RDO Writing Support
Writing support during your Research Degree
We all need support for our writing during our research degree; it is a craft that we need to learn and practice. Through the Researcher Development Online programme we offer training, development, groups and resources to help you.
You are a specialist in your field. But do you still find yourself getting stuck or frustrated when you try to write about it? Whether you are from a Science or Humanities background we offer sessions to ensure your writing is as effective as your research.
The sessions range from starting out and challenges with grammar, to writing bids and grant applications.
We will be starting our Spring 2025 programme on 17th February. We look forward to seeing you then
RD Online Writing Series Spring 2025 - includes full description and booking link
| Writing Sentences: starting strong |
17/02/2025 |
11.00-12.30 |
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| Paragraphs: the building blocks of your thesis |
17/02/2025 |
14.00-15.30 |
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| Finding, Reading, and Quoting Research |
25/02/2025 |
18.00-19.30 |
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| Academic Writing: what is it and how to prepare for it |
08/03/2025 |
10.30-12.30 |
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| Writing Introductions and Conclusions |
11/03/2025 |
18.00-19.30 |
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| How to Respond to Feedback |
05/04/2025 |
09.30-11.00 |
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| Representing other research fairly, organising your reading, filling the gap |
07/04/2025 |
14.30-16.00 |
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| Long Documents: practical tips, structuring your work, signposting |
08/04/2025 |
10.00-11.30 |
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| Writing Proposals and Abstracts |
11/04/2025 |
10.00-11.30 |
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| Further Writing Support |
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| Get your Writing Organised - Stage 1: storyboards |
24/02/2025 |
10.00-11.30 |
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| Making your Thesis Easier to Read for your Examiner |
04/03/2025 |
12.30-14.00 |
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| Get your Writing Organised - Stage 2: signposting & mapping |
10/03/2025 |
12.00-13.30 |
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| Dealing with Writer's Block |
20/03/2025 |
10.00-11.30 |
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| Write More this Week: action planning for the week ahead |
24/03/2025 |
10.00-11.30 |
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| Advanced Writing: How to Edit Effectively |
31/03/2025 |
18.00-19.30 |
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| Writing Tips (45-60min sessions) |
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| Writing Tips - Punctuation: an overview |
21/02/2025 |
11.30-12.30 |
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| Writing Tips - Focus on Style: How to Sound more Sophisticated |
03/03/2025 |
18.00-19.00 |
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| Writing Tips - Focus on Style: How to be more Detailed |
17/03/2025 |
18.00-19.00 |
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| Writing Tips - Focus on Style: How to be more Concise |
25/03/2025 |
18.00-19.00 |
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| Writing Tips - The passive voice: what is it and when should I use it? |
08/04/2025 |
14.00-15.00 |
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Top Tips
Orwell sums up:
1. Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do it
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. ( Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous)
George Orwell Politics and the English Language pp348-360 in George Orwell Essays 2000) Penguin ClassicsWriting Resources
Referencing Style Guide University of Warwick
6 Minute Grammar Podcasts
Write that journal article in seven days ( Thesis Whisperer)
Pat Thompson Blog and Twitter @ThomsonPat
Writing Advice from University of Toronto
POWA Paradigm Online Writing Advice
Learning English for Academic Purposes LEAP
Further support across Warwick
In addition to the support from the RDO and the PhD in Second language, you may find these resources useful:
Write Right : Academic Writing Moodle (this is for resource only as the course has now been archived and no longer monitored but contains useful info)
PGCTSS: for Science, Engineering & Medicine PGRs you can take nine week assessed modules
English for Academic Purpose in sessional English Language support and writing surgeries for International PGRs
Centre for Linguistics offer support. There is an additional cost to you for this course
The Academic Skills Moodle. A resource for UG & PGT but might have something useful
Critical Writing - An introduction to the principles of Critical Writing
Return to the Researcher Development Online page.