Course Description

• Course Content: research proposals, theses, dissertations.
• Audience: Highly motivated, international graduate students enrolled at UIUC.
• Prerequisite: Students who have completed or proficiencied ESL 501.
• Grading: Approved for S/U grading only. Credit may not be used toward a graduate degree.

Course description: This is a workshop that trains students in the conventions of professional academic writing in their own fields through the use of Contract Learning.
Students practice self-directed learning with support of the ESL instructor by defining their own writing goals and pursuing those goals while writing for their major programs. Lessons in genre analysis enable students to derive field-specific models for research papers, research proposals, theses, dissertations, and critical reviews. Students submit a portfolio of writing produced in fulfillment of their learning contracts that also includes journal entries and a final self-reflection paper.

View the Course first day handout
View information about ESL on the homepage
View the informational flyer for ESL 502 and 503