“You must do the things you think you cannot do”
Writing Course For Phd candidates
The PhD Writing Course is the signature offer for PhD students at Academic Coach. Writing your PhD is one of the hardest things you will ever do as a writer as it requires you to bring original cutting edge research to life in an enormous dissertation of between 80-100,000 words. It is the longest, and most technically complex piece of writing you have ever done. PhD programmes offer lots of training on research and methods, and your supervisor will be there to give you subject specific guidance - guidance on your ideas. They will comment on your writing sporadically. But they probably won’t advise you on how to write your PhD, nor will your programme offer an intensive writing course that offers both the practical and psychological support needed to complete this complex piece of writing.
Course outcomes
This course will teach you to:
Craft your writing to the PhD standard
Basic research, reading and note-taking skills that will support your writing
Engage in critical writing
Shape your thesis so that it becomes a coherent whole
Editing techniques so you can improve your drafting skills
Avoid procrastination and navigate imposter syndrome
This course is for you if:
You want to establish a reliable, effective, efficient writing habit that enables you to complete in 3 years
You want more intensive technical training on writing and editing
You want to understand the common pitfalls of the PhD and how to avoid them
You need support with the emotional barriers to writing, and how to overcome them
You want to overcome imposter syndrome, perfectionism and procrastination
You want to understand how to be more efficient at research, note taking and research collation
You want better outcomes from, and communication with, your supervisor
We offer the PhD Writing Course to support you through the process of writing a PhD. It will provide intensive on-line mentorship and coaching that will take you through the mechanics of writing a PhD, and help you through the practical and emotional barriers that PhD students can encounter during this three year writing marathon. It offers practical solutions for getting the most out of your scholarship as well as advice on getting the most out of your supervision in order to propel your writing to the PhD level. It employs Academic Coach’s Framework for Writing Success and is guided by our writing philosophy. The programme is driven by insights gained from the latest research into doctoral studies, and Academic Coach’s professional experience.
You can start this course at anytime on your PhD - it is not tied to a specific staging post. By the end of this course, you will know everything you need to know to successfully author a PhD.
How the course works
The course comprises 10 modules which you can choose to do over 10 weeks or as you are ready to tackle each element. Each module is designed be followed daily, with 5 daily coaching sessions. Each session will include a short coaching video, and some material which sets out tasks, tips and tricks to invigorate your writing so that you can become a happier writer. The course can be started at any time. It is available as soon as you buy it. This means you can start at a time to suit you. This course enables participants to progress the course at their own speed, choosing the time that best suits them to engage with course material. In addition tot he course material, there are 4 BONUS webinars pre-recorded for you to listen to that will deal with detailed editing advice.
Writing your PhD should be a joy. It should not be an isolating or intimidating experience. The PhD Writing Course by Academic Coach aims to bring that joy back into the PhD writing process. If this sounds like the kind of help you need, then click below to buy this course.
Where does this fit in our range of services?
The PhD Writing Course is usually the entry point for PhD coaching. This Course will help you establish a writing habit that you can rely on, and take you through the mechanics of writing your PhD. Many students couple this course with the live events that deliver specific PhD skills training that take place throughout the year, and are members of Writing Sprint Club for accountability.
If you are looking for other short, intensive, courses related to writing specific aspects of the PhD, and you don’t feel you are ready to commit to the main Thesis programme please consult the page on short-online courses.
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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