Critical Thinking and Writing for Postgraduate Students
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About course
What you'll learn
The course will teach you to develop the critical thinking and writing skills you require to effectively analyse and communicate your research during your Ph.D. programme and beyond.
Materials Include
7 hours of on-demand video
20 articles​
40 lecture transcripts​
10 quizzes​
Community forums​
Optional mentoring track​
Who can Join?
Anyone can enroll in the taught course, but postgraduate students with clearly defined research objectives are most likely to benefit. A separate mentoring component is open only to mid- to late-stage Ph.D. students currently enrolled in transport or urban studies programs at African universities.
Completion Criteria
To be eligible to apply for the limited mentoring slots, you must achieve an average quiz score of 80 percent or higher. There are no minimum requirements for the taught component.
Certifcation
Course participants who successfully complete the mentoring component will receive a certificate.
Course Curriculum
Module 2 – Critical Thinking and Writing
Participants will evaluate the scientific merit of arguments using criteria such as relevance, clarity, methodological rigor, validity, originality, ethical considerations, and practical implications. They will learn the principles of critical reading and writing in academia, and how to confidently articulate the limits of scientific research. Additionally, participants will practice blending critiques and counter-critiques into coherent, well-articulated opinions.
Module 3 – Theoretical Frameworks
Participants will be introduced to various theoretical frameworks used in urban studies literature. The module will address the central question of the role of theory in framing scientific inquiry and research questions. By the end of the module, participants will understand how to effectively integrate theoretical frameworks with primary data in their research.
Module 4 – Thematic Analysis
Participants will learn to identify emerging themes from primary and secondary sources and code qualitative data accordingly. They will explore how to integrate empirical themes with relevant theories to create coherent, evidence-based narratives. The module will also cover the strategic use of quotes to illustrate themes and support claims, as well as the application of thematic analysis in writing original, critical literature reviews.
Module 5 – Citation and Referencing
Participants will learn effective citation and referencing techniques to avoid plagiarism while balancing convention with creativity. The module will cover various referencing styles and the use of reference management software.
Module 6 – Navigating the Scientific Publishing Cycle
Participants will learn the steps of the scientific publishing cycle and how to navigate them. Topics include defining the focus and contribution of a manuscript, developing a working title and abstract, identifying suitable journals, understanding the peer review process, responding to reviewer comments, and increasing visibility as authors in their field.
Testimonials
What Students are Saying
The hands-on activities… plus the reading attached provided insights and impacts on practice almost immediately because we learned while doing and reading. It is indeed an invaluable course that is relevant to every researcher at every point of their career. This should serve as a course content in any professional development program.
BT
This course has helped me to pause, think and rethink how to critically and logically present, analyse and approach my ongoing thesis. The mentoring sessions were the most useful and thought provoking for me. My mentor was calm, ready to listen and her reviews have helped clarify issues and how to proceed in my ongoing thesis.
AA
I learned so many new things from each of these sessions, especially the thematic analysis. After the session, I was certain I would go in for mixed methods. There was this exciting feeling after the above sessions of being open to new and quality knowledge. The required readings also helped to deepen my insight of each session.
AN
