Elective course: Stylistics 3200-L2-PF-STY

On a case-by-case basis, numerous and varied examples of poor (weaker) writing styles in English are discussed. Exemplary fragments come from popular, popular science and scientific literature. The range of text genres is wide. It does not apply to one type of text (e.g. academic). The common denominator for all texts is that they are written in standard English and are of high quality. Among the issues discussed are the problems of lexis (vocabulary), phraseology, collocations, conceptualization, perception, cognitive abilities etc. At the language level, these are grammatical phenomena concerning syntactic categories, word order, modality, activity/ passivity, strengthening/ weakening of utterances, and others. Differences between literal and figurative expressions are underlined. More broadely, case studies contrast so-called direct and indirect expressions and the influence of these on the architecture of the text. Improving the writing style in English is very important for people who want to write high-quality texts professionally. The course does not cater for BA/MA thesis writing.

Student workload:
30 hrs (class attendance) and 30 hrs (revision)

Course coordinators

Piotr Twardzisz

Type of course

elective courses

Mode

Classroom

Prerequisites (description)

The course covers a variety of language issues that have a significant impact on improving the quality of writing in English. It is tailored for students who have mastered the art of writing at the academic level and want to improve it further. Therefore, it is not a writing course for beginners.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge
student knows
K1_W01: the structure of language as a system, understands the scope of linguistics
K1_W02: the basic terminology in the field of linguistics
K1_W05: the specificity of contemporary linguistic paradigms and has structured general knowledge of the theory and methodology in the field of linguistics

Skills
student
K1_U02: has elementary research skills, can formulate research problems and can use linguistic research tools
K1_U04: can argue using the views of other authors and can independently formulate conclusions in oral and written form in English
K1_U06: can prepare written works in English, using basic theories in the field of linguistics

K1_U11: can independently acquire knowledge in the field of linguistics, following the instructions of the academic supervisor
K1_U12: can define priorities and plan actions to implement them, understanding the need for self-education and continuous improvement of qualifications, including practical language competences

Social competences
student is ready
K1_K02: to critically evaluate his/her own knowledge in the field of linguistics, appreciates the importance of substantive argumentation in solving research and practical problems

Assessment criteria

1st approach:
End-of-semester test (oral or written) covers the whole course.

2nd approach:
The same requirements as in the 1st approach.

Two absences per semester allowed.

Practical placement

Not applicable

Bibliography

Kehler, A. 2002. Coherence, Reference, and the Theory of Grammar. Stanford, CA: Center for the Study of Language and Information.
Langacker, R. 1987 & 1991. Foundations of Cognitive Grammar. Vol. 1 & 2. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Pinker, S. 2014. The Sense of Style. The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century. London: Penguin Books.
Siegal, A. M. & Connolly, W. G. 1999. The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage. New York: Three Rivers Press.
Sword, H. 2012. Stylish Academic Writing. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Thomas, F.-N. & Turner, M. 1994. Clear and Simple as the Truth: Writing Classic Prose. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Williams, J. M. 1990. Style: Towards Clarity and Grace. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.