AMU1017 Academic literacies

This unit draws from various disciplines to contextualise students' development of discipline-specific skills and approaches to knowledge construction and interrogation essential for successful study at university. It examines and develops reading, writing, thinking, communication and research skills through discipline-specific perspectives in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. Through an exploration of basic rhetorical principles and developmental patterns of a range of academic literacy forms, emphasis is given to the discourse practices and research skills necessary for disciplinary expertise. Underpinning the development of these key skills is the recognition that students need to be enabled to participate in academic discourses as active contributors to knowledge construction, contestation, application and communication, and not mere recipients. Lectures will focus on key areas of academic literacies while exploring differences or similarities between perspectives and genres in the various disciplines. By engaging in the rigorous academic process of critical reading, writing, revision, presentation, and discussion together with academic support and feedback, tutorials enable students to gradually participate in the construction, debate and interrogation of academic knowledge.