LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to
- Recognise and apply the features of effective academic writing suitable to their own text
- Recognise ineffective sentences and utilise techniques for re-writing them
- Analyse sample texts to identify the language conventions and style particular to their own fields of study
Credits: 3
Schedule: 12.08.2024 - 30.08.2024
Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):
Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Pia Lappalainen
Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):
CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period): C1
Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):
Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English
CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD
Content
valid for whole curriculum period:
Students must bring samples of their scientific writing-in-progress as this material forms a core part of the course. During the course, students work to improve their writing as they apply skills and techniques introduced in the course. The course content will include aspects of writing, such as
- Internal organisation of a text, including sequencing of information, paragraph writing and sentence structures
- Appropriateness to the reader (i.e. the target audience), including text structure, sentence and paragraph length, and vocabulary choice
- Clarity of the message (information organisation, referencing, and cohesiveness)
- Writing effective sentences, paragraphs and sections (such as abstracts, introductions, and conclusions)
- Argumentation and researcher positioning/stance
- Editing for accuracyThe coursework aims to enable participants to write more effectively and with greater confidence for an international readership. In response to student needs, the course design includes individual and pair exercises, analysis, and critiques, all of which focus on training participants with specific tools for producing improved text. Simultaneously, students will be guided in recognising stylistic and organisational features common to formal written English, and applying features appropriate in their specific fields. As part of feedback, students submit their written text(s) for teacher and peer review.
Working Life Skills: Skills in a foreign language, Written communication, Information retrieval, Ethical consciousness, Critical thinking, Lifelong learning, Self-confidence, Analytical skills, Time-management, Self-awareness, and Knowledge of research in own field.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
valid for whole curriculum period:
Continuous assessment, completion of writing assignments and completion of course assignments. Note: Regular attendance and active participation required.
Workload
valid for whole curriculum period:
Small-group instruction 24 - 36 h + independent work 45 - 57 h
Sisu specifies the course mode: on campus only, fully or partially online. Please check each iteration's course description, structure, and further information in Sisu.
DETAILS
Study Material
valid for whole curriculum period:
Available in MyCourses
Substitutes for Courses
valid for whole curriculum period:
Prerequisites
valid for whole curriculum period:
FURTHER INFORMATION
Further Information
valid for whole curriculum period:
Teaching Language: English
Teaching Period: 2024-2025 Autumn I
2024-2025 Autumn II
2024-2025 Spring IV
2024-2025 Spring V
2024-2025 Summer
2025-2026 Autumn I
2025-2026 Autumn II
2025-2026 Spring IV
2025-2026 Spring V
2025-2026 SummerRegistration:
The course targets doctoral students who have started writing their research articles and/or thesis. Therefore, participants must bring their draft text as this will be a part of the material used in the course. If more students sign up than there are places, students who have a draft text and plan to submit for publication soon will be prioritized
The course will be organized if there are at least 10 participants. The maximum group size is 20.