Students

ENGX1055 – Techniques in Academic Reading and Writing

2026 – Session 2, Online-flexible

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor
Veronica Alfano
veronica.alfano@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
By appointment
Convenor
Jimmy Van
jimmy.van@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
By appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

Students entering university can feel overwhelmed by how much reading they need to complete before synthesising and translating this information into their own written work. How can you read efficiently, for understanding and analysis? How do you transform what you have read into your own original writing that is clear and persuasive? In this unit you will learn how to read for information, understanding, and critique. You will be introduced to four techniques of reading: inspectional, analytical, syntopical, and close reading. You will then learn techniques of thesis-driven composition and improve your understanding of the ways in which sentences, paragraphs, and arguments are structured. Learn how to use others’ ideas to strengthen your claims without compromising your own voice as a writer. 

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 and apply appropriate techniques of reading to different academic tasks. 
  • ULO2: Identify an author’s argument and explain it in your own words.
  • ULO3: Navigate the process of academic composition, from prewriting to proofreading.
  • ULO4: Create thesis-driven texts for academic and/or professional purposes.

General Assessment Information

Late 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 to late submissions, up until the 7th calendar 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. 

Important to note:

  • 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.
  • Students should not request an informal arrangement from their tutor, lecturer or Unit Convenor (or equivalent).
  • Where an application for Special Consideration is approved and the outcome is an extension to the due date of a task, submissions that are received after the new due date will be subject to late penalties that are calculated from the new due date. This only applies where the outcome is an extension to the due date – see the Special Consideration Policy for a schedule of all possible outcomes.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI Approach
Writing task 1 30% No 20/09/2026 Individual Yes Open
Writing Portfolio 30% No 01/11/2026 Individual Yes Open
Writing task 2 40% No 08/11/2026 Individual Yes Open

Writing task 1

Assessment Type 1: Written Submission
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 20/09/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open

Choose one of the assigned texts; give a detailed summary of its argument(s) in your own words; compose a response that enlists evidence to respond to the text (do you agree? disagree? have something to add?).
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify and apply appropriate techniques of reading to different academic tasks. 
  • Identify an author’s argument and explain it in your own words.
  • Navigate the process of academic composition, from prewriting to proofreading.
  • Create thesis-driven texts for academic and/or professional purposes.

Writing Portfolio

Assessment Type 1: Portfolio
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: 01/11/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open

Writing portfolio
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify and apply appropriate techniques of reading to different academic tasks. 
  • Identify an author’s argument and explain it in your own words.
  • Navigate the process of academic composition, from prewriting to proofreading.

Writing task 2

Assessment Type 1: Written Submission
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 08/11/2026
Weighting: 40%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open

Put together a detailed outline of the way in which you might convert your 750-word response (Assessment 1) into a fully realised essay. The outline should contain an introduction, thesis statement, topic statements of body paragraphs, sample sentences that incorporate outside sources, and a conclusion.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify and apply appropriate techniques of reading to different academic tasks. 
  • Identify an author’s argument and explain it in your own words.
  • Navigate the process of academic composition, from prewriting to proofreading.
  • Create thesis-driven texts for 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
  • Academic Success 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.

3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.

Delivery and Resources

Lectures and tutorials (online activities) start in Week 1. 

Students are expected to watch and listen to all lectures (uploaded to ECHO360); having done so, students can then participate by completing weekly online activitities on iLearn.

Unit readings are provided on Leganto. In addition, students may wish to purchase the following recommended reading:

Adler, Mortimer J, and Charles Van Doren. How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading. Simon & Schuster, 2011.

Please note that this book is available online via the MQ Library's website and also linked through Leganto. 

In the second half of the unit, you may also find it useful to consult the following book, listed on Leganto: 

Graff, Gerald and Cathy Birkenstein. "They Say / I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. Norton, 2014 (though other editions are also okay).

If you cannot consult the MQ edition(s) of They Say / I Say, please note that a) there are many new and used copies available online (though delivery can be slow), and b) you can access the whole book via the Internet Archive (archive dot org).

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:

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 connect.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/

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

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:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit https://students.mq.edu.au/support/technology/service-desk. 

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 2026.03 of the Handbook