Advanced Academic English: Writing Skills
Cluster
Communication Skills
Target group
PhD candidates
Level and Test
Participants should have an advanced knowledge of English, which will be tested before the start of the course. "English for Written Academic Purposes" can be taken at the UCT to prepare for "Advanced Academic English".
Furthermore, participants should already have some experience with writing academic articles as this can be useful for class discussions and they will be asked to bring own material to class.
A computer test has to be taken before the start of the course to ensure that your level of English in an academic context is advanced enough to actively participate in this course (see registration procedure).
Objective
The main objective of this course is to acquire a well-structured, coherent academic writing style and to expedite the writing process. An improved grammatical accuracy and expanded vocabulary range will support this.
Content
The course starts with a general focus on academic style, structure and register before individually tackling each section of the research article:
- Literature reviews
- Introductions
- Methodologies
- Results
- Discussions
- Abstracts
- Titles
Interactive discussion of authentic examples will be used to deduce guidelines and tips for effective academic writing. Within this academic context, several major grammatical items (for example tenses, conditionals and passive voice) will be revised to avoid frequently made mistakes. Vocabulary exercises will broaden the repertoire of the participants. Thanks to lively interaction, a discussion forum is constructed that does not strive for rigid rules and instructions, but rather boosts linguistic confidence in academic writing. The participants will receive both peer and teacher feedback throughout the course as they will be asked to hand in or bring academic writing of their own.
Time schedule & Venue
First semester
| Faculty | Dates | Time - |
Trainer | Registration link course*1 | Course book*2 |
|
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (GE) Pharmaceutical Sciences (FW)- Veterinary Medicine (DI) |
30/09/2024 - 16/12/2024
|
Weekly 15:00-17:00 ONLINE |
Dominique Neyts | Registrations closed | Academic English: writing a research article; Life Sciences and Medicine (Katrien Deroey, in collaboration with Dominique Neyts) |
|
Faculty of Economics and Business Administration (EB) Faculty of Political and Faculty of Psychology and |
30/09/2024 - 16/12/2024 |
Weekly 10:00-12:00 ONLINE |
Tom De Moor | Registrations closed | Academic English: writing a research article; Social and Behavioural Sciences (Catherine Verguts) |
|
Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Bioscience Engineering (BW) |
1/10/2024 - 10/12/2024 |
Weekly 10:00-12:00 ONLINE |
Nils Smeuninx | Registration closed | Academic English: writing a research article; (Bioscience) Engineering (Leen De Boom, Katrien Deroey) |
|
Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Bioscience Engineering (BW) |
04/10/2024 - 20/12/2024 |
Weekly 10:00-12:00 ON CAMPUS Zwijnaarde, technologiepark |
Elien De Volder | Registrations closed | Academic English: writing a research article; (Bioscience) Engineering (Leen De Boom, Katrien Deroey) |
Second semester
| Faculty | Dates | Time - Weekly |
Trainer | Registration link course*1 | Course book*2 |
|
Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Law and Criminology (RE) |
10/02/2025 - 05/05/2025 |
Weekly 10:00-12:00 ONLINE |
Nils Smeuninx | Registration link | Academic English: writing a research article; Arts, Humanities and Law (Catherine Verguts, in collaboration with Marilyn Michels) |
|
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (GE) Pharmaceutical Sciences (FW) Veterinary Medicine (DI) |
12/2/2025 - 07/05/2025 |
Weekly 09:00- 11:00 ONLINE |
Dominique Neyts | Registration link | Academic English: writing a research article; Life Sciences and Medicine (Katrien Deroey, in collaboration with Dominique Neyts) |
| Faculty of Sciences (WE) |
11/02/2025 - 06/05/2025 |
Weekly 10:00-12:00 ONLINE |
Sarah De Paepe | Registration link | Academic English: writing a research article; Natural Sciences (Leen De Boom) |
|
Faculty of Economics Faculty of Political and Faculty of Psychology and |
11/02/2025 - 06/05/2025 |
Weekly 10:00-12:00 ONLINE |
Tom De Moor | Registration link | Academic English: writing a research article; Social and Behavioural Sciences (Catherine Verguts) |
|
Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Bioscience Engineering (BW) |
11/02/2025 - 06/05/2025 |
Weekly 10:00-12:00 ONLINE |
Elien De Volder | Registration link | Academic English: writing a research article; (Bioscience) Engineering (Leen De Boom, Katrien Deroey) |
Registration procedure and teaching material
*1 You need to register at the English test AND at the writing skills course at the same time!
The test takes 1 hour and comprises multiple choice questions, gap-fill exercises and a dictation. Check the online sample test hereIf you fail this test, your registration at the course AAE writing skills will be cancelled.
Your subscriptions will be confirmed by separate e-mail from the Doctoral School.
*2 The course book is not included and can be bought at Standaard boekhandel, Kouter 31, 9000 Gent. Please ask for 10% discount as a UCT-student.
Registration fee
Free of charge for the members of the Doctoral School. The no show policy applies.
Language
English
Number of participants
Maximum 23
Evaluation criteria (doctoral training programme)
During the course, participants will already receive feedback to a short excerpt of academic writing. After the end of the course, they will be asked to hand in a longer excerpt for their final evaluation which takes the received remarks into account.
This course is situated within the framework of continuous training and may count for 1 transferable skills training in the cluster Communication skills. After completion of the entire cycle and a final evaluation on the basis of a research paper, participants receive the continuous training certificate "Advanced Academic English: Writing Skills".