Writing your PhD First-Year Report

This course is intended for PhD students in their first year who are currently working on their First Year Report.

The course consists of a series of small-group workshop-style classes rather than traditional lectures. These will be task-based and interactive, emphasising active student participation. In online settings, we expect that students will have their cameras and microphones switched on, for the best learning experience for you and your colleagues.

Week 1: Academic discourse 

  • To understand and identify the key elements of academic discourse.
  • To explore and discuss the genre and conventions of first-year PhD reports.
  • To read and analyse a lay summary and produce your own.

 


Week 2: Writing introductions

  • To explore the functional elements and organisation of report introductions using Swales' CARS model.
  • To analyse sample introductions, discuss variations, and introduce useful language features.
  • To begin drafting parts of your introduction.

 


Week 3: Reviewing literature

  • To explore the key purposes and complexity of literature reviews.
  • To understand various organisational patterns for structuring literature reviews.
  • To draft a section of your literature review.

 


Week 4: Proposing research

  • To understand the components of a well-structured methods section, including research questions and timeline.
  • To participate in an informal practice session simulating your first-year review board meeting.
  • To draft a section outlining your research methodology.

 


Week 5: Individual feedback and support

  • This week provides an opportunity for individual feedback in one of two ways: either by receiving written feedback on a submitted piece of writing, or by attending a one-to-one tutorial to discuss questions or work-in-progress. Use this time to clarify any issues arising from the course materials and to explore further development of your academic literacies.
     

  • Online - Monday 09:00-11:00
  • In-person - Wednesday 11:00-13:00 (Holyrood Campus)
  • In-person - Friday 10:00-12:00 (Holyrood Campus)
     

This course is designed to support University of Edinburgh research students in their first year as they prepare their First-Year Report. It focuses on developing the academic literacies essential for doctoral-level writing. Through mini-lectures, analysis of authentic reports, and interactive tasks, you will explore the typical structures and language features of these documents.

The content and learning objectives are the same for both the in-person and online versions of the course. Classes focus on discussion, allowing for active engagement with the material. Course materials will be available on Learn Ultra throughout the course.

Your tutor will meet you for a class once per week, either on-line or in-person, depending which option you have chosen. 

You will have one opportunity for individual feedback, choosing either to submit a short piece of writing for written feedback, or to book a one-to-one tutorial in the final week.

By the end of the course, students should have a better understanding of:

  • ways of structuring the content of the report
  • ways of organising the different sections of the report
  • appropriate language for the different sections of the report and how to use that language accurately
  • any specific language areas that will need further work

This course is intended for PhD students in their first year who are currently working on their First-Year Report. The course will be repeated in Semester 2. 

For the first semester, priority for places will go to those who started their PhD programme in Semester 2 of 2023/24. Note this course is *not* open to those doing an MSc by Research, and any applicants who are on such a programme will be cancelled from the course.


Please note that applications will close on Sunday 26 October 2025.


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