“A man thinks that by mouthing hard words he understands hard things”
Short Writing skills Courses For Phd candidates
If you are looking for precise interventions to help you develop your writing skills, the PhD short course series is the service you need. Academic Coach has four skills coaching courses that tackle discrete elements of writing a PhD: The Literature Review Course, the Critical Analysis Skills Course and the two Editing Courses (Macro and Micro Editing). You can find all these courses, including the course description of the content covered in the shop here.
The short course series is for you if:
You have no problem with your writing habit - that is turning up to write and being efficient in your processes
You want to find out detailed information that will guide you through specific aspects of the PhD
Your supervisor has commented on your writing style, or level (critical analysis)
You are having trouble constructing a whole thesis from fragmented parts (editing)
You have no idea how to start and complete your literature review or what its function is in the PhD (Lit review)
How the courses work
You pay for the service in the shop and are sent a digital link to the course. The courses offer a short, sharp intervention to address a particularly difficult part of your PhD, or a particularly difficult skillset you are struggling with. In the Lit Review and Critical Analysis courses, the course content is delivered through a web link and you will receive content that comprises a number of coaching videos, text and other linked resources to guide you through the course material. The editing courses are delivered as standalone powerpoint based presentation which guide you through the precise steps of editing your PhD at different levels.
Where does this fit in our range of services?
Short courses are often used to complement the signature PhD Writing Course and/or 1-1 coaching sessions as they provide much more detailed guidance on specific elements that you can return to again and again. PhD candidates might also be interested in live coaching events that focus on the PhD skillset delivered throughout the year. Please consult the events page here to find out when the next event (and its topic) will be.
Testimonials
“I would like to say an enormous thank you to you for providing such a high-quality, PhD writing course. Before it started, I guiltily confess, that I believed that I probably knew much of what there was to come. You proved me so wrong! There was not one session in which I felt I was not learning or being reminded of something important. I was impressed by the depth of thought that had been put into the structure and design of the course. It was in no way overwhelming; just right, bite-sized amounts to think about. In these small bursts, it did not get in the way of my daily schedule. Instead, it set me off for the day and helped me to learn more discipline and better writing habits. I loved your delivery - direct, frank and sometimes making me laugh out loud! After 10 weeks I will miss my daily lesson. ”
“I really enjoyed this writing course and would definitely recommend it to PhD students throughout their journey. I am a final year student and the course has truly transformed my writing and time management practices. I started each day with the tasks from the daily sessions, which helped set me up for a day of writing. Making task lists of 15 minute activities has been particularly useful; I now feel like I can work productively even when time is short. Before the course, I wouldn’t have entertained the thought of opening my laptop if I only had 30 minutes, whereas now, that time is enough to tick two activities off my to-do list. I also enjoyed the editing module, as I tend to get drawn into the rabbit hole of revising one paragraph for weeks on end. The tips provided by Melanie have allowed me to work through papers and chapters in a fraction of the time, whilst still making meaningful edits. Thanks to this course, I now have a daily routine I can stick to, and can finally see the light at the end of the PhD tunnel.”
“I found the course useful because it worked with daily reminders/emails and the focus on REALISTIC progress. I think this is really helpful when you are half way in your phd as this can sometimes be an alienating experience. Also I appreciated the tips and (sometimes) very strict but accurate advice! I think it was a feasible and empowering course that I would recommend it to all students, but particularly to those that are halfway through the PhD.”
“The PhD writing course has equipped me with all the necessary tools to complete a PhD, which no one ever explains! It’s given me a framework to structure my PhD and write effectively. All the different elements of PhD writing and the experience itself are broken down into easily digestible chunks and the daily videos and task lists ensure that you cover all aspects. This course has definitely been the best bit of money I’ve spent on my PhD course and after 10 weeks I will miss the daily videos! I couldn’t recommend this more.
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