WRITING SKILLS

Course Objectives:
The major objective of the course is to improve the students' writing skills so they can successfully handle their work at the post-secondary level and can become an effective communicator. Students will expand their vocabulary, increase their ability to analyze complex text, and improve their writing skills in general. These skills will help students in all their present and future courses. The course aims at teaching students how to use writing as a tool for exploring and developing ideas.

Course Description:
The Writing Skills course is for people who have a good command of the English language, but have basic usage problems such as consistent errors in grammar, syntax, punctuation, and spelling. In addition to a systematic grammar review, the course comprises a comprehensive coverage of sentence and paragraph structure leading to the writing of the essay. The following components of essay writing are developed: research and critical analysis, outlining and focusing, introduction and conclusion, paragraph development, use of supporting evidence, reasonable persuasion, revision, documentation, and formal manuscript style.

Course Outline:
1. Introducing People
1.1.Organization: Paragraph Form
1.2.Grammar and Mechanics: Simple sentences, connectives, end-of-sentence
Punctuation and capitalization.
1.3.The writing Process
2. Writing Instructions
2.1.Time-Order paragraph: Outlining
2.2.Grammar and mechanics: Compound sentences, coordinating
conjunctions; comma splices.
2.3.The writing process
3. Describing
3.1.Space-order paragraph: Descriptions
3.2.Grammar and mechanics: adjectives, prepositions, prepositional phrases
3.3.The writing process
4. Listing Characteristics:
4.1.The three parts of a paragraph
4.2.Sentence structure: Fixing comma splices and run-on sentences
4.3.Grammar and mechanics: adverbs
4.4.The writing process
5. Stating Reasons and Using Examples
5.1.Transition signals
5.2.Sentence structure: independent and dependent clauses, complex sentences,
fragments.
5.3.The writing process
6. Facts and Opinions
6.1.Transition signals
6.2.Sentence structure: Adjective clauses with who , which , and that
6.3.Mechanics: the business letter and the research paper
6.4.The writing process

Learning Outcomes:
After completing the course the students should be able to:

1. demonstrate their writing skills through the completion of several writing assignments approaching a variety of types of writing.
2. demonstrate their ability to conduct independent research in their professional disciplines by producing a research paper and presenting it as a final project.
3. provide evidence of their oral communication skills in regard to ideas developed in the course through frequent formal and informal recitation and discussion and through oral presentation of their research finding.
4. clarify their personal values through examination of ideas emerging from class discussions and individual presentations.

Skills to be developed:
This course helps students in developing the following skills:
1. Communication (Oral and written) Through assignments, case study discussions and examinations
2. Analytical Through case studies and examinations
3. Team work Through case studies
4. Creative thinking Through case studies, assignments, classroom discussions
5. Adaptability to change Through case studies and examinations
6. Ethics Through lectures and assignments

Evaluating Student Performance:
Class participation and attendance 10%
Individual assignments (five) 25%
Mid-Term Examination 20%
Project presentation 20%
Final Examination 25% 

Grading:
Percentage Score Letter Grade GPA Points Percentage Score Letter Grade GPA Points

90 – 100 A 4.0 70 - 74 C 2.0
85 - 89 B+ 3.5 65 - 69 D+ 1.5
80 - 84 B 3.0 60 - 64 D 1.0
75 - 79 C+ 2,5 < 60 F 0.0

Educational Resources:

Course Schedule & Outline:
Sixteen Week Semester, 3 hrs/Wk