Target Audience: This course is open to all PGR Students and Research-only Staff in all Faculties. However, please note the materials were created originally for researchers undertaking medical and health-related research. It will be most relevant to researchers in STEMM subjects. It is advised that before booking you read closely the learning outcomes to ensure that the materials are appropriate to your level of academic scholarship.  

All years, although especially helpful for students in their first year of scholarship 

Description: 

This workshop integrates theory with practice in supporting you to develop your academic writing skills. It is aimed at first year PGR students. However, it is open to any PGR student who wants to revisit the basic, underpinning principles of academic writing. If you have received feedback on your writing that asks you to be more critical, suggests you expand your academic argument, or tells you to improve the structure and flow of your written work, then this course is for you! 

You are required to bring a) examples of your own work and feedback, and b) a paper that is key in your research, as these will form the basis of tasks within the workshop.  

Aims: 

To use Bloom's taxonomy to understand the concepts of academic argument and criticality in your writing. 

To apply theory to practice through strategies such as a reading matrix, PEE(L), signposting, summarising and paraphrasing.   

Objectives: 

• Create and use an individualised reading matrix 
• Define how you advance from personal opinion to academic argument  
• Use Bloom's Taxonomy to understand and critique levels of criticality and argument 
• Understand the differences between, and uses of, summaries, paraphrases and quotes 
• Understand the principles of signposting to support structure and flow  
• Evaluate, interpret, and reconsider own work and feedback through the lenses of PEE(L), Bloom's taxonomy and signposting 

Process: 

Online course, mix of asynchronous (via Moodle) and synchronous (via Microsoft Teams) delivery. Total course completion time is 4 hours. 

All the resources that you will need to participate in this course, including the teams link for the live section are provided on the course’s Moodle page. 

Asynchronous delivery: complete pre-session task in advance of joining the live webinar (30-60 minutes). 

Synchronous delivery: 3 hour webinar with scheduled screen breaks. Comprising tutor-led presentation, breakout spaces and group discussions. 

Equipment required: ideally participants should have microphone and speaker to participate in the group discussions, and may wish to use a webcam too if available.   

During the live webinar you will need to be able to consult your pre-session task and sample papers, in addition to viewing the tutors’ presentation.  


Course Accessibility

The following table shows a summary of what is needed to participate in the course. 

If you feel you will experience any difficulties participating, please let us know via the ‘special requirements’ tab, providing as much information as possible. The special requirements tab can be completed when you book your place. Alternatively, you can contact us directly at ra-training@nottingham.ac.uk.

Access and/or complete self-study/ pre-course tasks prior to main session
Access Moodle
Access MS Teams
Attend the course at the specified date and time
Use MS Teams chat box function
Engage with online materials
Watch and listen to the course tutor(s) and/or other attendees
Follow presentation slides during the course
Take part in group activities/ discussions (microphone and speakers, quiet environment)

Booking Conditions 

Our webinars/ online courses are very popular, especially in the current period and we are experiencing large volumes of people on our waiting lists.  

Please do let us know if you would like to cancel your place on this course so we can offer your place to another delegate. 

Please note, attendances for webinars/ online courses will still be recorded and corresponding training points, when shown as available, will be awarded.

Pre-Requisites

Course pre-requisites/ pre-sessional tasks

This is an online course, delivered through a blended approach including asynchronous (self-study via Moodle) and synchronous (webinar via Microsoft Teams) delivery. 

All the resources that you will need to participate in this course, including the teams link for the live section are provided on the course’s Moodle page.  

Please access the Moodle page well in advance of the live delivery date to access and complete the self-study tasks. The first time self-enrolment for the Moodle page will deactivate 1 day in advance of the live session.