This masterclass takes a practical, hands-on approach to the key writing challenges qualitative PhD researchers face at every stage of the journey, from crafting a coherent methodology chapter to writing up qualitative data in a way that does justice to your findings. Whether you're just getting started or in the final stages of your write-up, you'll leave with concrete strategies, clearer thinking and renewed confidence in your writing.
Course Structure:
This course will run across 3 x half days:
- 9.30am - 11.45am: Zoom session
- 11.45am- 12.15pm: Break
- 12.15pm- 1.30pm: Zoom session
This course is being held online via Zoom and run on Australian Eastern Standard Time (GMT +10)
Dr Lyn Lavery established Academic Consulting in 1999 following a successful career in the tertiary sector. Her 25+ years background in education, combined with a PhD which examined self-regulated learning at a tertiary level, provide a solid platform for developing the company’s innovative training programme. Her love of teaching and education, alongside her flexible teaching style and engaging sense of humour, contribute to an outstanding reputation as a training facilitator. As well as overseeing the company, Lyn provides individual support to researchers and postgraduate students. This has seen her work alongside a diverse range of clients – including senior academics in leading tertiary institutions, PhD students both within New Zealand and internationally, and research teams within central government. With extensive experience in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, she is also actively involved in all research project work undertaken by the company, particularly projects involving the advanced use of NVivo.
This masterclass is designed for qualitative PhD researchers who want to write with greater clarity, coherence and impact. We’ll work through the key elements of a qualitative PhD — not as isolated sections to be ticked off, but as an interconnected whole that tells a compelling and credible research story.
Each session combines a short lecture with small group discussions, giving you practical tools alongside the opportunity to apply them in a supportive environment. You'll engage with examples of qualitative academic writing, explore what makes findings chapters persuasive, and develop strategies for the sections researchers most often find challenging.
Whether you're early in your candidature and want to build good writing habits from the start, or you're deep in analysis and struggling to find your voice on the page, this course offers a practical framework for moving forward with confidence.
Course content includes:
- Do's and don'ts in writing a qualitative PhD (what examiners are looking for)
- What "originality" means in qualitative research, and how to demonstrate it in your writing
- Writing a literature review that builds a coherent argument rather than simply describing what others have done
- Methodology chapters that are clear, credible, and genuinely aligned with your research design
- Writing up findings in a way that represents participant voices while maintaining analytic authority
- Conclusions that push thinking forward rather than restating what you've already covered
This course is suitable for qualitative PhD researchers at any stage of their candidature. It will be particularly useful for those who have begun their data collection or analysis and are starting to think seriously about writing up.
Day 1
- Do's and don'ts in writing a qualitative PhD
- What examiners are looking for — and what "originality" really means
- The PhD as a coherent whole: aligning your research question, methodology and analysis
- Small group discussion
Day 2
- Writing a reader-friendly literature review: building an argument rather than a summary
- Methodology chapters: what to include, what to leave out, and how to justify your choices
- Small group discussion
Day 3
- Writing up qualitative findings: representing participant voices while maintaining analytic authority
- Conclusions that move thinking forward
- Writing tips and strategies — managing the process, overcoming common challenges
- Small group discussion
This workshop will take place live over Zoom across 3 x 1/2 days
Participants will be sent course documents in advance - there is no requirement to read these beforehand.
A basic understanding of qualitative research and data analysis is highly recommended.
Sword, H. (2012). Stylish academic writing. Harvard University Press.
Sword, H. (2016). The writer’s diet: A guide to fit prose (2nd ed.). The University of Chicago Press.
Sword, H. (2017). Air & light & time & space: How successful academics write. Harvard University Press.
Sword, H. (2023). Writing with pleasure. Princeton University Press.
Wolcott, H. (2009). Writing up qualitative research (3rd ed.). SAGE.
Woods, P. & Sikes, P. (2022). Successful writing for qualitative researchers (3rd ed.). Routledge.