Dissertation writing workshop: How to situate your thesis in the historiography?

How to write a high-quality PhD dissertation in history? In small groups, students present and discuss their own PhD writing with peers and faculty. This workshop is held in conjunction with the Norwegian History Days 2023.

"Bryggen" in Bergen with 10-12 similar houses in bright colors in a line.

The dissertation writing workshops are useful for PhD fellows in all phases of their work. Here you can discuss your work with peers and faculty, and we also focus on a particular challenge in the writing process each time we meet. Workshops are free standing and are offered three times each year, organized by partner institutions on a rotating basis. We encourage you attend as many as possible in order to help you write excellent thesis. 

These workshops assist PhD candidates in:

- meeting high international standards in their fields of research;

- improving writing skills and ability to critically assess and comment on manuscripts;  

- becoming comfortable presenting and discussing their work in professional settings, which is essential to their achieving professional and international recognition; 

- completing their doctorates within the stipulated time frame;

- building networks with peers and faculty at other universities and university colleges. 

In addition to modules on the submitted PhD manuscripts, each workshop focuses specifically on one or several challenges in the process of writing a dissertation. This symposium will focus on how to situate your thesis in the historiography.

Small groups, appr. 4 hours: Student manuscripts are discussed in groups composed of peers and a faculty member. We allocate up to 45 minutes time for discussion of each paper. Students read all the drafts in their group carefully and offer comments and suggestions. One of the students are appointed as chair; another as first respondent; and the roles will rotate in the group. 

Student preparations

Students participate with a manuscript. The text can be early writing (project descriptions, text segments) or more developed texts (draft chapters or articles). Maximum length is 6000 words excl. references. If you submit a longer text, please indicate which parts of the text you want your readers to focus on. The first page(s) should state your name, indicate stage of process you're at (beginning, mid, end/or number of semesters into your project), provide the draft dissertation title and a draft outline of its chapters/articles. We recommend that the draft outline include abstracts of 100-200 words for each chapter/article. Texts should be in Scandinavian languages or English. It is not possible to attend without a manuscript.

In addition, you will be expected to read materials for the joint module, and take part in discussing appr. 3 manuscripts. You will serve as chair for the discussion of one manuscript and as main commentator for another.

Essential information

This will be an in-person course in Sogndal. 

Please register by filling in the application form by 3 July at the latest. We will accept applications as they come in. Participation is open to students at partner institutions and other students members of the Norwegian Research School in History. Membership is open to all students who have taken the theory and methods course.) 

Deadline for manuscripts is 18 August. Students upload their manuscripts to Teams. You will be added to the room when your application is accepted.

Course convener: Svein Atle Skålevåg, University of Bergen.

Administrative support: Grethe Bruvoll, University of Bergen

The workshop is estimated to 1 ECTS. 

Costs:

All participants must organize and pay for their own travel.

Participants from the partner institutions of the Norwegian Research School in History who do not live in the Bergen area will have their accommodations paid for. University of Bergen will book accommodations.

There will be a lunch served and also a dinner for all participants. 

For participants who want to take active part in Norske historiedager (panel discussion etc), the Norwegian Research School in History will be able to pay the participation fee, please contact the course administrator to make sure that you include the correct billing information in your registration to the Norske historiedager conference. This is a prerequisite for NRSH support for the conference fee. Norske historiedager will take place in Sogndal. 

Partner institutions:

Strategic Partner:

Published Dec. 8, 2022 9:27 AM - Last modified June 11, 2024 1:04 PM