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Department of Linguistics

Writing Skills Program

REFERRAL LETTER FOR STUDENTS WITH WRITING PROBLEMS

A printable PDF version of this letter is available.

Dear___________________

Your recent assignment in Unit ______ was less successful than it might have been, partly because of certain problems in its presentation and/or written expression. I suggest that you seek advice, as soon as possible, in one of the courses or services offered by the University, as detailed below.

WRITING SKILLS (no credit points).

Designed primarily for students who are native speakers of English (or advanced non-native speakers), this is a set of short courses on essential writing techniques.

Course 1 (weeks 5 -9 of semester 1 & 2)

Academic Writing: Strategies and Structures:
organisation of essays, reports and other written assignments: devising thematic answer to the topic; structuring material in support of your themes; exposition and argument; use of paragraphing; references, plagiarism and the use of sources.

Course 2 (weeks 5 -9 of semester 1 & 2)

Academic Writing: Expression:
issues of grammar and expression: word choice; sentence formation; cohesion within the sentence and paragraph; punctuation

Individual consultations available through Writing Skills Advisory Service (see below)

Enquiries to the Linguistics Office C5A 508, phone 98508740.

COMMUNICATION FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

The Linguistics Department will offer 3 disciplines specific academic literacy support units from 2010, check with academic advisors.

Enquiries to

  • Linguistics Undergraduate Office
    Department of Linguistics
    Building C5A, Room 508
    Macquarie University
    Balaclava Road
    NSW 2109
    Australia

Email: lingadmin@ling.mq.edu.au
Phone: +61 2 9850-8740
Fax: +61 2 9850 9199


The WRITING SKILLS ADVISORY SERVICE offers students individual help with academic writing problems. Consultations with a writing skills adviser can be made through the Centre for Open Education, X5B, phone: 98597470. External students or others unable to make a face-to-face appointment can also obtain help - via a phone consultation (same contact details). Note: These services aim to help you develop your own writing and editing strategies; we DO NOT act as editors of your draft essays before you submit them. You should bring your marked essay(s) with you to the consultation or hand them in for us to look over beforehand.

LING253 THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE DE2 (4 CREDIT POINTS). This unit is open to students of all disciplines once they have 12 credit points towards their degree. It engages with writing and writers at large, analysing the components of effective writing from both theoretical and practical perspectives. Common problems faced by writers both at university and beyond are tackled in lectures, workshops and tutorials.

It would be a good idea for you to get some help with your academic writing techniques as early as possible in your student career.

Yours sincerely

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