Making academic writing accessible

Course Dates

By studying this week, the students should have:

become familiar with navigating around the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and from VLE to links and back
test your ability to access files and the web conferencing software and sort out any problems with the help of the Technology Enhanced Learning team
learn how to look for, assess and reference internet resources
contribute to a discussion forum to introduce yourself to other students and discuss why you are interested in the course and what you hope to get out of your studies

To discuss the nature of academic writing.

to provide an understanding of the language and system of academic writing
to provide an appreciation of what makes academic writing seem elite or opaque to the general reader
to discuss how academic writing can be deconstructed

To show how academic writing can be made more accessible to the general reader.

to provide an understanding of style, language, brevity and clarity
to provide an appreciation of writing that can communicate, inform, and induce delight
to experiment with rewriting a short piece of academic script into a more accessible style

To explore what a story is, what it is for, and how to shape one.

to provide an understanding of the 'hook', and the means to find one
to provide an appreciation of structure, framing the narrative and driving it on
to provide the means to recognise and assess what makes a good story

To explore different styles of writing

To look at how to approach publication.

to provide an understanding of what agents, publishers, and the media want from writers
to provide an insight into the potential for self-publishing
to provide knowledge about how best to approach publication