QZB101 English for Academic Purposes 1A

Unit Outline: Dalian Teaching Period - 1 2026, Non-QUT location, Internal

Overview

This unit QZB101 and its following unit QZB102 English for Academic Purposes 1B introduce you to, and enable you to practise, English language academic skills. You will be taught and assessed on English Language Proficiency (ELP) and the use of this language to complete academic tasks. Upon successful completion of QZB101 and QZB102 you will be benchmarked at English for Academic Purposes (EAP) 1 standards, which recognises the results as being notionally equivalent to the Overall IELTS score of 5.5 with no sub-score less than 5. This unit provides a pathway to two EAP 2 units, QZB201 English for Academic Purposes 2A and QZB202 English for Academic Purposes 2B, which will further equip you with the academic English language skills required for EZ90 Bachelor of Engineering (Hons).

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Demonstrate receptive academic skills using English language listening and reading input, identifying connections and themes between a limited number of spoken and/or written texts, using some strategies and skills to understand spoken and written academic texts, reading and listening critically to analyse and evaluate information with some success.
2. Demonstrate productive academic skills using English language speaking and writing, supporting main points with subsidiary points, reasons and relevant examples to develop and support a viewpoint with some success, paraphrasing/summarising, synthesizing and evaluating information from a limited number of sources, selecting relevant information from a well-structured lecture and taking notes capturing most information, participating, intervening, responding appropriately and facilitating discussion in a group setting with some success, using language with some degree of fluency and accuracy to produce a mostly coherent, cohesive response.
3. Demonstrate digital literacy and academic research skills using English language, using a Learning Management System to locate important information, communicating, engaging and submitting work digitally, using library, databases and online search tools to locate some relevant, appropriate academic sources, writing, editing and formatting digital documents, writing a research assignment with appropriate style, format and referencing, using strategies to demonstrate and maintain academic integrity.
4. Demonstrate capacity to work independently and collaboratively using English language, managing time, setting priorities, organising learning to achieve goals, self-reflecting, self-assessing and using and giving mostly appropriate feedback, negotiating and collaborating with people from different cultural backgrounds.

Content

Learning Approaches

Extensive in-class and online language support is provided in this unit.

Classes are a 2:1 mix of in-context language learning and teaching: academic skills.

Grammar and vocabulary are presented in context as part of science and engineering texts modelled on those you will encounter in EZ90. This includes (a) orientation of text features and function, (b) comprehension of text content, (c) analysis of how language is used to structure and convey authors’ key points, (d) practice adapting and using this language to structure and convey your key points, and (e) production of this language to successfully complete EAP1 program formative and summative assessment items.

Due to the extensive variety of assessment types (which can vary dramatically depending on unit, and unit coordinator expectations), emphasis is placed on (a) the deconstruction and analysis of texts and assessment questions and (b) teaching the receptive and productive language skills required to successfully navigate these texts/questions.

Guided Independent Learning (GIL) material is provided on the unit's QUT Canvas site (see Resources).

Proficiency is developed through the presentation and practice of relevant language content and skills in small classes (average 15 and maximum 18 students). In pedagogical terms, this unit incorporates a range of student-centred approaches to teaching.

Timetabled activities will be distributed within the teaching period according to a schedule that will be published prior to the start of the teaching period.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You are encouraged to view your class as a learning community and to share and discuss emergent ideas about English for Academic Purposes. Each assessment submission will be graded against criteria and standards that will be shared with you at the beginning of teaching period through Assessment Task Descriptions and Marking Rubrics. Marked assessment will include feedback given by the markers against the criteria.

Assessment

Overview

Assessment in this unit is designed to help you prepare for your future units in EZ90. You will take a reading, listening, and writing examination as well as an assignment at EAP1 standards. Attending/participating in class and doing homework will help you to prepare for these assessment tasks.

An Assessment Task Description, Assessment Detail, and marking Rubric will be provided for each of the Assignment, Speaking and Writing Test, and Listening and Reading Test.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Assignment

This assessment has one stage:

Assignment outline (20%, after fourth class): You will be given a choice of up to three engineering design related topics and required to produce an outline and reference list of appropriate formatting. 

The objectives are to specifically assess your ability to: find and evaluate appropriate and relevant sources; format an outline using task sheet instructions - correct line spacing, font, margins etc; reference correctly using relevant APA style; and use Turnitin - upload, analyse originality report.

You will continue to work on this task in QZB102.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Speaking and Writing Test

This assessment includes the following two tests:

Writing Assessment (20%, 75 minutes): 

You will be presented with a choice of up to three question prompts and will need to produce a relevant written response.

The objectives are to specifically assess your ability to: use correct paragraph structure (topic sentences, supporting sentences, concluding sentences if appropriate); choose appropriate, relevant support; support main points with details, data, examples, explanations, reasons and definitions; organise points logically using appropriate cohesive devices referents/substitution, transition signals, repetition of key words, synonyms, parallel structures); use a range of vocabulary with some degree of accuracy - word form, word choice, spelling, collocations, singular/plural nouns; use a range of grammar with some degree of accuracy: sentence structure, tense, SVA, conjunctions, parallel structures, word order, active vs passive, articles, referents, conditionals, nominalisation, punctuation; and use appropriate genre, register and word count.

Speaking Assessment (20%, 15 minutes per group):

You will be randomly placed into small groups and will be required to: answer questions about yourself and your opinions, discuss a written prompt with the other group members in order to reach a decision, and agree and / or disagree; express and justify opinions.

The objectives are to specifically assess your ability to: engage in the discussion; listening actively;  agree/disagree; give and ask for opinions; use strategies for circumlocution, clarifying, repetition, questioning; turn-take; facilitate collaborative interaction with peers; provide an extended response; use vocabulary with some degree of fluency and accuracy - word form, word choice, collocations, singular/plural nouns; use a range of grammar with some degree of accuracy - sentence structure, tense, SVA, conjunctions, parallel structures, word order, active vs passive, articles, referents, conditionals, nominalisation, punctuation; use a range of phonological features (prosodic features, pronunciation, non-verbals); and organise points logically using appropriate cohesive devices.

Assessment: Listening and Reading Test

This assessment includes the following two tests:

Grammar, Vocabulary and Reading Test (20%, 95 minutes):

You will be tested on the grammar and vocabulary learnt during the first 5 classes, and will be presented with a number of reading texts (one long text and multiple short texts) and will need to complete comprehension questions related to these texts.

The objective is to specifically assess your understanding of: grammar and vocabulary taught in the previous 5 classes; identifying main ideas and details; identifying patterns of organisation and recognising cues; and connecting themes or ideas across written texts. 

Listening Assessment (20%, 45 minutes):

You will be presented with a number of listening texts (at least one monologue and one dialogue) and will need to complete comprehension questions related to these texts.

The objective is to specifically assess your ability to listen to: identify context, gist, main idea and details; identify patterns of organisation, and recognise cues; determine speaker opinion/viewpoint; and connect themes or ideas across spoken texts.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Risk Assessment Statement

You will undertake lectures and tutorials in the traditional classrooms and lecture theatres of DUT. You will follow all legitimate instructions of staff in accordance with DUT workplace health and safety requirements.

Course Learning Outcomes

EZ90 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

1. Make decisions ethically within the social, cultural, and organisational contexts of professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, Assignment, Speaking and Writing Test, Listening and Reading Test
2. Engage stakeholders professionally and communicate the outcomes of your work effectively to expert and non-expert audiences using appropriate modes.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, Assignment, Speaking and Writing Test, Listening and Reading Test
3. Display leadership, creativity, and initiative in both self-directed and collaborative contexts of professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO4, Assignment, Speaking and Writing Test, Listening and Reading Test
4. Demonstrate coherent knowledge and skills of physical, mathematical, statistical, computer, and information sciences that are fundamental to professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: ULO3, Assignment