PhDs - questions to ask yourself: What is the research about? Is there a research question? --what is it?

Is there a context and is it appropriate/adequate? Is there an argument (or equivalent) what is it? Are methods explained? If not, is there a good reason? How easy is the thesis to navigate? Is there signposting? If not, is there something persuasive in its place an explanation for the lack of it or a reason why it should not be there? What/whose voice is the thesis written in? Is the reader looked after - is there a host?

Things you wanted to cover

How relevant is the research journey? planning for writing for formal document accessing info and separating it out, forgetting what info you have and it getting buried, rewriting of rewriting. How to find right sequence? How to keep track of information as you go along? A number of suggestions made in response to this and last point: scrivener Macjournal dragon dictate spreadsheet huge mind map throw everything relevant into sections and then begin to work out fluid and logical argument from it

 The discrete stages of writing breaking it down into manageable parts Being present in academic writing where is your own voice? literature review How far is it possible to push the writing form in PhD context be good to look at some examples of those who have done this How much can your art practice direct how you write (example of looped films and looped writing)

 how to allay readers fears and confusion and pre-empt their objections by setting out what you are going to do in a piece of writing and why. Making assumptions that reader knows what you are writing about difference in how as artist you leave space for audience and what you are asked/expected to do as academic writer. How to write about your own artistic practice (as opposed to e.g. ethnographic practice) Writing about others Reflexive writing, using different voices as per Paul Stoller etc. what possibilities are there in this approach? Conflict between European and UK uses (or not) of first person in academic writing.

Week 1 Week 2

Week 3 Week 4
Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10

Diagnostic writing exercises/writing about my research Sabbi writing exercise/ giving critical feedback Writing exercise/Lucys writing representing others Garys PhD Literature review Amanda/Gary Methods chapter Gary (with input from Amanda) Less conventional PhDs Amanda Immediacy Gary Evaluation Amanda; Your writing, Gary

What did you learn? Was there too much of anything? What was missing? Was there enough writing practice? Did you use the writing group blog? Any ideas for how this could be used better/differently? How do you suggest the group continue? What about students who come next year should there be one group or different groups? If you were running this class again, how would you redesign it?