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LNG250 Academic Writing

Credits (ECTS):5

Course responsible:Angela Schwarm

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Norsk

Limits of class size:50

Course frequency:Yearly

Nominal workload:125 hours

Teaching and exam period:Autumn parallel

About this course

The course covers the principles of academic writing for the natural sciences. The students will learn to structure an academic text from a chosen problem. Organizing the text, the structure of paragraphs, language, and arguments will be emphasized, in addition to citing of scientific papers. Individual responses to the student's writing skills will be prioritized, either by lecturers, writing tutors, or peer assessment.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

After attending the course, the students are expected to:

  • Know the principles for a strong, academic text
  • Understand how to argue reasonably for and against a problem
  • Know how to search scientific literature and how to use this in their own text

Skills

After attending the course, the students are expected to:

  • Be able to construct an outline for their own text
  • Be able to build a narrative, write good paragraphs, and get a logical flow in the text
  • Use references properly in their own text

General competence

After attending the course, the students are expected to:

  • Be able to express themselves in a scientific way
  • Be able to give and receive constructive critics of text, their own or others
  • Understand how planning and structure form the basis for a good text
  • Learning activities
    Lectures, discussion groups, and individual writing exercises with three compulsory submissions on which feedback is given, either as peer assessment or from writing tutors. In addition, a final course assignment is submitted which provides the basis for a final pass/fail assessment.
  • Teaching support
    The Writing Centre offers individual guidance.
  • Assessment method
    Assessment of subject assignment: Passed / Failed. Students must have approved all mandatory modules in order to be assessed as a pass.

    Assignment Grading: Passed / Not Passed
  • Examiner scheme
    An examiner evaluates the final subject assignment.
  • Mandatory activity
    Compulsory attendance at 80% of the structured teaching time. Compulsory submission at the end of each of the three course modules: 1) problem, 2) outline and 3) writing draft, which must be approved before submission of the final course assignment. If modules 1-3 are not approved by the first submission deadline, one additional submission with a three-day deadline is permitted.
  • Notes
    The course is given in Norwegian but involves reading of scientific papers in English.
  • Teaching hours
    A total of 12 double hours with structured teaching.
  • Preferential right
    Students at BIOVIT.
  • Reduction of credits
    LNG240
  • Admission requirements
    Minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway