Centre for Learning and Study Support (CLaSS): Research Students

The Writing Group for Research Students is a small, informal group that meets on a monthly basis to discuss topics related to writing at doctoral level. Whether you've only just started your research or are in the writing up stages, all research students are welcome. We're always looking for new members, so please do come along to see what we do.

Our 2021/22 meetings are currently planned for online delivery via Microsoft Teams:

• Week 1, 7 October 2021, 10-12 Critical thinking and critical reading
• Week 6, 11 November 2021, 10-12 Managing resources for your literature review
• Week 9, 2 December 2021, 10-12 Literature reviews: planning and structure

In the second hour of each meeting, participants will be invited to take part in a peer review activity. To receive feedback on a sample of your writing from the presenters as well as fellow participants, please email a short draft (no more than 2 pages) to the organiser in advance of the workshop. You can still take part even if you do not want feedback on your own writing.

 The Writing Group for Research Students has a dedicated Teams community space where you can receive communication about future meetings, access resources or simply chat. For more details and/or to join our Teams community, please email Neil Skinner (nskinner@dmu.ac.uk).

There are a wealth of excellent online resources, books and blogs on academic writing, geared towards doctoral students. Some good examples include:

• The Thesis Whisperer. A website with a wide range of contributors, edited by Dr Inger Mewburn
• The Writer's Diet: Helen Sword's website on stylish and productive academic writing
• Patter: Pat Thomson's blog on academic writing

Past events

Please follow the links to access resources from Academic Writing Day: Develop your confidence as a writer and Academic Writing Day 2: Strategies to develop your manuscript for journal publication.

DMU Writing Circle

Delivered by Library and Learning Services (LLS) and Centre for Academic Innovation (CAI)

Date:         Wednesday afternoons, fortnightly during term time

Time:        2pm - 4pm

Location:  Online

The DMU Writing Circle is a community of DMU staff and research students interested in getting writing done and developing their capabilities as writers through participation in a regular social writing community.

Meetings take place on MS Teams, and are open to everyone who registers their interest and becomes part of the Circle. Once you have joined, you won't need to book to attend a session, you can simply come along when you can make it.

DMU research students and DMU staff (academic and professional services) are welcome to join the circle, and all kinds of writing are included. In 2021, we are also looking to invite DMU academic staff who run taught postgraduate programmes or modules to invite their PGT students to participate and 'write alongside'. 

To join the Writing Circle or for more information contact Jason Eyre- jeyre@dmu.ac.uk - Centre for Learning and Study Support.



Research Students often enquire about proofreading support.

The research degree regulations at DMU (section 14.3) allow for "limited assistance with proof reading... with the prior approval of the supervisor". The role of a professional proofreader is limited to correcting "spelling, grammar and punctuation accuracy", but otherwise it is vital that the document is the student's own work.

The CLaSS Proofreading for Grammar Toolkit offers useful advice on developing your own proofreading strategies.