Advanced English for Academic and Policy Writing

The aim of this course is to build on students’ experiences to help develop their confidence as academic writers. With guidance, practice, and feedback the course will accompany students on the writing journey of the first year of the master’s programme. Using up-to-date knowledge about the shape and style of successful academic writing (moves, hedges, boosters, ideas management, and so on), the course will help students produce their best work yet.

By the end of this workshop, students will be able to: 

• identify a wide range of linguistic, rhetorical and structural features of academic texts, particularly postgraduate theses. 

• understand the functions and effects of these features and their strategic deployment in academic texts 

• grow their already extensive repertoire of academic communication tools 

• write longer academic texts, sustaining arguments, style, and empirical focus throughout 

• Develop and deploy all technical aspects of academic literacy required by thesis / project work – referencing, using section headings, observing style requirements, etc.  

• critically evaluate their own and others’ academic work 

• reflect on the role of the master’s thesis / capstone project in their academic and professional development, as well as in the life of the programme. 

The course complements the writing experience of the first year of the postgraduate programme. Each session contributes to the overall learning outcomes. 

Topics include: 

• how to develop critical reading skills 

• defining terms and concepts 

• how to work with relevant literature to create a literature review 

• how to formulate your thesis statement 

• how to write a research / thesis proposal 

• how to structure and plan your thesis 

• grammatical accuracy 

The teacher will provide targeted materials and activities to help you complete your writing within this timeframe.  

Each session includes both input and peer discussion. You will get feedback on your writing from the teacher and from your peers, which will equip you to successfully undertake your writing assignments.  

Dr. Katie Fry is an academic literacies specialist with over a decade of experience in higher education. She holds a PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Toronto (2017), an MA in English from York University (2009), a BA Honours in English from Simon Fraser University (2004), and a Cambridge CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, 2010). Her expertise lies in designing and delivering innovative, student-centered curricula aimed at equipping early-career researchers with the skills necessary to excel in teaching, scholarly communication, and professional growth.

Currently serving as a Teacher of English for Academic Purposes at the EUI’s Centre for Academic Literacies and Languages, Katie has taught specialized courses like Developing Your Research Writing, Facilitation and Presentation Skills, and From Draft to Submission: Writing Your Journal Article in Eight Sessions. Previously, she held leadership roles at the University of Toronto’s Graduate Centre for Academic Communication, where she co-designed foundational graduate writing courses and spearheaded initiatives to enhance academic conversation skills.

Katie holds a Certificate in Advanced University Teaching Preparation from the University of Toronto, alongside certifications in culturally responsive pedagogy and Universal Design for Learning. Her contributions to faculty development include training new instructors, conducting teaching observations, and delivering professional development workshops. A frequent presenter at international conferences, Katie has shared insights on graduate writing pedagogy, corpus linguistics, and interdisciplinary academic support. Her scholarly work, including peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, reflects a dedication to exploring innovative methods for advancing academic writing and critical thinking skills among researchers. She is also fluent in Italian and Spanish (her second working languages).

The purpose of this course is to build on the postgraduate writing experience from the programme’s first year. The course will help students to reflect on their thesis journey. By focusing on specific aspects of thesis writing, the course will encourage students to build on key writing tools and to develop their own academic voice in their written work

By the end of this workshop, students will be able to: 

• identify a wide range of linguistic, rhetorical and structural features of academic texts, particularly postgraduate theses. 

• understand the functions and effects of these features and their strategic deployment in academic texts 

• grow their already extensive repertoire of academic communication tools 

• write longer academic texts, sustaining arguments, style, and empirical focus throughout 

• develop and deploy all technical aspects of academic literacy required by thesis / project work – referencing, using section headings, observing style requirements, etc.  

• critically evaluate their own and others’ academic work 

• reflect on the role of the master’s thesis / capstone project in their academic and professional development, as well as in the life of the programme. 

The course builds on Knowledge in Research and Policymaking (first year).  
Each session contributes to the overall learning outcomes.  

Topics include:  

• building your repertoire – working with semiotic resources in academic writing    

• how to progress from postgraduate paper writing to independent research 

• how to distinguish your own academic voice from the literature  

• how to win and hold the readers’ interest from start to finish  

• how to work with data and write about quantitative findings  

• how to structure your chapters, introduction, conclusion, and references. 

The teacher will provide targeted materials and activities to help you complete your writing within this timeframe. Each session includes both input and peer discussion. Feeback from the teacher and from peers will enable you to strengthen your writing and equip you to produce your best work yet.  

Dr. Katie Fry is an academic literacies specialist with over a decade of experience in higher education. She holds a PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Toronto (2017), an MA in English from York University (2009), a BA Honours in English from Simon Fraser University (2004), and a Cambridge CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, 2010). Her expertise lies in designing and delivering innovative, student-centered curricula aimed at equipping early-career researchers with the skills necessary to excel in teaching, scholarly communication, and professional growth.

Currently serving as a Teacher of English for Academic Purposes at the EUI’s Centre for Academic Literacies and Languages, Katie has taught specialized courses like Developing Your Research Writing, Facilitation and Presentation Skills, and From Draft to Submission: Writing Your Journal Article in Eight Sessions. Previously, she held leadership roles at the University of Toronto’s Graduate Centre for Academic Communication, where she co-designed foundational graduate writing courses and spearheaded initiatives to enhance academic conversation skills.

Katie holds a Certificate in Advanced University Teaching Preparation from the University of Toronto, alongside certifications in culturally responsive pedagogy and Universal Design for Learning. Her contributions to faculty development include training new instructors, conducting teaching observations, and delivering professional development workshops. A frequent presenter at international conferences, Katie has shared insights on graduate writing pedagogy, corpus linguistics, and interdisciplinary academic support. Her scholarly work, including peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, reflects a dedication to exploring innovative methods for advancing academic writing and critical thinking skills among researchers. She is also fluent in Italian and Spanish (her second working languages).