Check this skill

By the time students complete a PhD, they should be able to answer ‘Yes’ to most of these questions.

In terms of the following:

• an abstract,
• a research proposal,
• a progress report,
• a conference paper,
• a journal paper,
• a doctoral dissertation?
• records for your Progress File
• reports for your Personal Development Plan

Can you:

• specify their distinguishing features and key ingredients?
• distinguish between an effective and an inadequate example of each?
• write one at a satisfactory level?
• Can you explain how you might go about selecting material for a particular publication target, say an upcoming conference?
• Can you explain your research in writing to a lay audience?
• Can you enumerate some strategies for ensuring that your writing is 'fit for purpose'?
• What do you do to overcome writing block?
• Do you regularly ask your supervisors and other students to read and critique your research reports?

Evidence of this skill

These are examples of documents you can collect. Each implies a piece or work, which may be a good way for you to develop this skill.

• Your probation report.
• Your PhD thesis.
• Successful submission of papers for publication.
• A collection of exemplars of good practice, with notes on why they are exemplary.
• Written critiques of others' writing.
• Record of active participation in a writing development course.
• Example of a published piece on your research written for a web page or the popular press.

This page is based upon material produced by The Open University’s research school to support doctoral students.