Supporto alla didattica
discussions, and analysing and evaluating language in use in academic texts. The course
allows for a flexible and student-centred approach, where the students are actively engaged
in the learning process and able to apply their language skills to real-life, present and target
situations in a meaningful and relevant way.
Course Outline:
1. Language Development
○ Expanding knowledge of formal vocabulary and register.
○ C2 language practice and tasks related to academic reading and writing.
○ Genre transformation tasks.
2. Advanced Reading
○ Reading for research: skimming, scanning, reading for detail.
○ Reading for academic interest and dialogue.
○ Storing and archiving for reference.
3. Advanced Writing Conventions
○ Writing timed essays on ELT related topics.
○ Incorporating clear concepts from texts.
○ Analysing discourse features and identifying author’s strategies.
4. Language in Writing
○ Advanced target language structures and their use in academic contexts.
○ Identifying features of academic language in context.
○ Analysing language in use for teaching purposes.
Outgoing CEFR level: B2.4-C1
At the end of the course the student will be able to:
1. Develop skills in analysing and evaluating academic texts effectively.
- Articulate and assess author’s thesis
- Discriminate between examples/illustrations and main points
- Identify author’s main claims, supporting points, specific evidence and examples
2. Strengthen language proficiency to produce academic writing at the C2 level.
- Employ appropriate mechanics, usage, grammar, and spelling conventions
- Write readily understood text for an academic audience
- Write clear and appropriate thesis statements
3. Gain proficiency in conducting research, drafting, revising, and editing academic texts following standard conventions.
- Use electronic environments to research, draft, revise, edit, and share or publish texts
- Recognise and avoid plagiarism
- Construct abstracts which summarise academic papers
- Find, analyse, summarise, and synthesise appropriate source material from both print and electronic environments
4. Cultivate advanced critical thinking skills and the ability to construct compelling arguments in academic writing.
- Analyse discourse and language items in context for teaching purposes
- Present focused, logical arguments that support a thesis
- Restate author’s thesis and support points in own words
- Signal and integrate summarised ideas
5. Develop strategies for expanding academic vocabulary and utilising language effectively in academic contexts.
- Utilise a range of strategies for dealing with unknown words
- Write about complex subjects, underlining key issues in a style appropriate to the intended reader.
The exam is divided into two papers of 90 minutes each. Students will be provided with an extract from an academic article which forms the basis of both papers involved in the exam. Both papers must be passed in order to pass the exam.
In part one students are required to complete four tasks:
- Complete gaps in an academic text segment of an academic article
- Remove language items from a text to enhance concision
- Analyse language from the text and comment on its use and meaning in context
- State the thesis of the study and justify where the text segment would occur in the original article in 100 words.
In part two students must:
- Answer a specific essay question related to the article segment from part one
- Write a cohesive and accurate general English essay of 500 words
- Summarise and paraphrase 2 opinions in their essay
- Use conventional essay writing strategies
- Develop a clear thesis statement
Handouts and lesson summaries are available for students registered on my courses here. Other useful material and sources are accessible here:
Non attending students may also benefit from the following materials:
Swan, M. (4th edition., 2016). Practical English usage. OUP.
MOOC course from Lund University on Coursera: https://www.coursera.org/learn/writing-english-university
Independent study materials:
VIDEO TUTORIALS ARE ALSO AN OPTION FOR NON ATTENDING STUDENTS TO GAIN THE WRITING STRATEGIES REQUIRED FOR THIS EXAM. THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXAMPLE:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeVxAnFsasIqIc8b03kHA3tw-xfIwgO2M&feature=shared
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participating in discussions, and analysing and evaluating language in use and academic
texts. The course allows for a flexible and student-centred approach, where the students are
actively engaged in the learning process and able to apply their language skills to real-life,
present and target situations in a meaningful and relevant way.
Course Outline:
1. Language Development
○ Expanding knowledge of formal vocabulary and register.
○ C2 language practice and tasks related to academic reading and writing.
○ Genre transformation tasks.
2. Advanced Reading
○ Reading for research: skimming, scanning, reading for detail.
○ Reading for academic interest and dialogue.
○ Storing and archiving for reference.
3. Academic Writing Conventions
○ Writing timed essays on research papers.
○ Using citations in academic writing.
○ Analysing discourse features and identifying author’s strategies.
4. Language in Academic Writing
○ Advanced target language structures and their use in academic contexts.
○ Identifying features of academic language in context.
○ Analysing language in use for teaching purposes.
Outgoing CEFR level C1+C2
1. Develop skills in analysing and evaluating academic texts effectively.
- Draw conclusions about the effectiveness of author’s writing strategies and support with textual evidence
- Articulate and assess author’s thesis, purposes, audiences, contexts, bias, and credibility
- Discriminate between examples/illustrations and main points
- Identify author’s main claims, supporting points, specific evidence and examples
2. Strengthen language proficiency to produce academic writing at the C2 level.
- Employ appropriate mechanics, usage, grammar, and spelling conventions
- Write readily understood text for an academic audience
- Write clear and appropriate thesis statements
3. Gain proficiency in conducting research, drafting, revising, and editing academic texts following standard conventions.
- Use electronic environments to research, draft, revise, edit, and share or publish texts
- Recognise and avoid plagiarism
- Organise and adapt texts appropriately for genre, purpose and audience
- Construct abstracts which summarise academic papers
- Find, analyse, summarise, and synthesise appropriate source material from both print and electronic environments
- Locate, evaluate, and use academic sources
- Document and cite in HARVARD/APA format accurately
4. Cultivate advanced critical thinking skills and the ability to construct compelling arguments in academic writing.
- Analyse discourse and language items in context for teaching purposes
- Describe significant findings from raw data
- Distinguish voices and viewpoints
- Present focused, logical arguments that support a thesis
- Restate author’s thesis and support points in own words
- Signal and integrate basic quotes, paraphrases, and summarised ideas
- Use reliable and varied evidence to support claims, incorporate sources from others appropriately
5. Develop strategies for expanding academic vocabulary and utilising language effectively in academic contexts.
- Utilise a range of strategies for dealing with unknown words
- Write about complex subjects, underlining key issues in a style appropriate to the intended reader.
The exam:
The exam is divided into two papers of 90 minutes each. Students will be provided with an extract from an academic article which forms the basis of both papers involved in the exam. Both papers must be passed in order to pass the exam.
In part one students are required to complete four tasks:
1. Complete gaps in an academic text segment of an academic article
2. Remove language items from a text to enhance concision
3. Analyse language from the text and comment on its use and meaning in context
4. State the thesis of the study and justify where the text segment would occur in the original article in 100 words.
In part two students must:
● Answer a specific essay question from 3 options related to the article segment from part one
● Produce a cohesive and accurate academic text of 500 words
● Use conventional academic writing strategies
● Paraphrase authors’ words
● Use academic in-text citation
● Develop a clear thesis statement
Please check sample exam papers on this page.
Handouts and lesson summaries are available for students registered on my courses here. Other useful material and sources are accessible here:
Course materials:
- Non attending students may benefit from the following:
- UEFAP website- check their menu for options: https://www.uefap.org/
- Perdue OWL site: https://www.owl.purdue.edu/owl/graduate_writing/index.html
Independent study materials:
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Avvisi
Dear students,
The CLA page is being updated. In the event that you need to access previous results please use the following link:
Semester 2 aa 2025-2026
My courses start Wednesday 4/4/26
All classes are held in the Marco Polo building
Faculty Calendar link: click here
Office hours are held on Thursdays (10.00-12.00) and must be booked via email. There are no office hours during exam periods.
Email: margaret.horrigan@uniroma1.it
Please bring a smart phone/tablet/laptop with you to your lessons
Please consult your course page, links below, for updates and materials:
All students in my groups should complete this questionnaire at the start of the course: The link is here . Please ensure you are logged in to Google using your university credentials.
Essential advice on exam preparation for non attending students:
please listen and refer to exam samples above to be fully informed on the exam day.
Paper 1 SLLT & EAAS: 🦻
Paper 2 SLLT: 🦻
Paper 2 EAAS: 🦻
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Magistrale 2 April 2026 results are here
APPELLO ORDINARIO 5 giugno 2026
Magistrale 2
Ore 09.00 Aula 203
All exams are in the Edificio Marco Polo.
Students who need to account for their attendance at this exam should print the Attestazione esame (see link below) and bring a paper copy on the day of the exam for the lecturer to sign.
All students must bring paper copies of the following to prove that they are eligible to take the exam:
- Photo ID
- Proof of having passed the previous Lingua exam for Magistrale 2 students
- Proof of eligibility to take this exam
No phones or smart technology allowed at desks.
Please note that Sapienza student documents are available at:
https://www.uniroma1.it/it/pagina/modulistica-studenti
Bookings open now until: Monday June 1st 2026 at 12.00 midday.
- MAGISTRALE 2 BOOKING FORM: https://forms.gle/aHhHf4JdBRAy7m8T9
Late enrolments will NOT be accepted.