ELIT201 Academic Writing
ELIT201 Academic Writing
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Mar 03, 2026
Syllabus Quick Jump
Search and navigate to any syllabus instantly
English Language and Literature
Vesna Suljić
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course aims to teach students the skills and techniques necessary for writing academic papers. Students will learn how to conduct academic research, combine their own ideas and arguments with sources, and how to quote, paraphrase and summarize information from other works. Special attention will be paid to proper referencing of sources and avoiding plagiarism. All these skills will initially be introduced to students theoretically, whereupon they will apply them in a number of in-class exercises and assignments. By the end of the semester, having completed the individual stages of the writing process, students will complete an academic paper.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
1. Bailey, S. (2018). Academic writing: A Handbook for International Students. Routledge 2. Winkler A.,C., & Metherell, J.R. (2012). Writing the Research Paper: A Handbook, Cengage Learning. the United States of America
Additional Literature
Whitaker, A. (2009).A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Academic Papers, City University of Seattle.Teaching Methods
Lecturing (brief presentations and question method)
Case studies (whole-group analyses and discussions)
Peer review (providing peer feedback)
Written assignments
Presentation
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction: What is academic writing? | The syllabus; S2: Ch. 1 |
| 2 | The basics of writing; Choosing a topic | S1: Ch.1.1; S2: Ch. 2 |
| 3 | The basics of writing; Choosing a topic | S1: Ch.1.1; S2: Ch. 2 |
| 4 | Reading: developing critical approaches; Doing the research | S1: Ch. 1.2, 1.3, 1.9; Ch. 3 & 4; S2: Ch. 5 |
| 5 | Avoiding plagiarism | S1: Ch. 1.4; S2: Ch. 5; S3 |
| 6 | APA; Summarising and paraphrasing; References and Quotations | S1: 1.7, 1.8; S3; S2: Ch. 10; S3 |
| 7 | The thesis statement, paper outline, abstract | S2: Ch. 6; S2: Ch. 7; S3 |
| 8 | Midterm exam: paper outline and abstract submission | |
| 9 | Review | |
| 10 | Transforming the notes into a rough draft; Revising your draft | S2: Ch. 7 & 8; S3 |
| 11 | Organizing paragraphs; Introductions and conclusions | S1: 1.10, 1.11; S3 |
| 12 | Body paragraphs; Summarizing the findings of your paper | S3 |
| 13 | Rewriting and proofreading | S1: 1.12 |
| 14 | Vocabulary for writing; Language issues | S1: Parts 3 & 4 |
| 15 | Review and final remarks | S1, S2, S3 |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELIT201.1 | Course | Friday 09:00 - 11:50 | B F1.8 | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 12:00 - 14:00 | B G.14 | For ELIT200.10 students |
| Wednesday | 12:00 - 14:00 | B G.14 | For ELIT200.11 students |
| Friday | 12:00 - 13:00 | B G.14 | For ELIT201.1 students |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
In-term exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3
Assignments
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture hours
45 hours ⏳ (15 week × 3 h)
Home study/Revision
11 hours ⏳ (11 week × 1 h)
Studying for the final exam
50 hours ⏳ (5 week × 10 h)
Assignments
22 hours ⏳ (11 week × 2 h)
Studying for the midterm exam
22 hours ⏳ (2 week × 11 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [ELIT201] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Mar 03, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
Print Syllabus
Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| ELIT201 | Academic Writing | 1 | 2 | 6 | ||||||
| Prerequisite | ELIT200 | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Vesna Suljić | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Monday: 12:00-14:00 For ELIT200.10 students Wednesday: 12:00-14:00 For ELIT200.11 students Friday: 12:00-13:00 For ELIT201.1 students |
|||||||
| vsuljic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course aims to teach students the skills and techniques necessary for writing academic papers. Students will learn how to conduct academic research, combine their own ideas and arguments with sources, and how to quote, paraphrase and summarize information from other works. Special attention will be paid to proper referencing of sources and avoiding plagiarism. All these skills will initially be introduced to students theoretically, whereupon they will apply them in a number of in-class exercises and assignments. By the end of the semester, having completed the individual stages of the writing process, students will complete an academic paper. | |||||||||
| Textbook | 1. Bailey, S. (2018). Academic writing: A Handbook for International Students. Routledge 2. Winkler A.,C., & Metherell, J.R. (2012). Writing the Research Paper: A Handbook, Cengage Learning. the United States of America | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Lecturing (brief presentations and question method), case studies (whole-group analyses and discussions), peer review (providing peer feedback), written assignments, presentation | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introduction: What is academic writing? | The syllabus; S2: Ch. 1 | ||||||||
| Week 2 | The basics of writing; Choosing a topic | S1: Ch.1.1; S2: Ch. 2 | ||||||||
| Week 3 | The basics of writing; Choosing a topic | S1: Ch.1.1; S2: Ch. 2 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Reading: developing critical approaches; Doing the research | S1: Ch. 1.2, 1.3, 1.9; Ch. 3 & 4; S2: Ch. 5 | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Avoiding plagiarism | S1: Ch. 1.4; S2: Ch. 5; S3 | ||||||||
| Week 6 | APA; Summarising and paraphrasing; References and Quotations | S1: 1.7, 1.8; S3; S2: Ch. 10; S3 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | The thesis statement, paper outline, abstract | S2: Ch. 6; S2: Ch. 7; S3 | ||||||||
| Week 8 | Midterm exam: paper outline and abstract submission | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Review | |||||||||
| Week 10 | Transforming the notes into a rough draft; Revising your draft | S2: Ch. 7 & 8; S3 | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Organizing paragraphs; Introductions and conclusions | S1: 1.10, 1.11; S3 | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Body paragraphs; Summarizing the findings of your paper | S3 | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Rewriting and proofreading | S1: 1.12 | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Vocabulary for writing; Language issues | S1: Parts 3 & 4 | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Review and final remarks | S1, S2, S3 | ||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 50 | 1, 2, 3, 4 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| In-term exam | 1 | 25 | 1, 2, 3 | Not Allowed | |
| Assignments | 4 | 25 | 1, 2, 3, 4 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture hours | 3 | 15 | 45 | Home study/Revision | 1 | 11 | 11 | |||
| Studying for the final exam | 10 | 5 | 50 | Assignments | 2 | 11 | 22 | |||
| Studying for the midterm exam | 11 | 2 | 22 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 21/03/2026 | |||||||||