FutureLearn

A Beginners' Guide to Writing in English for University Study (FutureLearn)

Offered by University of Reading,
A Beginners' Guide to Writing in English for University Study (FutureLearn)

Learn how to use English for study at university or college and develop your writing skills, vocabulary and grammar. Academic writing can be very different from other types of written English. This course has been developed to help you learn the basics of academic writing and develop your English language skills.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

You’ll develop some proficiency in key areas of ‘academic’ grammar, learn about the stages in essay writing, and produce an essay of your own. You’ll also explore how to organise an essay, write in an academic style, and use tools to evaluate your own writing and other learners’ writing, so that by the end of the course you’re able to write a good, basic academic essay.

What topics will you cover?

Week 1

  • Key features of academic writing
  • Developing essay ideas
  • Organising your ideas effectively

Week 2

  • Essay structure and organisation
  • Choosing a title
  • Writing in an impersonal style

Week 3

  • Using academic language
  • Writing about facts and activities
  • Writing about groups of people
  • Writing longer sentences: linking words and subordinators

Week four

  • The stages of writing an essay
  • Analysing an essay title
  • Deciding what evidence to use
  • Writing a first draft of an essay

Week 5

  • Evaluating a first draft of an essay
  • Reflecting on feedback on your first draft of the essay
  • Responding to feedback on your first draft of the essay

What will you achieve?

  • Compare one aspect of life now with life in the past in one well-constructed paragraph.
  • Explore organisational structure of essays: identify and name the different sections of an essay.
  • Explain one aspect of your home town in one well-constructed paragraph, focussing on language accuracy.
  • Develop and write the first draft of your essay.
  • Contribute and receive feedback on first essay drafts.
  • Reflect on feedback received and improve your draft to create and submit a second draft of your essay.
Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Discovering Science: Science Writing (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Leeds

Discovering Science: Science Writing (FutureLearn)

Engineering Science

What science discoveries will you choose to write about? Without science writing, science could not really exist. By recording experiments and publishing the results of studies and discoveries, scientists can share their important work, and find an engaged audience. Science writing takes many forms: from press releases to video scripts. You’ll learn about different types of science writing, and look at the factors which you need to consider to write a story.

Self Paced
2 Weeks
Science Writing Writing Skills
Details
Preparing for PTE Academic (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
YouSTUDY International College

Preparing for PTE Academic (FutureLearn)

Education

Develop confidence and prepare for success by understanding the structure and learning outcomes of the PTE Academic test. Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic is the world’s leading computer-based test of English for study abroad and immigration and is widely accepted by universities, colleges and governments around the world. All test takers should prepare for PTE Academic, even if English is your first language.

Self Paced
4 Weeks
Education English Reading
Details
Introduction to Dutch (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Groningen

Introduction to Dutch (FutureLearn)

Languages & Literature

Learn to speak, write and understand basic Dutch, with this free, three-week, introductory foreign language course. Are you planning to visit, or work or study in the Netherlands soon? This free online course is perfect if you have little or no prior knowledge of Dutch, but would like to master the fundamentals in order to survive life in the Low Countries.

Self Paced
3 Weeks
Languages Dutch Netherlands
Details
Introduction to Applied Linguistics and TESOL (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Leicester

Introduction to Applied Linguistics and TESOL (FutureLearn)

Education Languages & Literature

Get an introduction to applied linguistics and how linguistics is applied in a range of fields - from language teaching to law. Explore the field of applied linguistics through real-world case studies. This online course introduces the field of applied linguistics and how it relates to disciplines including linguistics and language teaching.

Jan 15th 2024
5-12 Weeks
Languages Linguistics TESOL
Details
English Pronunciation in a Global World (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

English Pronunciation in a Global World (FutureLearn)

Languages & Literature

In this course you will improve your English pronunciation skills and learn about speaking English in today's globalised world. Develop your ability to understand and speak English. A huge range of people need to be able to speak English in today’s globalised world. This means that you’ll need to understand, and be understandable to, other non-native speakers. But diversity in spoken English should also be appreciated.

Self Paced
4 Weeks
English English Language Learning Languages
Details
Writing and Editing: Word Choice and Word Order (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Michigan

Writing and Editing: Word Choice and Word Order (FutureLearn)

Languages & Literature

Learn creative ways to enhance the clarity and effectiveness of your written words. Level up your writing skills with impactful word selections and sentences. Successful written communication begins with the correct word choice and word order. This four-week course will show you how to achieve that in your writing process.

Dec 20th 2021
4 Weeks
Writing Writing Skills Editing
Details
Exploring English: Shakespeare (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
British Council

Exploring English: Shakespeare (FutureLearn)

Languages & Literature

Explore Shakespeare’s life, discover famous Shakespeare plays, and improve your English language skills with the British Council. Explore the English language through Shakespeare’s plays. This course will look at the life and works of William Shakespeare and take you from his birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon to the Globe Theatre in London, from where he secured his central place in English literature.

Nov 1st 2021
5-12 Weeks
English William Shakespeare Shakespeare
Details
Writing and Editing: Structure and Organisation (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Michigan

Writing and Editing: Structure and Organisation (FutureLearn)

Languages & Literature

Become a skilled architect of written communication, whether you’re putting together a major project or sending a text message. Develop your writing skills to include impactful text layout and flow. This is the second course in the Good with Words: Writing and Editing series from Michigan University, and directly follows the Word Choice and Word Order course. On this four-week course, you’ll learn the importance of text structure and organising your written words to deliver effective results.

Dec 20th 2021
4 Weeks
Writing Writing Skills Editing
Details
Learn English Through TV Drama Series: Adrift (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Chasing Time English

Learn English Through TV Drama Series: Adrift (FutureLearn)

Languages & Literature

Take your English language skills to the next level by exploring pronunciation, complex phrases, and grammatical functions. Learn the core building blocks of conversation. On this five-week course from Chasing Time English, you’ll build on your language knowledge by watching and studying the television drama Adrift. This series focuses on instruction and adjacency pairs, which will help you develop the main building blocks of conversation.

Jun 27th 2022
5-12 Weeks
English Grammar Vocabulary
Details
English for the Workplace (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
British Council

English for the Workplace (FutureLearn)

Languages & Literature

This course for learners of English helps you with the language you need to find a job and successfully function in the workplace. This course is for people who are learning English and who are interested in developing English language skills for employability and workplace contexts. It will help job seekers and young professionals with the English they need.

Jun 1st 2020
4 Weeks
English Workplace English Language
Details