| CODE | CSP2002 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Communication and Academic Skills 2: Life Sciences | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Centre for English Language Proficiency | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Communication and Academic Skills 2: Life Sciences is a discipline specific unit focussing on honing students' communication skills. Throughout, students are given the opportunity to refine and apply these skills specifically to texts immediately relevant to their course of study. Students engage in a cyclical process whereby they are made aware of how their thought processes condition their communication and how the analysis of their production in turn, further improves their approach to communicating. Students are equipped with the necessary metacognitive strategies to handle these communicative disciplinary demands. Through various scaffolded tasks and continuous support, students are given the opportunity to recognise and apply the rhetorical concepts specific to their discipline. In this study-unit, students practise and evidence the refinement of their writing and presentation skills. Study-Unit Aims: The study-unit aims to develop students' ability to: - engage more critically with text types specific to the Life Sciences; - practise improving their communication skills in texts drawing on conventions specific to their discipline; - iteratively draft and revise work through a scaffolded process together with their tutor, by means of, for example, the creation of a portfolio; - express ideas clearly, concisely and effectively through writing and presenting; - partake in peer-review and peer-led tasks; - negotiate variations in genre conventions; - use key rhetorical concepts through analysing and writing of a variety of texts; - prepare formal presentations related to the Life Sciences and work within the study-unit. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - identify the conventions of the discipline; - identify differences in structure, paragraphing, tone, and mechanics between genres specific to the discipline; - recognise the importance of the different text types of genres which are dominant within Life Sciences; - recognise how, when and why conventions are used within the discipline; - recognise the rhetorical concepts of the texts introduced within the study-unit; - interpret information within the texts covered in the unit and make inferences therewith; - locate and evaluate research materials for the purpose of establishing credibility, accuracy and bias; - present ideas and information in a clear manner adhering to the conventions of the text types introduced; - evaluate feedback on drafts and actively revise with the view of creating an improved version of the original draft to present the message more effectively. The empirically informed list of genre families (Nesi & Gardner, 2012) is being adopted in the CASP study-units and the genres selected below are 5 out of the overall 13; these are commonly present in the Life Sciences. A selection of the following genres and the relevant learning outcomes will be adapted according to specific students' needs within their course of study: Explanation - demonstrate an understanding of the object of study; - identifying the process of classification and description in a report. Essay* - demonstrate an understanding of critical thinking skills; - demonstrate the ability to follow essay stages reflective of the specific academic discipline (e.g., the three stages of an exposition/challenge). Case Study - demonstrate a multifaceted understanding of professional practice through the analysis of a single exemplar. Narrative Recount - demonstrate familiarity with sources relevant to the focus of study; - determine the temporal sequence that is to be reported. Problem Question - identify specific methods of response to professional problems. * The Essay genre is being used in its generic form and not specific to any one discipline (see Nesi and Gardner, 2012). 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - actively reflect on the process from ideation to text production; - present the various stages in the creation of a text; - compose a spoken or written text evidencing clarity as well as adherence to the text characteristics addressed within the study-unit; - respond to a variety of situations by changing tone, level of formality and structure; - collaborate with their peers during the writing process; - revise and re-draft to create the end product following feedback; - give productive feedback on works in progress. A selection of the following genres and the relevant learning outcomes will be adapted according to specific students' needs within their course of study: Explanation - describe the object in focus and / or account for its significance; - discern what to include and how to link it to other related parts; - describe techniques or processes; - describe properties and functions; - sum up, explain and assess the significance of the object of study (e.g., overview, instrument description, methodology explanation, process of explanation). Essay - construct a coherent argument; - discuss and present an exposition; - practise critical thinking skills; - challenge and respond to commentary; - describe the state of affairs and contributory factors (factorial essay) or consequences (consequential essay); - summarise their own position. Case Study - describe a context, identify strengths and/or weaknesses and make recommendations in relation to professional practice (e.g., patient case notes, patient report, pesticide application); - analyse an exemplar with a view to suggesting future action. Narrative Recount - produce a comprehensive chronological narrative of factual events, with optional comments (e.g., accident report, reflective recount, report on disease, urban ethnography, account of literature search, account of website search). Problem Question - present relevant arguments or possible solutions to a problem; - assess the application of specific methods in response to simulated professional scenario; - evaluate the possible or potential outcomes of the suggested solutions (e.g., responses to medical problems or environmental issues). Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Materials and resources tailored to the students' course will be made available during the lectures. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-Requisite Study-unit: CSP1000 | ||||||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Josianne Block Carla Borg Lorraine Bugeja Freya-Jo Curmi Marija Dogan Matthew Michael Done Nicole Falzon Luke Galea Donovan Gatt Anabel Laus Stefania Pace Analisa Scerri Jean Theuma Lara Ann Vella Daniel Xerri |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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