9. Mar 2021
English Academic Writing: The Ground Rules of Writing Well (April 27-30, 2021 | online)
This online workshop addresses junior and senior scholars from the social sciences and humanities who have good command of the English language, seek to improve their English writing skills, and strive to make their academic papers more idiomatic. The workshop seeks to create an awareness of the typical patterns of non-idiomatic writing to which non-native authors writing in English – and especially German-speaking academics – are prone and equip the participants with strategies to avoid these pitfalls.
The workshop comprises 3 half-day sessions and will be conducted in English by two trainers who have a professional background in the social sciences and many years of experience in teaching English academic writing and in translating and editing academic texts by German-speaking scholars.
Intended Learning Outcomes
- You will be aware of some of the important characteristics of the English language that will help improve your writing.
- You will be conscious of some of the pitfalls that especially German speakers are vulnerable to when writing in English and be familiar with strategies to avoid them.
- You will be able to use this knowledge to develop a more fluent and lively style of writing.
- You will be familiar with a wide range of resources, aids, and strategies to help you improve your writing.
Requirements
- Proficiency in English (at least B2-level).
- You will have the opportunity to hand in a one-page writing sample prior to the workshop; the trainers will review this sample and give you individual feedback.
- We kindly ask you to have a text by a native speaker of English available that you find very well written; we will use this text for an exercise.
Target Audience
Doctoral students and postdocs in Humanities and Social Sciences
Schedule
Tuesday, April 27, 2021,10:00 – 15:30 | ONLINE
10:00–11:00 Introduction of workshop, trainers, and participants; introduction to the character of the English language; introduction to general aspects of the culture of English academic writing
11:00–11:10 Break
11:10–12:10 Typical features of English academic texts and guidelines of English academic writing
12:10–13:00 Lunch break
13:00–14:00 Typical features & guidelines continued; exercise
14:00-14:10 Break
14:10-15:30 Typical features & guidelines continued; exercise
Wednesday, April 28, 2021, 10:00 – 15:30 | ONLINE
10:00–11:00 Typical features & guidelines continued
11:00–11:10 Break
11:10–12:10 Typical features & guidelines continued; exercise
12:10–13:00 Lunch break
13:00–14:00 Grammar & punctuation issues; introduction to print and online aids to help yourself
14:00–14:10 Break
14:10–15:10/15:30 Introduction to print & online aids continued; strategies of advancing and refining your writing skills
Thursday, April 29, 2021 | OFFLINE
No session; individual writing exercise based on newly acquired knowledge
Friday, April 30, 2021, 10:00 – 15:30 | ONLINE
10:00–11:00 Editing exercise and discussion of results
11:00–11:10 Break
11:10–12:10 Group discussion of newly written text samples (the products of Thursday’s individual writing exercise)
In parallel, each participant will meet individually online with one of the trainers to discuss the individual writing samples handed in prior to the workshop
12:10–13:00 Lunch break
13:00–14:00 Group discussion & individual sessions continued
14:00–14:10 Break
14:10–15:10/15:30 Group discussion & individual sessions continued; feedback round
Terms and Applications
- Date: April 27-28 and 30, 2021
- Time: 1:00pm-5:00pm
- Group size: maximal 10
- Workshop language: English
- Format: online workshop
- Applications are considered in chronological order of receipt. You get information.
Lecturer
Stephan Elkins and Andrea Tönjes, SocioTrans, www.sociotrans.com
Registration/ closed
Funding
This workshop has been realised with financial support from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg.