vcc.ca
ENGL 1100: Academic Writing
Effective date
September 2025
Department
UT Humanities
School
Arts and Sciences
Description
This composition course introduces students to different genres of academic writing in a post-secondary context. It also trains students in critical thinking, the mechanics of writing, analysis of prose, and research and documentation skills.
Credits
3.0
Year of study
1st Year Post-secondary
Prerequisites
English Studies 12 with a 'B', or equivalent, or active registration with the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM).
Corequisites
None
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate proper style for academic formatting and documentation (e.g., MLA)
- Identify rhetorical contexts (e.g., purpose and audience) and apply appropriate rhetorical strategies
- Compose, structure, and revise a variety of academic essays
- Produce unified, coherent paragraphs in academic essays
- Analyze and discuss readings using appropriate terminology and context
- Demonstrate critical engagement with a variety of texts and topics
- Analyze a variety of genres and generic structures/characteristics
- Demonstrate critical, clear, and accountable thinking when generating ideas and writing
- Understand and apply the rules of grammar, mechanics, and structure for writing, proofreading, and editing prose composition
- Find, evaluate, and integrate appropriate source materials in a research context
- Accurately summarize the meaning, organization, and tone of original texts
- Understand and apply academic integrity in writing and research
Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)
None
Hours
Lecture, Online, Seminar, Tutorial: 60
Total Hours: 60
Total Hours: 60
Instructional Strategies
The course uses a combination of lectures, multimedia presentations, group work, class discussion, and library research.
Grading System
Letter Grade (A-F)
Passing grade
C-
Evaluation Plan
|
Type |
Percentage |
Assessment activity |
|
Quizzes/Tests |
15 |
Grammar, summary |
|
Assignments |
35 |
Analytical essays |
|
Assignments |
25 |
Research essay and MLA documentation |
|
Final Exam |
15 |
|
|
Participation |
10 |
Participation |
Course topics
- Academic writing conventions
- Understanding audiences
- Critical thinking and rhetorical analysis
- Annotation, summary, and evaluation
- Essay writing
- Grammar
- Editing and revision
- Research and documentation skills
- Academic Integrity
Notes:
- Course contents and descriptions, offerings and schedules are subject to change without notice.
- Students are required to follow all College policies including ones that govern their educational experience at VCC. Policies are available on the VCC website at:
https://www.vcc.ca/about/governance--policies/policies/. - To find out if there are existing transfer agreements for this course, visit the BC Transfer Guide at https://www.bctransferguide.ca.