Writing Well

Handling written communication in English

Trainer: Victoria Viebahn M.A. (Oxon)
Date: 23-24.07.2010; 9.00 - 18.00; 9.00 - 13.00
Place: Seminarraum 3, Tagungszentrum der Historischen Sternwarte, Geismar Landstr. 11

Registration: gsgg@gwdg.de

Whether it is a matter of sending an e-mail to a colleague abroad, preparing a scholarly text, formulating a covering letter for a job application, or simply writing a few remarks on the blackboard, being able to write competently is an integral part of work in the academic domain. But when the language involved is not one’s mother tongue, achieving this competency can constitute a major challenge.

Yet this challenge can be faced in the knowledge that reflecting on how to write effectively in English will certainly bring rich and lasting rewards.

The aim of this 1.5-day course is to help participants formulate their English texts with enhanced assurance and knowledge, a more secure sense of style, and an awareness of the relevant conventions – whatever their current level of English may be. Among the issues to be examined will be:

Sessions I/II (Day 1, morning and afternoon)

• Good communication through effective sentence structure
• The verb as pivotal point: coping with English tenses
• Vocabulary building
• Convincing the reader through idiomatic English: effective phrases and collocations

Session III (Day 2, morning)

• Refining expression and style for clarity and readability;
• Conventions of written English communication today (e.g. e-mail specifics)
• On spelling and punctuation: avoiding common flaws
• Looking ahead: resources, strategies