Training course

Universities are seeing growing gaps in confidence around academic writing. This is not because students or staff are less capable, but because the way we work and learn has changed.

I’m old enough to remember writing my university assignments out by hand. Back then, you didn’t produce 57 drafts. You made a plan, wrote one draft, edited it and then produced the final copy.

I also completed my PhD at a time when we were on campus every day. We talked —  sometimes about life, sometimes about research. Through those conversations, we tested ideas, clarified arguments and built confidence in our academic thinking.

Those fundamentals are often missing now. That is why my two signature online workshops are designed to rebuild structured thinking, argument development and writing confidence for both students and academic staff.

From draft to submission: A structured framework for completing journal articles and theses

Many capable researchers and doctoral candidates have substantial writing projects underway. Journal articles are often delayed without fixed deadlines, while theses can feel overwhelming despite formal submission dates.

This online training course introduces a structured framework that supports participants to move significant writing projects from draft to submission with clarity and direction. The emphasis is on practical systems that can be implemented immediately.

The session focuses on clarifying argument, structuring complex writing tasks and developing habits that support steady completion. It is suitable for doctoral candidates, early-career researchers and established academics working on journal articles or theses.

By the end of the session, participants will:

• understand a staged process for completing substantial writing projects
• use short, focused periods of time effectively
• apply strategic editing techniques rather than revising indefinitely
• manage supervisor and co-author feedback more productively
• approach submission with increased confidence

Note that this training can be tailored to suit different target audiences (e.g. graduate students, full-time researchers, teaching staff who also do research, a mixed group across a research school, etc).

Duration: 2 hours

Delivery: Online
Cost: $2000+GST
No. of participants: Unlimited

Supporting doctoral writing: An efficient framework for PhD supervisors

Supervising a PhD involves more than guiding research. It also requires supporting the development of confident, capable academic writers. Yet many doctoral candidates complete their degrees uncertain about their writing ability, often because feedback has been rushed, overly directive or focused primarily on correction.

This online training course introduces an efficient, structured framework that helps PhD supervisors provide clear, developmental feedback without taking over the student’s writing.

The session focuses on strengthening structure, clarifying expectations and building student independence while reducing the time supervisors spend rewriting text.

Participants will learn how to:

• use document plans to clarify expectations and save time
• identify structural issues and guide students to resolve them independently
• provide feedback that supports confidence while maintaining rigour
• determine when to prioritise structure, clarity or style.

Duration: 1.5 hours

Delivery: Online
Cost: $1500+GST
No. of participants: Unlimited