LING X405 - Preparation for Academic Writing
Course Description
Listen to what UCSB freshmen have to say
Take this on-line course from the comfort of your home before you come to UCSB. Preparation for Academic Writing will:
- Increase your academic vocabulary
- Sharpen your writing skills
- Help you prepare for the English Language Placement Exam (required for all international students who have not already satisfied the Entry Level Writing Requirement.)
Most international students need increased proficiency in academic writing to get good grades in the required general education coursework, which includes courses such as History and Art Appreciation. These grades go on the final transcript.
Letter to Parents
Read a letter from our Dean Dr. Bob York, UCSB Extension, explaining the importance of this on-line course your child can take before coming to UCSB (English and Chinese)
Check out these writing Samples from Different EMS Writing Class Levels:
Student Testimonials
“Linguistics courses have helped me a lot in my writings and my effort has paid off.”
– Zihao Zeng
“I would recommend new students of UCSB to practice writing, reading, and analyzing on a daily basis to enhance linguistics skills.”
– Sherry Xu
“When I was in high school, there [were] few restrictions of the topic of writing …. However, as I went to college, I [had] to make my expressions as accurate as possible, and this usually requires a lot of grammar and vocabulary.”
– Zishuo Zhao
Learner Outcomes
Through readings, videos, online lectures, and written exercises, students will learn:
- Sentence, paragraph, and essay structure development
- Strategies for taking written exams
- Writing skills for success in course assignments
- Academic reading skills in the humanities, social sciences and STEM fields
- Critical reading and summarizing to support analytical writing
- Grammatical, lexical, and rhetorical strategies for clear expression
- Skills using internet-based tools for academic purposes