Dissertation Writing Workshop: Editing for Clarity

How to write a high-quality PhD dissertation in history? In small groups, students present and discuss their own PhD writing with peers and faculty. The joint module focus on how to edit texts to make them more precise and clear.

Pen, text, notes

Nic McPhee, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The Dissertation Writing Workshops are designed to support PhD fellows in all phases of their work. Here you can discuss your manuscripts with peers and faculty, and get helpful advice. We also focus on a particular challenge in the writing process each time we meet. 

Workshops are independent of each other and are offered regularly, organized by NRSH's partner institutions on a rotating basis. We encourage you attend as many as possible in order to help you write excellent thesis.

In the registration form, you may list up to three teachers from any one of NRSH's partner institutions. We will try to get one of these to comment on your text.

Joint module, appr. 4 hours, on how to edit texts to make them more precise and clear. (More details will follow).

Small groups, appr. 4 hours: Student manuscripts are discussed in groups composed of peers and a faculty member. We allocate up to 45 minutes for discussion of each paper. Students read all the drafts in their group carefully and offer comments and suggestions. One of the students are appointed as chair; another as first respondent; and the roles will rotate in the group.

These workshops assist PhD candidates in:

  • meeting high international standards in their fields of research;
  • improving writing skills and ability to critically assess and comment on manuscripts; 
  • becoming comfortable presenting and discussing their work in professional settings, which is essential to their achieving professional and international recognition; 
  • completing their doctorates within the stipulated time frame;
  • building networks with peers and faculty at other universities and university colleges. 

1 ECTS online course, organized by The University of South-Eastern Norway. Confirmed teachers:

Professor Kai Peter Østberg, Associate professor Eirik Brazier

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Student preparations

Students participate with a manuscript. The text can be early writing (project descriptions, text segments) or more developed texts (draft chapters or articles). Maximum length is 6000 words excl. references. If you submit a longer text, please indicate which parts of the text you want your readers to focus on. The first page(s) should state your name, indicate stage of process you're at (beginning, mid, end/or number of semesters into your project), provide the draft dissertation title and a draft outline of its chapters/articles. We recommend that the draft outline include abstracts of 100-200 words for each chapter/article. Texts should be in Scandinavian languages or English. It is not possible to attend without a manuscript.

In addition, you will be expected to read materials for the joint module, and take part in discussing appr. 3 manuscripts. You will serve as chair for the discussion of one manuscript and as main commentator for another.

Essential information

This is a digital course, and we will be using Zoom for the sessions. 

Application deadline: 3 February 2025. We accept applications as they come in. To increase the likelihood of getting one of your preferred teaches as commentators, we recommend that you sign up before 31 December 2024.

Click here to apply for the workshop

Deadline for manuscripts is 10 February 2025. Students upload their manuscripts to MS Teams. You will be added to the room when your application is accepted.

Course conveners: Professor Kai Peter Østberg and Associate Professor Eirik Brazier

The workshop is estimated to 1 ECTS.*

*For PhD students in History at IAKH, the workshop counts as participation in the department’s text development seminar with a manuscript. 

Partner institutions:

Strategic Partner:

Tags: PhD workshop, Writing, Doctoral fellowship
Published Oct. 2, 2024 10:57 AM - Last modified Dec. 18, 2024 9:01 AM