L A N G U A G E
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C E N T R E
EXPOSITORY WRITING
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The Expository Writing Course is designed for students enrolled in the Renaissance Engineering Programme (REP) at
NTU. The main objective of the course is to help develop the REP students into potential industry leaders by
equipping them with effective writing skills so that they will be able to manage the challenges of engineering and
entrepreneurship in the 21st century. The pedagogical approach is student-centered and students will “learn-bydoing”.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course aims to equip students with skills in expository writing, including effective use of rhetoric, critical
reading and thinking as well as research writing. In addition, the students will also develop competencies in the
writing process. The course focus is on providing assignments that will require them to read, analyse, and respond to
texts critically, address world issues such as social responsibility, intercultural diversity and the environment by using
well-researched evidence to develop and present their arguments. The assignments will include writing a critique, a
longer research-based term paper, and an oral presentation of the term paper proposal. Students will be required to
observe ethics, appropriate rhetoric, and practice the generic conventions of writing accurately, logically, and clearly.
COURSE DETAILS
Acad Units:
Prerequisite:
Date of implementation:
Mode of instruction:
Two
Nil
Sem 1 AY 2011/12
Face-to-face Seminars
Writers circle including peer review
Small group discussions
Use of online resources and authentic materials
DESIRED OUTCOMES
Upon completion of the course, the students should be able to:
1. Write appropriately to targeted audience and successfully achieve their specific purposes based on the given
contexts of communication.
2. Evaluate ideas, arguments and credibility of sources through critical reading and thinking and be resourceful
and creative in responding to real-life world issues.
3. Write persuasively using well-researched evidence-based argumentation while ensuring clear and logical
organization and presentation of ideas.
4. Write up their research findings which are supported by logical arguments and creditable evidence while
observing ethical principles.
5. Adopt appropriate discourse conventions and linguistic features of different genres in their writing.
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EXPOSITORY WRITING
COURSE CONTENT
Topics:
• Written Communication model: analysis of purpose, audience and understanding the context of
communication
• Writing as a process: brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading, and peer reviewing
• Genre analysis: Rhetorical patterns and control of (academic) writing conventions
• Ethics: plagiarism, intellectual property rights, with specific focus on writing literature reviews
• Critical thinking and using evidence-based reasoning / argumentation
• Dealing with controversial claims; debating issues on current affairs; questioning and discussing intellectual
issues on society, culture, environment, and current affairs
• Academic Writing: research articles, critiques, experiment reports
ASSESSMENT
The assessment for this course is based on continuous assessment and the breakdown of the various assessment
components follows.
Continuous Assessment
1. Critique
2. Oral presentation of Term paper proposal
3. Term paper
4. Class participation
Total
100%
30%
10%
45%
15%
100%
RESOURCES
Textbook:
Expository Writing: RE0001
Customized for Renaissance Engineering Programme @ NTU
Resources:
Pharr, D.; Buscemi, S.V. (2008). Writing Today: Contexts and Options for the Real World. (2nd Ed.). Boston. McGrawHill Higher Education.
Seyler, D.U. (2010). Read, Reason, Write: an argument text and reader (9th Ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher
Education.
Moore, B. N.; Parker, R. (2011). Critical Thinking. (10th Ed.). Boston. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Finkelstein, L. (2008). Pocket Book of Technical Writing for Engineers and Scientists. (3rd Ed.). Boston. McGraw-Hill
International Edition.
Additional Resources
Newspapers; TED videos; Internet sources, and other forms of media
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REFERENCE BOOKS
Bourton, L.W.; McDonald, D. (2008). The Language of Argument. (12th Ed.) Boston New York. Houghton Mifflin
Company.
Chaffee, J., Stout, B., & McMahon, C. (2008). Critical thinking, thoughtful writing: A rhetoric with readings (4th Ed.).
Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Hirschberg, S., & Hirschberg, T. (2007). Arguing across the disciplines: A rhetoric and reader. New York:
Pearson/Longman
Wilhoit, S. (2007). A brief guide to writing from readings (4th ed.). New York: Pearson Longman.
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1.
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C O M M U N I C A T I O N
C E N T R E
EXPOSITORY WRITING
SEMINARS
Introduction to course;
Communication model: PAC
(Purpose-Audience-Context);
characteristics of effective writing;
PAIBOC
Annotating reading sources:
rationale and what to include
Term paper Assignment 3 seminar:
Introduction to theme-Social
Responsibility; discussion of
assignment requirements &
instructions:
Secondary research process:
gathering information;
summarizing; synthesizing;
paraphrasing; using quotations;
preparing for writing the literature
review
Critical reading and writing:
examining strategies of
argumentation and persuasion;
analyzing evidence-based writing
Assignment 1 seminar
DISCUSSIONS
Discussion:
1. Different rhetorical patterns
focusing on content elements and
language
2. Writing to the audience to achieve
one’s purpose within a given context;
critiques, arguments, processes
Practice:
Summarizing and synthesizing
Discussion
Analyses and critiques based on
given samples and extended
readings on environmental issues;
alternative energies
Research:
More reading on
environmental issues: papers
and watch Inconvenient
Truth video
4.
Critical reading and writing: reading
sample critical writings; identifying
fallacies; and writing
counterarguments
Practice: Critiquing skills
Sample exercises on identifying
fallacies
Research:
Alternative energies;
Topics/issues related to
Social Responsibility
5.
Dealing with Controversial claims:
Corporate crimes; Financial
accountability; humanitarian issues
2.
3.
6.
7.
8.
Self-editing and Peer editing –
practice tasks
Discussion:
Assignment 2
Presentations of readings for
Assignment 3
E-Learning week: self directed research on Current affairs:
Responding to policies; questioning and challenging social issues – relating
to Assignment 3 ; Social responsibility
ASSIGNMENTS
Self-study:
Writing as a process: focus
on prewriting, focusing,
organizing, drafting, revising,
editing, proofreading
Read textbook pp 22- 49;
51-101
Self-directed:
Form groups of threes
Read extensively on the
theme of term paper.
Practice summarizing and
synthesizing readings.
Annotate reading sources.
Research:
Prepare for Assignment 2
Critique Assignment 1
submission
Assignment 2: Seminar by students on group proposals
On research done in weeks 3 to 5: Oral presentations and discussions – Q &
A
RECESS
Dealing with current issues; important social
concerns:
Culture/intercultural and education issues
Discussion:
Sample texts
Feedback:
On Critique assignment 1
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10.
Practice:
Literature review
exercise to practise
proper
documentation and
avoid plagiarism
Conferencing: Progress of Term Paper; consultations on first draft
Self-directed:
Consult OWL (Online Writing
Lab @ Purdue University,
and other related web-sites
on documentation and
avoiding plagiarism
11.
Technical lab report writing
Term Paper Assignment 3
Submission
12.
13.
Feedback on Term Paper assignment
No lesson
9.
Academic writing conventions; ethics of research
and writing; plagiarism issues; documentation
-in-text citations and end of text references
Discussion:
Structuring a
technical report
Course review
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