Academic communication, whether written or verbal, requires you to be effective, precise and engaging. During your PhD you will have plenty of opportunities to develop these skills so that by the end you are ready with a well written Thesis and can deliver a successful Viva.

Communicating Blocks

Communicating in writing

During your PhD you will be expected to produce many written documents, such as your initial research plan, ESA report, LSR report, funding applications, conference papers, journal articles and abstracts, posters, and your Thesis.

See the support for developing your writing skills here.

Communicating in speaking

You will have many opportunities to communicate and discuss your research verbally with your peers, the public, and other academics and experts, when presenting in conferences, building networks, running public engagement activities, explaining your research decisions, and at the Viva.

See the support for developing your oral/presentation skills here.

To continue to develop your communication skills during your doctorate, you have access to a range of College expertise:

  • Your Supervisor - will provide feedback on your work, but particularly on the scientific aspect of your writing. They will be able to give you guidance and advice in your discipline area.
  • The Centre for Academic English - provides self-study resources, live group activity sessions and 1:1 coaching sessions to help you with all aspects of your research communication, whether it’s writing your ESA report, preparing for your viva or writing for publication.
  • The Library - offers you support on information management, optimising search criteria, managing your references, preparing thesis for open access, selecting copyright licence for your work.
  • The Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI) – will support you through the process of producing a thesis, a grant application, or a publication, focusing on their structure and audience.