Undergraduate Course: Scientific English Academic Language and Literacies Plus (FNDN07025)
Course Outline
| School | Centre for Open Learning |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 7 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Scientific English Academic Language and Literacies (SEALL) develops your academic language and literacies for Foundation study and progression to undergraduate-level study. You will practise critical thinking, build logical, evidence-based arguments, and engage with texts from your chosen subject pathway, while developing self-directed learning, academic reflection, and skills to reach your full academic potential. |
| Course description |
SEALL Plus is a course that develops the academic language and literacies essential for success on the STEM IFP and for progression to undergraduate-level study. The course builds on a strong foundation in general academic language and literacies and progressively strengthens your skills in a more specialised academic context relevant to your chosen field of study.
Throughout the course, you will engage with varied academic genres, including journal articles and popular science texts, and apply a critical approach to your studies by evaluating and analysing claims and supporting evidence. The course covers strategies for reading and listening effectively and critically and supports you in structuring a line of reasoning from an initial idea to a logically organised text, using evidence appropriately and reaching a supported conclusion. The language, skills, and strategies practised in class will be applied during lectures, tutorials, workshops, and across the wider IFP programme.
As the course progresses, you will work with and produce more specialised text types for your subject area, adapting your communication to different audiences and contexts. There will be opportunities to engage critically with research from your chosen field and to participate in academic discussion using appropriate academic language and following the expectations and norms of your discipline community.
You will enhance and practise your communication and collaboration skills through pair, group, and teamwork, with opportunities to take on leadership roles and to be self-reflective in order to develop personal responsibility. There will be continued guidance on approaching tasks with academic integrity, including the responsible use of digital tools and the development of critical digital literacies.
Throughout the course, you will receive regular written and verbal feedback from teachers, alongside opportunities for peer feedback and academic reflection. You will engage in increasingly independent and self-directed study, supporting effective workload management and the guided development of lifelong academic and study skills transferable to your chosen undergraduate degree programme.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2026/27, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: 16 |
| Course Start |
Flexible |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 168,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
28 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
100% coursework. Summative assessments include:
Written assessment 1 (40%) - Timed Lab Report
Written assessment 2 (30%) - Timed Writing Assessment
Speaking assessment (30%) - Seminar Discussion
Three summative assessments, fully integrated with STEM courses, are undertaken across the two teaching blocks. This provides students with a sustained opportunity to authentically develop academic language and literacies skills over the academic year, in preparation for undergraduate study.
The BCBES IFP employs multi-course assessment. Assessments have been jointly designed between SEALL and the subject classes in biology, chemistry and maths. Multi-course assessments will be graded using a SEALL marking rubric and a separate STEM marking rubric.
These shared assessments will be well scaffolded and integrated into teaching materials so that assessment supports learning and assessment load is reduced. This approach also helps students transfer skills across the Foundation programme and prepares them for the types of tasks they will meet in undergraduate study.
Students will be assessed in the four skills: Reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Assessments will reflect the types of assessment that students undertake in the first year of their undergraduate degree programme. Examples include timed writing, academic poster, academic reflection, academic discussion.
For progression onto chosen Undergraduate degree programme, SEALL Plus students must achieve an overall score of ¿40% (PASS).
Students who do not pass the course will be offered the opportunity to resit in accordance with UoE Taught Assessment Regulations.¿ |
| Feedback |
Students will receive ongoing informal written and verbal feedback throughout the course as part of their class work and course level assessment.
Formal Feedback will be provided on formative and summative assessments, following the University¿s Assessment and Feedback Guidelines.
Formal and informal Feedback on summative and formative tasks and classroom activities will consist of verbal and written feedback. Students will also be given opportunities to give and receive informal peer feedback. Students will be guided on how to use feedback for improvement, with dedicated, non-assessed opportunities provided for this during class time. Assessment literacy and guidance on areas to focus on will be incorporated into this process. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Communicate critical and analytical thought and argument in response to scientific academic tasks.
- Critically apply a range of scientific academic sources to a particular topic.
- Research, synthesise and integrate scientific academic sources to critically respond in spoken and written academic tasks.
- Work reflexively towards independently established objectives.
- Demonstrate awareness of the cultures and expectations of the College of Science and Engineering, or the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine.
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Reading List
Recommended reading:
Bottomley, J. (2015). Academic Writing for International Students of Science. Abingdon, Routledge.
Cottrell, S. (2019). The Study Skills Handbook. 5th ed. London: Red Globe Press.¿
Cottrell, S. (2017). Critical Thinking Skills. 3rd ed. London: Red Globe Press.¿¿
McCarthy, M., Dell, F. (2016). Academic Vocabulary in Use (With Answers). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Paterson, K. Wedge, R. (2013). Oxford grammar for EAP: English grammar and practice for academic purposes with answers. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
Web sources:
Academic Word List: Oxford Dictionaries https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/wordlist/academic/academic/
Test yourself Academic Word List: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/lals/resources/academicwordlist/academic-word-list-tests
Royal Institution lectures: Archive lectures: https://www.rigb.org/christmas-lectures/watch-royal-institution-christmas-lectures-archive
Using English for Academic Purposes: https://www.uefap.org/
Essential materials or equipment to be provided by the student
Students need to have a laptop or tablet computer to access course materials and online elements in class.¿¿
Laptop loans are available from the Library for students who meet the relevant eligibility criteria |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
This course supports the development of the Skills for Success, to include the following:
Communication: Students develop their ability to explain ideas and viewpoints in group discussions, ask and answer critical questions, and produce coherent individual written and visual texts.
Problem solving: Students learn to break down scientific problems into smaller steps, test different approaches, and interpret data from multiple sources in order to reach logical and evidence-based conclusions.
Collaboration: Students learn to understand the perspectives of others, support cooperation in group work, and form positive working relationships.
Reflection: Students develop ways to review their choices and outcomes, recognise their personal strengths, and set clear learning goals.
Data and digital literacy: Students learn to use digital tools responsibly, consider the ethical use of data, and question and interpret evidence.
Critical thinking: Students enhance their critical thinking as they evaluate texts for relevance, bias and accuracy, and link evidence to academic arguments.
Curiosity: Students are encouraged to engage with new scientific texts, ask questions, and explore ideas beyond the immediate task. |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Ms Rowan Murray
Tel:
Email: rmurray3@exseed.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr James Cooper
Tel: (0131 6)50 4400
Email: jcooper6@ed.ac.uk |
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