Course Name: Academic Writing and Communication Skills
Course Code: BIT 1102
Contact Hours: 45
Credit Units: 4
Year: One
Semester: One
a) Course Description
Academic Writing and Communication Skills is a course designed to enhance students'
proficiency in both written and oral communication within an academic context. The
course focuses on developing effective writing techniques, including structuring
essays, research papers, and reports, while emphasizing clarity, coherence, and
adherence to academic standards.
Additionally, students will refine their oral communication skills through practice in
delivering presentations, engaging in discussions, and articulating ideas clearly and
confidently. Through a combination of theoretical instruction and practical exercises,
the course aims to build essential skills for academic success and professional
communication.
b) Course Objectives
1. Build on students’ existing skills in order to help them: communicate their ideas
effectively in the written form and use specific reading strategies to comprehend
challenging academic texts.
2. To provide students with an understanding of, and practice in, the process,
structure and the language involved in academic reading and writing.
3. To provide students with the skills of, and practice in, organizing and
incorporating academic source materials into their writing according to standard
academic conventions.
4. Equip students with the skills to produce clear, coherent, and well-structured
academic writing, including the ability to craft well-organized essays, research
papers, and reports while adhering to academic standards and citation
practices.
5. Improve students' oral communication abilities by providing practice in
delivering presentations, participating in discussions, and conveying ideas
effectively in both formal and informal academic settings.
c) Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to;
1. Communicate effectively both verbally and non-verbally
2. Write effective and concise letters and memos employing appropriate business
format
3. Prepare informal and formal reports that include analysis and offer
recommendations
4. Participate in meetings and conduct proper techniques in telephone usage
5. Relate to the interpersonal and organizational dynamics that affect effective
communication in organizations.
d) Skills and Competencies
1. Time management
2. Knowing your audience
3. Active listening
4. Providing feedback
5. Listen carefully
6. Incorporate feedback into the message
7. Use correct grammar
8. Be concise and precise
e) Teaching Methods / Mode of Delivery
a) Physical and online Lectures
b) Practical Sessions
c) Tutorials
f) Course Outline
No Topic Hours (45)
1 An overview and Principles of communication, Introduction, 6
Definition of communication, Importance of communication, Types
of Communication and Business Communication Model
2 Communication network, Criteria for effective business 6
Communication, The 4S’s of Effective communication and Barriers
to communication
3 Writing and Reading Skills, critical reading and interpretation and 3
Making summaries, indexing and library skills
4 Academic Writing Plagiarism, Authentic writing, Citation, 3
referencing styles, Citation software: EndNote, Latex, Refworks,
Mendely
5 Interpersonal Skills, interactions, team work, office dynamics, 3
phone calls
6 Interviews, Types of Interviews, Interview Techniques, Preparation 3
for the Interview and How to become an effective interviewer
7 Applying for the Job, Curriculum Vitae and Application Letters 3
8 Oral presentations, Visual and multimedia presentations, speaking 6
and listening Skills, non-verbal communication and public
speaking.
9 Information Communication Technology –(ICTs)and Electronic 6
communication applications Office Automation and ICTs,
Advantages of Office Automation and ICTs, Skype, Google Drive and
other collaborative applications
10 Examination Skills, Preparing for writing examinations 3
(question/answer approach).
FINAL EXAM 3
g) Mode of Assessment
No. Assessment Tool Mark%
1 Coursework 40
2 End of Semester Examination 60
3 Final Mark 100
Reading List (s)
1. Mehra, P., 2016. Business Communication for Managers, 2/e. Pearson Education India.
2. Hartley, J. (2008). Academic Writing and Publishing. London: Routledge
3. Dirgeyasa, I.W. and Hum, M., 2017. College Academic Writing A Genre-Based
Perspective. Prenada Media.
4. Silvia, P.J., 2015. Write it up: Practical strategies for writing and publishing journal
articles. American Psychological Association.
5. Walliman, N., 2017. Research methods: The basics. Routledge.
6. Wright, M. ed., 2016. Gower handbook of internal communication. CRC Press.
