S4 Workshop: Kick-starting your Doctoral Thesis - Scientific Writing

For many PhD students, writing the PhD thesis can seem like an enormous mountain to climb. With little or no guidance, it is all too easy to lose yourself in searches for sources, stray away from the overall message of the thesis and feel frustrated with writing progress. This workshop provides a roadmap to help participants through this process, helping them to use their time more efficiently.

Dates: Monday through Friday, Nov. 4 - Nov. 8 (5 days half-days total)
Training Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 CEST 
Additional Work: Afternoons should be reserved for independent writing
Location: Remote via Zoom
Trainer: Dr. Deborah Bennett

Completion of this workshop will earn IMPRS-IS scholars 3 program credit points.

Some key aspects of this training focus on how to:

• Optimize writing time
• Develop a clear structure
• Craft key subsections of the thesis

Workshop Overview: This workshop helps participants create a clear, detailed structure for their thesis, providing them with a roadmap to help them continue their writing after the workshop. Participants receive tips on how to create an effective structure and learn strategies for improving writing productivity. They also discover key elements that must be included in each section and are given practical tasks centered around crafting key subsections of their thesis.

Course Content: This course takes participants through the manuscript section by section. A typical example of course content is shown below.

• Differences between a thesis and a research article
• Techniques for productive writing
• Creating a clear structure
• Key elements of each section
• Crafting crucial subsections

Method: Instructional sessions focus on the key ideas behind coherent and cohesive writing, with practical sessions providing participants with many opportunities to apply the new ideas to their own work. The small group size fosters discussion between participants, prompting peer feedback and new perspectives.

More About our Trainer: Dr. Deborah Bennet has a PhD in Mathematical Biology, an MA in Teaching English for Academic Purposes and more than ten years of teaching experience in a wide range of teaching contexts. Since founding BETA in 2010, she has offered regular workshops for postgraduates and faculty members at various research institutions in Western Europe. She is an ILM-certified trainer and remains active in English for Academic Purposes research.

With interest in joining, register below. With questions, please contact Sara Sorce (sara.sorce@tuebingen.mpg.de) for assistance.

Note* By registering for this workshop, you express your interest to participate. In the event that a workshop’s interest exceeds attendance capacity, registrations will undergo a review process considering multiple aspects such as motivation, interest, and fit. All registrants will be notified of selection outcomes before each respective workshop.

Photo credit: Adobe Stock / Wayfair homestudio