Course description, incl. learning objectives and prerequisite

Form and content are linked in academic writing. Thus, structure, coherence, and flow are important elements that support the quality of a PhD dissertation. The ’academic craft’ involves systematic reflection and choice about focus, research question, unit of analysis, theory and concepts, philosophy of science approach, design, methods, ethics, and analysis. However, the academic craft is also demonstrated through how those choices are presented and argued for in writing and through one’s capacity to develop a text in which these choices and their consequences are clearly presented and reflected upon. This work starts in the beginning of the PhD process and lasts until the defense. The course is therefor designed to be useful to PhD students at any stage of the process.

The Purpose of the PhD course is to focus on the academic craft that is needed to write and edit the constitutive parts of a dissertation so that these parts join to form a structured and coherent academic text of high quality where the boundary conditions and contributions of the dissertation are clearly presented and discussed. During the course lectures, exercises, and shared discussions we will expand participants’ ’toolbox’ and experience with making the necessary decisions about and in their writing.

The course material draws on research into academic writing, especially regarding clarity, concepts/constructs, form-content relationships, the role of theory, context, quality criteria (e.g., reliability, coherence, transparency, and analytical generalizability). It is also a very practical course with a strong focus on participants’ own PhD project and writing, with exercises and time for writing.

Lecturers: Ninna Meier and Caitlin McMullen, Aalborg University.

ECTS: 3

Number of seats: 16.

Contact

If you have any questions regarding the PhD course, please contact the PhD School.