The course supports students in the Natural Sciences at doctorate level in academic writing. Students draw on their own authentic materials (as well as on published articles) that they bring into the sessions to practice writing, reviewing and revising. The curriculum includes working on the structure and content of an academic journal article and English language issues in particular, so that students can really improve their writing skills. The course combines theory and practice. Writing, peer review, and revising take place in class and in each assignment to create a collaborative learning environment.
Students learn to search for, identify, analyse and apply academic writing practices that form part of writing in their fields. Through examples and practice, students pay attention to producing academic writing that is concise and clear.
The course focuses on the genre of the academic journal article and its associated vocabulary and structures. There is plenty of opportunity to read, review and practice writing various sections of articles.
The course is jointly taught by a natural scientist and an English linguist.