Scientific writing workshop (MA)

The class is focused on acquiring theoretical knowledge and development of practical abilities of scientific writing, preparing students for writing their MA thesis as well as the challenges of their further scientific career.

The course is a continuation of the “Scientific Workshop” taught during undergraduate

studies. As part of the “Scientific Writing Workshop”, emphasis will be placed on

developing skills in reading and writing academic texts. The aim of the workshop is to

prepare students for writing their thesis.

During the course, the structure of a text will be discussed. Students will have the

opportunity to familiarize themselves with various types of academic writing and conduct

independent analyses of scientific texts. They will learn methods for creating citations

and bibliographies using editors and specialized software (e.g., Zotero). Students will

independently analyze the structure of scientific texts.

Throughout the course, they will become acquainted with the concept of a research

problem, adapt a research method to address it, engage in discussions, and present results

and conclusions. They will independently create a literature review and evaluate the

reliability of sources.

Students will learn methods for structuring a text, including chapters, subchapters, and

paragraphs. During the course, they will understand the importance of the review process

and the principles of peer review.

Additionally, ethical issues in academic writing will be addressed, including plagiarism,

self-plagiarism, paraphrasing, and proper citation of sources.

Reading, Writing, and Researching for History: A Guide for College Students’, Patrick

Rael, (Brunswick, ME: Bowdoin College, 2004),

http://www.bowdoin.edu/writing‐guides/.

‘A Short Guide to Writing About History’, Richard Marius, Melvin E. Page

‘Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students’, Stephen Bailey

The internet sources

https://www.academic-englishuk.com/

http://www.uefap.net/

https://owl.purdue.edu/

• The student knows and understands advanced methods of analysis and interpretation of information given in scientific publications (K_W13);

• The student can seek out, analyse, select and use information concerning archaeological sources and their context from publications and digital sources, subjecting them to critical assessment and creative interpretation (K_U01);

• The student can define research problems, create original concepts, formulate and test hypotheses in the field archaeology in written form (K_U04);

• The student can independently form conclusions, present arguments and create synthetic summaries presenting various views in written form (K_U05);

• The student can take part in an academic debate in written form (K_U08);

• The student can present research results in written form, using specialised academic language and using terminology specific to archaeology (K_U11);

• The student can use the English language on B2+ level as defined in the European System of Description of Language Learning, including specialised terminology related to archaeology; the student applies the academic register and appropriate structures (K_U13)

• The student is ready to use the acquired knowledge and skills and is aware of the need to confront it with the opinions of experts (K_K01);

• The student is ready to critically assess interpretations of archaeological and historical sources and is aware of the multi-aspect nature of such interpretations (K_K04).

The primary goal of the course is its practical aspect, namely, having students create

sections of their thesis. For this reason, it is essential that participants already have their

master’s thesis subjects.

The course emphasizes formative assessment – students will receive feedback on their

writing progress and skill development.

Practical tasks include:

- Preparing a literature review related to the master’s thesis topic

- Developing a concept of discussing and presenting the material

- Selecting a research method appropriate for the thesis topic

- Writing an abstract for an academic text and selecting relevant keywords

- Preparing a poster or presentation

The course will partially implement a flipped classroom approach, where students read

assigned materials before class. Preparation is a key element, allowing class time to be

used more (inter)actively and efficiently. Therefore, it is crucial that students come to

class prepared.

A maximum of two absences is allowed.