Slides from a new Academic Writing Workshop for both masters and PhD students and organised by the iSchool Society and the 301 Student Skills and Development Centre at the University of Sheffield. The topic covered "Writing Up Your Research: How, What, When and Where?" This session broke down the process of writing involved in a research project to look at some of the common obstacles and challenges. It introduced a number of ideas and strategies to get your writing moving forward.

1. iSchool Society
Research Writing:
How, What, Where, When?

2. By the end of this session, you will be able to:
• Identify the challenges and pitfalls of the writing process
• Formulate a clear hypothesis and plan to work towards
• Map your research project and develop a realistic and
productive writing strategy
Learning Outcomes
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3. Behavioural
Writer’s BASE:
http://writersdiet.com/base.php
© The University of Sheffield*
Social
Emotional
Artisanal/skill
Air & Light & Time & Space:
How Successful Academics
Write, Helen Sword

4. © The University of Sheffield18/07/2018
What are the main
challenges of the
writing process?

5. When is the right time to start writing?
• Writing is part of the planning process
• Writing is part of the thinking process
• Writing runs in parallel to data collection and analysis
• Writing is part of the research process…not a
separate skill set
Writing Up…When?
© The University of Sheffield*

6. What is your target word count?
What is your deadline?
• Work out how many days you have until your
deadline
• Take away weekends, holidays, conferences and
other anticipated ‘days off’
• Divide your word count by the number of
days remaining
Writing Up…How?
© The University of Sheffield*

7. How productively can you write?
In five minutes…
For example:
• I am writing a dissertation about…
• I think this is interesting because…
• The main challenges of my research are…
• The main aims of my research are…
So…start writing!
© The University of Sheffield*
5 minutes

8. Voice in
Research Writing

9. Voice in Research
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Hyland K. (2002) Options of identity in academic writing.
ELT Journal 56/4: 351-58.
The process of learning to write at university often involves the
process of creating a new identity (Fan Shen 1988) which fits the
expectations of the subject teachers who represent a student’s
discipline. The author’s explicit appearance in a text, or its
absence, works to create a plausible academic identity, and a
voice with which to present an argument.
Average frequency of writer pronouns (per journal article)

10. Voice in Research
© The University of Sheffield*
What is your stance?
• Write in the first person (e.g. I argue…; I propose…;
my research suggests…; my research is important
because…)
• Use language accessible to a non-specialist (i.e. a
‘lay summary’)
• Boil it down to 2-3 sentences
• Own your research!

11. Mapping
Your Writing

12. What are the main sections of your project?
• Identify the main sections and subsections of your
project
• Use post-it notes to plan a flexible structure
• Do the sections flow logically from one to the next?
Mapping Your Writing
© The University of Sheffield*

13. Writing
Strategy

14. Where does writing fit into your day?
• Get out your diaries or use the week planner
template
• Identify ten one-hour slots over the next two weeks
• Commit this time to the writing process
Making the time
© The University of Sheffield*

15. Plan ahead; what will you write?
• Look back at your project map
• Identify which part of the project you will write about
in each of the ten one-hour slots
• Hit the ground running!
Making the time
© The University of Sheffield*

16. Peer Review

17. Make peer review work for you!
• Share your stance and plan with a neighbour
• How realistic are their plans? Do you have any
constructive suggestions or advice to offer?
• Would a critical friend be useful for you beyond this
workshop?
Peer Review
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18. Useful Resources: TUOS
© The University of Sheffield*
301
Study Skills
Tutorials
Thesis
Mentoring
Scheme
MASH
Service
ELTC
Writing
Advisory
Service

19. Manchester University
Academic Phrasebank
Useful Resources: Websites
© The University of Sheffield*
The Thesis
Whisperer
The Writer’s Diet,
Helen Sword

20. Useful Resources: Apps
© The University of Sheffield*
The Most Dangerous
Writing App
Hemingway Editor
Grammarlay Ilys

21. iSchool Society
Research Writing:
How, What, Where, When?