of class! The links include: 

1. Thesis Statement Writing Practice (found here)
2. PIE-C Technique Practice (found here)
3. Characteristics of Effective EAP Essay Intros & Conclusions (found here)
4. Rewriting the Thesis Statement (found here)

-> New! This link takes you to an excellent resource filled with essential academic phrases and terms (organized by function and/or part of essay). 

Homework

To demonstrate your understanding of five paragraph essay structure, please write a brief (~250-500 words), five paragraph essay on the following topic: 

"Is drinking and driving a problem for teenagers?"

Your essay should: 

• Choose a side ("yes" or "no") and provide reasons to support your stance
• Include an appropriate introduction and conclusion
• Follow the five paragraph format
• Use formal academic tone
• Be proofread for errors before turning in

When you finish, title your essay, "TeenDrinking_YourName" and email it to me before class next Tuesday.

Day Two: The Communication Model, Audience & Purpose

Today we will begin an ongoing discussion about the way that communication actually works, some of the difficulties that can make effective communication more difficult and ways to overcome these difficulties. An outline and objectives for today's class can be found below:

The Communication Model, Audience & Purpose

Objectives: Class participants will be able to...

• demonstrate understanding of one of the various communication models
• demonstrate understanding of the role that audience and purpose play in EAP writing

I. Collecting Homework & Brief Discussion about the Article

Please make sure that you've included your name and date. Answers for the assignment can be found here.

II. Brief Review of the Needs Analyses

Here is a summary of the results of the needs analysis you all filled out as well as short summation of my review of your initial writing samples. As indicated by the results, our primary areas of focus this semester will be: 

1. Academic Essay Structure
2. Writing Academic Articles
3. Presentation Skills

III. Culture & Communication

Let's begin our discussion with a short presentation on the role that culture plays in determining how we communicate. This introduction will be followed by a short discussion. 

IV. The Communication Model

With a new partner, discuss the following questions: 

• How does communication work? Give a step-by-step description of the process. 
• What are some problems in communication that can lead to misunderstanding(s)? Explain
• What role does culture play in the communication process? 

Now let's take a look at a short video that explains the way communication actually works. The video can be found here. Be sure to take notes. After we watch, you will be asked to fill out some comprehension questions with a partner. These questions can be found here.

V. Audience & Purpose

Define the terms "audience" & "purpose". Why are they important to the writing process? Let's look at this concept in greater depth. For each of the two video clips, name a possible intended audience and a possible purpose. 

1. David Gallo & Underwater Astonishments
2. Feist on "Sesame Street"

With both of these examples, it was pretty easy to tell who the intended audience is. You'll notice, however, that it is never directly stated. The same should be true for your writing. You should have a clear idea of who you are writing for (your audience) and why you are writing (your purpose). 

This presentation provides a basic introduction to the concepts of audience and purpose as pertains to academic writing. After discussing this information, we'll do two activities (which can be found below). 

Activity One: Audience & Purpose Comparison

Activity Two: Informal to Formal (Academic Tone Tips)

Homework

There are two assignments this week. The details for each can be found below:

1. Read "Why Academics Stink at Writing (Part 2)". After reading the second part of this article, write a 200-250 summary of the whole article that answers the question: What are some of the major reasons that academics have difficulties writing clearly and in an engaging way? What are some possible solutions to the issues you've chosen? Write your response as a MS Word document and email it to me by Sunday, October 19th, 2014, by 11:55pm. Title your work "Problems with Academic Writing_YourName".
2. Using this image, explain how communication works in 200-250 words. Make sure your response is written using formal academic tone. Write your response as a MS Word document and email it to me by Sunday, October 19th, 2014, by 11:55pm. Title your work "Communication Model_YourName".

Culture Point: Columbus Day

For the people in the United States, today is a holiday known as "Columbus Day". It was created to celebrate Christopher Columbus' "discovery" of what was then known as The New World. Lately, the celebration has become a source of some contention in the US. There are groups, among them many indigenous rights and Native American advocacy organizations that believe honoring Columbus is wrong given the terrible treatment their ancestors received at the hands of Columbus and his men. 

Which side do you think is right? Should "Columbus Day" be celebrated or should the day be dedicated to a celebration of the memory of the indigenous peoples who were already living in the New World when Columbus and his men arrived? 

Below you will find two documents, one celebrating Columbus' achievement and the other explaining the perspective that the focus of the celebration should be changed. By comparing and contrasting their main points, you can inform yourself and make the best decision according to your perspective. 

Article One: Presidential Proclamation - Columbus Day 2014

Article Two: Indigenous Peoples Day

This is a culturally-themed exercise in critical thinking. Take the time to inform yourself and make your own decisions based on evidence. 

Day One: Introductions, Class Policy and An Intro to EAP Communication Skills

It takes a lot of different skills working together with one another to communicate. To communicate successfully requires a good to great command of these skills. The infographic above highlights many of the different skill sets required to become a "perfect language learner". Is there anything missing? What do you feel is the most important skill when learning a language? Why? Today's class will offer you a chance to engage many of these different skill sets. 

The lesson plan for today's class can be found below:

Day One: An Intro to EAP Communication Skills

I. Attendance & Warm-Up Discussion

Please be sure to sign in. No signature, no proof of attendance.

Then we will have a short introductory discussion about the characteristics of good language learners.

II. Instruction IntroductionI will take the first few minutes of class to introduce myself. The presentation can be found here: Instructor Introduction. When I finish presenting, everyone should ask me a question.

III. Getting to Know One Another
Now it is your turn to introduce yourselves. You will have 10 minutes to prepare a short (1-2)
introductory speech. Feel free to use the questions found on this organizer. We will follow this procedure: 

1. Someone will present
2. Classmates will ask questions
3. Repeat until we have covered everyone in class

IV. First Day Discussion: Rules, Grades & Expectations
After introductions, we'll spend a few minutes going over class rules and expectations. You can use this sheet as a reference. 

V. Needs Analysis
Next, you will take a few minutes to fill out a short needs analysis. This will give me a better idea of your previous level of experience with English as well as the kinds of topics you would like to discuss in class over the course of the semester.

VI. Diagnostic Essay
The last thing we will do in class is the diagnostic essay. I would like you to read a short article on "Do It Yourself" biologists. Then you will have 30 minutes to write a short essay. The article and essay prompt can be found here.

Homework
Read the article, "Why Academics Stink at Writing" by Steven Pinker. As you read the article, please fill out this worksheet and bring it with you to class next week.

Welcome to EAP Communication Skills

Welcome to English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Communication Skills. My name is John Kotnarowski and I will be your instructor and guide this semester as we take a deeper look into the characteristics of effective expression in English for Academic Purposes. Specifically, we'll focus on the skills necessary for success when using English for Academic Purposes (EAP) writing and speaking skills.. I look forward to meeting everyone and getting off to a great start this semester.

A bit about the course website. This is where I'll be posting outlines and links for every class meeting. It is intended to be used as a virtual supplement to our in-class discussions and assignments. To the right, you will find important class information under the "Class Links" list. Just below, you'll find another link list titled, "Helpful Websites". I encourage to take a look at these helpful resources as we make our way through the semester. Hopefully, you'll find them useful in your own writing.

Please feel free to send me an email whenever you need to get in touch. My email address is: jk.esl.uiuc@gmail.com. I'm excited for what should be an engaging and informative semester for everyone involved.