Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Sue Spinks
Contact via sue.spinks@mq.edu.au
C5A 562
TBA to students at beginning of Session
Administration
Margaret Wood
Contact via 98508740
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
The English language is used in many different ways: to inform, to question, to report, to regulate, to express emotions, to advertise products, to create images, to construct works of literature. Drawing on a view of language as a 'social semiotic', this unit moves from some basic and traditional concepts in English grammar to looking at the grammatical choices users of English make in a variety of contexts, with lectures covering both theory and practice. The theoretical lectures provide an introduction to some basic concepts of, and tools for, a functional approach to grammar description and analysis of its application to context. The practical lectures, conducted as interactive workshops, invite students to explore the relationship between the grammar of and the contextual meanings in texts – both spoken and written – drawn from many different social contexts.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
The examination during the exam period is compulsory. Students must sit the exam to pass the unit. Grades are calculated based on an aggregate of all assessment tasks, so you do not need to pass the exam to pass the unit. However, you cannot gain pass the unit if you miss the exam, even if your aggregate raw mark is over 50% without the exam mark.
Name | Weighting | Due |
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Exam | 40% | University examination period |
Short essay | 10% | Tueday March 29. |
Grammar excercise | 20% | Tuesday May 10 |
Major essay | 30% | Tuesday May 24 |
Due: University examination period
Weighting: 40%
This is a compulsory exam held in the formal Univesrity examination period.
Due: Tueday March 29.
Weighting: 10%
In this short essay students analyse the context of a text (500 words)
Due: Tuesday May 10
Weighting: 20%
This grammar exercise is based on Lectures 4-14 and will cover experiential and interpersonal meanings.
Due: Tuesday May 24
Weighting: 30%
This 1200 word essay will require you to compare two texts using both experiential and interpersonal meanings as your analytical tools.
Unit delivery
We deliver this unit through lectures beginning in week 1, and with weekly tutorials beginning in week 2. We use iLearn for uploading notes and other materials and for your access to the recording of the lectures through ECHO. For other information about how the unit runs, once you have enrolled in LING120 please see the iLearn site, where you will find a more detailed Unit Outline.
There is a set textbook: Butt, Fahey, Feez and Spinks, Using Functional Grammar:An explorer's guide to English, Edition 3, published by Palgrave Macmillan.
There is also a tutorial workbook that will be available to students in week 1. This workbook sets out the weekly tutorial tasks, some to be completed by students before class and some to be done in class. The workbook and the textbook should be brought to class each week.
This unit runs over the full 13 weeks of Semester 1, except that tutorials do not begin until week 2 of classes. Please note that the Semester break is a break from face to face teaching, not a vacation break, and we may set work to be done during those two weeks.
Changes to the unit for 2016
There has been a change to the assessment schedule from 2015 to 2016. There will now be four pieces of assessment including the exam. The material covered by two short grammar exercises (10% each) in the past has been slightly reduced and will now be assessed in one short grammar exercise (20%). See assessment schedule above. The compulsory formal exam has been reduced from a 2.5 hour exam with four questions to be answered to a new format three questions to be answered in two hours.
LECTURES:
Lecture Schedule |
Week 1. 1. Introduction 2. Traditional grammar |
Week 3. 5. Functional constituents of a clause 6. Groups and their structure |
Week 4. 7. Clauses as processes 8. “Being” processes |
Week 5. 9. Circumstances 10 Workshop: experiential meanings
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Week 6. 11. Interpersonal meanings: the Finite 12. Interpersonal meanings: interaction
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Two week semester break from classes |
Week 7. 13. Interpersonal meanings: opinion 14.Workshop: interpersonal meanings |
Week 8. 15. Essay assignment workshop 16 Clause complexes |
Week 9. 17. Textual meanings: Theme and Rheme 18 Workshop: textual meanings |
Week 10. 19. Context of situation (Field, Tenor, Mode) 20. An aspect of Tenor: Appraisal |
Week 11. 21. An aspect of Mode: Cohesion 22. Workshop: Context of Situation |
Week 12. 23 Functional grammar & multi-modality 1 24. Functional grammar & multi-modality 2 |
Week 13. 25. Exam preparation: revision 26. Exam preparation: (continued) |
TUTORIALS: Weekly classes starting in week two of semester.
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/
Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
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There has been a change to the assessment schedule from 2015 to 2016. There will now be four pieces of assessment including the exam. The material covered by two short grammar exercises (10% each) in the past has been slightly reduced and will now be assessed in one short grammar exercise (20%). See assessment schedule above. The compulsory formal exam has been reduced from a 2.5 hour exam with four questions to be answered to a new format three questions to be answered in two hours.