UALE1113 / MPU32143:

English for
Information Technology
(3 Credit Hours)
Introduction to this Unit
Prepared by Ms. Indira (indiram@utar.edu.my)
Room no.: PG056 (Block P-First floor)

Objectives
Prepare students for Information Technology
discourse note-taking skills
Enable students to read and identify key points
in various authentic Information Technology texts
Enable students to interpret graphical data
Equip students with reporting and IT writing skills
such as writing instructions, descriptions,
explanations
Develop students oral communication skills in IT
setting

Main Texts
Anderson, P. V. (2013). Technical Communication. (8th
ed.). Cengage Learning.
Olejniczak, M., & Pearson Education. (2013). English
for Information Technology 1: Course book. Harlow:
Pearson Education Limited.

Additional Texts
Delaware Technical & Community College
(2007).Writing Skills for Technical Students. (6th
ed.).New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Means, T. (2005).English and Communication for
Colleges. (4th ed.). Cincinatti, Ohio: South- Western
Educational Publishing.

Method of Assessment
No.

Method of Assessment

Total

1.

Continuous Assessment

50%

a) Assignment 1: Review User Manual (W5- 10%)

b) Assignment 2a: Long Report Written (W12 -15%)
2b: Oral Presentation (W9 -15%)
a) MUET Style Speaking Test (W12)
(15%)
2.

Final Examination

GRAND TOTAL

50%
100%

Important Dates
Items
Submission for Review of A User
Manual (Pair work)

Dates
Week 5

Submission for Long Report

(Group of 4/5) 2A
Long Report Presentation
(Individual) 2B

Week 12

MUET Style Speaking Test

(Individual)

Week 12 & 13(During

tutorial classes)

Week 9

UALE1113: ENGLISH FOR INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY

Lecture 1:
- Note taking skills for research
purposes
Prepared by Ms. Indira

Note-Taking Skills
Effective note-taking from lectures and readings is an
essential skill for university study.
Good note-taking allows a permanent record for
revision and a register of relevant points that you can
integrate with your own writing and speaking.

Effective note-taking
requires:
Recognizing the main ideas
Identifying what information is relevant to your task
Having a system of note taking that works for you
Reducing the information to note and diagram format
Where possible, putting the information in your own words
Recording the source of the information

Reading and Note-taking

Strategies
1. Be selective and systematic
Think about your purpose for reading.
Are you reading for a general understanding of a topic or concept?
Are you reading for some specific information that may relate to the
topic of an assignment?

Before you start, skim the text.

Then highlight or mark the main points and any relevant
information.
Read the highlighted sections of the text carefully and
take separate notes as you read.

Skimming
Quickly identify main ideas of a text
Skimming is 3 to 4 times faster regular reading
Used when there is a lot of material and a short
amount of time
Read headings, subheadings, titles, subtitles,
and illustrations
Skimming works well with dates, names and
places

Reading and Note-taking

Strategies
2. Identify the purpose and function of a text
Read the title and the abstract or preface (if there is one)
Read the introduction or first paragraph
Skim the text to read topic headings and notice how the text
is organized
Read graphic material and predict its purpose in the text
Will this text give me the
information I require and where
might it be located in the text?

Scanning
Used to search for key terms.
When you know what you are looking for
you can through texts to find the
information.
Good to use when determining whether a
source will have the answers you are
looking for.

Reading and Note-taking

Strategies
3. Identify how information is organized
Past ideas to present ideas
The steps or stages of a process or event
Most important point to least important point
Well known ideas to least known ideas
Simple ideas to complex ideas
General ideas to specific ideas
The largest parts to the smallest parts of something
Problems and solutions
Causes and results

Reading & Note-taking

Strategies
4. Include your thoughts
Record your thoughts in a separate column or margin and in
a different colour
What ideas did you have when you read that information?
How do you think you could use this information in your
assignment?

Abbreviations
Common abbreviations
c.f. = compare
i.e. = that is
e.g = for example
NB = note well
no. = number
etc. = and so on

Use Concept Maps And

Diagrams
Begin in the middle of the page and add ideas on
branches that radiate from the central idea or from
previous branches
Arrows and words can be used to show links
Colour and symbols can be used to illustrate ideas and
trigger your own thoughts

Tips for Researchers

Surfing the Web
In the face of the flood of information that began some
decades ago with the advent of the Internet, and continues
with transformations such as digital publishing, it is
essential for professionals to be able to distinguish,
process and interpret the information.