The workshop focuses on developing, drafting, editing and proofreading skills which are helpful to professional research writers and postgraduate students, who are producing long, complex documents for critically reading audiences. The workshop shows how writers can use knowledge of planning, drafting and editing to facilitate the writing process. It also demonstrates how to take a professional approach toward the production of written outputs and how to develop as a research writer. These skills are also particularly useful for researchers who write in teams or who have to perform editorial tasks, commenting on the work of peers. The workshop is based on works in linguistics, sociology and education, as well as professional copy editing and proof reading practices.
Audience: Any research writer, staff or postgraduate who has to write professionally or edit and review the work of their peers. 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, education research and editorial and proof-reading manuals. All activities are practical and directly relevant to professional research writers or postgraduate students. 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 ½ day workshop is 3.5 hours long, with one 15min coffee break and can be run either in the morning or afternoon. The 1 day workshop would typically run from 10am – 4pm with 1 hour for lunch, and one 15 minute coffee break in the morning.
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; participants should bring 4-8 pages of writing from their own with which to practice editing; 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: University of Stirling
Participant comments: (2012-2013) “It is interesting and useful”, “Prepare yourself to produce a quality research paper”, “Interesting, informative and helpful”, “Helpful in developing writing skills”, “Very helpful resource with lots of good tips”, “Very important and useful workshop”