Resources for teaching academic writing

Guidance, mentoring and assessment of student work 

Guiding the supervision process and integrating writing into teaching

Supervision processes are an interplay of institutional frameworks, professional cultures, and individual understanding of the supervisor's role. Here you will find material on institutional and everyday practical aspects of supervision that can be used for reflection and further development of your supervision practice: The Recommendation for handling Bachelor's theses provides information on the framework and institutional mechanisms for supervising processes. The Checklist of questions for supervisory meetings and the formulation of work assignments provides suggestions for clarifying requirements and rules in the supervising process. In the document Integrating Writing into Teaching, you will find suggestions for integrating smaller writing assignments into teaching.

Teaching about academic writing and the writing process

For most first-year students, academic writing is completely unfamiliar territory. The earlier you familiarize your students with the specifics of academic writing, the better they will understand what is important when writing papers and how to proceed. Here you will find materials that you can use to teach about academic writing and the writing process; it is particularly suitable for the beginning of one's studies (e.g., in introductory events on academic work and writing), but can also be recommended to undergraduate students starting their bachelor's thesis.

The worksheet Specifics of Academic Writing provides students with basic information on the requirements associated with academic writing. 

The worksheet Important Elements of an Academic Paper  provides introducturary explanations of aspects that are constitutive for scientific work (e.g., analysis, source, evidence). 

 

The digital input Besonderheiten des wissenschaftlichen Schreibens (=Specifics of Academic Writing) is a video tutorial with basic information on academic writing. Here you will find a list of selected guidebooks on academic writing, that you can recommend to students. 

The independent study module for students: Specifics of Academic Writing consists of sequential tasks to help students reflect on their writing process and to better understand its challenges.  

The Annotated Bibliography for Academic Writing contains an overview of established academic writing sources that you can recommend to students. 

Providing feedback

When acquiring academic writing skills students rely on your feedback. For students it is important to understand what they have already adopted correctly and which aspects they still need to improve to meet the requirements of academic work and turn in good papers. Here you will find resources on how to provide learner-friendly feedback.

The document Providing Feedback on student work provides a number of suggestions on what to look for when reading and commenting on student work to maximize the learning effect of your feedback. The document 7 Tips for Working Efficiently with Student Work is a concise list of tips to help you when your desk is overflowing with student assignments. 

 

Students will not only profit from your but also their peers' feedback . Here you will find an exercise for providing feedback on paper proposals. This exercise is best suited for accompanying courses for thesis writing, but could also be used in later seminar sessions to support students and guide them in their academic writing journeys. Following you can find instructions and handouts, needed for this exercise (Peer-Feedback-Übung Studierende geben einander Feedback auf Exposé-Entwürfe):

Assessment and evaluation of written work

It is easier to evaluate student work, when it is based on a predefined set of quality criteria. If there is not yet a binding template in your specialized area, you can use the here provided ones as inspiration: 

  • Material for teaching Arbeitsvorlage für die Entwicklung eines Beurteilungsrasters für studentische Arbeiten (word document, pdf document only available in German)

Writing with AI

The Website "Teaching and Learning with Artificial Intelligence" offers a wide range of resources on dealing with AI systems in teaching. Its content is based on the Orientation Guidelines for dealing with text-generating AI systems at the University of Graz and is continuously updated. In regard to AI usage in writing, the following resources should be of particular interest for teachers: 

Further material that can be used in your classes:

Recommended Literature

Recommended literature for teaching academic writing:

Bean, John (2001). Engaging Ideas. The Professor’s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking and Active Learning in the Classroom. Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Beaufort, Anne (2005). Adapting to New Writing Situations. How Writers Gain New Skills. In Jakobs, Eva-Maria; Lehnen, Katrin; Schindler, Kirsten (Hrsg.), Schreiben am Arbeitsplatz. (S. 201–216). Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-322-80777-9

Beaufort, Anne (2007). College Writing and Beyond: A New Framework for University Writing Instruction. University Press of Colorado. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt4cgnk0

Bräuer, Gerd (2007). Schreibdidaktische Beratung für Lehrende bei der Ausbildung von wissenschaftlich denkenden und handelnden Studierenden. In Doleschal, Ursula; Gruber, Helmut (Hrsg.), Wissenschaftliches Schreiben abseits des englischen „Mainstreams“. Academic Writing in Languages other than English (S. 179–192).: Bd. 25. Sprache im Kontext. Peter Lang Verlag.

Bruffee, Kenneth. A. (1973). Collaborative Learning: Some Practical Models. College English, 34(5), (S. 634–643). https://doi.org/10.2307/375331

Buff Keller, Eva: Jörissen, Stefan (2015). Abschlussarbeiten im Studium anleiten, betreuen und bewerten. Budrich. https://doi.org/10.36198/9783838543451

Dittmann, Jürgen; Geneuss, Katrin A.; Nennstiel, Christoph & Quast, Nora A. (2003). Schreibprobleme im Studium – Eine empirische Untersuchung. In K. Ehlich & A. Steets (Hrgs.), Wissenschaftlich schreiben - lehren und lernen (S. 155-185). De Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110907766.155

Elbow, Peter (2000). Everyone Can Write. Essays Toward a Hopeful Theory of Writing and Teaching Writing. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780195104158.001.0001

Frank, Andrea; Haacke, Stefanie; Lahm, Swantje (2007). Schlüsselkompetenzen. Schreiben in Studium und Beruf. Bd. 3. Schlüsselkompetenzen. J.B. Metzler. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-476-00919-7

Gottschalk, Katherine; Hjortshoj, Keith (2004). The Elements of Teaching Writing. A Resource for Instructors in All Disciplines. Bedford/ St. Martin‘s.

Lahm, Swantje (2016). Schreiben in der Lehre. Handwerkszeug für Lehrende. Budrich. https://doi.org/10.36198/9783838545738

Karmasin, Matthias; Ribnig, Rainer (2017). Die Gestaltung wissenschaftlicher Arbeiten. Ein Leitfaden für Facharbeit/VWA, Seminararbeiten, Bachelor-, Master-, Magister- und Diplomarbeiten sowie Dissertationen. facultas. https://doi.org/10.36198/9783838553139

Kruse, Otto. (2006). Prozessorientierte Schreibdidaktik an der Hochschule: was Hochschulen tun können, um wissenschaftliches Schreiben besser anzuleiten. In Prozessorientierte Schreibdidaktik: Schreibtraining für Schule, Studium und Beruf (S. 151–174). Haupt.

Kruse, Otto; Ruhmann, Gabriela (2006). Prozessorientierte Schreibdidaktik: eine Einführung. In Prozessorientierte Schreibdidaktik: Schreibtraining für Schule, Studium und Beruf (S. 13–38). Haupt.

Pohl, Thorsten. (2007). Studien zur Ontogenese wissenschaftlichen Schreibens. Max Niemeyer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110946116

Ruhmann, Gabriela (2005). Über einen ungehobenen Schatz der Hochschullehre. In The shift from teaching to learning. Konstruktionsbedingungen eines Ideals: für Johannes Widt zum 60. Geburtstag (S. 269–275). Bertelsmann.

Steinhoff, Torsten. (2007). Wissenschaftliche Textkompetenz: Sprachgebrauch und Schreibentwicklung in wissenschaftlichen Texten von Studenten und Experten. Max Niemeyer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110973389
Zitat „The worst of writing is that one depends so much upon praise.“ Virginia Woolf ©Eigene Darstellung nach Woolf, Virginia (2003 [1982]). A Writer‘s Diary. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing. S. 14.
Woolf, Virginia (2003 [1982]). A Writer‘s Diary. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing. S. 14.

Zitat „Writing is a dangerous business.“ Suzanne Conklin Akbari ©Eigene Darstellung von Akbari, Suzanne Conklin (2015). How I write. In Akbari, Suzanne Conklin (Hrsg.), How we write.
Akbari, Suzanne Conklin (2015). How I write. In Akbari, Suzanne Conklin (Ed.), How we write. Thirteen ways of looking at a blank page (p. 9-17). Dead Letter Office. p. 9.

Resources for individual phases of the writing process 

Planning and structuring the writing process

Students have little experience in planning and structuring their work processes. It is thus very helpful for them if you can provide them with tips on planning and managing their work. For this phase we recommend our instructional video 'Managing the Work Process' to students who are at the beginning of a major project. To deepen and apply the content of the instructional video, the corresponding self-study module is suitable, which guides students in the application of planning techniques. 

An overview of the work phases and the associated activities is provided in the handout 'The Work Phases'; helpful tips for planning and systematizing the work process can be found in the writing schedule  (all materials are only available in German)

Developing a topic and research question

Due to a lack of experience, students tend to choose broad topics and comprehensive issues for their work. Therefore, your students would greatly benefit from your recommendations for more specific guidance in this area. A well-defined topic and a research question that can be adequately addressed within the given time frame will facilitate the work process for students and improve the quality of their work. Helpful explanations and exercises for narrowing down topics and developing a research question can be found in our instructional video Developing a Research Question. To further deepen and apply the content of the instructional video, the corresponding self-study unit is suitable, as it guides students step by step in narrowing down their topic and developing a suitable research question.

The exercise Drehen und Schrauben am Arbeitstitel (transl.: Turning and Twisting at the working title) is a topic delimitation exercise for teaching purposes. With this exercise, you can achieve two different objectives: firstly, it helps to narrow down a topic and develop a research question. Secondly, this exercise can be used to concretize and operationalize a roughly outlined project in such a way that it allows for the derivation of a work plan. Here you will find the explanation of the exercise followed by the necessary handout for students.

The exercise Drehen und Schrauben am Arbeitstitel can be well combined with the Lightning Exposé. It can be written in a teaching environment or at home and guides students towards a systematic engagement with their project.

Working with literature

Students do not always find it easy to select the right literature for their work, critically evaluate it, and appropriately integrate it into their texts. Explanations and work techniques on these topics are gathered in our learning video Working with Literature (German: Umgang mit Literatur). For deepening and applying the contents of the learning video, the associated self-study module is suitable, guiding students step by step in integrating literature into their work.

To encourage students to independently and critically engage with literature, you can offer them the exercise Textpartners (only available in German). Guidance for an analytical examination of theoretical texts can be found in the handout Analyzing Theories. 

Organizing and structuring

Students often have difficulty developing a well-structured outline for their work. You can support them by recommending our learning video Structuring the Work. For a deeper understanding and application of the content of the learning video, the associated self-study unit is suitable, guiding students step by step in developing an outline. 

The worksheets Outline Check with Page Estimates and Outline and CommonThread also assist in developing a coherent structure. The first worksheet aims for students to consider the function and approximate number of pages for the planned chapters, while the second worksheet encourages the formulation of the outline.

Writing a rough draft

Students often do not realize that due to their complexity, academic texts cannot be perfectly written at once. Therefore, it eases the working process for your students if you invite them to initially write a rough or first draft of their work. Explanations and work techniques for efficiently creating rough drafts are available in our educational video Text Production. For deepening and applying the contents of the educational video, the associated self-study module is suitable, guiding students step by step in creating a rough draft. 

  • Digital Input Textproduktion (Lernvideo) (only available in German)
  • Self-study module for students Textproduktion (sequence of exercises) (only available in German)

The worksheet Writing Sprints along Text Paths supports students in sketching the structure of a section of their work and quickly putting a first draft on paper. The worksheet Tips for the Introduction explains the content elements that appear in introductions.

Revising texts

Generally, students have little experience with the systematic revision of texts. In our educational video Text Revision, there is a guide for methodical and targeted revision of texts. For a deeper understanding and application of the content of the educational video, the associated self-study module is suitable, guiding students step by step in text revision.

  • Digital Input Textüberarbeitung (educational video) (only available in German)
  • Self-study module Textüberarbeitung (sequence of exercises for self-study) (only available in German)

This is only inadequately practiced in secondary education. You can support them by offering this guide for systematic text revision.

To familiarize students with the process of text revision, you can further offer them the worksheets Systematic Text Revision and Revision and Writing the Final Draft. 

Service points

Writing Center (SZ)

Counseling on teaching academic writing & providing resources for students
schreibzentrum(at)uni-graz.at

+43 316 380 - 1226
Heinrichstrasse 18/II
https://schreibzentrum.uni-graz.at/en/

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The assessment of student performance is a central task of teaching staff. The University of Graz strives to promote an innovative examination culture that allows for different forms of examinations. Find out how you can organise performance assessment and what you need to bear in mind.
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Supervising students' writing processes