Developing a writing group for academic staff writing about the scholarship of teaching and learning

Title: Writing for publication: Interventions to support i) academic writing and ii) staff writing for a PhD by Published Work Academic staff already in post at Leeds Beckett University are under increased pressure to have a PhD. This work explores engagement methods that the Centre for Learning and Teaching at Leeds Beckett University uses to foster collaboration for our academic writers and to support those academic staff doing a PhD by published work. This work has resulted in a burgeoning writing group, a strengthening of the teaching and learning culture and scholarship, improved staff relationships and sharing of practice across the disciplines. Increasing numbers of staff are registering for a PhD by published work in the UK and internationally and writing for publication can be stressful, isolating and demanding (Smith and Deane, 2014). Supporting their needs to reach an appropriate standard for publication in the public domain and for the PhD threshold standard is important (O’Sullivan and Cleary, 2014) and can be achieved through writing groups where mutual engagement and a sense of joint identity are fostered through a community of practice. (Wenger, 1998). In addition, staff undertaking a PhD by published work award or, indeed, just writing up their scholarship for peer reviewed journals need to show the “triple whammy”: coherence, contribution to the field and originality in their publications and final synthesis summary (Smith, 2015). Our experience might usefully be shared with other academic writers, educational developers and researchers. Discussion of the sharing of key methods used in Leeds such as a) the writing group, b) draft sharing of papers/outputs to elicit strength in originality, coherence and contribution to exisiting knowledge using a supportive feedback model for writing support (Ryan and Zimmerelli, 2006). c) supervisor networks and d) the production of a themed edition journal will be outlined.

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