ACADEMIC WRITING and PRESENTATION =
SKILLS
Session 1 and
2: Toolkit of writing techniques, (23
Feb, 2 March)
These two sessions will cover the basic principles of = clear, cohesive and coherent writing. Specifically we will look at: sentence and paragraph structure; writing concisely and with emphasis; appropriate use of tenses; balancing the active and passive voice; and the most common punctua= tion and grammatical errors.
Part of the sessions will offer participants the oppor= tunity to ‘meet an experienced reviewer’ who will discuss the submissi= on and review process. Some of the questions addressed will be: What does a reviewer look for and what don’t they want to see? What to do with a rejection or rewrite? How to communicate with the editor?
Session 3: What makes a good performance? (10 March)
Presenting research in progress helps focus the researcher’s attention on the central argument or ‘thesis’= ;. This session will address the core issues of a good research presentation. It wi= ll focus on preparation and organisation of a talk to ensure that i= t is clear and engaging for the audience. Topics will include identifying= the focus and theme, how to begin and end a talk, guidelines for designing and using visual aids and how to respond to difficult and unexpec= ted questions.
Session 4: Reviewing the Literature, (16 Mar=
ch)
Reviewing the literature is often a struggle for those writing a dissertation or journal article. This practical session will focu= s on some common problems encountered with this genre and some practical ways to approach those problems.
Session 5: Mapping the PhD Thesis =
(23 March)
This session will look at the different genres within a dissertation: recount, summary and argument. We will look at ways of organi= sing the dissertation to achieve a stronger and more consistent focus on the argument. This not only makes the text more reader friendly, but allows the researcher to more readily state their case and make their mark. Participan= ts will also have the opportunity to 'meet an experienced supervisor and exami= ner' and ask questions on related issues.
Session 6: Bookends, (30 March)
Building on the techniques discussed in sessions 4 &am= p; 5 this practical session will look at some of the conventions of writing abst= racts, introductions and conclusions.
Participants are asked to bring along an abstract or i= ntroduction paragraphs that have not yet been published. The latter part of the session will be devoted to writing winning grant proposals and will be presented by= a member of the faculty.