Thinking, Discussing, and Expressing in English - Academic Writing Leading to a Graduation Thesis "ENGLISH WRITING 1"

In the Faculty of International Studies' Department of American and British Studies, the specialized course "ENGLISH WRITING 1" teaches second-year students how to write academic essays in English under Professor Anthony Townley, who has over 15 years of experience in academic writing instruction. This course is designed in conjunction with "Logical Writing," a general education course taken in Japanese, with the aim of equipping students participating in the English seminar program with the writing skills necessary to write their graduation theses in English starting from their third year. ENGLISH WRITING 1 emphasizes dialogue with Professor Anthony Townley and English discussions among students, fostering each student's ability to think proactively and express their opinions orally and in writing. In this class, students learned how to set research themes for their graduation theses and cultivated their ability to explore questions and express their thoughts in English.

Professor Anthony Townley

Practical feedback that fosters deep thinking, independent of AI

In the first half, we reviewed essay structure. Students wrote short essays on the whiteboard using the common "Topic sentence" of "Last year I talked with many foreign students." Professor Townley meticulously provided on-the-spot feedback for each sentence. The professor conveyed that even with the same theme, diverse sentences can be generated depending on individual ideas, and that thinking with one's own head, rather than relying entirely on AI, is essential for improving writing skills. Students who previously felt insecure about writing shared comments such as, "Thanks to the professor's feedback, the areas for improvement became clear, and now I can write in English with confidence," and "I've developed an attitude of thinking with my own head without using AI." We also observed students acknowledging each other's language proficiency improvements.

The first step towards a graduation thesis: refining questions that are neither too broad nor too narrow

In the second half, we learned how to choose a theme, which is the starting point for a graduation thesis. How to formulate an interesting and important question that is neither too broad nor too narrow, suitable for research and writing. While grappling with this difficulty, students brainstormed in groups and developed abstract themes into concrete research topics. During the discussion, a proactive suggestion emerged from a student: "Let's consider it as a personal matter and think about why this theme is difficult to write about." Professor Townley also prompted students by asking, "Is this a question that others would also find interesting?" This led students to engage more deeply with formulating their questions.

From insecurity to confidence: realizing the improvement in "the ability to convey one's own thoughts in English"!

Many students taking the course expressed a sense of personal change. "Initially, I felt insecure about writing in English, but learning the method of writing step-by-step from the topic sentence lowered the psychological hurdle," said one student, realizing an improvement in writing skills. Another student commented, "By learning in English instead of Japanese, I've developed an attitude of understanding in English and trying to convey my own opinions," sharing the results of learning through English. Through practical instruction by native-speaking faculty and an environment where students learn while striving alongside their peers, students are steadily acquiring the "ability to convey their own thoughts in English," which is required not only for graduation theses but also for study abroad and international work.

About Nagoya University of Commerce and Business

Since its founding in 1953, the university has pursued world-standard business education. It has obtained the domestic first three international accreditations (Triple Crown) and is a member of PIM (Partnership in International Management). It offers five faculties and courses: the Faculty of Commerce, Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Business Administration, Faculty of International Studies, and the Graduate School of Management, where students can acquire practical business skills. In collaboration with 196 partner institutions in 63 countries worldwide, it actively promotes exchange programs and international volunteer activities. Its business school (Graduate School of Management) ranked first in Japan in the QS Global MBA Rankings 2025. In the 2025 THE (Times Higher Education ranking) Japan University Rankings, it ranked first in the Tokai-Hokuriku region for internationality for four consecutive years and 15th in Japan overall in Japan.