Please note that this is a twelve-session module, with one two-hour seminar per week.  You should sign up to one time-slot only. To pass the module, you must attend at least 9 sessions and submit the final written task. For example, if you sign up for the Monday morning session, you will be expected to attend at least 9 sessions on  a Monday morning, as well as completing the written tasks.

Description

Do you feel unsure what your final thesis is supposed to look like, or lack confidence in your ability to write up your research in the appropriate academic style?  A surprising number of students at the start of the doctoral research process share your anxieties.  This course is aimed at improving your confidence, extending your knowledge and developing your abilities in a practical way.  

During the course we compare examples of writing from a range of theses, discussing writing techniques, academic expectations and issues of structure and style, covering all sections from the Introduction through to the Conclusion. We also discuss strategies for reading, planning, focusing, drafting and revising.

You will complete a number of short written tasks, each of which will be directly or indirectly useful in helping you to begin writing your thesis and prepare for your first year review.  Detailed individual feedback from your tutor helps you to address any problems you may have with the writing process.

The course is aimed mainly at first year doctoral students from all departments, ideally in their second semester, and is particularly useful for international students, though home students who lack confidence in their writing skills, and second year students who have missed the opportunity to complete the course earlier, are also welcome.