SYLLABUS

1&2 YEAR UNDERGRADUATE

STUDENTS

Unlock Your Voice:

Introduction to Authentic Writing

Mariya Begunova, PhD

m.begunova@almau.edu.kz

Almaty Management University, 2025

Course Overview
Have you ever had difficulties to come up with the right idea for an essay or a social network
post? Or have you ever felt shy whenever you wanted to write something publicly? If you
answered YES for any (or both) of these questions, this Course is for you!

Welcome to take “Unlock Your Voice: Introduction to Authentic Writing” Course designed for
dreamers, thinkers, and creators!

Join a community of fellow writers, share your work in a supportive environment, and ignite
your creativity with feedback and inspiration.

Are you with us? Then grab your favorite pen, dust off that notebook, and let’s embark on an
exhilarating journey through the magic of words! Your adventure in writing awaits!
Aims & Objectives
The aim of the Course is to help you discover your writing potential in various styles, such as
expository, narrative and persuasive writing.

After successful completion of the Course, there is a “Quadruple E” of what you will be able
to do:

EASILY identify structural parts of written information

EARNESTLY construct evidence-based arguments
EFFICIENTLY use advanced vocabulary in written communication
ELOQUENTLY organize ideas in various writing styles

Resources and Materials

As this is a course on writing, you are strongly recommended to bring your pen and a
notebook with you in class.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with using a laptop instead. But we truly believe that taking
notes on paper will boost your cognitive, critical and creative thinking a lot more than using a
technical device.

If you can also grab some markers to make essential highlights on your writing, that would
make the process even more fun.

Anyway, you are welcome to combine different techniques, as long as they work for you!

Curriculum Skills Area Abilities

Language skills To understand and interpret authentic texts on various topics

(factual, conceptual knowledge)
To use advanced grammar and vocabulary in various writing
styles (factual, procedural knowledge)
To use different transitional words to create well-structured
writing (factual, procedural knowledge)

Writing skills To expand, combine, and reduce sentences for meaning, reader’s
interest, and style (conceptual, procedural knowledge)
To construct arguments and use refined vocabulary in the text to
capture reader’s attention (conceptual, procedural,
metacognitive knowledge)
To create meaningful topic sentences and cultivate logical
conclusions in the text (factual, conceptual, procedural,
metacognitive knowledge)
 Curriculum Skills Area and
Weeks Main Topic and Subtopics Assessment
Learning Objectives

Week 1 Why do people write? Language skills Formative

Introduction to writing.
Building a writing habit To understand and interpret Assignment 1.
authentic texts on various topics Create a 30-day
(general and academic) personal writing
Overview of writing as a plan (5 points)
form of communication
Finding inspiration and Writing skills
cultivating curiosity
Techniques for
overcoming writer’s To expand, combine, and reduce
block sentences for meaning, reader’s
Strategies for setting interest, and style
and achieving writing
goals
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: 2

Week 2 Writing styles (expository, Language skills Formative

narrative, persuasive)
To use advanced grammar and Assignment 2.
Elements of storytelling vocabulary in various writing Outline the topic
Understanding plot, styles for your future
character, and setting essay/social post
The importance of or story.
conflict and resolution Writing skills Identify your
writing style.
Write a short
To expand, combine, and reduce summary of your
sentences for meaning, reader’s topic (10 points)
interest, and style Assignment 3.
To create meaningful topic Fill out a 30-day
personal writing
sentences and cultivate logical plan (5 points)
conclusions in the text

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: 3

Week 3 Identifying your writing and Language skills Summative

voice
To use advanced grammar and Assignment 4.
Exercises to explore tone vocabulary in various writing Craft the first
and perspective version of an
styles essay/social
To use different transitional words post/story on a
to create well-structured writing chosen topic and
submit for AI
Writing skills review (10
points)
Assignment 5.
To expand, combine, and reduce Fill out a 30-day
sentences for meaning, reader’s personal writing
interest, and style plan (5 points)
To create meaningful topic
sentences and cultivate logical
conclusions in the text

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: 3-6

Week 4 Arguments: what’s behind Language skills Summative

it? The art of persuasion
To use advanced grammar and Assignment 6.
Structuring arguments vocabulary in various writing Based on AI
effectively review, revise
styles your essay/social
To use different transitional words post/story and
to create well-structured writing submit for peer-
review.
Review at least
three of your
 peers’ works (10
Writing skills points)
Assignment 7.
To construct arguments and use Fill out a 30-day
personal writing
refined vocabulary in the text to plan (5 points)
capture reader’s attention
To create meaningful topic
sentences and cultivate logical
conclusions in the text

Week 5 Clarifying your claims and Language skills Formative

presenting evidence
To use advanced grammar and Instructor’s feedback
Expository writing vocabulary in various writing
Understanding the role styles Assignment 8.
of purpose in writing To use different transitional words Fill out a 30-day
to create well-structured writing personal writing
plan (5 points)
Writing skills

To expand, combine, and reduce

sentences for meaning, reader’s
interest, and style
To construct arguments and use
refined vocabulary in the text to
capture reader’s attention
To create meaningful topic
sentences and cultivate logical
conclusions in the text

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: 3-6

Week 6 Opening and concluding Language skills Summative

your writing
To use different transitional words Assignment 9.
Techniques for clarity to create well-structured writing Fill out a 30-day
and engagement personal writing
plan (5 points)
Writing skills

To create meaningful topic

sentences and cultivate logical
conclusions in the text

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: 2

Week 7 Enhancing the structure Language skills Formative

Editing your sentences To use different transitional words Revise your

and revising your writing to create well-structured writing
Strategies for self- essay/social post/story
editing based on peer and
Writing skills instructor feedback

To expand, combine, and reduce

sentences for meaning, reader’s
interest, and style
To construct arguments and use
refined vocabulary in the text to
capture reader’s attention
To create meaningful topic
sentences and cultivate logical
conclusions in the text

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: 3-6

 Week 8 Final paper submission Summative

Final
assignment.
Submit your
final paper (40
points)

Grading Scale
Student grades will be based on assignments, classwork and final writing submission.

Grade Score

A 90-100

B 70-89

C 60-69

D 55-59

E 50-54

F Below 50

Grading Breakdown
Criteria A (90-100%) B (70-89%) C (60-69%) D (55-59%) E (50-54%) F (below 50%)

Confor The stated The stated

The stated The stated
mity of The stated The stated topic of the
the topic of the topic of the topic is
topic of the topic of the essay does not
content essay is not essay is
to the essay is fully essay is not fully irrelevant
fully partially
stated disclosed disclosed correspond to
disclosed disclosed to the content
topic the content

The essay
has a
correctly
formulated
thesis,
The
proven by The
requirements
The the author requirement The structure
for the essay The structure of
requirements The s for the of the essay is
Cohere structure are
for the essay requirements essay not clear / or the essay is
nce not fully met
structure are for the essay structure are the argument
and and / or the missing and /
met structure are partially met is not
structu essay
(introduction met. or the essay formulated the argument is
re argument is
, main part - However, the thesis is not clearly for the
formulated not formulated
conclusion) essay thesis controversial reader
incorrectly and
is too vague (provable)
/ or is absent
(not specific),
which makes
it difficult for
the author to
prove it.

Unobvious The essay

The essay is The essay fails
problems are passes the The essay
checked for
emphasized, plagiarism passes the The essay the plagiarism
plagiarism
original check. No plagiarism passes the
Unobvious check.
literature is obvious check. Original plagiarism
problems are
Origin offered to problems ideas are check. Original Original ideas
presented,
ality of support the are almost not ideas are not
but not are absent.
the student's presented. used. used.
developed.
essay conclusions, Literature is Literature is Literature is Literature is not
Literature is
the essay is used very used very not used
used used. Clichéd
free of sparingly. sparingly. Stereotypes are
sparingly.
clichéd Clichéd Stereotypes present. judgments are
Stereotypes
construction construction are present.
are present used.
s s are used

Argumentati
on fully Argumentatio Argumentati The The Argumentation
corresponds n on partially argumentation argumentation
is missing.
to the thesis corresponds corresponds is based on is not related to
of the work, to the thesis to the thesis trivial ideas the thesis There are
Argum is presented of the work. of the work. and/or the and/or the
inconsistencies
ent consistently, There is There is argumentation argumentation
there are no some inconsistenc is presented is presented and internal
logical errors inconsistency y and illogically and illogically and
errors in
and internal , minor internal in a disorderly in a disorderly
contradiction logical errors. errors. manner manner reasoning
s.

The
argumentatio
n is fully The The
related to the argumentatio argumentati
The
stated topic, n is fully on is not
argumentation The
the related to the fully related
is weakly The
argumentatio stated topic, to the stated argumentation
related to the argumentation
n and the topic, the
stated topic, is built on is not related to
conclusions argumentatio argumentati
the trivial ideas
are n and on and topic
Conclu argumentation and/or the
presented conclusions conclusions
sions and argumentation and/or
logically and are not are not
and conclusions is not related to
consistently, always always argumentation
are not topic and/or
the process presented presented
 inferen of presenting logically and logically and presented argumentation is presented
ces the consistently, consistently, logically and is presented
argumentatio there are there are consistently, illogically and illogically and in
n and minor several There are in a disorderly a disorderly
conclusions internal internal many internal manner
is free of errors and errors and errors and manner
logical errors contradiction contradiction contradictions

The text The text The text

The text The text is
contains contains a contains a large
contains
The text does several moderate number of difficult to
individual
not contain grammatical, number of spelling, lexical
grammatical, perceive due to
significant lexical and spelling, lexical and
Literac lexical and
grammatical, spelling and grammatical a multitude of
y spelling
lexical and errors that grammatical errors that
errors, that grammatical,
spelling may make it errors that significantly
do not affect
errors difficult for complicate the complicate the lexical and
understandin
the reader to reader's reader's
g spelling errors
perceive perception perception

Course Policy
Attendance: Attendance in this class is restricted to registered students. Online visitors must
be approved in advance (contact your instructor).

Absences: You are expected to attend the course in person. Students are allowed to miss one
instructional hour during one semester without grade penalty. Additional absences will be
considered only with proper documentation (medical statement, etc). In all other instances,
absences will result in a grade penalty.

Make-up test and exams are only allowed in case of excused absences. Students should
always make the effort to contact the instructor to pass a make-up test. It is students’
responsibility to keep up with coursework and to come to class prepared.

Class Etiquette: Students are expected to pay attention and not distract others with
disruptive activities. Persistently disruptive students will be dealt with through the university
disciplinary system. Students are expected to be aware of the materials covered in the
previous class, even if they missed it.

Academic Integrity: Students are expected to adhere to the standards and policies of AlmaU.
Sanctions for academic misconduct may include a failing grade on the assignment or a
reduction in a final course grade. Plagiarism constitutes using others' ideas, words, or images
without properly giving credit to those sources. If you turn in any work with your name affixed
to it, I assume that work is your own. lf you use any external sources to complete homework
assignments, you need to reference it on the submitted work.

Final exam policy: Students who anticipate absences from the final exam, or who are absent
from the final exam for reasons they could not foresee, should discuss these absences with
the Academic Dean. Students who are absent from final examinations may be asked to file a
written explanation of their absence to the instructor or/and The Academic Dean.

Developed by: Mariya Begunova, PhD, School of Transformative Humanities