Structure Your Writing Well in English (113)

22 September 2023

Maura Hannon

Well written English that moves beyond grammatically correct sentences uses quintessentially English structural rules at the sentence, paragraph and thesis level. Solid structure removes unnecessary distractions from content and is fundamental in any writing context.

• Learn the structural elements expected by an English audience.
• Apply these elements in your daily work for stronger emails and cover letters to your external partners.
• Make the writing process of scientific articles, journal pieces and reports more efficient.
• Use structure to assist with the navigation through the complexity of academic and thesis writing.

The workshop will use a number of approaches including small group and large interactions, and activity/problem solving based activities. Each topic block will be followed by a concept application exercise. Participants will be asked to present and discuss their solution in class.

Topics:

• Tips and tricks in sentence writing.
• The fundamental building block: the paragraph.
• Differing chapter structures and the role of the conclusion.
• How to write an introduction.
• Adapting structure to fit audience, purpose and style.

The workshop aims to help students understand structure requirements when writing in English. These skills can be applied with confidence in any current or future environment where the participant is required to write in English. The application of these skills in the drafting process will increase writing efficiency and remove distractions from content.

Learning Outcomes:

Following the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Identify fundamental structures in a variety of writing formats
• Apply their understanding of the fundamental building blocks in paragraph development
• Develop logically organized chapters and conclusions
• Draft introductions that clearly define a specific research space
• Confidently adjust structure for audience, purpose and style.

Requirements:

Participants will need to have an English proficiency level of B1/B2 or above.

Preparatory Work:

Participants should submit one to two A4 pages of their own academic writing by email no later than one week before the course. To derive maximum benefit, the work should not have been been edited by someone else. Participants work directly on this sample during the day. A second, edited version of the same sample will be returned during the workshop with individual feedback. All samples of work will be held in utmost confidence.

University of Neuchâtel

Date: Friday, 22nd September

Time: 9:15 am to 5:15 pm

Location: University of Neuchâtel

Trainer:

Maura Hannon has over 20 years professional writing experience including writing, editing and translating business documents in diverse fields such as social media, banking, automotive and fast moving consumer products. She has in-depth experience in editing academic works in arts, business and science disciplines, in teaching language and writing skills, and preparing students for Cambridge exams.

Ms Hannon has been project manager for commercial innovation projects (eg Kraft, Colgate, BASF, VW Financial Services, Fortescue Mining Group), often in a cross-cultural setting. She has coordinated and participated in the writing, editing and dissemination of a range of documents in the field of micro-economic reform in Australia, and has delivered parliamentary, speech and press material in the Western Australian Parliament under strict time restraints.

A graduate of the University of Western Australia and the Curtin University of Technology, Ms Hannon is a winner of the Graduate School of Business Meritorious Achievement Prize (MBA with Distinction), and of the Convocation medal for Political Science (BA Hons, First class).

Participants are eligible for reimbursement of incurred travel expenses by train between the city of their university and the location of the workshop (half-fare card, 2nd class).

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