Academic Writing 2 : The Tone, Grammar and Structure Employed in a Conventional Research Paper (102)

6 May 2026

Guy Walker

1. Purpose

This training course will help doctoral candidates identify the rhetorical ('move') structure and address grammar (e.g., appropriate tense use and complex structures) related to various parts of an academic article. There will also be further work on paragraph development using topic sentences.

2. Target group

The workshop is designed for doctoral candidates who are not native English speakers. Please review carefully the information below before you request registration. 
The course is aimed at doctoral candidates who have reached the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). To assess your level, please use the following tool based on the CEFR. 
ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/files/8a87d2f5-aba8-4272-b8f1-4922fe12c425

Participants are strongly recommended to take this as a second training course after Academic Writing 1: The Basics of Academic Writing in English. or a similar introductory course in academic writing.

3. Learning objectives

The main aim of the course is to support the further development of the individual writer's skill, confidence, and effectiveness when writing texts necessary to complete a doctoral program. By the end of the course, participants should be able to:

- identify the rhetorical ('move') structure used in specific sections of a research paper,- address grammar (e.g., tense use and complex structures) related to various parts of an academic article, - continue to form 'language friendships' with other CUSO students in order to improve their writing through reciprocal feedback.

4. Training content

The course will focus on language issues related to the Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion sections of a conventional research paper. It will also explore the possibilities and dangers of assistance by AI tools.

5. Preparation for the training

The instructor would like to review each participant's writing prior to the workshop. Participants need to provide a summary (maximum 300 words) in formal English defending their choice of research topic (i.e., explaining what makes it interesting and important). IMPORTANT: the principal aim of this preparatory work is to provide your instructor with a snapshot of your current level of written English, which will enable him to tailor the course to the specific needs of the group. Therefore, DO NOT use AI tools when writing your summary, unless it is to correct basic grammar and spelling.
Participants will also select what they consider to be a 'typical article' (in English) in their specific field of research. It should be an article from a high-impact international journal and the type of study should ideally be similar to their own. The model article will be used as a source of stylistic and linguistic information during the workshop.
The 300-word summary should be emailed to the instructor one week prior to the workshop date. Participants are asked to have ready access to their own copy of these texts during the workshop.

University of Lausanne

Date: Wednesday 6th May 2026

Schedule: 9am to 4:45 pm

Place: University of Lausanne

Trainer:

Guy Walker is a British language instructor who has worked extensively with doctoral candidates in his various roles as language coach, leader of academic communication workshops, and teacher of academic and scientific writing. After studying French and History, he began a career as a teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) which involved working with students of all ages and at all levels in a variety of countries. Since arriving in Switzerland in 1999, he has mostly worked at university level, helping students in all fields of study communicate their research effectively in English. More than three decades of teaching has convinced him that the most engaging, enjoyable and productive way of improving language skills is by 'doing', and his courses are therefore largely hands-on.

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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