7. Mar 2022
English Academic Writing: The Ground Rules of Writing Well (April 21, 22 and 25, 2022)
This workshop addresses junior scholars from the social sciences, economics, and the 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 will be held on three days (two days in person; a half day online, during which you will receive individual feedback). It 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
April 21, 2022, 10:00 – 17:30
10:00–11:30 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
11:30–11:45 Break
11:45–13:14 Typical features of English academic texts and guidelines of English academic writing
13:15–14:15 Lunch break
14:15–17:30 Typical features & guidelines continued; exercise
April 22, 2021, 10:00 – 16:30
10:00–11:30 Typical features of English scientific texts and guidelines for text composition; reading exercise based on texts brought to class.
11:00–11:15 Break
11:15–13:15 Selected grammar issues; presentation of techniques for developing one’s writing skills; presentation of useful reference books and other resources and tools.
13:15–14:15 Lunch break
14:15–16:30 Continuation of presentation of useful reference books and other resources and aids. Recap of important points to remember; text correction exercise; discussion of corrections. Addressing open questions from participants. Explanation of the homework: writing an English text from one’s own work context, taking into account what has been learned
April 25, 2022, 10:00 – 14:00 | ONLINE
10:00–11:00 Discussion and correction of the self-written texts. Parallel: individual feedback on the pre-submitted texts.
11:00–11:10 Break
11:10–12:10 Continuation discussion and correction of the self-written texts. Parallel: individual feedback on the pre-submitted texts.
12:10-13:10 Dealing with remaining questions of the participants. Feedback session.
Terms and Applications
- Date: April 21, 22 and 25, 2022
- Time: 10:00-17:00
- Group size: maximal 10
- Location: Von-Seckendorff-Platz 1,
- SR: 5.10 (roof level) on April 21, 2022
- SR: 0.03 (ground floor) on April 22, 2022
- Workshop language: English
- Format: offline (VSP1) and online workshop
- Applications are considered in chronological order of receipt. You get information.
Registration closed
Lecturer
Stephan Elkins and Andrea Tönjes, SocioTrans, www.sociotrans.com
Funding
This workshop has been realised with financial support from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg.
