Formulating, structuring and presenting a theoretical paper

Target group

The workshop is for masters and doctoral students in all disciplines, but especially social sciences and humanities, whose original research materials are relevant and comprehensible across disciplines.

Aims and content

Successful researchers formulate their ideas clearly and concisely, and are able to convince academic colleagues of their validity and promise. In this workshop you will practice skills such as:

• formulating your own original claims or theses;

• dividing theses into subtheses for detailed analysis;

• identifying arguments for and against each thesis from published empirical and theoretical articles in relevant disciplines, as well as your own research; and

• systematically evaluating those arguments and evidence.

We will consider general principles of presenting academic materials to an interdisciplinary audience. How can we best convey the multidimensional structure of an argument within the linear temporal structure of a presentation? We will then apply those principles to your specific materials. You will develop the ability to think critically and interact successfully with international experts in your field.

Preparation

Participants are asked to bring the following materials to the first session:

• tentative, concise formulations of original theses from their own research

• relevant literature (abstracts) and/or original data (graphs, tables)

Working language: All materials, discussions and student presentations will be in English.

Further information: uni-graz.at/richard.parncutt/argument.html