Academic Writing: Writing for Research (online course), 3 cr

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, structure and style);
• analyze academic texts to assess the relevancy of research writing both within and outside their own field;
• demonstrate their professional skills by engaging in peer-review;
• understand the responsibility of the author to meet the expectations of their target audience;
• display competence in meeting the basic professional and academic expectations of researchers.

Contents

This multidisciplinary course offers doctoral researchers 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 argumentation. Central to this course is developing the skills for effective communication of new knowledge created during the PhD (and beyond it). A second focus of this course is the development of professional peer review skills through a writing project where students will assess both their own writing and their colleagues’ writing. 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 academic articles. As it will help you to plan, begin, and/or continue your doctoral research project, this course aims to support writing for research.

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)

Pre-task, online interaction and activities, and independent assignments.

Schedule:

Week 1: Pre-task: Academic Writing in your field

Week 2: Academic Style

Week 3: Academic Argumentation

Week 4: Academic Structure

Week 5: Peer Review in Online Writing Group

Teacher: Christine Horton

Student selection

At the maximum 20 students group. Selection method is draw.

Evaluation and evaluation criteria

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