Course Description
This course is designed to support master’s and doctoral students in developing clear, coherent, and academically rigorous theses. Through practical strategies and guided activities, participants will explore key aspects of academic writing, including argument development, structure, critical engagement with literature, and maintaining a consistent scholarly voice throughout the thesis-writing process.
2-day course
Course Outcomes:
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Understand the key principles of effective academic thesis writing
- Develop clear, coherent, and logically structured arguments within their writing
- Apply practical strategies for planning, drafting, and revising sections of a Master’s or doctoral thesis
- Critically engage with and synthesise academic literature in support of research arguments
- Strengthen clarity, academic voice, and coherence in scholarly writing
- Identify common challenges in thesis writing and apply strategies to address them
- Develop a practical writing plan to support progress towards thesis completion
Online Standard Rate R3800
Application Deadline: 3 June 2026
Payment Deadline: 10 June 2026
In-Person Standard Rate R4650
Application Deadline: 3 June 2026
Payment Deadline: 10 June 2026
Online Late Joiner Rate R4100
Application Deadline: 15 June 2026
Payment Deadline: 21 June 2026
In-Person Late Joiner Rate R4950
Application Deadline: 15 June 2026
Payment Deadline: 21 June 2026
Target Audience
The course is designed for postgraduate students and researchers who are working on a research project (research report; thesis; journal article).
Course Materials
All course materials will be uploaded onto the MS Teams online platform. Worksheets, exercises/tasks and class notes will be provided on this platform and/or distributed during the classes.
What to Bring
Laptop, and own writing material. Course material will be provided electronically. and limited hard copies will be shared during the session.
Delegate Requirements
Participants should be actively working on a master’s or doctoral thesis and bring a sample of their academic writing for use in practical course activities and discussions.
Workshop Format
The workshop will be interactive, and participants will be actively involved in the learning process; engage in discussions and activities that will contribute to developing their academic writing.
The ADA reserves the right to cancel any course should the minimum required number of participants not be reached. In such cases, all fees already paid will be fully refunded, or where possible, delegates will be offered the option to transfer to an alternative course.
Cancellations and Refunds
The final date to withdraw from the ADA Winter School is 29 May 2026. Participants who withdraw on or before this date will be eligible for a 50% refund. After 29 May 2026, no refunds will be issued, unless a replacement participant can be found to take their place.
The ADA also reserves the right to cancel a course where necessary.