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Lecturer(s)
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Molnár Ondřej, Mgr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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1. Introduction to Academic Discourse - characteristics of specialist and academic texts - academic literacy - Czech and Anglo-American academic traditions 2. Academic Style and Register - formality, objectivity, and precision in academic communication - characteristic features of academic style - differences between academic and popular science texts 3. Specialised Terminology - terminology and its functions 4. Nominalisation and Information Density in Academic Texts - nominalisation as a characteristic feature of academic style - information condensation - lexical complexity of academic texts 5. Cohesion in Academic Text - reference - substitution, ellipsis, and conjunction - lexical cohesion 6. Coherence and Text Organisation - logical organisation of texts - thematic continuity - relationships between different parts of a text 7. Thematic Structure and the Development of Argumentation - information structure (theme and rheme) - thematic progression - paragraph and argument structure 8. Authorial Voice and the Expression of Stance - the author in academic texts - personal and impersonal styles - stance and engagement 9. Hedging and Boosting - expressing degrees of certainty - caution and persuasiveness in academic argumentation - establishing authority through language 10. Genres of Academic Writing - research articles - abstracts - reviews and review articles - the structure of a research article 11. Critical Reading of Academic Texts - identifying arguments and evidence - analysing argumentative strategies - interpreting and critically evaluating academic sources 12. The Role of AI in Academic Discourse 13. Final Credit Test
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook), Activating (Simulations, Games, Dramatization)
- Homework for Teaching
- 20 hours per semester
- Attendace
- 28 hours per semester
- Homework for Teaching
- 20 hours per semester
- Attendace
- 28 hours per semester
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Learning outcomes
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The course develops students' ability to understand academic and domain-specific texts in English and to identify their linguistic, stylistic, and discourse-related features. It focuses on the characteristic features of academic style, the conventions of scholarly communication, and the differences between Czech and Anglo-American academic traditions. Particular attention is paid to the formality and objectivity of academic writing, the use of specialised terminology, nominalisation, and the high informational density of academic texts, as well as to linguistic devices used to express degrees of certainty and persuasive force in scholarly argumentation (hedging and boosting). Students are also introduced to issues related to authorial voice, the expression of stance, and the use of evaluative language in academic discourse. Through the reading and analysis of authentic academic texts, students acquire strategies for effective and critical reading, the interpretation of specialist information, and the identification of argumentative structures. Emphasis is also placed on understanding text organisation, the relationships between different parts of a text, and the ability to analyse linguistic features that contribute to the precision, clarity, and persuasiveness of academic communication.
Students will extend the knowledge of academic English both on theoretical level and in practical applications, for instance when writing essays, critical reading, etc.
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Prerequisites
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No specific knowledge is required. A good level of English is the prerequisite.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Essay, Analysis of linguistic, Written exam
Credit requirements: - active participation and submission of all homework assignments (max. 2 absences are allowed) - final test based on the topics discussed in the seminar
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Recommended literature
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Manchester Academic Phrasebank. .
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Skell - corpus tool. .
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Čmejkrová, S. a Daneš, F. a Světlá, J. Jak napsat odborný text. Praha, Leda 1999.
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Čmejrková, Světla, František Daneš and Jindra Světlá. (1999). Jak napsat odborný text. Praha.
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Hyland, Ken. (2000). Disciplinary Discourses: Social Interatctions in Academic Writing. Harlow.
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Paltridge, Brian and Sue Starfield. (2007). Thesis and Dissertation Writing in a Second Language. London and New York.
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Philpot, S., Curnick, L. (2012). Headway: Academic Skills. Reading, Writing, and Study Skills. Oxford.
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Svobodová, Zuzana, Heidrun Katzorke, Ursula Jaekel, Stefania Dugovicova, Mike Scoggin and Peter Treacher. (2000). Writing in English: A Practical Handbook for Scientific and Technical Writers..
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Swales, John and Christine Feak. (2000). English in Today?s Research World. Ann Abor.
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