Last modified: 07 Aug 2026 16:46
Essays, and pieces of academic writing more generally, are sometimes seen by students as a hurdle to overcome rather than a means for learning and development. But an understanding of how to write across a range of different types of academic assessments is not just essential for success in the study of literature; it can also give students tools to synthesise ideas and build arguments in other areas of life and work. This course will aim to use workshops and, where necessary, recorded materials, along with exercises centred around self-reflection, peer review, and discussion of example essays to help develop the necessary skills for the types of writing they will be required to do during their university studies and beyond in their future careers.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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One or more of these courses have a limited number of places. Priority access will be given to students for whom this course is compulsory. Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for more details on this process.
This course aims make the varieties of academic writing less daunting, by encouraging students to consider and develop their skills across a range of different types of written assessment in recognition of the diverse nature of the assessments that are now embedded across the English programme. By means of a programme of workshops, this course will develop the skills of students across a range of different varieties of writing in addition to the essay form, with a view to broadening their skill and proficiency when articulating their ideas in writing. This proposed course is based upon the notion that an understanding of how different forms of writing operate is not just essential for success in the study of literature; it can also give students tools to synthesise ideas and build arguments in other areas of life and work.
This course will cover the essential components of a variety of different types of writing through a combination of self-reflection, peer review, and discussion of example essays and other written materials. Topics covered will include:
• Addressing questions and topics
• Planning written work
• Organising ideas and arguments
• Defining terms of reference
• Structuring introductions and conclusions
• Effective use of outside sources
• Effective editing
• Writing for different purposes/contexts
• Clear and grammatical articulation of ideas
• Correct referencing
• Polishing a final draft
• How to summarise information clearly
Each week students will be given a task to discuss within a workshop and will have opportunities to further exchange and discuss ideas in peer study groups outside of class, enabling them to examine their own writing practices as well as those of others.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37 | Feedback Weeks | 38 | |
| Feedback |
The Tutorial Assessment Mark (TAM) is based on attendance and participation. Student will be required to demonstrate evidence of participation in tutorials. Feedback will be provided orally by tutors during the course, as well as in a final comment at the end of the course. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Develop an understanding of different varieties of writing, as well as their applications. |
| Procedural | Analyse | Learn how to respond to a variety of essay prompts and respond to them effectively in an appropriately structured piece of writing. |
| Procedural | Apply | Learn how to effectively incorporate external sources into their writing, employing the correct referencing conventions, and avoiding plagiarism. |
| Reflection | Evaluate | Gain the ability to reflect on their own and others’ writing to identify strengths as well as areas for improvement. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 32 | Feedback Weeks | 35 | |
| Feedback |
Students will be required to write a report on an essay submitted for a previous course, reflecting on feedback given and areas for improvement. Feedback will be in the form of grader comments, provided through the essay submission platform Turnitin. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Develop an understanding of different varieties of writing, as well as their applications. |
| Reflection | Evaluate | Gain the ability to reflect on their own and others’ writing to identify strengths as well as areas for improvement. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 28,30,32,34,36 | Feedback Weeks | 29,31,33,35,37 | |
| Feedback |
Word Count: approx. 250 words per post Students will be expected to complete a range of tasks related to each week’s tutorial/workshop (examples might be creating a correctly formatted list of references, outlining good practice in writing that they have identified that week, writing a brief summary of a selected article in a discussion board post). Feedback will be provided in the form of tutor comments, given orally in tutorials and through the online learning platform.
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Develop an understanding of different varieties of writing, as well as their applications. |
| Procedural | Analyse | Learn how to respond to a variety of essay prompts and respond to them effectively in an appropriately structured piece of writing. |
| Procedural | Apply | Learn how to effectively incorporate external sources into their writing, employing the correct referencing conventions, and avoiding plagiarism. |
| Reflection | Evaluate | Gain the ability to reflect on their own and others’ writing to identify strengths as well as areas for improvement. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 38 | Feedback Weeks | 41 | |
| Feedback |
|
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Develop an understanding of different varieties of writing, as well as their applications. |
| Procedural | Analyse | Learn how to respond to a variety of essay prompts and respond to them effectively in an appropriately structured piece of writing. |
| Procedural | Apply | Learn how to effectively incorporate external sources into their writing, employing the correct referencing conventions, and avoiding plagiarism. |
| Reflection | Evaluate | Gain the ability to reflect on their own and others’ writing to identify strengths as well as areas for improvement. |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 100 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Students will reflect upon the style of a sample piece of writing noting key points regarding argument, style, and considering the appropriateness of the piece in term of its intended purpose. Feedback will be in the form of grader comments, provided through the essay submission platform Turnitin. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
|
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||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Reflection | Evaluate | Gain the ability to reflect on their own and others’ writing to identify strengths as well as areas for improvement. |
| Procedural | Analyse | Learn how to respond to a variety of essay prompts and respond to them effectively in an appropriately structured piece of writing. |
| Procedural | Apply | Learn how to effectively incorporate external sources into their writing, employing the correct referencing conventions, and avoiding plagiarism. |
| Conceptual | Understand | Develop an understanding of different varieties of writing, as well as their applications. |
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