Graduate Blog

UPCOMING COURSES FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS IN THE PHYSICAL AND LIFE SCIENCES
School of Graduate Studies / ELWS course offerings (non-credit)



Becoming a Better Editor of Your Own Work
(for native speakers of English working in the Physical and
Life Sciences)

This four-week course for native speakers of English is designed for graduate
students working in Divisions 3 and 4 (Physical and Life Sciences) who want to
improve their writing. The techniques covered can be applied to all types of writing
including essays, reviews, articles, job letters, grant proposals and theses.
Editing is the final stage in the writing process. It is also a vital skill for
graduate students who often have to revise a document for different audiences: the
same material may, for example, become a proposal, a thesis chapter and a journal
article. The course focuses on four aspects of editing: editing for correctness,
clarity, cohesion, and concision. Using rules derived from the standard practices of
educated writers, we will review the grammar errors most commonly made by graduate
students. In the second and third weeks, we will focus on clarity and cohesion at
the level of sentences and paragraphs. In the fourth week we will practice
strategies for shortening documents. Classes are practical and focused on student
writing, and students will receive feedback on their own work.

This free course runs from May 12 to June 2 on Wednesdays from 10:00 to 12:00.

Course registration procedures can be found on the ELWS website at
http://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/informationfor/students/english/courses/registration.htm#regist.

Please note that enrolment is limited in order to maintain a desirable
teacher-student ratio.



Thesis Writing in the Physical Sciences

This six-week course is designed to assist students in Division 3 who encounter
common problems related to structure, style, and cohesion in their thesis writing.
The following key questions should be asked and answered as they will affect your
writing in terms of clarity and organization: What is your hypothesis? How will your
research project differ from what has already been done? What implications do your
results have for future research, and what recommendations can you make for
practice? This course can help you with common challenges in thesis writing, such as
making effective transitions between sections, using discipline-specific
documentation formats, and writing your abstract. Examples from students' writing
will be used to clarify issues related to the structure and function of each section
of a thesis, and individualized feedback will be provided. All graduate students who
are currently writing their theses in Division 3 are welcome to apply. Please note
that this course will not address the specific grammar needs of ESL students. Course

Duration: 6 weeks. Course Instructor: Alan Chong

This free course runs from May 6th  to June 10th on Thursdays from 10:00-12:00.

Course registration procedures can be found on the ELWS website at
http://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/informationfor/students/english/courses/registration.htm#regist

Please note that enrolment is limited in order to maintain a desirable
teacher-student ratio.



Writing NSERC Proposals

The pursuit of research grants is an key (and often required) part of a graduate
student's career, and the NSERC programme is one of the most important sources for
graduate funding. This free three-week course is designed for graduate students in
Divisions 3 and 4 (Physical and Life Sciences) who are planning to apply for an
NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada) Postgraduate
scholarship this fall.  Each of the three two-hour sessions in this course will
examine the specific features of good and bad research proposals and will offer
strategies to maximize your chances of success.  Students should come prepared to
work on their own proposals and to submit drafts for feedback. Valuable feedback
will be given  to course participants through written comments on their draft
proposals and through individual consultations. Please note that only students who
are eligible to apply for NSERC Scholarships (i.e. Canadian citizens and permanent
residents) are eligible to take this course.

This free three-week non-credit course runs from May 13 to May 27 on Thursdays from
5:00 to 7:00 pm;  Course registration procedures can be found on the ELWS website at
http://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/informationfor/students/english/courses/registration.htm#regist

Please note that enrolment is limited to maintain desirable student-lecturer ratios.


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