Presentation

This course is designed for university students and teachers who are involved in research projects and are interested in starting to write research papers and eventually publishing their work in English language journals. 

In this course, we will focus on papers and articles that follow the IMRD format (Introduction, Method, Results and Discussion). We will discuss the functions and characteristics of the different sections by exploring the linguistic decisions involved in writing a research paper. Additionally, we will look at the publication process by examining the requirements of several academic journals and the editor’s point of view. After completing this course, you should have a better understanding of the research article as a genre and the processes that lie behind a successfully published text. The activities proposed will also allow you to start planning for an article of your own.

Objectives

At the end of this course, participants will be able to identify and discuss the most prominent textual characteristics of published research articles in their academic field. This will allow them to start preparing their own article by planning its structure and content in more detail. Finally, participants will also become familiar with the process involved in submitting research articles manuscripts for publication

Characteristics

The course is entirely online, with a duration of seven weeks. We ask for a time commitment of 6 to 8 hours per week. The activities involve reading, analyzing texts, participating in asynchronous discussions, and writing in preparation for a personal research article. Participants will not be evaluated but the participation in forums, individual and groups assignments is mandatory in order to receive a “constancia”.

Topics

Unit 1. Disciplinary journals

Unit 2. The research article

Unit 3. Titles and abstracts

Unit 4. The introduction to a research paper

Unit 5. Methods and Results in a research paper

Unit 6. The Discussion and Conclusion sections in a research paper

Unit 7. Publishing in international journals

Requirements

• You should be a university student or teacher actively involved in a research project at your school or institution. The course is open to students from all universities, but UNAM students and academics will have preference in the registration process. 
• You should send a text (between 350-500 words) briefly describing –in English- the research project you are working on/participating in.
• You must have advanced reading and writing skills in English (TOEFL 550 or equivalent).
• You must be able to log on several times a week and commit 6-8 hours/week to work on individual tasks and participate in online discussions.
• Because of this course’s characteristics, you must be already familiar -- and have access to -- an English-language journals in your academic field.

Contact

Regarding dates and registration process:

Coordinación de educación a distancia: ced@enallt.unam.mx

Regarding the course and its contents:

Victoria Zamudio Jasso: vizamja@gmail.com