English, Research Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences

The course is intended for second-cycle students who write academic prose in English. Diverse academic text genres and writing strategies for L1 and L2 are studied with a starting point in a research survey of the research field of academic writing. By examining such research on rhetoric, conventions and stylistics, and then applying the knowledge thus acquired to their own writing, the students will develop a broader repertoire of writing strategies. The course is focused on linguistic aspects in English that present particular challenges in academic writing. Such aspects will be explored from a functional perspective, for example the specific challenges often encountered when writing about other people's research or academic works. The course also explores digital tools that can support the writing of texts and lexical precision. Continuous writing and response exercises are part of the course and the teacher will provide feedback throughout the course. Ideally, students should be in a 'writing phase' of their academic studies.