James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2000

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BR1250:03

Technical English 2

Townsville

26 lectures, 26 hours workshops. Second semester.

Available to students who have completed Technical English 1 and those who have met internal entry requirements for Semester 2.

Staff: Ms S Moore.

Students will extend their academic reading and writing skills across a range of genres belonging to the fields of health, science and technology. More advanced critical literacy skills will be applied in the reading of journal and other academic texts including statistical surveys and reports produced by Government and other research agencies (CSIRO, AMA, CALM etc.). Students will be required to present written and oral discussions of social, ethical, legal and political issues related to progress in science and technology. They will also complete a major research project which will include writing proposals; an abstract; literature reviews; designing a research methodology; collection, interpretation and discussion of data. Written reports will include the above as well as an abstract, table of contents, appendices and bibliography. Seminar presentation will include the use of visual aids and the fielding of questions.

Learning Objectives:

  1. interpret graphic, tabular, mathematical information and identify how it is used to construct an argument or thesis. Interrogate empirical and quantitative methods used in science related fields;
  2. understand and write critiques of a range of texts related to their intended field of study;
  3. identify the components of analytical research reports and use appropriate formats including decimal numbering in writing reports;
  4. design and complete a research project using appropriate language and format: abstract, table of contents, introduction, data collection etc. as required for specific field of study;
  5. present a seminar paper on social, ethical, legal, political issues related to an aspect of scientific or technological progress.

Assessment by essay (20%); seminar presentation (20%); major research project (35%); log book of process work (15%); tutorial participation (10%).

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