RDO Writing Support
Writing support during your Research Degree
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.
RD Online Writing Series Spring 2024Link opens in a new window
Bookings open 22nd January - go to Warwick SkillsForge to search for events and make bookings
| 06/02/2024 | 10.00-12.00 | Academic writing: what is it and how to prepare for it |
| 07/02/2024 | 10.00-11.30 | Representing other research fairly, organising your reading, filling the gap |
| 07/02/2024 | 13.00-14.00 | Finding, reading, and quoting research |
| 13/02/2024 | 14.00-15.30 | Paragraphs: the building blocks of your thesis |
| 14/02/2024 | 10.00-11.30 | Long documents: practical tips, structuring your work, signposting |
| 14/02/2024 | 13.00-14.00 | Writing Tips - Academic Hedging: advantages and pitfalls |
| 20/02/2024 | 14.30-16.00 | Writing Sentences: starting strong |
| 21/02/2024 | 10.00-11.30 | Finding, Reading, and Quoting Research |
| 21/02/2024 | 13.00-14.00 | Writing Tips - Writing Hypotheses: the conditional, the future perfect, the subjunctive |
| 27/02/2024 | 14.30-16.00 | Writing Introductions and Conclusions |
| 28/02/2024 | 10.00-11.30 | Advanced Writing: writing an article for publication |
| 06/03/2024 | 10.00-12.00 | Academic Writing: what is it and how to prepare for it |
| 06/03/2024 | 13.00-14.00 | Writing Tips - Focus on Style: Differences between British & American Writing |
| 12/03/2024 | 10.00-11.30 | Writing Proposals and Abstracts |
| 12/03/2024 | 12.30-13.30 | Writing Tips - The passive voice: what is it and when should I use it? |
| 13/03/2024 | 14.00-15.30 | Writing and Giving Conference Papers |
| 19/03/2024 | 10.00-11.30 | Advanced Writing: How to Edit Effectively |
| 20/03/2024 | 11.00-12.30 | How to Respond to Feedback |
| 20/03/2024 | 13.30-14.30 | Writing Tips - Punctuation: an overview |
| 27/03/2024 | 12.00-13.00 | Writng Tips - Focus on Style: How to Sound more Sophisticated |
| 27/03/2024 | 14.00-15.00 | Writing Tips - Focus on Style: How to be more Detailed |
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.