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English Diploma Course 1 (Scientific Writing Strategies)

Learning Goals

(Science as an Academic field) To familiarize students with the techniques involved in writing research reports and abstracts.

Skills

Research, Reading, Writing, Presentation, Discussion, Logical Thinking

Classroom Flow

Students will learn the basics of writing English reports in scientific fields, including the title, abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, and references. These basics will be introduced by looking at good examples.

Class Projects

  • Once familiar with the basics of English reports, students will practice the techniques in small groups.
  • In research teams, students will conduct elementary research and report their findings in the form of a Research Paper and a Research Presentation

Grading Criteria

Grades will be based on the following:

12 Tasks Weekly tasks are graded on a 4-3-2-1-0 scale. If all requirements of the task are completed at an exceptional level, you will receive 4 points. If all requirements of the task are fully met, you will receive 3 points; if they are only partially met, 1-2 point; if you do not participate in the task or are absent, 0 points. 48 points
Final Research Paper
(Research Team)
7 points 7 points
Research Presentation
(Research Team)
5 points for Materials & 5 points for Presenting 10 points
5 Writing Assignment Modules
(Research Team)
5 points each 25 points
Online Exercise Library 10 points 10 points
Late to class, using your cell phone, chattering in Japanese, sleeping in class, no class/text materials, no dictionary minus 1 point  

Text

No text is required for this course. However, many of the materials will need to be accessed via EDC1 Student 2024 Google Drive Folder.

Course Schedule Print

Class Weekly Tasks Writing Modules Papers/Presentation OEL Agenda
1 Orientation and Collaboration Tools  
2 Research/Abstract        
3 Workshop        
4 Introduction     1+ Online Exercise Library  
5 References Writing Assignment Module 1
(Abstract)
     
6 Workshop        
7 Workshop Writing Assignment Module 2
(References)
     
8 Workshop        
9 Methods Writing Assignment Module 3
(Introduction)
     
10 Workshop        
11 Results/Conclusion Writing Assignment Module 4
(Methods)
     
12 Workshop        
13 Presentation Workshop Writing Assignment Module 5
(Results/Conclusion)
     
14 Presentation   Final Research Paper/
Presentation
(Research Team)
   
15 Presentation   Presentations
(Research Team)
   

Course Can-do Goals

Writing Skills

  1. I can distinguish the differences among the main elements of a research report (abstract, introduction, methodology, results, discussion, conclusion, and references).
  2. I can identify the 5 elements of an abstract (background, purpose, methodology, results, and conclusion/recommendation).
  3. I can write a Literature Review.
  4. I can quote short sections of text for academic use.
  5. I can quote longer sections of text for academic use.
  6. I can summarize longer texts without losing essential information.
  7. I can use complex structures, spelling and sentence mechanics with fairly good control, although my sentences may sound ‘foreign’ to English readers.
  8. I can properly format references for a research report.

IT Skills: Google Docs

  1. I can create a Google account and use that account in English.
  2. I can send and receive email using Gmail.
  3. I can contribute to a shared document using GoogleDocs.
  4. I can create a document and share it with others using GoogleDocs.
  5. I can make a presentation using Google presentation software.

Academic Skills

  1. I can identify the differences between academic and nonacademic source materials.
  2. I can find academic source materials at the BKC library.
  3. I can identify and use academic source materials for a research report.
  4. I can identify the important parts of a lecture and take notes in English.
  5. I can follow written instructions in class.
  6. I can follow verbal instructions in class.
  7. I can paraphrase or reword short sections of a lecture or instructions.
  8. I can use a thesaurus properly.

Speaking Skills

  1. I can participate in a small group discussion and express my opinions, feelings and reservations about a topic.
  2. I can give clear instructions and directions related to moderately complex, familiar, technical and non-technical tasks.
  3. I can comfortably speak formally or informally, on topics involving problem-solving or decision-making. I can make a detailed comparison.
  4. I can research, develop and deliver a 10-minute presentation.
  5. I can use a variety of sentence structures and idioms.
  6. I can correct myself or rephrase what I said when I know that people do not understand me.
  7. I can use a variety of strategies to keep the conversation or discussion going.

Listening Skills

  1. I can understand the main points and important details of a discussion, presentation, or news clip.
  2. I can identify the situation, relationship, mood and attitude of the people I listen to.
  3. I can understand formal discussions, informal discussions, and presentations on familiar topics if I am involved in the discussions and presentations.
  4. I can understand more complex vocabulary and less-common idioms.
  5. I can understand routine, classroom-related conversation.
  6. I can understand native speakers when they speak quickly to one another, although I might still have trouble.

Reading Skills

  1. I can read authentic text that is 1–2 pages long and moderately complex. I can locate and integrate, or compare and contrast information from a variety of visually complex sources.
  2. I can follow everyday instructional texts containing 10 – 15 steps.
  3. I can use an English-English dictionary, but mostly for confirmation and precision.
  4. I can read and understand both concrete and abstract language, dealing with facts, opinions and feelings.
  5. I can sometimes infer the meaning of a new word by the context or by the use of prefixes and suffixes in the word.
  6. I can paraphrase and summarize the main points of a reading section.

Program-wide Standards

Grading Scale

90% or more, A+; 80-89%, A; 70-79%, B; 60-69%, C; below 60%, F

NOTE: At the end of the third year, you will be taking a TOEIC-IP exam. You will then be re-streamed for your fourth-year courses based on the results of this TOEIC-IP and the numerical average of your third-year English courses. Therefore, it is important to strive for not only a high letter grade, but also for the highest numerical grade that you are capable of.

Attendance Policy

Students are expected to submit assignments in a timely fashion. Failure to submit timely may result in a reduction of the student’s overall grade. Students will be penalized 3 demerits for each non- submission and 1 demerit for each late submission. Students who accumulate more than 15 'demerits' (the equivalent of 5 absences) will receive an unsatisfactory grade ('F') for the course. As a rule, no make-up work will be given for unexcused absences.

English-English Dictionaries

You are required to use an English-English dictionary for your exercises. The following is a list of quality paper dictionaries for English language learners. You may use any other dictionary or you may elect to use an electronic dictionary.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, Oxford University Press.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman Press.
Collins Cobuild English Dictionary, HarperCollins Publishers.

Extra-Credit Points

The English Expeditions extra-credit system is tied to your TOEIC®L&R IP Test results, in order to encourage all students to practice their TOEIC-IP® test-taking skills. For more information on the TOEIC®L&R IP test, see the TOEIC® Exercises section of your Online Education text. The extra-credit point system is as follows:

Semester Five Semester Six
No extra-credit points are available for English 9. Score higher on your third-year TOEIC®L&R IP Test
than you scored on your second-year test.

NOTE: Extra-credit points are only available for regularly matriculating (no genkyuufukki) students in all levels of English 3, English 4, English 7, English 8, and Super-Advanced and Advanced-level English 10.

The Extra-Credit points available are outlined in the chart below.
Note: TOEIC® Bridge-IP scores will be converted to TOEIC®L&R IP Test scores for all calculations.

No Academic
Honesty
Violations
TOEIC-IP Exam Extra-
Credit Points
Took Exam Score Gain Score
> 200
Score
< 20% Drop
6
0
0
-5
-5
-5

The Academic Honesty Policy for S&E English Classes

The following will be considered violations of our academic honesty policy:

  1. Copying any answers from another student's exercise, doing any exercises together with other students, or using a textbook from previous years. Exercises are to be completed entirely on your own.
  2. Showing any portion of your exercise to another student.
  3. Using any form of ‘cheat sheet’ in performing an exercise, quiz, etc.
  4. Taking copies of an exercise, quiz, etc. (including unused copies) outside of the classroom. (This includes taking pictures of the exercise, quiz, etc.)
  5. Using writing instruments or telephones during feedback of an in-class exercise, quiz, etc.
  6. Copying answers from another student's exercise, quiz, etc. while it is being administered.
  7. Copying any portion of a homework exercise from another student.
  8. Allowing any portion of your homework exercise to be copied by another student.
  9. Copying (or closely paraphrasing) portions of a homework assignment from other sources (printed matter, the Internet, etc.) and presenting it as your own, regardless of whether you acknowledge the source. This includes using translation software to translate any portion of your submission into English.
  10. Sharing Rainbow or English Expeditions User IDs or Passwords with another student.

Any of the above violations will result in a score of 0 for ALL exercises on that day, as well as forfeiting your chance for extra-credit.

理工学部英語授業における「不正行為」に関する取り決め

不正行為は、いかなる理由があれ一切認められません。以下のような行為は、不正行為とみなします。

  1. 他者に(たとえ一部でも)課題の答えを写させてもらった場合 (課題を複数で一緒にやること、そして、過年度のテキストを使用することも含みます/課題は必ず独力でやること)
  2. 他者に(たとえ一部でも)課題の答えを写させた場合
  3. Quiz, Exercise等において、カンニングペーパー等を使用した場合
  4. Quiz, Exercise等の答案(未使用のものも含む)を不当に持ち帰った場合 (カメラ付き携帯等による撮影も含みます)
  5. Quiz, Exercise等のフィードバックの際、筆記用具、携帯電話等を手にした場合 (正答を盗もうとしたとみなします)
  6. その他、Quiz, Exercise等の実施を妨害する行為、他者の受験を妨害する行為、 替え玉受験等も、不正行為とみなします。
  7. Homework Assignmentにおいて、他者のAssignmentの一部または全部をコピーした場合
  8. Homework Assignmentにおいて、他者に自身のAssignmentの一部または全部を コピーさせた場合
  9. Homework Assignmentにおいて、書籍やWWWのサイトから得た情報をそのまま、 もしくは改ざんの後、断りなく(引用を明記せずに)、自身のAssignmentに盗り入れた(すなわち著作権を侵害した)場合(英語の授業で課されるassignmentの多くは、引用を明記する、しないにかかわらず、一切の引用を認めていません) 。これには翻訳ソフトの使用も含みます。一旦日本語で書いて、それを翻訳ソフトを利用して翻訳して提出することは、それがたとえ一文であっても許されません。
  10. RainbowやEnglish ExpeditionsのユーザーIDやパスワードの授受があった場合

上記、および上記に類する「不正行為」があった場合は、当該学生の当該科目における、その日の得点を0点にするとともに、Extra-credit pointsはすべて無効になります。