Optimizing Writing Strategies for Publishing in English

Excellent scientists need excellent data, but they also need to be able to effectively communicate the results and significance of their research to their peers in the community. Writing good papers is hard work, even for many experienced researchers. Being aware of the criteria that papers must meet and using the writing process efficiently can make the task easier.

In this workshop, participants will learn about the structural and language norms for research papers published in English. Participants will also be introduced to a variety of strategies that will provide assistance to draft texts more efficiently, to pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses, and to revise them effectively. During the feedback sessions, participants will examine a draft of a text they have written, as well as text drafts submitted by the other participants. During the two-day workshop, professional input from the trainer will alternate with practical written exercises and discussions of relevant issues. There is an additional writing component with feedback that will take place after the initial two-day workshop and will be performed online.

Contents:

Day 1: • managing the writing process professionally • understanding the drafting and revision processes  • finding a focus by identifying an appropriate research question  • creating precise, accurate, and correct sentences  • understanding structural and language norms for English research papers

Day 2: • giving and receiving feedback on texts  • examining structural relationships within and between sections of a pape r• examining participants' texts with regard to structure and language, using a variety of feedback strategies  • recognizing stylistically adequate and inadequate language

The workshop will be conducted by Marcy Scholz. Marcy holds a Cambridge University´s Certificate in Teaching English to Adults (CELTA) and has completed a writing consultation program from the Writing Center in the Pädagogische Hochschule in Freiburg. She has assisted various PhD candidates with their written English, has helped edit textbooks, and has been teaching English since 1993.

Register here by November 7.

Because the workshop uses material from participants, there is a call for papers two weeks prior to the workshop. Guidelines, a deadline and where to send the paper will be sent to participants once their enrolment in the workshop is confirmed.