English Core · Academic Reading, Research & Expression
Read evidence. Question claims. Join the conversation.
Bridge high-school reading and college-level scholarship through academic articles, research discussion, evidence evaluation, synthesis, and presentation.
School-year terms meet weekly. Summer terms meet twice weekly. Placement and schedules are confirmed by Dr. Seo.
Course fit
English Language Lab II
For older high-school students with strong language foundations who are preparing for college seminars, academic literature, and early undergraduate research. This is an optional extension beyond the SAT pathway.
Strong reading and sentence-control foundations are expected. Students should be ready to revisit difficult texts, discuss uncertainty, and explain their reasoning.
What students develop
Skills that carry into the next stage.
- Identify a research question, methods, major results, interpretation, and limitations.
- Read figures and tables and distinguish observations from authors’ inferences.
- Compare related studies and evaluate uncertainty and alternative explanations.
- Present research to different audiences and participate constructively in a journal club.
How we learn
Purposeful practice, growing independence.
Reading progresses from accessible explanations and abstracts to annotated articles, full papers, and comparisons across studies. Guided questions, discussion, and presentation gradually support more independent scholarship. Methods and statistical claims are explored to the depth needed to understand the evidence.
The course outline
Sixteen sessions of connected learning.
Each meeting builds on earlier work, with guided practice and growing independence.
- 01
Entering scholarly conversation
Baseline abstract and figure task then compare a public explanation abstract and full article.
- 02
Article types and purposes
Distinguish primary research reviews meta analyses commentaries and preprints then map article sections.
- 03
Language of academic research
Unpack long sentences passive constructions nominalizations reference chains and cautious claims.
- 04
Three pass reading
Read once for orientation again for comprehension and a third time for evaluation.
- 05
Figures and tables
Read axes groups variables captions symbols and panels then state what each display establishes.
- 06
Methods as experimental logic
Identify hypothesis design control comparison sample measurement and reason for the method.
- 07
Results and interpretation
Separate observation analysis interpretation and speculation while noticing hedging.
- 08
First guided journal club
Present sections of a shared paper question one another and complete a midpoint performance task.
- 09
Claims limitations and alternatives
Examine confounding bias generalizability correlation causation and competing explanations.
- 10
Finding and following literature
Develop search terms use abstracts follow references and cited by trails and locate open access copies.
- 11
Comparing two studies
Map agreement disagreement population methods measurements and strength of conclusion.
- 12
Research ecosystem and integrity
Study peer review replication corrections retractions conflicts citation plagiarism and responsible AI.
- 13
Synthesis across sources
Organize writing around claims evidence and unresolved questions rather than one paragraph per author.
- 14
Communication for different audiences
Write a research brief plain language explanation and concise professional message.
- 15
Student led journal club
Rehearse the research briefing answer questions receive critique and revise explanations.
- 16
Final research briefing
Present the literature set answer unscripted questions submit the portfolio and compare with baseline.
The English pathway
Choose the next step by readiness and goals.
The primary destination is college and research readiness. A limited strand of demanding SAT reading and reasoning may support students choosing a final attempt, while the course remains focused on academic literacy.
Explore SAT Practice & Performance