| | |
Write Like an Academic (WLA) is a corpus-informed academic writing course and proof-reading and editing service.
The Write like an Academic course is free to individual users. If you want more information or you want to support our work, please visit our About Us page.
Our proof-reading and editing service is a fee-based service.
|
Want to join the course?
- If you don't have an account, click the logo to create one. Follow the instructions to confirm your account by email.
- If you have an account, log in with your username and password and enrol in the first UNIT.
|
- It is primarily designed to provide support and guidance to Master's and PhD candidates in writing their theses, and to researchers wishing to publish in English medium journals.
- If you want a quick overview, watch the slidecast below, and then read on to learn more about WLA and how it may help you with your academic writing:
|
| | | | 1 |
Is WLA for me? WLA can help you if:
 Your first language is not English and you are studying or conducting research in an English medium environment. - You have to produce extended academic writing in English. specifically a Masters or PhD thesis, or an article for publication.
- Your level of English is at least upper-intermediate.
- You wish to work in your own time and at your own pace in an online environment.
If you need systematic help in producing consistently good academic writing in English, then Write Like an Academic can give you the support you need to succeed.
If your level of academic English is quite high, and you would prefer some help with a specific piece of work, you may prefer to submit your work directly to the WLA Proof Reading and Editing Service. | 
| | | 2 |
What is inside?
Write like an Academic has been designed to help you with each stage of writing a major academic work, such as a thesis, dissertation, or article. Each of the ten units in WLA covers a major aspect of producing academic work, in line with the structure and expectations of your audience.
WLA will also provide assistance in terms of pointing you towards other useful resources, and software applications as you proceed through the course. The slide presentation below tells you a little more about the processes involved in this:
|
....
|
There are 10 units in WLA:
- Making the most of WLA
- Academic Ethics and Plagiarism
- Writing Research and Thesis Proposals
- Writing Introductions
- Writing a Literature Review
- Writing up your Methodology
- Writing up your Data Analysis
- Writing your Conclusion
- Writing your Abstract
- Acknowledgements and Feedback
|
|
|
| | | 3 |
How was it developed?
Write Like an Academic has evolved over more than ten years of teaching academic writing to postgraduate students.
|
| | | 4 | Why is it special?
Write Like an Academic is an innovative approach to teaching academic writing, based on well documented research findings and methodological principles. The features that make WLA exceptional are:
- Access to the
- WLA Target Corpus through a concordancing programme. This programme helps you to systematically explore and learn from real academic writing.
- WLA Bank of MOVEs which provide you with the language that you will need at each stage of your work.
- WLA 165, a list of 165 key words that you will need to master to write like an academic.
- Training in the use of
- software applications that will help you with your writing.
- your own 'i-corpus' so that you can study the language used in your own specific field of study.
 The clearly structured and sequenced set of the ten units in WLA is designed to allow you to reach the point where you feel able to deal with academic writing autonomously and independently.
- Clear exemplifications of what you need to achieve in your writing.
- Online tasks to help you develop your academic writing skills.
- Discussion forums to enable you to discuss your work with other WLA users and share resources and ideas.
If you would like to know more about the WLA research and course design, please consult our 'white paper' below: |
| | | 5 | Only for self-study?
- Write Like an Academic is ideal for you if you are an individual researcher and you need to be flexible and work at your own pace.
- WLA also provides a complete syllabus in its own right.
- If you are a lecturer and you wish to make use of WLA, it is available as a package for an academic semester in the same way that you would buy a course book - in other words at a cost per user.
- What is more, included in the price we would set up a specific MOODLE course, and provide technical support as required. Please contact us if you want more information.
- Institutions can also obtain WLA under an annual site licence, also including a bespoke MOODLE with options to manage separate courses.
- Institutions who need to amend or add additional interactive elements, such as assignments, journals, etc., can purchase a site licence for a customized version. Please contact us if your institution is interested in this option.
|
| | | 6 | Is there more?
|
|
If you're still not sure WLA is what you need, watch the Powerpoints in our WLA Authorstream Channel.
- You'll find more information about some of the tools we use and the themes covered in the course.
- And if you have any further questions, you are most welcome to contact us at: lexitronics@gmail.com
|
|
| | | 7 | |
| | | 8 | Proofreading and Editing
 For students and academics who simply wish to have a specific piece of academic writing proof-read and edited, please consult the Lexitronics proof-reading and editing pages.
|
| |
| |
