An Introduction to Writing at Master's Level

Writing Development CentreUniversity Library

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The Writing Development CentreRobinson Library

An introduction to writing at Master’s level

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Part One: What is a Master’s and what is expected of Master’s students?



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Session outline

Clarifying expectations of Master’s level study: what is the ‘step up’?

Identifying strategies to help make the transition and manage your workload

Focusing on critical reading and writing techniques



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What is expected of Master’s students?

Working in pairs, consider the following:

What is a Master’s for? How do you think a Master’s will differ from an

undergraduate degree?



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What is a Master’s for?

Preparation to enter a profession: academic research (PhD study), industry, business, etc.

To understand how knowledge is constructed in your subject (and how you might contribute to this)

To understand and evaluate the relationships between theory and practice in your discipline



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How does a Master’s differ?

Differs in many ways

Not just a continuation of undergraduate study: not just a case of ‘more of the same’



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Greater level of criticality

Evaluate the extent to which theories can be mapped onto reality How is knowledge constructed in your subject? What do we know?

How do we know it? How sure are we that we know it? What don’t we know?

Identifying gaps in the existing research and setting your own research questions in order to address them.



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Identity

Becoming an independent researcher Moving towards a professional identity Training to become a researcher/practitioner: your work may be

read differently. Higher expectations re. referencing, avoiding plagiarism and accurate writing?

Becoming part of an academic community Discussing ideas with fellow researchers (including your tutors!) Different working relationships with tutors?



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Intensity and workload

PGT courses are often the most demanding and intense, and have the steepest learning curve

May involve adjusting to a new teaching and learning style

More reading and research

Multiple assessment deadlines



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Smoothing the transition: useful strategies

Creating a planner with an overview of the year

Avoiding spending too much time on one assignment

Never too early to start thinking about your dissertation: keep an ideas file

Give yourself time to adjust



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Part Two: Focusing on Criticality



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Why is being critical important?

Example tutor comments on Master’s level assignments:

“Too descriptive”

“More analysis needed”

“Needs less description, more critique”

“This is descriptive rather than analytical”

“You have told me what the theory is rather than how you evaluate it”



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Defining criticality

Skim the questions on your handouts

Focus on the question most appropriate to your discipline and consider the following:

What are students being asked to do? How are they being encouraged to demonstrate criticality? What

does this even mean?!



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Defining criticality

Briefly describe a method for measuring the hardness of a metal. To which

important engineering property does the hardness relate? What are the advantages of the hardness test?

Compare and contrast two abstract works of your choice in

terms of their form and significance.

Critically assess the claim that civil servants, and not politicians, drive the integration process in the Commission

and Council of Ministers.

What is heritage and, if you believe in preserving it, who

should pay?



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What does being ‘critical’ mean?

Not just describing theories, but considering how they can be applied (and the implications of applying them)

Considering the relationship between theory and practice Not just learning or presenting information but ‘doing something

with it’: selecting, ranking, comparing, evaluating Having a particular stance or viewpoint; developing arguments Justifying and/or supporting this viewpoint: explanations,

reasons, evidence Engaging in existing critical/theoretical debates, rather than just

reporting them Being objective: being critical does not mean being negative Asking questions: not taking information sources at ‘face value’



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Reading critically

Use the extract on your handouts as a starting point or ‘trigger’

List all of the critical questions it is useful to ask of your source material: think about every stage of the reading

process



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Critical Questions

Stage One: being selective and getting focused Is this relevant? What am I looking to get from this?

Stage Two: establishing credibility Who is the author? What is their background? Where was this text published?



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Critical Questions

Stage Three: identifying the text’s aims and objectives What is the purpose of this text? Who is the target audience?



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Critical Questions

Stage Four: looking beyond the information presented

What is the text’s main claims? How are they argued? Are there any gaps, leaps in logic, and/or inconsistencies? How is evidence used and interpreted? Are the conclusions consistent with the evidence presented?



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Critical Questions

Stage Five: Your own agenda How are you going to use this source? How does it fit into your own work?



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Writing critically

What does critical writing look like?

How can we signal criticality in our writing?



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Writing critically: editing for criticality

Skim the extracts on your handouts (both taken from the same essay)

Is this writer sufficiently critical? Think about their use of language, as well as the points they make. Are there any

points that could be developed? If so, how might they develop these?



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Editing for criticality: looking for the ‘gaps’

Reviewing your own work is not just about checking for spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors

Writing is dialogue not monologue

Have you answered all of your reader’s questions?



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Summary

Critical reading is about asking questions

Critical writing is about anticipating and addressing readers’ questions



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The Writing Development CentreDevelop your academic skills

Take effective notes Think critically Interpret essay

questions Understand

assessment criteria Read efficiently Argue convincingly Plan assignments Manage your time Express ideas

confidently

• Revise effectively• Critically review

literature • Structure essays• Use drafting & editing

techniques• Make the most of

lectures & seminars• Manage your

dissertation or PhD thesis

• Avoid plagiarism• Improve your exam

technique



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The Writing Development CentreLevel 2, Robinson Library

Undergraduate - Masters - PhD

Our team of expert tutors offers:- Individual tutorials

- Workshops - Online resources

Visit us online to book: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/wdc/

HASS – SAgE - FMS

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/wdc/

An Introduction to Writing at Master's Level

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Transcript of An Introduction to Writing at Master's Level