Learning Objectives

On completion of the course, successful participants will be able to:

• recognize and apply the rhetorical conventions of academic discourse (i.e., argumentation, cohesion);
• identify and employ features of academic grammar in their own writing (i.e., register, tense, voice);
• analyze academic texts to assess the relevancy of research writing both within and outside their own field;
• demonstrate their professional responsibility by engaging in peer-review;
• understand the expectations of their target audience to tailor their own research articles for specific contexts;
• and display competence in meeting the basic professional and academic expectations of researchers.

Contents

This multidisciplinary course offers doctoral students the opportunity to improve their writing for research skills. One focus of the course aims to familiarize students with the rhetorical conventions of academic discourse, including style, structure, and grammar. Students will apply these skills to their own field-specific discipline—and also outside of it—with the aim of developing their academic fluency through the critical assessment of texts.

A second focus of this course is the development of a writing project, where students will assess their own writing (a research article or dissertation chapter, for example) and their colleagues’ writing, as well. Central to this course is the effective communication of new knowledge created during the PhD (and beyond it). As it will help you to plan, begin, and/or continue your doctoral research project, this course therefore functions to facilitate your attempt to contribute to your research field.  

Writing for Research is taught as a partly-online course with both face-to-face and online interaction. To attain the intended learning outcomes, students will take an active participatory role in classes. Thus, to pass the course, students must attend all classes and complete all online and class task.

Target group

The course is intended for post-graduate students who feel that they need support in writing and reading research in English.

Proficiency level

B2=>C1 (European framework)

Contact classes, online work, and independent assignments.

Schedule and place:

November 2, 2018 at 12.00-16.00 in Room C7 Main building, continues online
Topic: Academic style and structure

November 16, 2018 at 12.00-16.00 in Room Kh 3 Main building, continues online
Topic: Academic argumentation

November 23, 2018 at 12.00-16.00, in Room C5 Main building (note room change!), continues online until December 7, 2018.
Topic: Peer review for style, structure, and argumentation in writing groups

Teacher: Christine Horton

Student selection

At the maximum 20 students group. Selection method is draw. The student has to check the selection from NettiOpsu after the enrolment period. 2 places reserved for TUT students.

Evaluation and evaluation criteria

Continuous self-assessment, peer assessment and assessment by the instructor. Pass/fail.