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SCIENTIFIC ENGLISH
ALESSANDRA MEONI
Academic year2020/21
CourseMATHEMATICS
Code013ZW
Credits6
PeriodSemester 1
LanguageItalian

ModulesAreaTypeHoursTeacher(s)
Indefinito/InterdisciplinareLINGUALEZIONI60
ALESSANDRA MEONI unimap
Learning outcomes
Knowledge

The learning outcomes of this course are listed below and both learning activities and examination are based on those.

After you have passed this course, you will have gained knowledge and understanding within the topic and you will be able to explain (interpret, understand, reflect and remember) the following:

 

Reading and understanding a scientific paper/article.

Basic tips and tricks about how to write a scientific paper.

Being able to have a conversation in English.

 

 

 

Assessment criteria of knowledge

Daily oral and written practice during classes.

Two classworks (usually about grammar in November and about scientific writing toward the end of the course).

 

Skills

The students will be able to have a conversation in English and will gain a basic knowledge about scientific writing.

Assessment criteria of skills

Daily oral and written practice during classes.

Two classworks (usually about grammar in November and about scientific writing toward the end of the course).

Behaviors

The students will be able to face a conversation in English, and will be able to write a basic paper/article about Mathematics.

Assessment criteria of behaviors

Daily oral and written practice during classes.

Two classworks (usually about grammar in November and about scientific writing toward the end of the course).

Prerequisites

Solid B1 Level

Teaching methods

One-on-one and group conversations. Written exercises (both in class and at home)

Syllabus

English Grammar:

- Countable/uncountable nouns

- Articles, Adjectives and Adverbs

- Present simple, continuous and perfect

- Past simple, continuous and perfect

- Future tenses: going to, will (simple and continuous) and present progressive

- The passive form

- Comparatives and superlatives

- The 4 type of conditional

- Mixed conditionals

- The modals

- Time and space prepositions

- Link words

- Relative clauses/pronouns

- Phrasal verbs, extended

- Indirect Speech

 

Phonetics and Pronunciation

- The alphabet, pronunciation of vowels, voiced and unvoiced consonants.

- The “schwa”

- Intonation

 

Scientific English:

  • Meaning and pronunciation of keywords in Mathematics
  • Understanding and translating Math papers in English
  • Specific use of grammar in a scientific paper. Word order and conciseness.
  • Basic information about the structure of a scientific paper
  • “Good Writing Reflects Clear Thinking”: hints and tips to face the possible difficulties in writing a good paper
Bibliography

Grammar:

  • First Certificate Language Practice (English Grammar and Vocabulary) - 4th edition - with key; Michael Vince, Macmillan.
  • English Grammar Today, Book with Workbook. An A–Z of Spoken and Written Grammar; Ronald Carter, Michael McCarthy, Geraldine Mark, Anne O'Keeffe, Cambridge University Press.

 Scientific Writing:

  • English for Academic Research: Grammar, Usage and Style; Adrian Wallwork, Springer
  • English for Writing Research Papers; Adrian Wallwork, Springer
  • English for Academic Research: Writing Exercises; Adrian Wallwork, Springer
  • English for Academic Research: Grammar Exercises; Adrian Wallwork, Springer
  • Handbook of Writing for the Mathematical Sciences, Nicholas J. Higham, SIAM
  • Mathematical Writing, Franco Vivaldi, Springer
Non-attending students info

All non-attending students are recommended to contact the lecturer before taking the exam (all students are kindly requested to write in English, thanks)

Assessment methods

*Due to COVID-19 emergency exam assessment methods may vary. Please: contact your lecturer*

 

The January/February 2021 Scientific English exam consists of two sessions, written and oral. Students who pass the written part can take the oral part (which is usually about a fortnight later).


The written test will be on grammar, academic and Math writing, and translating.

The oral exam will be a Presentation lasting no less than 6 minutes and no more than 7 on a Math topic.

Notes

To take the exam, all students have to register on the Department website:

https://esami.unipi.it/esami2/.

No dictionaries allowed.

Updated: 13/01/2021 12:18