Academic Writing
Ph.D. -course
- ECTS credits
- 5
- Teaching semesters Autumn, Spring
- Course code
- SV901
- Number of semesters
- 2
- Teaching language
- English
- Resources
- Schedule
Course description
Objectives and Content
The course is designed to provide participants with advanced knowledge of theory and research in academic writing. It highlights how writing processes and methodologies can themselves serve as scientific methods. Through the analysis and discussion of various disciplinary traditions and text genres within academic writing, participants will gain an overview of different writing styles, text forms and rhetorical strategies for writing academically with eloquence and a clear purpose. The academic culture of text review and supervision will be examined critically, and practical text work during the course will contribute to deepening the knowledge and skills of text revision in relation to one's own and others' texts. Additionally, various publication channels and forms within national and international forums will be explored.
Learning Outcomes
Full course (5 ECTS):
KNOWLEDGE
The candidate:
- possesses advanced knowledge of theory and research in academic writing
- has advanced knowledge of genres and conventions within academic writing
- Has advanced knowledge of rhetorical style for academic writring
- understands different levels of text, text construction, and text structure
- comprehends writing as a process
- has knowledge of creative academic writing
- understands strategies for editing, developing and reviewing a text for publication
- is aware of different publication channels
SKILLS
The candidate:
- can elucidate and evaluate theoretical directions within writing and writing research
- is able to formulate an academic text for a specified audience/publication
- can apply theoretical insights regarding text and text construction in their own writing
- can analyse and describe relevant academic texts within their field as academic rhetoric
- can provide feedback on others' academic texts
GENERAL COMPETENCE
The candidate:
- can identify and establish connections between writing practices, writing conventions, and research traditions in academic writing, relating these to their own field of study
- can discuss and provide highly qualified feedback on various academic texts and issues
- can reflect on and document their current writing practices and how these can be developed and applied to enhance their own research
Partial course (2 ECTS):
KNOWLEDGE
The candidate:
- possesses advanced knowledge of theory and research in academic writing
- has advanced knowledge of genres and conventions within academic writing
- has advanced knowledge of rhetorical style for academic writring
- understands different levels of text, text construction, and text structure
- comprehends writing as a process
- has knowledge of creative academic writing
- understands strategies for editing, developing and reviewing a text for publication
- is aware of different publication channels
SKILLS AND GENERAL COMPETENCE
The candidate:
- can discuss and provide highly qualified feedback on various academic texts and issues
ECTS Credits
Full course yields 5 ECTS (participation, delivering of article/chapter draft for feedback, peer feedback, course essay 3-4000 words)
Partial course yields 2 ECTS points (participation, delivering of article/chapter draft for feedback, peer feedback)
Level of Study
PhD
Semester of Instruction
Autumn
Place of Instruction
University of Bergen
Required Previous Knowledge
None
Credit Reduction due to Course Overlap
None
Access to the Course
PhD students.
Postdoctoral researchers and MA level students will be accepted if space permits.
Teaching and learning methods
Course programme will be published shortly.
Compulsory Assignments and Attendance
- Attandance 80%
- Delivery of draft for feedback and peer feedback
- Composing a "writing journal" (for those who attend full course of 5 ECTS)
Forms of Assessment
5 ECTS (full course):
- Review of the feedback on other participant's draft
- Paper (course essay with reflections of theory of writing, 3-4000 words) with an additional list of 200 pages selected from the reading list. This list supplies the list of core literature. Submission deadline for the course essay is 03.02.2026.
2 ECTS (partial course):
- Review of the feedback on other participant's draft
Grading Scale
Pass/Fail
Assessment Semester
Autumn
Reading List
The reading list is available here.
Course Evaluation
The course is evaluated during the teaching semester.
Programme Committee
The Programme Board for the PhD Programme at the Faculty of Social Sciences are responsible for the academic content and quality for courses included in the training component.
Course Coordinator
Associated Professor Iben Brinch
Course Administrator
Department of Information Science and Media Studies