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Writing Works Consulting

If you’re a university, an HEI, or a research institute, high quality research writing is an essential pillar of your success.

And yet, the requisite skills for this kind of authorship, such as developing compelling arguments, synthesising bodies of information, and exercising strategic control of language, often remain under-resourced in researcher development programmes as universities respond to competing demands.

The consequences matter. When weak execution obscures strong work, opportunities and resources are lost.

  • Publication pipelines are sluggish.
  • Acceptance rates in competitive journals are low.
  • External stakeholders and funders are difficult to attract.
  • Impact remains marginal.
  • Standing and reputation are diminished.

Targeted expert training can make a real difference and that’s where I come in. Here at Writing Works Consulting, I develop and deliver specialist workshops and bespoke training designed to equip your researchers and academics with the research writing skills they need to make a rock-solid case for the originality, significance, and rigour of their work.

Workshops and Training Offered

How to Really Write Your Literature Review

Scaffold research excellence with this expert-led workshop. Participants learn how to break out of the describe-one-study-at-a-time trap and move to the next level, analysing a body of research findings to make the case for why their research question needs to be asked. Ideal for PhD inductions, researcher development events, and academic staff away days.

→ Want a preview of my approach? Join 18,000+ readers and visit my blog, Literature Reviews: A Blog for the Exasperated. I dig into what the guidebooks leave out, covering topics such as how to stop summarising and start synthesising; what intentional drafting is; and what your critical voice is and how to find it.

Seeing the Invisible: Language Data in Social Research

Fed up with thematic coding? Feel like you are missing the true significance of your work? Want to do more with your language data but don’t have the training? This is the workshop for you and your team. Learn to hear more of what your participants are telling you with this accessible introduction to the social and linguistic analysis of text and talk. Ideal for researcher development events and academic staff away days.

Bespoke Training

Want something a bit different? Looking for more of a crafting and drafting approach when it comes to turning a pile of notes into a paper that has the REF panel members sitting up straight and paying attention? Need a workshop specifically designed for expert practitioners transitioning into research? Want a session for improving confidence and removing barriers to research writing? Contact me to discuss tailored training options.

‘Susan delivered an excellent, well-structured and engaging masterclass, clear, practical and thoughtfully designed. It stimulated valuable discussion and gave colleagues tangible tools, shared language, and confidence in developing high-quality research writing.’ – Professor Claire Bruce-Martin, Head of School, Sport, Exercise & Rehabilitation, Northumbria University, U.K.

Added Value

All workshops are flexibly delivered on-line or in-person (subject to location), and available to suit a range of needs, from a 2-hour session to an in-depth 2-day short-course. For maximal relevance, all workshops and associated training materials are aligned to team research interests.

Writing, Thinking, and When Not to Use AI: Insights for Policy and Practice

And now that generative AI is on the scene, I offer a specialist ‘think-shop’ designed to support leadership teams and academic staff in their development of robust but sensible responses to AI. Are we making the right decisions about AI and acceptable use? Or are we risking our own intelligence? What does maintaining human critical judgement actually mean? Explore these questions in relation to policy and practice. Available as a 1-hour keynote or a 2-hour session.

Consulting and Project Support

Training needs vary and sometimes you need more than a one-off workshop. For my fully bespoke training solutions, from needs analysis and diagnosis to specialist course design, delivery, and follow-up support, contact me to discuss my Consulting and Project Support Services.

Want to know more about what I can do for you?

Skills
Academic Writing; Workshop Development and Training Delivery; Research Writing Skills Training; Training in How to Write Literature Reviews; Training in Critical Analysis, Synthesis, and Argumentation for Academic Writing
Subject specialisms
The Study of Language in Use; The Analysis of Language, Style and Choice in Writing; Linguistic Approaches to Language Data in Social Research; The Study of Language in Fiction
Contact details
North of England, United Kingdom
https://www.writingworksconsulting.co.uk/