CAW LibGuides: Academic Writing Workshops

CAW's academic writing development workshops are designed to complement our online writing sources and help you understand a broader range of writing genres and topics to help with writing within your assignments.  Workshops are delivered online via Microsoft Teams and last one or two hours.  They are scheduled per semester on a variety of days and times, including evenings and Saturday mornings, to suit students with busy diaries.  Each workshop topic runs at least once each semester, and popular topics are repeated several times. 

Although the workshops are delivered online, places are limited.  To attend, you must book a place in advance.  Registration opens four weeks before each delivery date and early registration is recommended.  To view the current schedule of workshops and register online, visit: https://libcal.coventry.ac.uk/calendar/caw.  Students must attend using their university email account.

To make the most of attending these workshops, please download and read the pdf document "Using CAW's Academic Writing Development Workshop Support Service" that also includes our simple booking policy.

Below is a full list of workshops delivered by CAW and the study level each workshop is aimed at.  A pdf document of this information is also available to be downloaded.  

Critical Thinking 1: Descriptive, analytical and evaluative writing

Both at university and in many professional contexts, effective writing is expected to demonstrate both a good range of reading and an ability to think critically. This workshop explains the differences between description, analysis and advanced critical evaluation of academic sources, and introduces you to strategies of using language to integrate different levels of critical thinking into your writing.

Note: this workshop lasts up to two hours and is designed to be attended before Critical Thinking 2: Developing argumentation in academic writing.

Critical Thinking 2: Developing argumentation in academic writing

Building a good argument is a key requirement for advanced-level university assignments. This workshop introduces you to a stage-by-stage technique that can help you identify arguments in research as well as develop your own argumentation and assignment structuring skills.

Note: this workshop lasts up to two hours and is designed to be attended after Critical Thinking 1: Descriptive, analytical and evaluative writing.

Proof-reading: Strategies too to improve the quality of your writing

If feedback received from your tutors includes phrases like 'proof-reading required', 'grammar/vocabulary needs revision' or 'please edit your draft before submission', then this workshop may help. This 1-hour interactive session provides an introduction to proof-reading, proposing a systematic approach based on three easy-to-remember steps. You will also have the opportunity to practice proof-reading short texts under the tutor's guidance.

Reflective Writing

This workshop offers general guidelines on the format, structure and style of reflective writing, especially by distinguishing it from a generic academic essay and by suggesting practical ways of integrating practice or evidence into discipline-specific knowledge.

The Writing Process: General guidelines to improve writing

Intended for students with less extended experience in writing, but not only for them, this workshop aims to offer general advice on how to improve overall writing strategies and techniques, applicable to any type of writing task or writing genre. 

Note for UG students: special emphasis will be placed on essay writing as one of the most common writing tasks at university.

Note for PG students: special emphasis will be placed on generating research problems from topics and questions.

Using Sources Effectively: Avoiding Plagiarism in Your Writing

All courses require students build their arguments with integrity by researching other people's ideas, models, theories and arguments. This workshop covers understanding what evidence is and how to use it in your writing to avoid plagiarism​.  You can be penalised for intentional and unintentional plagiarism at Coventry University.  This workshop will help you understand what plagiarism is and how to avoid it.  The examples in this workshop use the APA 7^th edition Referencing Style but the principles work with any style of referencing and academic argument. 

Note: this workshop lasts up to two hours and compliments the Academic Integrity: A Fundamental Introduction workshop that is delivered jointly by CAW and the Library. 

Using Written Assignment Feedback to Develop your Writing

This workshop looks at what “feedback” and “constructive” criticism means and helps you to understand the various feedback phrases.  It will look at different types of feedback, the benefits of receiving feedback, and how to develop an action plan to help with your writing skills development.

Note: this workshop lasts up to two hours and is design to be attended after receiving feedback from a written assignment.  Students must bring an assignment with feedback to the session.

Writing a Literature Review

This workshop surveys a number of strategies that can be employed in order to select appropriate sources to research, as well as techniques which may be used to critique sources. The session highlights the function and mechanics of literature reviews while stressing the importance of referencing accurately and using a referencing style guide correctly.

Writing a Report

This workshop offers general guidelines on the format, structure, elements and writing style of a report by explaining its distinguishing features in contrast with the academic essay.

Writing for and delivering Presentations

This workshop looks at the requirements of oral presentation in general and suggests ways of improving presentation skills. More specifically, it explains the format, structure and presentation etiquette of poster and powerpoint presentations.

Academic Integrity: A Fundamental Introduction

Academic integrity means upholding qualities in your studies through good academic practice.  You may be found guilty of academic integrity misconduct at Coventry University even by accidentally using someone else’s language or ideas as if they were your own.  Whether you have been asked to attend due to academic misconduct, or you would like to find out how to practice good academic integrity, this joint Centre for Academic Writing/Library workshop can help.  This workshop will cover five key areas of operating with academic integrity when completing your assignments: researching your topic, referencing sources; using sources effectively; including your own ideas; and avoiding plagiarism.

Note: this workshop is co-delivered by CAW and the Library and compliments the Using Sources Effectively: Avoiding Plagiarism in your writing workshop.

Getting Started with Studying at University

This workshop is designed to support anyone in need of a reminder of, or a first-time introduction to, studying at university level.  There are expectations of two core academic practices: reading and writing.  This joint Centre for Academic Writing/Library workshop will also help you to understand how independent, critical thinking fits into your course and your assignments.  By the end of the workshop you will have created an action plan for developing your academic skills and a list of places to support you with your development.  This workshop will be helpful to all students studying at Coventry University; whether you are transitioning from A-Levels, a mature student returning to study after a long break, or an international student unfamiliar with UK academic practice.

Note: this workshop is co-delivered by CAW and the Library.

Academic Writing Style: pitfalls and how to avoid them

Writing in an appropriate academic style may be one of the most challenging and daunting tasks at university.  This workshop will offer some practical solutions to improve one’s writing style in order to make it meet the requirements of university-level writing.

Note: this workshop is targeted at 2^nd and 3^rd year UG students especially, but 1^st years are welcome.

Reading Critically to Support your Writing

Being able to read critically and analyse the work of experts in your field of study is an important part of your academic writing.  It shows a good understanding of the subject, the ability to apply information, and an ability to write in an evidence-based manner.  This workshop aims to develop your understanding of critical reading, how this supports your writing, action plan points you can work through, and tasks to encourage interaction throughout the workshop.

Note: this workshop lasts up to two hours and compliments Critical Thinking 1: Descriptive, analytical and evaluative writing and Critical Thinking 2: Developing argumentation in academic writing workshops. 

Sentence Construction: Writing Cohesively in your Academic Assignments

This workshop will be of great use to all students who need to brush up their memory on rules of grammar and writing that are so essential for successful student assignments. The session covers the basic as well as the more complex parts of the sentence and how they work together coherently and cohesively.

Note: this workshop is targeted at UG students, but PG students are welcome to attend. This workshop lasts up to two hours.

Writing your Dissertation or Final Year Project

A dissertation or final year project is the longest and most complex piece of written work at university.  This workshop deals with the most common challenges of dissertation and project writing and offers advice on how to structure, format and write up your dissertation or final year project.

Note: this workshop is targeted at late 2^nd year and 3^rd year UG students.

Argumentation in Scientific Writing

This workshop underlines the strategies of ‘active reading’ as the first step towards creating a convincing piece of written work. It deals with concrete means of persuading through writing and projecting a credible and well-articulated authorial stance.

Writing Style and Language

Using the appropriate style is the backbone of academic writing. This workshop outlines some strategies for developing the key features of your writing style, including word choice, concision and coherence. The presentation is supported by a range of hands-on activities.