ENG4152 – Varieties of English Texts

Course content

The course gives an introduction to discourse analysis, a discipline that examines patterns of language across texts and the functions of texts in their social and cultural contexts. The emphasis is on how various types of text resemble or differ from each other in terms of vocabulary, grammar, cohesion and stylistic features. The coursework involves the analysis of concrete texts, with special focus on conversational speech and literary, journalistic and academic writing. An important aim is to increase your awareness of linguistic and stylistic features of text types and the reasons for the variation between them. Such an awareness will be useful in further work with text, for example in writing, reading, editing and teaching.

Learning outcome

After completing this course you will be able to:

  • analyse linguistic, stylistic and situational features of texts and text types
  • discuss major differences between spoken and written English
  • compare the ways in which different kinds of texts are constructed to communicate the intended message
  • describe reasons why linguistic form varies across text types.
  • conduct a case study of selected linguistic features in one or more types of text.

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

The course assumes a good proficiency in written and oral English.

Overlapping courses

Teaching

Seminar, two hours per week for 13 weeks, 26 hours in total.

Students are expected to attend all teaching. The quality of the teaching depends on active participation in all seminars.

Obligatory activities:

The allowed absence limit will cover all absences, including illness. You will not be granted valid absences with documentation, even when the absence is due to something beyond your control.

If the course has in-person teaching, and you are signed up for an in-person seminar group, you are to attend the teaching in the location found in the schedule.

If the course has digital teaching, and you are signed up for a digital seminar group, you must attend via Zoom with your camera on.

In certain circumstances, i.e. serious or chronic illness, you could apply for special needs accomodations.

Examination

The obligatory requirements must be fulfilled in order to qualify for the exam.

The exam form is a term paper of approximately ten standard pages (a standard page consists of 2,300 characters). You must work on the term paper during the whole semester, with supervision from the teacher.

In the assessment both content and language will be considered, as well as the appropriate presentation of quotations, references and linguistic examples.

Language of examination

The language of examination is English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

Resit an examination

More about examinations at UiO

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.

Last updated from FS (Common Student System) May 5, 2024 12:28:01 PM

Facts about this course

Level
Master
Credits
10
Teaching

Autumn 2022

This course is offered irregularly

Examination
Autumn
Teaching language
English