The document addresses common questions post-graduate students, especially from China, have regarding academic writing practices. It discusses starting a research project, understanding critical thinking, referencing, and assessing one's writing improvements. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of peer review and maintaining disciplined writing habits.

1. Writing a post-graduate
research project
Common questions
arising from post-
graduate students,
particularly from China
Photo by ibrar bhatt https://www.flickr.com/photos/87248369@N03/20406599061/
@ibrar_bhatt i.bhatt@qub.ac.uk
Dr Ibrar Bhatt (巴 亿博)
Lecturer in Education
Director MSc TESOL

2. This talk:
1. Outlines some common questions that post-graduate students,
particularly from China, have asked me regarding their academic
writing practices
2. Explores ways to develop academic writing practice at post-
graduate level, and beyond.

3. Common Questions:
1. How and and when do I start writing
my post-graduate research project?
2. What is ‘critical thinking’ and how do I
apply it in my writing?
3. What about referencing?
4. How do I know if my writing needs
improving? And how do I do this?

4. Opening Activity
Ask the person next to you.
1) When did you write your first piece of academic writing? Was it completed
differently to how you now write (in academia)? What has changed over time?
2) What do you enjoy most about academic writing?
3) What do you dislike most about academic writing?
4) How do you usually collaborate with others in your academic writing? How
have these practices evolved in your life?

5. How and and when do I start writing my
post-graduate research project?
Start immediately
Begin with the part that
most interests you
Maintain a disciplined habit
of note-taking

6. What is ‘critical thinking’ & how do I apply it in
my writing?
No one definition of ‘critical thinking’. It can
include:
examining claims, beliefs, assumptions in
arguments.
how arguments and theses are constructed.
how positions and conclusions are arrived at.
examining vested interests.
detecting and examining fallacies, vested
interests and ‘blind spots’.
- thinking open-mindedly within alternative
systems of thought.
- presenting a point of view, position, thesis

7. Critical reading before critical writing
A Literature Review matrix
‘Conversing’ with your sources
Recording key quotations and arguments within the
literature
Helps you make claims about the literature, e.g.
‘many people say…’ or ‘x has not been examined
before’

8. What about referencing?
Follow the conventions set by your School or Department
Follow them completely and consistently
Check policies about footnotes and non-English sources
Understand the difference between a Reference list and Bibliography
Avoid citation dumping.
If in doubt, ask!

9. How do I know if my writing needs
improving? And how do I do this?
Peer review – both formal and informal
Read your work aloud slowly to your self - sentence by sentence
Rather than asking for ‘feedback’, ask for ‘advice’
Be specific about what you want from advice and feedback
Use the assessment criteria to help you

10. Developing further
From academic writing … to academics writing