The course is very well suited for doctoral students in their first or second year. It seeks to equip them with essential skills for writing their dissertation. Upon successful completion of this module, participants will know how to write about their research following academic conventions regarding content, structure, and style. They will understand key expectations and criteria applied to evaluate academic writing (for instance by reviewers). Participants will apply and practice principles of good scholarly writing so as to present their research to their best advantage. They will also gain insights on how to make their own writing experience more productive and enjoyable.

Days 1 through 4 will move from macro-topics such as how to formulate a good research question, all the way to micro-questions of language, grammar, and style.

Day 1 offers guidance on how to carve out a strong topic, research question and contribution, and how to then further strengthen them.

Day 2 focuses on the different sections of a research paper, writing conventions, and proper structuring.

Day 3 moves down to the level of paragraphs and sentences, providing rules for good writing. Participants learn to apply these rules in multiple practical examples.

On Day 4, participants analyze highly published papers with regard to these writing tools, so as to learn from the best. The class also covers many ‘small’ unforced language mistakes, including grammar, word choice, and punctuation.

Day 5 addresses writing and editing productivity. The goal is to help participants gain deeper insights into their own writing behaviors as well as ways to enhance their productivity and enjoyment of the writing process. This class also provides an overview over the publication process, particularly all the steps involved in submitting and revising papers, replying to reviewers and editors, citing and acknowledging others, and so on.

Day 6 teaches participants how to be good academic reviewers. The peer review session takes place in groups of four, either on-site or online. Finally, there will be time for Q&A and debriefing.

Throughout the course, participants will work on various exercises, both by themselves and in groups.

Prior to the course, each participant must submit a research outline per e-mail to the lecturer. The outline should be approx. 1.5 pages in length and should either summarize a research project that participants are working on, or describe a mockup project if they have not yet developed their research idea.

The course is taught on five consecutive days on-site at KLU: Mon, January 6 to Fri, January 10, 2025, 09.00 to 12.30M. In the afternoons, participants will have time to revise their research outline based on the class discussion.

After a week of classes, students share their revised outlines among one another for peer feedback. A peer feedback session will form part of the final session, which will be held in hybrid mode (online and on-site) on Mon, January 20, 2025, 09.00 to 12.30.

Following additional editing incorporating peer feedback, participants need to submit their revised research outline to the lecturer for evaluation.

Maximum number of participants: 25 participants

A certificate over 5 ECTS will be provided to each participant who attended all six days of the course.

A pass or fail grade will be awarded based on:

1. the submission of an initial draft of a research outline, the submission of a revised version, and the progress made in between; and
2. in-class participation, particularly involvement in the peer review process.

On each day of the course, including Day 1, participants need to bring along their own research outline to work on, as well as a benchmark paper of their choosing; both should be printed out. The benchmark paper should be published in one of the highest-ranking journals of the participants’ respective discipline. It should be one that the participants admire and want to emulate in terms of writing clarity and style.

The course fee is €320. Participants are required to arrange their own travel and accommodation.

We look forward to hearing from you!