The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Independent Learning Centre

Publishing Your Research Series

Both Paul and Susan currently design and conduct academic writing workshops for graduate degree candidates and post-doctoral Ph.D. holders from various Asian countries, such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Japan, China, Korea and India. They also work as freelance editors for academic institutes and publishing houses.

Constructing Your Research Paper Around An Argument:
A Gateway to Publication

Date	27 April 2022 (Wednesday)
Time	02:30pm-04:30pm
Speaker	Paul Nerney
Venue	Online Workshop via Zoom
Workshop Description	One task of journal editors is to decide whether a submitted manuscript clearly argues how its research findings lead to a new understanding of a research topic. A "yes" increases a manuscript's chances of being peer reviewed. A "no" means the manuscript will probably be rejected. This workshop is broken into three main sections. The first section discusses the challenges to constructing well written midsection arguments. The second section describes a planning strategy for developing arguments in a research paper—reviewing your research topic, problem, and answer. The third section describes follow-up strategies for constructing your claims, reasons, evidence, and responses to alternative arguments. In addition, participants will be taken through a step-by-step analysis of selected arguments from a research paper.
Speaker's Bio	Paul Nerney designed, taught and coordinated courses in English as a Second Language and English as a First-School Language for the Centre for English Language Communication at the National University of Singapore (NUS). He also worked under the NUS Provost's Office to design, teach and coordinate writing and critical thinking modules for the University Scholars Programme and the University Town Residential Programme. (Email: pnerney@gmail.com)
Event Photos

Constructing an Abstract for a Research Paper

Date	28 April 2022 (Thursday)
Time	2:30pm-4:30pm
Speaker	Paul Nerney
Venue	Online Workshop via Zoom
Workshop Description	Abstracts are summaries of research journal articles that are typically 100-200 words long. Their main goal is to suggest to potential readers that your paper's research findings match the reader's need to better understand the paper's research topic. This aim makes abstracts an integral part of disseminating your ideas to readers in your research community and beyond. This workshop is broken into two sections. The first section is a discussion built around questions that writers frequently ask about developing well written abstracts for research papers. The second section details and illustrates specific planning strategies for drafting and revising abstracts.
Speaker's Bio	Paul Nerney designed, taught and coordinated courses in English as a Second Language and English as a First-School Language for the Centre for English Language Communication at the National University of Singapore (NUS). He also worked under the NUS Provost's Office to design, teach and coordinate writing and critical thinking modules for the University Scholars Programme and the University Town Residential Programme. (Email: pnerney@gmail.com)
Event Photos

Salient Features of (Publishable) Academic English

Date	29 April 2022 (Friday)
Time	2:30pm-4:30pm
Speaker	Susan Lopez-Nerney
Venue	Online Workshop via Zoom
Workshop Description	Tips on how to produce successful, i.e. publishable, research papers in English abound. The sheer number of tips can confuse writers hoping to break into publication. This workshop presents the most salient features of the language of publishable research papers. The goal is to help writers to identify these features and to understand how and why they work, so that they can replicate these features in their own writing. In this workshop, participants will analyse and discuss these features and learn with other writers who are working towards the same goal – publication of their work.
Speaker's Bio	Susan Lopez-Nerney designed, administered, and taught language and writing courses as well as professional communication in the Centre for English Language Communication, National University of Singapore at the undergraduate and graduate school levels. (Email: slopeznerney@gmail.com)
Event Photos

Inspirations

“Education consists mainly of what we have unlearned.”

Mark Twain
“I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught.”

Winston Churchill
“The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live.”

Mortimer Adler
“Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will.”

Vernon Howard
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

Benjamin Franklin
“Be observing constantly. Stay open minded. Be eager to learn and improve.”

John Wooden
“Learning is not attained by chance. It must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.”

Abigail Adams
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.”

Henry Ford