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A half-day workshop to introduce postgraduate students to effective strategies for writing about evidence and data. Ideal for those in the 2nd year of their PhD studies or about to write up a Masters dissertation, or anyone who is currently writing about the data they have collected. The workshop looks at some techniques for handling and writing about large data sets and ‘good practice’ guidance for organising and introducing evidence in writing a chapter, research article or conference paper.

Audience: Ideal for those in the 2nd year of their PhD studies or about
to write up a Masters dissertation, or anyone who is currently writing about
the data they have collected. The workshop can either be cross-disciplinary or
have a STEM, Arts and Humanities or Social Sciences focus.

Mode of delivery: This is a workshop style event, requiring participants
to work individually and in small groups, as well as to occasionally contribute
to whole group discussions. Workshops are interactive and based on experiential
and reflective learning models. The content is evidence based, drawing on
linguistics and education research. All activities are practical and directly
relevant to Masters students or doctoral researchers. The workshop can be run for
between 8 to 20 participants, ideally in a workshop/seminar room equipped with
workshop tables.

Length and timings: This ½ day workshop is 3.5 hours long, with one
15min coffee break and can be run either in the morning or afternoon.

Resources: The tutor brings packs of interactive materials; participants
should also bring copy of a research paper they have recently read, pens and
paper, and a laptop, if they wish; the tutor provides a comprehensive workbook
to the institution for printing prior to the workshop; a flipchart and pens or
white board is also useful, though not essential.

Previous clients: Glasgow Caledonian University.

This workshop deals with issues around communicating your research for popular audiences. In particular the differences between research articles and news and online media are dealt with. The workshop involves practical writing tasks focused on writing texts such as micro-blogs, press-releases, newspaper articles, and websites. Participants will see how the audience and structure of news and online media can affect how research comes across.

Audience: Researchers, experienced or novice, staff or postgraduate, who are publishing research and wish to improve their skills at writing for popular audiences.

Mode of delivery: This is a workshop style event, requiring participants to work individually and in small groups, as well as to occasionally contribute to whole group discussions. Workshops are interactive and based on experiential and reflective learning models. The content is evidence based, drawing on linguistics, sociology and education research on research writing. All activities are practical and directly relevant to writing a research paper. The workshop can be run for between 8 to 20 participants, ideally in a workshop/seminar room equipped with workshop tables.

Length and timings: The workshop is 1 day long, for example run from 10am – 4pm with 1 hour for lunch, and one 15 minute coffee break.

Resources: The tutor brings packs of interactive materials; participants should bring pens and paper and a laptop, if they wish; the tutor provides a comprehensive workbook to the institution for printing prior to the workshop; a flipchart and pens or white board is also useful, though not essential.

Previous client(s): University of Stirling; ResClim, Norway’s national graduate school for climate science

Participant comments: (2012-2013) “Worthwhile introduction to writing for wider dissemination of technical topics to lay audience”, “Very interesting”, “Helpful for learning how to write press releases, and for writing in general”, “Great overview of different ways of writing”, “Good instructor”

Based on practical activities the workshop aims at providing structure, advice and motivation through writing a paper for publication. The workshop series takes an intensive but intellectually supportive approach, drawing on research into academic writing, evidenced in the education and linguistic literature. In addition, participants will learn more about the process of research writing.

The sessions cover:

• Targeting a journal
• Planning and editing techniques
• Understanding the writing process
• Breaking down the structure of papers to generate writing goals
• Overcoming the difficulties in writing research
• Techniques for being an effective writer

Audience: Researchers, experienced or novice, staff or postgraduate, who have or will soon have research they wish to write-up for scholarly publication or data collection. The workshop can either be cross-disciplinary or have a STEM, Arts and Humanities or Social Sciences focus.

Mode of delivery: This is a workshop style event, requiring participants to work individually and in small groups, as well as to occasionally contribute to whole group discussions. Workshops are interactive and based on experiential and reflective learning models. The content is evidence based, drawing on linguistics, sociology and education research on research writing. All activities are practical and directly relevant to writing a research paper. The workshop can be run for between 8 to 20 participants, ideally in a workshop/seminar room equipped with workshop tables.

Length and timings: The workshop is 1 day long, for example run from 10am – 4pm with 1 hour for lunch, and one 15 minute coffee break.

Resources: The tutor brings packs of interactive materials; the institution will be provided with comprehensive workbook for printing prior to the workshop; participants should bring any work they relating to the paper they wish to writing, copy of a research paper they have read recently, pens and paper, and a laptop, if they wish; a flipchart and pens or white board is also useful, though not essential.

Previous client(s): University of Stirling

A three part workshop based on practical activities aimed at providing structure, advice and motivation through writing a paper for publication. Each workshop is a full day, with 2-6 weeks between meetings. Participants will be expected to work on their papers both during the workshops and in between each workshop. The series will include peer-to-peer review and advice from other group members as well as an experienced course tutor. The workshop series takes an intensive but intellectually supportive approach, drawing research into research writing, evidenced in education and linguistic literature.

Sessions will cover:

• Planning and editing
• Understanding the writing process
• Breaking down the structure of papers to generate writing goals
• Overcoming the difficulties in writing research
• Techniques for being an effective writer

Participants should have a completed draft of their research paper by the end of the workshop series. In addition, you will learn more about the process of research writing.

Audience: Researchers, experienced or novice, who have research they wish to write-up for scholarly publication, i.e. they have collected their data and are in a position to write up the analysis. It is not for people who are only looking for information. It can also be a particularly good way for a research team to focus on producing additional outputs, particularly with the impending REF. The workshop can either be cross-disciplinary or have a STEM, Arts and Humanities or Social Sciences focus.

Mode of delivery: This is a workshop style event, requiring participants to work individually and in small groups, as well as to occasionally contribute to whole group discussions. Workshops are interactive and based on experiential and reflective learning models. The content is evidence based, drawing on linguistics, sociology and education research on research writing. All activities are practical and directly relevant to writing a research paper. The workshop can be run for between 8 to 20 participants, ideally in a workshop/seminar room equipped with workshop tables.

Length and timings: The workshop is 1 day long, for example run from 10am – 4pm with 1 hour for lunch, and one 15 minute coffee break.

Resources: Participants need to bring a copy of an article from the journal they wish to submit their paper to, as well as any material, such as literature searches or data analysis, which they can draw on through the workshop. The tutor brings packs of interactive materials; the institution will be provided with comprehensive workbook for printing prior to the workshop; a flipchart and pens or white board is also useful, though not essential.

Option 2: Three 1-day workshops, plus email support for peer-to-peer support and tutor feedback between each of the workshops, equivalent to an additional day’s training.

Previous client(s): ResClim, Norway’s national graduate school for climate science; Queen’s University Belfast, Staff Development Unit.

The workshop addresses writing in the 1st year of the doctorate.  It focuses on starting to write critically and systematically about the literature, developing a literature review, a methodology and a set of research questions/hypotheses, and understanding the purpose of a doctoral thesis. Developing your own academic style is also covered. The workshops approaches research writing as a process, one that poses particular challenges to doctoral researchers: managing an emerging and changing program of research; the volume of material and the size of the project; and obstacles which get in the way of writing effectively.

Audience: Doctoral students in the 1st year, or part-time equivalent of
study. The workshop can be generic to all disciplines, or made more specific to
a particular academic discipline. Participants are provided with a set of
analytical tools aimed at analysing their own discipline’s standards and
writing tasks suitable to all fields of study. The workshop can either be
cross-disciplinary or have a STEM, Arts and Humanities or Social Sciences
focus.

Mode of delivery: This is a workshop style event, requiring participants
to work individually and in small groups, as well as to occasionally contribute
to whole group discussions. Workshops are interactive and based on experiential
and reflective learning models. The content is evidence based, drawing on
linguistics, sociology and education research. All activities are practical and
directly relevant to writing a doctorate in the early stages of study. The
workshop can be run for between 8 to 25 participants, ideally in a
workshop/seminar room equipped with workshop tables.

Length and timings: The workshop is 1 day long, for example run from
10am – 4pm with 1 hour for lunch, and one 15 minute coffee break.

Resources: The tutor brings packs of interactive materials; participants
should bring pens and paper and a laptop, if they wish; the tutor provides a
comprehensive workbook to the institution for printing prior to the workshop; a
flipchart and pens or white board is also useful, though not essential.

Previous client(s): University of Glasgow, Queen’s University Belfast,
University of Stirling, University of the Highlands and Island, Glasgow
Caledonian University, NHS Education Scotland

The workshops approaches research writing as a process, one that poses particular challenges to doctoral researchers: managing an emerging and changing program of research; the volume of material and the size of the project; and obstacles which get in the way of writing effectively.

Audience: Doctoral students in the 2nd year, or part-time equivalent of study. The workshop can be generic to all disciplines, or made more specific to a particular academic discipline. Participants are provided with a set of analytical tools aimed at analysing their own discipline’s standards and writing tasks suitable to all fields of study.

Participants are also asked to bring example texts from their discipline to use in workshop exercises. The workshop can either be cross-disciplinary or have a STEM, Arts and Humanities or Social Sciences focus.

Mode of delivery: This is a workshop style event, requiring participants to work individually and in small groups, as well as to occasionally contribute to whole group discussions. Workshops are interactive and based on experiential and reflective learning models. The content is evidence based, drawing on linguistics, sociology and education research. All activities are practical and directly relevant to writing a doctorate in the early stages of study. The workshop can be run for between 8 to 25 participants, ideally in a workshop/seminar room equipped with workshop tables.

Length and timings: The workshop is 1 day long, for example run from 10am – 4pm with 1 hour for lunch, and one 15 minute coffee break.