Mastering Academic English: Reading to Writing Approach- P2

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About Course

As an international student studying at a Western university—or even considering or actually completing a degree online with English as the language of instruction—you will face challenges such as understanding lectures, participating in discussions, and completing written assignments. Writing, in particular, is a key form of assessment, requiring you to research independently, find credible sources, manage a heavy reading load, and combine ideas while creating original content that meets academic standards for language, formality, and structure.

You also may be just starting university, unsure how to begin your research, complete assignments, or meet academic expectations.

The writing areas and skills covered in this course will help you overcome these challenges and avoid the kind of feedback that novice student writers often receive, such as: “Your writing is unclear,” “it lacks formality,” “The text lacks structure or coherence,” and “Your writing is too descriptive and lacks evidence or analysis.”

This course provides essential knowledge and skills in a relatively short time, helping you gain confidence and understand what it takes to overcome these challenges. It covers key study and academic skills, guiding you through reading materials, building on your existing strengths, providing customised tips, and sharpening your writing abilities so you can apply them effectively in your learning environment.

I hold multiple advanced degrees in higher education and possess recognised teaching qualifications. I have conducted research on university students’ writing and academic development, which has deepened my understanding of English for academic purposes across disciplines.

Over the past two decades, I have taught and supported thousands of university students, including many international and non-native English speakers, in developing their academic writing skills. My experience spans lecturing, leading workshop sessions, and providing one-on-one tutorials, which allowed me to identify some of the key challenges students face and develop effective strategies to enhance their academic skills.

This course will help you to:

  • Overcome challenges in expressing yourself clearly and accurately while using appropriate academic language.
  • Develop skills to make the most of your existing knowledge—such as vocabulary—so you can enhance objectivity in your arguments, read efficiently, and make academically appropriate language choices in vocabulary and grammar.
  • Ensure your writing is well-organized and logical so readers can follow your ideas easily.
  • Move beyond simple description, copying, or summarizing to create original content by skillfully incorporating and synthesising ideas from multiple sources.
  • Learn to take ownership of your writing instead of just reporting information—finding your voice and demonstrating critical thinking are key university expectations.

© 2025 Kurdali B. All rights reserved.

This course and its contents—including videos, materials, quizzes, and supplementary resources—are the intellectual property of the content creator and are protected under international copyright laws.

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What Will You Learn?

  • Identify and assess credible and relevant academic sources
  • Analyse language choices and features to determine tone and accuracy in texts
  • Develop strategies for managing your reading load and reading more efficiently
  • Use your readings to plan and inform your writing process
  • Explore different formats for organising arguments and structuring essays
  • Synthesise ideas from various sources to incorporate evidence and strengthen your writing
  • Identify the key elements of paragraphs
  • Write effective topic sentences and apply proper paragraphing
  • Introduce counterarguments and clearly state your position
  • Learn some useful signposting language to introduce and link arguments
  • Recognise language like reporting verbs that indicate the writer's position and stance.
  • Recognise and practise features of proper academic writing style
  • Recognise different forms of plagiarism and develop strategies to avoid them.
  • Identify instances of plagiarism in academic writing and understand the reasons behind them.
  • Learn and apply effective techniques to create original text while properly crediting sources.
  • Master paraphrasing through effective methods and hands-on practice.
  • Understand different types of coherence in writing and how they enhance readability by connecting ideas smoothly.
  • Use signposting language and transition words/phrases effectively within and between paragraphs.
  • Organise ideas logically and emphasise key messages through sentence structures that promote coherence.

Course Content

Unit 1: Using Sources Effectively: From Evaluation to Synthesis
This unit begins by explaining different types of sources, their pros and cons, and how to identify those suitable for academic work. You’ll then learn a model for evaluating sources, helping to build both your critical reading and writing skills. Finally, the unit guides you through planning your writing and synthesising ideas from sources, showing you how to develop original arguments and contribute your own voice to academic discussions.

1.1 Types of Sources
This lecture will focus on identifying and evaluating credible and relevant academic sources, ensuring you engage with high-quality research. Additionally, it will explore effective strategies for managing your reading load and improving reading efficiency to enhance comprehension and retention. N.B. The answer key to all tasks in the handouts can be found in the resources section at the end of each unit.

1.2 Evaluating Sources for Academic Search
In this section, you'll learn how to identify credible and relevant academic sources, and analyse language features to evaluate tone and accuracy in texts. These skills are essential for developing strong, evidence-based academic work.

1.3 Stages of writing and Synthesising ideas
This longer lecture covers strategies for using readings to guide your writing, explores different ways to structure essays and arguments, and it shows you how to synthesise—combine ideas from multiple sources— to strengthen your work with evidence. At the end of this section, you will find the answer Key for all tasks in this Unit.

Unit 2: Paragraphs, Style, and Stance: Foundations of Academic Writing
In this unit, you'll learn how to write clear, well-structured paragraphs that reflect the conventions of academic writing. You'll explore how to develop a confident academic voice, adopt an appropriate style, and express your stance effectively. These skills will help you present your ideas logically, engage critically with sources, and communicate more persuasively in your university assignments.

2.1 Paragraph Writing
In this session, you will learn to identify the key elements of paragraphs and develop effective topic sentences. Additionally, you will practice applying proper paragraphing techniques to ensure clarity, coherence, and logical flow in your writing.

2.2 Writer’s stance
In academic writing, writer’s stance refers to the position or attitude you take toward the topic you’re discussing. This can include showing agreement or disagreement, expressing confidence or caution, and evaluating evidence or arguments. A clear and appropriate stance helps establish your credibility, guides your reader’s understanding, and makes your writing more analytical and persuasive. Developing a well-balanced stance is essential for engaging critically with sources and contributing your own voice to academic conversations.

2.3 Academic Style
Academic writing style refers to the formal, objective, and precise way ideas are communicated in scholarly contexts. The tone should be clear, respectful, and focused—avoiding overly casual language, emotional expressions, or biased opinions. Using the right tone helps convey your ideas with professionalism, supports critical thinking, and ensures your arguments are taken seriously by academic audiences.

Answer Key for Unit 2

Unit3: Academic Integrity and Effective Writing- Plagiarism & Mastering Writing Techniques
The third and last unit in this course, focuses on key skills for writing with academic integrity. You will learn what plagiarism is, why it matters, and how to avoid it through proper referencing and effective use of paraphrasing and summarising techniques. The unit also helps you improve coherence in your writing, ensuring your ideas are clearly and logically connected throughout your work.

3.1 Understanding and Preventing Plagiarism
This lecture deepens your understanding of plagiarism by examining its different forms and common causes. You will also explore practical strategies for identifying and avoiding plagiarism to maintain academic integrity in your writing.

3.2 Paraphrasing and summarising techniques
In this section, you will learn how to restate ideas from sources in your own words through paraphrasing and summarising. These essential academic skills help you integrate evidence effectively, avoid plagiarism, and demonstrate your understanding of the material. You'll also explore techniques to ensure accuracy, clarity, and proper citation when rephrasing source content.

3.3 Coherence
A coherent assignment helps readers follow your argument, understand your reasoning, and engage with your ideas more effectively—making your writing clearer, more persuasive, and academically successful.

Answer Key for Unit 3

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