Students
ENGX1050 – Grammar and Writing
2023 – Session 1, Online-flexible
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Lecturer, Tutor
Jimmy Van
Contact via email
by appointment
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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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
Good grammar is often regarded as a sign of education and competence. Global research shows that 40% of graduates have their job applications rejected because of poor grammar, while 17% of firms are concerned about graduates’ lack of grammar skills. This unit provides you with the basic grammar skills that you will need for writing well in your assignments and job applications. We will show you how to recognise grammatically incorrect sentences that don’t make sense to your reader, then we will help you fix these. You will learn how to: paragraph for different purposes; structure and tailor your writing for various types of work; and edit and proofread your writing so that your work not only suggests intelligence and capability, but also attention to detail. |
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: Identify sentences that are grammatically incorrect and analyse why they do not make sense.
- ULO2: Implement knowledge of grammar to adjust poorly constructed sentences.
- ULO3: Construct sentences and paragraphs that are grammatically correct and clear in meaning.
- ULO4: Apply knowledge of different genres and audiences for academic and professional writing.
- ULO5: Create texts for specific academic and/or professional purposes.
General Assessment Information
Late Assessment Submission Penalty
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. This late penalty will apply to written reports and recordings only. Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs will be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participatory task | 20% | No | Ongoing |
| Quiz | 25% | No | Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 by 23.55 on Sunday |
| Writing exercises | 25% | No | 23:55 09/04/2023 |
| Major written work | 30% | No | 23:55 04/06/2023 |
Participatory task
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 12 hours
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 20%
Preparation of notes for class relating to set tutorial topics, and contribution to scheduled online seminar discussions and exercises.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify sentences that are grammatically incorrect and analyse why they do not make sense.
- Implement knowledge of grammar to adjust poorly constructed sentences.
- Construct sentences and paragraphs that are grammatically correct and clear in meaning.
- Apply knowledge of different genres and audiences for academic and professional writing.
Quiz
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 by 23.55 on Sunday
Weighting: 25%
Online multiple-choice quizzes
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify sentences that are grammatically incorrect and analyse why they do not make sense.
- Implement knowledge of grammar to adjust poorly constructed sentences.
- Construct sentences and paragraphs that are grammatically correct and clear in meaning.
- Apply knowledge of different genres and audiences for academic and professional writing.
Writing exercises
Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 23:55 09/04/2023
Weighting: 25%
Writing, editing, and proofreading exercises
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify sentences that are grammatically incorrect and analyse why they do not make sense.
- Implement knowledge of grammar to adjust poorly constructed sentences.
- Construct sentences and paragraphs that are grammatically correct and clear in meaning.
- Apply knowledge of different genres and audiences for academic and professional writing.
Major written work
Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 23:55 04/06/2023
Weighting: 30%
Students will complete a substantive piece of academic or professional writing, checked for grammar, spelling, proofreading, and formatting.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify sentences that are grammatically incorrect and analyse why they do not make sense.
- Implement knowledge of grammar to adjust poorly constructed sentences.
- Construct sentences and paragraphs that are grammatically correct and clear in meaning.
- Apply knowledge of different genres and audiences for academic and professional writing.
- Create texts for specific academic and/or professional purposes.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
Textbooks
There are no required readings for this unit. Instead, students who wish to go into greater depth or would like additional information should consult the following recommended reading list:
Tredinnick, Mark. The Little Green Grammar Book. 2008.
Truss, Lynne. Eats, Shoots & Leaves : the Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation. Profile Books, 2003.
Graff, Gerald., and Birkenstein, Cathy. "They Say / I Say" : the Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. University of Illinois at Chicago. Third ed., 2014.
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Complaints Resolution Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Academic Integrity
At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
The Writing Centre
The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.
- Workshops
- Chat with a WriteWISE peer writing leader
- Access StudyWISE
- Upload an assignment to Studiosity
- Complete the Academic Integrity Module
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:
- IT Support
- Accessibility and disability support with study
- Mental health support
- Safety support to respond to bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual assault
- Social support including information about finances, tenancy and legal issues
- Student Advocacy provides independent advice on MQ policies, procedures, and processes
Student Enquiries
Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.
IT Help
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.
Unit information based on version 2023.01R of the Handbook