Academic Writing at Postgraduate Level:
Introductory focus on Process, Text Types and
Communities
Jackie Tuck/Theresa Lillis October 2014
From Matt Kent (postgraduate researcher at the OU)
• http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2013/apr/19/academic-writing-first-person-singular
• http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2012/jul/25/the-art-of-academic-writing
drafting
reflection
supervisor review
planning
pre-writing
additional research or idea generation
editing and proofreading
revision
generating ideas, understanding the ideas of others, collecting information, note-taking, freewriting, brainstorming
organising and focusing ideas: mind mapping, clustering, listening, outline
writing initial drafts of a text focusing mainly on the development, organisation and elaboration of ideas
letting work sit, coming back to it at a later point
focusing attention on the “surface” level features of the text
further developing and clarifying ideas, the structure of the text
feedback from others
Activity- Freewriting: write 5 minutes on one idea or issue
relating to any aspect of your post grad study that is of particular interest to you
at the moment
Activity: editing and proofreading- (see page 122
Doing postgraduate research, sheet Examples of revising).
My reflections and thoughts on the material on the sheet: Jackie Tuck No. 1 reflects my strategies for "getting what I need" from sups! I've highlighted the phrases which seemed most significant in retrospect - orienting my supervisors to what it is we're talking about, because they are busy and I am not their only concern, and it might be a while since arrangements are made..., trying to make it clear how the attached piece of writing fits in to a bigger picture... - being specific about what I feel I need from the feedback - as a way of making feedback task seem focused and doable to supervisor, and to reflect the fact that I'd thought about it...plus also a bit of face saving here! - showing appreciation of the work involved - something I'm aware of as I am also an HE teacher myself, but that it does not do any harm to be aware of - even if essentially supervisors' workload is not supposed to be the student's problem, in practice it is...
No. 2 is a simple illustration of the fact that feedback at this level is not about getting the "answers" but also about moving towards making decisions about how to address the questions that come up. You both gave different advice here which makes it particularly obvious that I could not just do as i was told - but the same applies to feedback given by one supervisor only - it is still to some extent to be taken as a proposition rather than an instruction...this excerpt also illustrates very specific in situ request for particular info - a very useful device from my point of view. This example is where the negotation comes in - making it not just a passive process but an active one...
…and, sometimes, experiencing satisfaction, a sense of
achievement, and pleasure that you have communicated with your
readers.
Some examples…
Sections/chunks on methods, literature, theory
Conference abstracts/proposals
Summaries for web pages
Draft chapters of thesis/dissertation
Case studies
Field notes
Journal articles
Book reviews
Thesis
Blog
Article for The Conversation
Responses to reviewers
Participant recruitment contact letters/info sheets
Figure 3: Core elements of a research thesis
Core elements Main functions
Introduction To establish the significance of the general research area To locate your research within the fieldTo outline the aims and the nature of your research
Literature Review To provide an overview of relevant researchTo locate your research more specifically in relation to the literatureTo set boundaries around the ‘field’ of relevant research
Methodology To provide an overview of the methodology adoptedTo justify the choice of methodology in relation to epistemological traditions and research aims
Data analysis To offer closely argued analysis of the dataTo present findings and discuss interpretations
Conclusion To summarise the research and main findingsTo locate the findings within the field as defined earlier in the thesisTo offer a critique of the research and its limitations
Draft literature review by end April….
List methods I plan to use and brief rationale—end of this week ….
Drafting some ideas about what I think I’m researching
Write abstract for conference that I want to go to in March 2015!
Write book review…find appropriate journal
Ideally….first draft of article for academic journal by October 2014
Re read my journal for this week- and underline key tasks I need to do next…
Setting some writing priorities…public and private
Writing for a number of communities…
Alicia is a Spanish post graduate student doing a PhD in a UK institution. During her period of post graduate study she has worked on projects with academics, presented papers at conferences-as well as working on her PhD research. As part of her PhD she has spent time in Spain, England and Argentina. She hopes to work as a university lecturer when she completes her thesis.
Writing as part of Alicia’s postgraduate research activity…
• Doctoral thesis (examiners –Bernstein)
• Article in English aimed at academics…
• Article in Spanish aimed at teachers..
• Grant application (with others) to national bodies in Spanish
• Grant application (with others) to international body in English
• Conference proposals in English
• Conference proposals in Spanish
• What is/are the (sub)communities that you hope to be addressing?
• What are your short term and longer term goals in reaching these communities?
Bear in mind that…• Writing is a process and involves considerable work and time• You will be expected to write according to conventions that have
become associated with different types of texts…• but some conventions are being broken• You need to find out about the particular text types conventions in
your (sub)disciplines…(also use available resources on writing)• and to think about how you want to write..
Thank you for listening and taking part….
Theresa Lillis, [email protected]
PACE 2014-5
• Block 1: Academic Reading and Writing
Jackie Tuck – Oct-Nov
• Block 2: Academic Reading and Writing
Jackie Tuck – Jan-Feb
• Block 3: Academic Interaction/Presentation Skills
Jenny McMullan – Feb-March
PACE Block 1Session details Topics Writing Task
Session 1 22nd October11-1Library Presentation Room
Tackling reading, academic genres, summaries, your priorities.
Summary to Jackie by October 29th
1-1 feedback slots t.b.a.
Session 2 5th November10.30 – 12.30Library Research Meeting Room
Reading and writing conference abstracts
Abstract to Jackie by November 12th1-1 feedback slots t.b.a.
Session 3 19th November10.30 – 12.30Library Research Meeting Room
The literature review: issues of design, argument and voice
Lit review (or part) to Jackie by November 26th1-1 feedback slots t.b.a.
Session 4 3rd December10.30 – 12.30CMR11
Using your networks and other issues/genres[to be agreed]
Text to Jackie by 10th Dec or negotiated.1-1 feedback slots t.b.a.
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