Academic English:

Build Clear Arguments and Strong Texts

 

Many texts are grammatically accurate — but for the reader they are

• difficult to follow

• the argument appears too late

• paragraphs are trying to do too much.

 

This course focuses on fixing that.

 

Academic writing in English follows clear structural expectations. Arguments need to be stated early, developed step by step, and presented in a way that allows the reader to follow them easily.

The goal is simple: your reader should understand your argument the first time they read it.

 

Who This Course Is For

• Bachelor’s and Master’s students

• PhD candidates

• researchers

• engineers and professionals working in academic contexts

• anyone writing structured academic texts in English

 

What We Work On

• argumentation — stating a clear position early and maintaining a consistent line of reasoning

• cohesion — ensuring clear connections between sentences and paragraphs

• conclusions — writing endings that synthesise key points and show why they matter

• development — building arguments step by step, including defining terms and distinguishing claims from evidence

• evidence — integrating examples, data and references smoothly into the text

• introductions — structuring openings clearly (context → problem → aim → argument → structure)

• linking — using connectors precisely to signal contrast, cause, addition and conclusion

• paragraphing — developing paragraphs around one central idea

• research focus — formulating clear questions, aims and scope

• text structure — organising essays, reports and dissertations into coherent sections

• text types — understanding the expectations of essays, literature reviews, reports and thesis chapters

 

Language and Style

• clarity — making ideas immediately understandable

• conciseness — removing vague, repetitive or unnecessary phrasing

• flow — improving how sentences connect and build on each other

• formality — maintaining an appropriate academic tone without sounding inflated

• grammar — ensuring accuracy in more complex structures

• interference — avoiding common transfer issues from German (e.g. word order, delayed argument)

• nominalisation — reducing overuse of abstract noun forms

• precision — choosing vocabulary that expresses meaning accurately

• sentence control — managing length and complexity effectively

• voice — using active and passive forms appropriately

 

How the Course Works

This is a practical, focused course.

You will:

• analyse real texts

• revise weak passages

• improve paragraph structure

• strengthen argument flow step by step

Participants are encouraged to bring their own texts for guided revision.

 

Outcome

By the end of the course, your writing will be:

• clearer

• better structured

• easier to follow

 

Your argument will be visible from the start, developed logically, and understood without effort.

If your ideas are strong but your writing does not yet reflect them clearly, this course will help you close that gap .

 

Format

The course can be delivered as:

• workshops

• short courses

• in-company or academic training

• tailored sessions