Academic writing does not have to feel like a struggle. Whether you are battling a blank page, lost in a literature review, or unsure how to frame your findings, this course gives you the skills, strategies, and confidence to write with clarity and authority.
Designed for PhD researchers, the course takes a hands-on approach. We work with authentic texts from your own field and move through the key sections of a research paper (Abstract, Introduction, Literature Review, Methods, Results, Discussion), discussing what makes each one effective and giving you practical techniques you can apply immediately to make the writing process run more smoothly and feel less demanding. Over the course of our sessions together, you will develop a stronger academic voice, a sharper eye for structure and style, and a richer vocabulary to express complex ideas precisely.
The course includes a dedicated module on writing with generative AI. We explore how to use AI tools effectively and how to work with AI-generated text in ways that preserve the quality, integrity, and authenticity of your writing. AI is part of the research landscape, and developing a considered approach to working with it is an increasingly valuable skill.
Throughout the course, your own writing takes centre stage. Drafts are discussed and refined in a warm, collaborative environment, with feedback from both the instructor and your peers. There are no rigid rules here, only genuine support for becoming a more confident and capable academic writer.
Advanced knowledge of English. The Doctoral Schools will invite you to take a compulsory test in advance. Should you not pass this test, you can e.g. take the preparatory course English for Written Academic Purposes.
There is a placement test.
The participants will submit a fragment from an article after the course.
This page gives shared information about the specialised Advanced Academic English: writing skills courses (continuous training).
Recommended books:
* Make sure to mention that you take a language course at the UCT.