After successful completion of the course, students are able to methodically plan, structure and carry out essential aspects of a doctoral thesis (dissertation). The focus here is on certain aspects (to be defined in advance: individual chapters or also the preparation of abstracts and papers for active participation in international scientific congresses.

The aim of the Writing Retreat is to work as concentrated as possible on the individual writing task; in other words, to devote as much time as possible to active writing.
The input is given in the form of short sessions (2 inputs planned: writing strategies - Maja Kevdzjia; ethics in science - Marjo Rauhala) on the one hand, and on the other hand, the participants can receive individual input from the supervisors (Psenner, Kevdzjia, Rauhala) at any time. In addition, at the end of each working day there is space for exchange and wrap-up rounds.
In addition, students receive assistance in choosing a topic and formulating the research question; instruction in scientifically correct writing; reflection and discussion of the work progress. Introduction to dissemination strategies.
The general teaching content of the seminar is to support students in organising and writing a scientific text. The choice of the text format to be worked on is up to the students. However, it is clarified and specified with the supervisor.
In addition to the individual writing work, a thematic approach, reflection and feedback in the group on a synergetic basis are the goal of the seminar. Experience has shown that the common denominator leads to a fruitful exchange between the individual participants. The students also receive support for participation in research congresses, if this is of interest for a possibly aspired professional or academic career.

Due to the various professional commitments of the PhD students, it is quite understandably not possible for all of them to stay for the full length of the seminar. The programme is designed accordingly.
The social programme was structured in such a way that it supports team building but also allows for individual leisure time. Meals can be taken together (lunch or dinner in the guesthouse; or picnics together in nature - weather permitting) or individually.
As a balance, the tight schedule is loosened up with walks in nature. The evenings can be spent together in the salons of the castle as desired - in professional exchange or in fundamental reflection around the social and mental circumstances that the enterprise "doctoral thesis" entails (meta-level).

In my seminars, I foster group work from the very beginning, the exchange of knowledge between all participants and of course also with the supervisor herself. This presupposes a certain collegial accessibility on the part of the teacher and requires space to promote and allow the necessary team-building processes in the group. 
Learning success correlates strongly with our ability to self-reflect. This is why I also work with metacognitive strategies in my seminars: Matthew effect or interlocking effect. The questioning of existing knowledge and embedding it in the students' everyday knowledge is cultivated here throughout the entire course.
The teaching form with small student groups also enables the use of support-oriented feedback, mutual learning, (peer) tutoring and testing strategies: Accordingly, the participants act as a "research group", which presents its own learning progress to each other at each session and discusses it in the group. Experience has shown that this form of teaching is particularly welcomed by the students and leads to a high level of identification with the subject matter and, moreover, to exceptional learning success (cooperative learning and deep learning).
Methods that are spontaneously applied here according to the situation: cooperative exercises, learning team coaching, collegial practice and case discussion. In contrast to final bottom-down evaluation, there is continuous feedback and formative learning success control.

The seminar will be held in week in week 46 (14.-19. November)) at the Landuni Drosendorf.
Participation on request. 
Personal registration and questions: Angelika Psenner 
angelika.psenner@tuwien.ac.at

Text product of the seminar week: abstract for congress participation, paper (congress presentation; journal), text blocks for doctoral thesis, processual structure, ...