Academic Writing: Writing for Research, 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, 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.

Proficiency level

B2=>C1 (European framework)

Pre-task, contact classes, online work, and independent assignments.

Schedule and place:

Day 1 at 12.00-16.00, continues online
Topic: Academic style and structure

Day 2 at 12.00-16.00, continues online
Topic: Academic argumentation

Day 3 at 12.00-16.00, continues online
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.

Evaluation and evaluation criteria

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

Enrolment period for autumn 2019 courses arranged in English language starts on 1 August 2019 in NettiOpsu system. Enrolment time ends on 31 August 2019. Hervanta campus doctoral researchers apply the right to study TAYJ modules from 1 August 2019 onwards through the service for cross-institutional studies at https://www10.uta.fi/ristiinopiskelupalvelu/?uiLang=en . The doctoral school study units can be found with code TAYJ. Enrollment is done in NettiOpsu system also in this case.