RUB Research School

Wr_01: ONLINE Expanding Academic Writing

Researchers from Life, Natural & Engineering Sciences | Level all

Online Workshop

Date: 12.-14.03.2024
Time: 09:00 – 16:00 h with flexible time schedule and breaks
Trainer: Marcy Scholz
Language: English
Participants: max. 12 persons
Credit Point: acknowledged with 1 CP for the doctoral training programme of RUB-RS Certificate
Participation requirement: Prior to the workshop, submission of a publication by a leading scientist in the participant’s field (guidelines for this task two weeks before the workshop).  After the workshop, participants will submit a written text within three days for trainer feedback.  

Course description

This workshop concentrates on the writer’s responsibility to guide the reader to understand the writer’s message.  A comprehensive understanding of the text exists when there is a connection between the writer and the reader.  Yet, many writers struggle with (or ignore) how they should convey their message to arouse the reader’s curiosity.  Likewise, many writers do not necessarily know how to fulfill a reader’s expectations for structure, language, and style so that the writer’s message can be understood clearly.

To address these questions, participants will investigate a publication within their field to understand the type of text genre each participant is asked to compose and perceive how the reader and a reader’s expectations influence the composition.  Within this context, the role of the reader and the special reader, the reviewer, will be discussed in more detail.  Here, participants will be guided in determining how the message is strategically and linguistically portrayed to fulfill a reader’s expectations.  Then, participants will be guided to explore what their own specific message is and why they would like to communicate this message with a reader.  Finally, participants will engage in the writing process in which they will produce a text.  Participants will then be asked to submit this text in a polished form to the trainer for feedback.  This text is due within three days after the workshop.

At the end of the workshop, participants will:

  • be familiarized with common expectations for a published text within their field through exploration of how the content is organized and the usage of structural elements of style within a self-selected journal article
  • create a story with their own data
  • understand the maintenance needed in creating a story (strategically and linguistically)
  • engage in the writing process
  • receive feedback about their own writing.

Methods
During the workshop, professional input from the trainer will alternate with practical written exercises and discussions of relevant issues. Participants will work individually as well as in groups. In between workshop sessions, participants will be given a written and/or reading task to be completed before the following session. Following the workshop, participants will be asked to complete an additional writing component that will also receive feedback.

English language skills
A prerequisite to benefit from this course is that particpants should have achieved the English level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and be progressing towards level C1.

Trainer
Marcy Scholz is an english native speaking expert and trainer for Academic Writing and a Writing Consultant for many years. She also edits and provides additional coaching for individual authors.

Please click here to register for the workshop: REGISTRATION

After you logged in for the registration you can identify the workshop by the first four characters (e.g. Wr_01, Pr_01) together with title and date.