ПОСОБИЕ ПО РАЗВИТИЮ ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОЙ КОММУНИКАТИВНОЙ КОМПЕТЕНЦИИ МАГИСТРОВ И АСПИРАНТОВ

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УЧЕБНО–МЕТОДИЧЕСКОЕ

ПОСОБИЕ ПО РАЗВИТИЮ ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОЙ КОММУНИКАТИВНОЙ КОМПЕТЕНЦИИ МАГИСТРОВ И АСПИРАНТОВ.

Тверь 2018

Составитель: доктор филологических наук, профессор Комина Н.А.,

Целью данного учебно-методического пособия является формирование у студентов магистерских и аспирантских образовательных программ профессиональной коммуникативной компетенции, необходимой для успешной

работы в составе международных исследовательских коллективов, а также готовности использовать современные методы и технологии научной коммуникации на английском языке и способности планировать и решать задачи собственного профессионального и личностного роста.

Данное учебно-методическое пособие состоит из разделов, обеспечивающих студента необходимыми дидактическими материалами, формирующими готовность использовать современные методы и технологии научной коммуникации на английском языке, навыки работы в научном коллективе.

Возможность использования пособия обучающимися независимо от области их специализации обеспечивается тем, что представленный в нем языковой материал не содержит узкоспециальной лексики.

Может быть рекомендовано как для аудиторной работы, так и для самостоятельной работы магистров и аспирантов, обучающихся на гуманитарных и естественных факультетах.

Печатается по решению кафедры иностранных языков гуманитарных факультетов (протокол № 1 от 12сентября 2018 г.).

Texts for post-graduates

Part II. Unit 1. POSTGRADUATE EDUCATION

Section 3. GRAMMAR PRACTICE

16. Arrange these words in the right order. Use a capital letter to begin each sentence. Mark each rewritten sentence S V O M P T to show Subject, Verb, Object, Place (Where?), Time (When?).

1. degree, studying, I, PhD, am, the, for. 2. postgraduate, abroad, spent, she, year, her, college, ﬁ rst, after, studying. 3. three, complete, years, takes, four, to, PhD, to, a. 4. research, working, project, am, a, I, at. 5. wide, postgraduate, the, year, offers, range, a, university, this, you, studies, of. 6. postgraduate, loans, through, you, funding, grants, get, and, for, study, can. 7. programme, apply, postgraduate, to, university, a, decided, at, this, research, he, for. 8. practically, research, year, attended, every, I, last, seminar. 9. taught, world-leading, by, you, be, academics. 10. dissertation, Roman, he, architecture, his, on, wrote.

17. Read and translate the following complex sentences with different types of subordinate clauses. Use your dictionary if necessary.

1. The ability to teach students to think for themselves is one of the highlights of UK higher education, and as teaching and academic contact hours seem likely to be increasingly scrutinised by prospective students, it will be important for universities to ﬁnd ways to emphasise educational nuances which are not easily quantiﬁable.

2. There is no single deﬁnition of the term “postgraduate” although it is often used to describe further study undertaken by those who already have a ﬁrst degree.

3. New models of PhD have developed in recognition of the fact that a PhD is not solely a route into academia, and that a large proportion of PhD graduates progress into senior positions outside the higher education sector.

4. A doctoral degree is awarded for the creation of original research that extends the boundary of knowledge or practice within a particular discipline.

5. What is important is the correct sequence of building operations.

6. While doctoral degrees have traditionally focused on research, in recent years there has been a noticeable growth in courses which incorporate a substantial taught element, although the fundamental requirement for a doctoral candidate to carry out a substantial body of original research remains.

7. Research degrees are the one area of postgraduate education where men outnumber women, though only just.

8. In 1999, ministers from 29 European countries signed the Bologna Agreement to reform higher education, establishing an international set of standards and nomenclature by which to compare qualiﬁcations offered by different countries.

18. Read and translate the following complex sentences with relative clauses in which the relative conjunctions (which/that) are left out.

1. The quality assurance processes of academic standards currently provided by the Quality Assurance Agency are generally considered efﬁcient by the universities it serves, and as a body, it is highly regarded internationally. 2. The structural engineer must design structures to be safe for their users and to successfully fulﬁl the function they are designed for. 3. There are lots of different types of engineering. The one thing they have in common is that they use Maths and Science to improve industry and manufacturing. 4. The report he made after the delegation had visited our plant shows that he has ﬁnally realized the importance of the work we are doing here. 5. Given the diversity of the postgraduate population and the variety of postgraduate qualiﬁ cations available, it is not surprising that the motivations people have for undertaking postgraduate study are varied. 6. The UK is second only to the USA in terms of the number of international students it attracts, with 11.6 percent of the international student market.

19. In some of these sentences you don’t need who, which or that. If you don’t need these words, put them in brackets like this: (who), (which), (that).

1. A Master’s degree aims to deepen students’ knowledge within a subject that they have already studied. 2. The most common doctoral degree is the traditional Doctor of Philosophy that is usually awarded following an oral examination of the candidate’s research thesis, and normally taking three to four years of full-time study to complete. 3. The technique that they used in structures was worked out by the design team. 4. Prospects will be best for people who have a bachelor or higher degree in construction science. 5. The students who we met at the construction site were having practical training. 6. This is a four-year programme which provides doctoral students with taught courses and practical experience alongside advanced research.

20. Match the following phrases. Put the preposition at the end of the relative clause. Example: Your destination is the place you are going to.

Chemistry is the institution you are working on it.

A PhD is the place you are taking a degree in it.

The university is a piece of writing you are applying for it.

Your destination is the subject you were conferred on it.

The thesis is ﬁnancial aid you are going to it.

A scholarship is the degree you graduated from it.

21. Read and translate the following emphatic sentences it is … that/ which/who into Russian.

1. It is this course that helps you to develop skills enabling you to conduct social research in any ﬁ eld. 2. It is the Quality Assurance Agency which provides a basic guide to the level of intellectual attainment expected of students. 3. It was Lomonosov who ﬁ rst discovered the law of conservation of energy. 4. It is only by performing a lot of experiments that progress can be made. 5. It is the Bologna Process that has brought major changes to the higher education landscape in Europe.

22. Translate the following sentences into English.

1. Внимательно изучите требования для аспирантов, которые необходимо выполнить для успешной защиты диссертации.2. Я считаю, что получение ученой степени в зарубежном университете даст мне возможность начать международную карьеру. 3. Именно эрудиция обусловила широту его научных интересов. 4. Вот статья, о которой я тебе говорил. 5. Комиссия будет рассматривать только те документы, которые вы представили на рассмотрение. 6. Я поступил в аспирантуру, потому что хочу заниматься наукой. 7. Тема диссертации, которую вам предложил научный руководитель, была утверждена на заседании кафедры. 8. Ученый, с которым вы хотели обсудить результаты вашего исследования, приезжает завтра. 9. Университет, который я закончил, является одним из лучших в стране. 10. Именно аспирантура готовит будущих научных работников.

Section 5. SPEAKING .

26. Boris Klimov tells us about his educational background. Complete the text with the words or phrases from the box.

a) undertook b) defended c) degree d) ﬁnished e) supervisor f) graduated from g) perform h) undergraduate i) research j) was admitted k) Master’s degree l) scholarship m) assessments n) earned o) proceed p) Bachelor’s degree q) carried out r) PhD course

My educational background

My educational background has an over-all underlying tone of consistency. I am pleased with my past education, and feel that I have become a well-rounded individual in many various aspects of my life. In this educational autobiography, I will cover my education from beginning to present which will include how I came to the decision to begin doing a Doctoral (1) __________.

I started schooling when I was seven years old. I attended a small school in a town in Belgorod region. My elder brothers attended the same school and most everyone from my big family went there. I attended this school until the ﬁ fth form after which my family moved to Belgorod. I started to attend a lycée. Coming from a small school, it was a dramatic change in my life. The work was harder, and the lycée atmosphere carried the sense of learning and excellence. As a school student, I always excelled in mathematics and physics. Those were the subjects I was good at, and unlike my classmates, I really enjoyed them. So towards the end of the ﬁnal year at the lycée, I decided that being in engineering was for me. It wasn’t a hard decision to make, and my parents supported me. I (2) __________ lycée with honours.

At 17, I (3) __________ to the Technological University on a (4) __________ and took a (5) __________. I decided to major in Environmental Engineering. That (6) __________ programme lasted four years. At the University I had the opportunity to study a lot of key subjects ranging from water treatment to waste management and resource sustainability. In addition to the theoretical side of things and practical experience within the university labs, I (7) __________ a ﬁ eld course in my second year which allowed me to put many of the theoretical modules I had studied in the ﬁ rst two years of my degree into practice. In 2010, I (8) __________ University and (9) __________ a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering.

To deepen my knowledge of the subject I was interested in I decided to (10) __________ to a (11) __________ programme which took two years to complete. It was a logical progression to my studies. My (12) __________ was coordinated by the academic (13) __________ within the department. During the ﬁrst two terms of the Master’s degree course, I took some courses in the area of my specialisation. I developed an interest in waste management and so had the opportunity to (14) __________ a compositional analysis of printed circuit boards, which then allowed me to design a recycling facility to recover metals from the boards and separate out the plastic. In the third term I (15) __________ a project which included designing a car battery recycling facility. This involved site investigation and impact (16) __________. Then I started writing my Master’s thesis titled “Waste Management in Environmental Engineering”, which I (17) __________ successfully in 2012. It was my own original research with the subsequent conclusions.

The experience gained across the Master’s degree process encouraged me to take a (18) __________ — there is something very magical about the moment you look at your results and realise you know something no one else in the world knows.

27. Using the information given in the above text, ﬁ ll in the missing answers of the dialogue. Then practise it.

A.: Could you introduce yourself, please?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: Are you pleased with your past education?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: When and where did you start schooling?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: What school subjects were you good at?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: What university were you admitted to?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: What undergraduate programme did you take?

B.:_________________________________.

A.: What was the topic of your diploma paper?

B.:_______________________________.

A.: What did you study at university?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: When did you graduate from university?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: What was your University major?

B.:________________________________.

A.: Why have you chosen this major?

B.:_________________________________.

A.: What subjects studied at University are most important for your professional work?

B.:_________________________________.

A.: What subject(s) did you minor in?

B.:________________________________.

A.: What degree did you earn?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: Why did you decide to take a Master’s degree course?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: How long did it take you to complete it?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: What was the area of your specialisation?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: How did taking a Master’s degree programme compare to taking a Bachelor’s degree one?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: What project did you carry out?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: What was your Master’s thesis titled?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: When did you defend it?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: What encouraged you to proceed to a PhD degree course?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: What are you majoring in now?

B.:__________________________.

28. Speak on your own educational background. Use the above text and dialogue as a model.

29. Clasiify the words below into personal qualities (birth given) and professional skills (experience obtained) to complete the chart. Which of them do you possess?

Personal qualities	Professional skills

Vision – проницательность дальновидность; judgement – рассудительность; energy – энергичность; determination – решительность, решимость; consistency – последовательность, постоянство; fairness – справедливость; self-respect – самоуважение; self-awaraness – самоанализ; directness – прямолинейность, непосредственность; observation – наблюдательность; confidence – уверенность; communication skills – навыки общения; effort – усилие; friendliness – дружелюбие; sociability – общительность; organizing ability – организаторские способности; ruthlessness – жестокость; diplomacy – дипломатичность; reliability – надежность; emotional (physical) stamina – эмоциональная (физическая) выносливость; maturity – зрелость; sense of humour – чувство юмора; flexibility – гибкость.

30. A CV (curriculum vitae [kə′rikjələm ′vi:tai]) or a résumé ([′rezjumei]; AmE) is a summary of your personal details, educational quali ﬁ cations, and work experience. It is usually sent when applying for a study programme or a job. P ractise the following dialogue. A personnel of ﬁ cer gives advice on writing Cvs.

A.: Mrs Wright, tell me about CVs, please. What are the key things to include?

W.: Well, you should start with brief personal details, of course. You know, name, age, and so on. Marital status is OK too, but no names of children or pets.

A.: And next comes education, I suppose?

W.: Yeah. You ought to list the schools and institutions you’ve attended in chronological order. Make sure that the dates make sense. Don’t forget details of the qualiﬁ cations you obtained. Remember to put down your grades too.

A.: I see. And would you advise people to include copies of their qualiﬁcations, and so on?

W.: No, they don’t need to do that, not at this stage.

A.: Right. Now for the part of the CV which deals with work experience. Should we go through this in chronological order or start with the most recent, or current job ﬁ rst?

W.: I would deﬁnitely say begin with the present or most recent job ﬁ rst. Then work backwards. Give a brief description of each job and try to list one or two achievements.

A.: That’s hard if you’re still a student, isn’t it?

W.: True, but you can still mention things like “I was secretary of the Anglo-German society” or give details of any part-time or holiday jobs.

A.: Oh, and one last question. What about a photograph?

W.: Well, it can go on an application form or with a covering letter, but there’s no reason why you can’t put it on your CV. If I were a job seeker, I’d invest in a studio photograph — one that made me look as good as possible, rather than one from a machine. And of course, never send a picture of you on the beach or at a party — people have sent me some amazing things!

31. These are the headings commonly used in a CV (a résumé). Using the above dialogue as a guide and the information given below, make up a dialogue of your own to discuss some problems involved in writing a CV.

1. Personal Details: up-to-date contact details and personal details to be given.

2. Personal Proﬁle: summarising experience, skills and career objectives.

3. Achievements: quantiﬁ able evidence of where candidates have excelled in roles. 4. Professional Experience: proﬁ ling useful examples and evidence of suitability.

5. Education: evidence of structured learning and future development potential.

6. Skills and Qualities: telling recruiters exactly what candidates are good (best) at. 7. Activities and Interests: they do not really add that much value to a CV.

Postgraduate levels in

Russia

The postgraduate diploma structure so far retains its unique Soviet pattern established in 1934. The system makes a distinction between scientiﬁc degrees, evidencing personal postgraduate achievement in scientiﬁc research, and related but separate academic titles, evidencing personal achievement in university-level education. There are two successive postgraduate degrees: kandidat nauk (Candidate of Sciences) and doktor nauk (Doctor of Sciences). Both are a certiﬁcate of scientiﬁ c, rather than academic, achievement, and must be backed up by original/ novel scientiﬁc work, evidenced by publications in peer-reviewed journals and a dissertation defended in front of the senior academic board.

The titles are issued by the Higher Attestation Commission of the Ministry of Education. A degree is always awarded in one of the predetermined ﬁelds of science. Kandidat nauk can be achieved within university environment, specialised research facilities. A typical kandidat nauk path from admission to diploma takes about 3 years. The dissertation paper should contain a solution of an existing scientiﬁ c problem, or a practical proposal. The title is often perceived as equivalent to Western Ph.D., although this may vary depending on the ﬁeld of study, and may not be seen as such outside of Russia. Doktor nauk, the next stage, implies achieving signiﬁcant scientiﬁc output. This title is often equated to the German or Scandinavian habilitation.

The dissertation paper should summarise the author’s research resulting in theoretical statements that are qualiﬁed as a new discovery, solution of an existing problem, or a practical proposal. The road from kandidat to doktor typically takes 10 years of dedicated research activity; one in four candidates reaches this stage. Academic titles of dotsent and professor are issued to active university staff who already achieved degrees of kandidat or doktor; the rules prescribe authoring established course books in their chosen ﬁeld, and mentoring successful postgraduate trainees; special, less formal rules apply to professors of arts.

1. What is the postgraduate diploma structure characterised by? 2. What must doctoral dissertations be backed up by? 3. What is the procedure of the defence of a dissertation? 4. How are postgraduate degrees approved? 5. What should a doctoral dissertation contain?

33. As you read, make notes under the following headings.

1. A Candidate of Sciences degree (kandidat nauk).

2. A Doctor of Sciences degree (doktor nauk).

3. Academic titles of dotsent and professor.

34. Check your answers with your groupmates. Look up the words you do not know in the dictionary.

35. Retell the text about the Russian postgraduate degrees and titles.

36. Tell your groupmates about the hierarchy and speci ﬁ c features of postgraduate degrees in different countries. Use the Internet to ﬁ nd the information required.

Section 7. WRITING

37. Study the parts and some features of the following CV.

CV (example)

Personal data

Alexander Popov
Gercena str. 28-29, Town of Oktyabrskiy,
Respublika Bashkortostan, Russian Federation
+7 916 38195754632
alexander_popov@gmail.com

Date of Birth: 25.08.1972
Marital Status: married

Objective

To obtain a position service engineer that will allow me to use my knowledge and take advantage of my desire to work in Sulzer Ltd.

Education
Ufa State Oil Technical University Oktyabrskiy Branch (OF UGNTU) 08.2002 – 06.2007
Specialty: Engineer-mechanic

Work experience

10.2011 – till now
OAO "Rosneft"
Position: Head of Service of Manufacturing Custom Equipment.
Activities and responsibilities: Manage the production of service of manufacturing custom equipment. Control and technical maintenance of production metal parts
03.2010 - 10.2011 – OAO "Rosneft"
Position - Engineer-constructor
Activities and responsibilities: Schematic drawing metal parts for different equipment, technology of metal processing for the manufacture of metal parts.

Employment history
06.2007 - 03.2010
Gazprom:
Position: Engineer-constructor
Activities and responsibilities: constructor documentation of Installation Electric Submersible Pumps - Electric Submersible Pumps (18-400 cubic meters per day), electric asynchronous motors, protector.

Skills
MS Word, Excel Typing, Compas 3d.
Russian: native
English: Fluent reading, writing and speaking ability

German: spoken

Italian: written

Interests

Football, Volleyball, Basketball, Reading, Internet.

References

Available upon request

38. How is a CV different in Russia?

39. Write your own CV in English using quali ﬁ cations you already have, or ones that you think you might get in the future. Use the given CV as a guide for your writing.

40. Present a written argument or case to an educated reader with no specialist of the following topic.

“University education should be complemented with the postgraduate studies to provide a graduate with better career prospects. To what extent do you agree or disagree? ”

You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence. Write a t least 250 words.

Section 3. GRAMMAR PRACTICE

16. Read and translate the following sentences into Russian paying attention to the predicates used in the Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous forms (the Active Voice).

1. In recent years, new models of PhD have emerged, offering a larger taught element or combining advanced research with wider skills training to prepare students for a broad range of careers. 2. He had reported the results of the research in his thesis by the end of the period of study. 3. Typically, study for a doctoral degree will require the equivalent of at least three years full-time study. 4. The British Council’s report attempted to quantify how demand for UK higher education from international students may change. 5. They were conducting an interesting experiment in the lab from 9 o’clock till 12 o’clock yesterday. 6. The international student market is increasingly competitive: more European countries are delivering courses in English and some do not charge fees. 7. They have been working out a new production plan for two weeks. 8. Masters courses vary enormously in terms of their function and intended outcomes. 9. He has known the chief engineer for three years. 10. The UK’s pedagogic approach tends to place greater emphasis on developing students’ independent research skills than imparting knowledge from the front of a classroom. 11. The survey ﬁnds that although doctoral student numbers have grown overall by 9 per cent during this period, the number of UK domiciled students has grown by only 3 per cent and in fact declined slightly in the last couple of years.

17. Write the following sentences in the negative form. Then change them to general, alternative, special (beginning with the questionwords given in brackets) and tag questions.

1. He published three articles last year. (When? What? How many? Who?) 2. My colleagues are undertaking the research now. (What? When? Who? Whose?) 3. He has known him for a long time. (Who? How Long?) 4. My classes usually begin at 10 o’clock in the morning. (When? What time? What?) 5. The chief engineer will be visiting the construction site in the suburbs of the town from 2 o’clock till 4 o’clock tomorrow. (Where? When? What time? Who?) 6. He had spent several years investigating this area before I joined his team. (What? When? Who?) 7. The designer was using a computer in the ofﬁce at 3 o’clock yesterday. (Where? What? When? What time? Who?) 8. My fellow students will work in this project area next month. (When? What? Who? Whose?)

18. Fill the gaps with the correct form of the verb. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. Dr. Smith __________ (supervise) and __________ (support) the proposed PhD project now. 2. He __________ (discuss) his project with his supervisor in more detail. 3. I am sure she __________ (apply) for funding her project next week. 4. He __________ (agree) a topic for his PhD project before he made his application. 5. My research supervisor is busy now. He __________ (interview) some prospective students. 6. My fellow student __________ (send) his Director of Studies a research proposal outlining the programme of work to be undertaken last month. 7. The Psychological Society __________ (produce) a useful guide on postgraduate research in psychology by the end of next month. 8. He __________ (explore) that issue in real depth at that time. 9. Many construction projects usually _______ (suffer) from ﬁ nancial problems. 10. When Mr. White retires next year, he _______ (work) for this company for 25 years. 11. John __________ (undertake) his research degree for two years when I also decided to take a postgraduate course. 12. She __________ (present) his work to researchers at this time tomorrow.

19. Most of these sentences contain one mistake. Correct each one or, if there is no mistake, write right.

1. What did you after you completed your postgraduate course? 2. After I identiﬁed what I wanted to achieve I needed to start the process of turning these objectives into a plan. 3. This problem stops me from achieving the objective now. 4. If you didn’t have the qualiﬁcation, it is harder to get a job. 5. You will make some great professional and personal contacts by the end of your postgraduate studies. 6. I did my postgraduate studies at that time last year. 7. He completes the online registration form for 20 minutes. 8. Your research degree has an impact on you and those around you in future. 9. Research projects rarely run smoothly. 10. She didn’t achieve this objective yet. 11. He is exploring the effect on demand for UK higher education from international students at present. 12. Over the past twenty years there was a substantial growth in doctorates.

20. Read and translate the following sentences with used to ( раньше , прежде , когда - то , в прошлом ).

1. He used to be an engineer. 2. Building operations used to stop in very bad winter conditions. 3. I used to have a car, but I sold it. 4. The factory used to be in the city centre. 5. He used to work as a construction worker before he started his own business. 6. Did he use to live in that town when he was a child? 7. I didn’t use to drive to work.

21. Translate the following sentences into English using the correct tenses.

1. Ученые степени появились в СССР в 1934 году. 2. Он никогда не работал над этой проблемой, поэтому он ничего не может сказать о ее значении. 3. Сейчас мы анализируем имеющиеся в распоряжении данные. 4. Магистранты и аспиранты обычно получают небольшую стипендию 5. Он завершит работу над диссертацией к концу следующего года. 6. Она пишет диссертацию уже два года. 7. Аспиранты обсуждали первую презентацию, когда я вошел в аудиторию. 8. После того как мы проверили полученные результаты, мы опубликовали их в этой статье. 9. Мой научный руководитель уезжает в Лондон для участия в конференции сегодня вечером. 10. Он уже доложил о результатах своего исследования.

Section 5. SPEAKING

25. Igor Petrov tells us about his postgraduate course. Complete the text with the words or phrases from the box.

a) complete b) opportunity c) in order to d) related e) enable f) access g) degrees h) take i) postgraduate j) data k) supervisor l) attend m) major n) entrance o) theme p) conducting q) course r) facilities

The hierarchy of advanced postgraduate (1) __________ in Russia traditionally includes doctor’s degrees of two levels: the Candidate of Sciences (kandidat nauk), which is equivalent to a PhD degree according to the International Standard Classiﬁ cation of Education, and the Doctor of Sciences (doktor nauk).

I am taking a PhD degree (2) __________ at the Technological University. My admission to the entrance examinations was determined on the basis of the research statement presented by me and the results of the preliminary discussions of my thesis theme with my research (3) __________. I had to take competitive (4) __________ examinations in the subject of my specialisation, that is in Civil Engineering, English, and philosophy (5) __________ be accepted to this course. I passed them successfully. So now I am a ﬁrst-year full-time (6) __________ student of the Department of Civil Engineering. The PhD degree course will require at least three years of study.

The postgraduate programme I am taking combines individual depth of experience and competence in my chosen (7) __________ with a strong background in the basic and engineering sciences. This course will (8) __________ me to carry out independent research and educational work and develop my professional independence, creativity, leadership as well as the capacity for continuing professional and intellectual growth.

In the ﬁrst year of my postgraduate studies I (9) _________ the courses in preparation for three qualifying (Candidate) examinations in my specialty ﬁeld, history and philosophy of science, and English. I am sure that the knowledge of English will help me in my research. I also (10) __________ some lectures and seminars in information technologies, mathematical simulation, psychology, and some other subjects. I also have the (11) __________ to hear talks by industrial researchers. The university has excellent library (12) __________ with strong collections in civil engineering, mathematics, and science. PhD students are provided with (13) __________ to the university computer facilities and ofﬁce space.

My research deals with new methods of construction. The (14) __________ of the thesis is “Ecologically Friendly Construction and Design”. I was interested in this problem when a Master’s degree student. So by now I had collected some valuable (15) __________ for my thesis. I work in close contact with my scientiﬁc supervisor Professor Smirnov. If I have any problems (16) __________ to my research, I always consult him.

At present I am engaged in collecting some more data and (17) __________ experiments. Some results of my research have already been published in two papers in scientiﬁc journals. I hope my research will be a success. I think I will manage to complete my doctoral thesis on time and (18) __________ a PhD degree in Civil Engineering.

26. Using the information given in the above text, ﬁ ll in the missing answers of the dialogue. Then practise it.

A.: What postdegree course are you taking now?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: Why did you decide to take it?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: What is your ﬁeld of specialisation?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: What did you have to do to be admitted to the entrance examinations?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: What entrance examinations did you take?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: What courses do you take to prepare for the qualifying (Candidate) examinations? B.: _______________________________.

A.: What classes and lectures do you attend?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: What are the library facilities at your university?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: What is the theme of your PhD thesis?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: Is your current research connected with your Master’s thesis?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: Have you begun working at your PhD thesis yet?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: Have you conducted any experiments?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: Who is your research supervisor?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: How often do you consult your research supervisor?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: Have you published any papers?

B.: _______________________________.

A.: Will you manage to complete your doctoral thesis on time?

B.: _______________________________.

A.:

27. Speak on your postgraduate course. Use the above text and dialogue as a model.

Study some useful expressions:

To do research in (into) – проводить исследование в области

To read for thesis – читать литературу для диссертации

To attend lectures in – посещать лекции по

To carry on research in – продолжать исследование (в)

To be engaged in the study of – заниматься изучением

To deal with the problem of – заниматься проблемой

To be devoted to – быть посвященным.преданным (чему-то)

To be particularly interested in – проявлять особый интерес к

To make a thorough (complete, detailed, accurate) study of – проводить основательное (полное, подробное, точное) исследование…

To advance (propose, put forward, suggest, develop) an idea of (hypothesis, approach, theory) – выдвигать (предлагать, развививать) идею (гипотезу, подход, теорию)

To collect and arrange/process data (facts, observations) – собирать и упорядочивать/ обрабатывать данные (факты, наблюдения)

To check the results – проверять результаты

To do theoretical work – проводить теоретическую работу

To come to the conclusion – приходить к заключению

To be through with the experimental (theoretical) part of work – закончить экспериментальную (теоретическую) часть работы

To succeed in obtaining reliable results (data) – успешно получить надежные (достоверные) результаты

To overcome difficulties – преодолевать трудности

To read a paper – выступать с научным докладом

To win general recognition – получить (завоевать) общее признание

To be encouraged with the investigation – быть вдохновленным этим исследованием

To contribute (to make a contribution) to – вносить вклад в

To consider (an issue) of – считать, полагать, рассматривать проблему

To work jointly with – работать совместно с

To consult one’s scientific adviser/supervisor – консультироваться у научного руководителя

To work under – работать под руководством

To be well-known (distinguished, prominent, outstanding, famous) – быть изветсным (выдающимся, знаменитым)

To guide – направлять

To monitor progress – следить за ходом исследования

To provide feedback – обеспечить обратную связь

To give (deliver) lectures – читать лекции

To provide a summary/ synopsis/annotation of – снабжать что-либо аннотацией

To have/get good references (on) – иметь/получать хорошие отзывы

28. Find synonyms in the list (A-B) below, and arrange them in pairs.

A. Device, research,technology, branch, obtain, important, collaborator, team, scientific adviser, to enable, thesis, journal, to prove a thesis, to collect, data, to encounter, to be enagaged in, to be through with, scientific papers, rapidly;

B. Quickly, publications, instrument, technique, to finish, to be busy with, field, to get, significance, to come across, information, to gather, coworker, group, supervisor, to defend a dissertation, scientific magazine, dissertation, to allow, investigation.

Find antonyms in the list (C-D) below, and arrange them in pairs

C. Theory, to obtain, rapidly, experimentator, to finish, to increase, new, experienced, unknown, wide, passive, to enable, high, complicated.

D. Simple, low, practice, to give, to disable, active, slowly, theoretician, narrow, famous, to start, to decrease, old, inexperienced.

29. Think about your career in science and put down your notes in the chart below using the words and collocations from the previous task.

Your career in science	Your notes
1. What you enjoy most about working in your scientific field.
2. What you would like to do ( and not like to do)
3. Which of your past and presenr experiences are most relevant to your future in science.

30. What is your idea of a good supervisor? What do you prefer: to have a supervisor who is the name in his/her field, has plenty of ideas, which he/she is eager to share with you, or a a supervisor who knows not much about your subject, but let you make the research independently? You may use the expressions below how to speculate on the subject.

1. An appropriate supervisor.

2. A holistic and innovative approach.

3. Crucialsupport of the supervisor.

4. Experienced in the field of your research interests.

5. High level of staff expertise, reputation and influence.

6. Pertinent comments.

7. Procedures and regulations of writing and defendinf your thesis.

8. The responsibilities are shared between student and supervisor.

9. To appreciate the time and effort.

10. To be especially beneficial.

11. To boost one’s confidence.

12. To continuously monitor progress.

13. To design and carry out work on your thesis.

14. To give plenty of encouragement.

15. To guide and advise you throughout your period of study.

16. To provide structured feedback.

17. To provide training in research.

18. To remain aware of the student’s situation and the needs.

31. Usually your supervisor is a famous scholar and an expert in your some field; he/she may have discovered an interesting phenomenon or law. Try to find out about his/her scientific interests, dissertation and research. This will help you establish better working environment. Be ready to describe expertise, research and academic career of your supervisor.

32. Your supervisor has just learned about the popularity of using blogs (or weblogs) as research tools. This is the first time he/she has heard of this new communication tool, and he/she wants to learn more.He/she asks you to conduct Internet research to see what has been written on this subject. Using the electronic database or the web, find an article that discusses the use of blogs in the workplace for research purposes. Summarize the primary ideas, conclusions, and reccomendations presented in the article to report on them to your boss. Be sure to identify the author, article name, journal, and date of publication in your summary.

Doing a PhD

A PhD is a unique degree in that it is not focused on acquiring more knowledge. A Master’s essentially provides more knowledge or more in-depth knowledge in a subject. But doing a PhD is oriented around research. Due to the focus and importance of research in a PhD, it is often believed that creating new knowledge is the main goal of a PhD. Though creating new knowledge is part of the PhD training, the main objective of doing a PhD degree is to become a competent researcher who can conduct independent research in the chosen area.

If we go by the premise that the purpose of a PhD programme is to produce competent researchers, then the research done during a PhD is primarily for contributing towards this goal and the nature and sophistication of the research output is less important. What is important is to learn to properly formulate a problem and apply suitable techniques to produce results that further the state of understanding about that problem. The ability to conduct research in an area requires deep knowledge in that area, knowledge about related areas, and the experience of working on research problems, i.e. problems whose outcomes are not known.

To develop these critical abilities, most PhD programmes have three components in them — some course work to provide the breath of knowledge, some methods to develop the depth of knowledge in the chosen area of study, and a thesis that provides the experience of working on research problems. Through these components a PhD candidate should expect to develop the abilities, which form the foundation of a career in research.

33. Read the text “Doing a PhD”. Answer the questions that follow.

1. What is doing a PhD degree oriented around?

2. What is the main objective of doing a PhD degree?

3. Is the research output important in a PhD?

4. What does the ability to conduct research in an area require?

5. What components do most PhD programmes include?

34. As you read the text, say which of these statements are true and which are false.

1. A PhD is focused on acquiring more knowledge.

2. Creating new knowledge is part of the Master’s and PhD training.

3. A PhD programme produces competent researchers.

4. A PhD programme provides suitable techniques to produce the results required.

5. Through the components a PhD programme has a PhD candidate can hardly form the foundation of his/her research career.

35. Check your answers with your groupmates. Look up the words you do not know in the dictionary.

36. Retell the text about some specific features of a PhD programme.

37. Tell your groupmates which speci ﬁ c features discussed in the text are relevant to your postgraduate programme.

Section 7. WRITING

An academic transcript [′trænskript] (Transcript of Records) is an ofﬁcial document which states your course units (subjects) or modules taken, your results (credits and ﬁnal marks/grades conﬁ rmed by the appropriate Examination Board), a completion date and a graduation date. It provides a standard format for recording all study activities carried out by students over a certain period of time. It is an essential tool for academic recognition. All students automatically receive one paper copy of their ﬁ nal academic transcript upon completing their degree. If you haven’t yet completed your course, you can request a copy of your on-course transcript. This will show your academic achievement to date but will not include a ﬁ nal classiﬁ cation. An academic transcript may be needed for veriﬁcation by other educational institutions to which you are applying or by prospective employers.

38. Read this sample academic transcript translated from the Russian language and issued by Moscow Technical University. Study its organization.

Moscow Technical University. Morozov street, build. 20, Moscow, Russia, Zip code: 115409, Phone: 011(7-495) 333 22 33. Fax : 011 (495) 333 22 66 This is to testify that Boris Ivanovich Klimov studied at Moscow Technical University from 1 September, 2001 to 30 June, 2006. In the course of the full-time curriculum at the Department of Physics B.I. Klimov, who was majoring in Physics of Solid Materials, studied the following courses and passed the following examinations and tests: Course Title Grade/exam final test hours/semester Year 1. Term 1. 1. Mathematical Analysis excellent passed 148 2. General Physics excellent passed 105 3. Laboratory course: Mechanics passed 60 4. Laboratory course: Molecular Physical passed 30 5. Analytical Geometry and Vector Analysis passed 60 6. English passed 60 Year 2. 1. Mathematical Analysis excellent passed 120 2. General Physics excellen passed 90 3. Laboratory course: Molecular Physical 30 4. Analytical Geometry and Vector Analysis excellent passed 60 5. Differential Equations excellent 30 6. English passed 60 The student B.I. Klimov, within the framework of the ﬁeld work and internship in accordance with his major, accomplished the assignments with an excellent (A) mark. The graduate’s thesis topic: “Adjustable source of radiation for ﬁber-optical lines” — excellent (A). 30 June, 2006 Dean of the Faculty of Experimental Physics.

39. Write your own academic transcript in English based on the models above.Present it to the class and discuss it.

ACTIVE VOCABULARY LIST

set out v — (подробно) излагать (идеи, причины и т.п.)

approach (to) [ə′prəut∫] n — подход (к изучению чего-л.) approach to the problem — подход (путь) к разрешению проблемы

novel [′nɔv(ə)l] adj — новый, ранее не существовавший

novelty [′nɔv(ə)lti] n — новизна

state [′steit] n v — состояние, положение; излагать, формулировать, заявлять, констатировать

statement [′steitmənt] n — высказывание, изложение, утверждение

statement of the problem / problem statement — постановка проблемы (задачи) chapter [′t∫æptə] n — глава, раздел

introduce [,intrə′dju:s] v — вводить, внедрять; представлять, знакомить introduction [,intrə′dΛk∫(ə)n] n — предисловие, введение; внедрение; представление, знакомство

conclude [kən′klu:d] v — заканчивать; прийти к заключению, сделать вывод conclusion [kən′kluʒ(ə)n] n — окончание; заключение; вывод

draw a conclusion — делать вывод

arrive at / reach a conclusion — прийти к заключению

review [ri′vju:] n v — обзор; рассмотрение; рецензия, отзыв; рассматривать; рецензировать, писать критический отзыв

literature review — обзор литературы

reviewer [ri′vju:ə] n — рецензент, обозреватель, критик

refer (to) [ri′fə:] v — ссылаться (на кого-л., что-л.); иметь отношение, относиться reference (to) [′ref(ə)rəns] n— ссылка; сноска; рекомендация, отзыв

references n — библиографический список, библиография

reference book n — справочник

reference letter — рекомендательное письмо referee [,refə′ri:] n — автор отзыва или рекомендательного письма

outline [′autlain] n v — план, конспект; схема; изложить вкратце

propose [prə′pəuz] v — предлагать, вносить предложение

proposal [prə′pəuz(ə)l] n — предложение, проект, план

prove [pru:v] v — доказывать; оказываться

proof [pru:f] n — доказательство, подтверждение

pertinent (to) [′pə:tinənt] adj — уместный, подходящий

predict [pri′dikt] v — предсказывать, прогнозировать

prediction [pri′dik∫(ə)n] n — предсказание, прогноз

technique [tek′ni:k] n — способ, метод, методика; прием

scientiﬁc techniques — научные методы

evaluate [i′væljueit] v — оценивать, давать оценку

evaluation [i,vælju′ei∫(ə)n] n — оценка; оценивание; анализ

summarize [′sΛməraiz] / (syn.) sum up v — резюмировать, подводить итог; суммировать

summary [′sΛm(ə)ri] n — краткое изложение, конспект; резюме

entail [in′teil] v — влечь за собой, вызывать

collect [kə′lekt] / (syn.) gather [′gæðə] v — собирать

collect / gather data — собирать данные

spell out v — разъяснять детали или значение (чего-л.)

spell out a hypothesis [hai′pɔθisis] — разъяснить гипотезу

3. Complete the following sentences with details from the Text. 1.

1. The PhD thesis sets out _____________________________ .

2. You will need ___________________ to begin a PhD thesis.

3. The introduction chapter studies _____________________ .

4. The methodology you applied is discussed in ___________ .

5. The critical analysis chapter includes the information _____ .

4. Locate the following details in the Text. Give the line numbers.

1. In which lines does the author explain what PhD dissertation writing involves?

2. Where in the Text does the author mention the statement of the problem in the dissertation?

3. At what point in the Text does the author discuss the research methods to be used in a PhD dissertation?

4. Where in the Text does the author explain what scientiﬁc evidence is characteristic of?

5. Underline the detail that is NOT mentioned in the Text in each of the sentences below.

1. A PhD dissertation motivates and deﬁ nes the problem that the candidate has worked on independently, deﬁ nes the hypothesis, and outlines future research directions.

2. The chapter studying the PhD thesis statement includes the hypothesis, predictions, and literature review.

3. The factors that the study did not incorporate and the results obtained are discussed in the sixth chapter.

6. Answer the following detail questions.

1. According to the Text, a hypothesis is

a) a possible academic contribution.

b) a proposed solution to the problem.

c) a theoretical analysis.

2. According to the Text, the length of a written proposal depends on

a) the number of certain elements to be included.

b) the topic speciﬁ cations.

c) your advisor’s recommendations.

3. According to the Text, what does the ﬁrst chapter look at?

a) the reasons for choosing a particular topic for the research

b) the achievements the candidate has done

c) the details of the research

4. According to the Text, the second chapter relates to

a) the thesis work itself.

b) the information discovered during the research.

c) the researcher’s ideas at the initial stage of the research.

5. According to the Text, what does the eighth chapter include?

a) the research methods applied

b) the research summary

c) the critical analysis

7. Underline or mark the main ideas of the Text and retell it in English.

Section 5. SPEAKING

25. Read what these postgraduate students say about their research work. Pay attention to the useful expressions italicized for you.

a) Bob Smith:

I am a PhD student in Chemical Engineering, supervised by Dr. Wells. Taking a PhD course at the University of Leeds is more than just molding yourself into an effective researcher. It is about becoming an independent innovative individual, with the conﬁdence and ability to perform in any environment. I chose the University for its strong links with industry, and I’ve really bene ﬁ ted from opportunities to gain knowledge and skills outside of my research area, for instance business skills and commercial awareness. When I finish my PhD course, I’ll have gained more than just a qualiﬁcation.

The title of my dissertation is “Developing New Hydrogen Fuel Technologies”. Hydrogen fuel cells offer clean and efﬁcient energy generation without the need for fossil fuels. They work by converting hydrogen gas directly into electricity, and produce only water as a by-product. Although they were invented over 150 years ago, so far fuel cells have always been too expensive for mass-market applications — mainly because they contain expensive platinum catalysts and tend not to last as long as existing technologies, like petrol and diesel engines.

My research aims to reduce the amount of platinum required by the fuel cell, making the catalyst more durable in order to reduce their cost and extend their lifetime. I will reduce platinum loading by making better use of the precious metal. To improve durability, I will try to form a protective coating on the particles to prevent them from dissolving or fusing together during use.

If I am successful in achieving targets for platinum loading and catalyst durability, this will represent a signi ﬁ cant step towards enabling widespread adoption of this technology for power generation in homes and vehicles. In turn, the replacement of dirty, inefﬁcient engines and turbines with clean, green fuel cells will help to achieve improvements in efﬁciency and reductions in harmful emissions.

b) Robert Brown:

I started my PhD course in 2011. I am going to submit my draft thesis for examination in June 2013. I hope it will be passed and the ﬁnal version will be submitted in February 2014. My PhD thesis is titled “Interactive 3D Modelling in Outdoor Augmented Reality Worlds”. I am conducting my PhD research at the Department of Computer and Information Science at the University of Birmingham.

My thesis presents interaction techniques for 3D modelling of large structures in outdoor augmented reality environments. Augmented reality is the process of registering projected computergenerated images over a user’s view of the physical world. With the use of a mobile computer, augmented reality can also be experienced in an outdoor environment. Working in a mobile outdoor environment introduces new challenges not previously encountered indoors, requiring the development of new user interfaces.

My thesis describes a number of novel contributions that will improve the state of the art in augmented reality technology. The augmented reality working planes technique gives the user the ability to create and edit objects at large distances using line of sight and projection techniques. This technique overcomes limitations in a human’s ability to perceive depth, and requires simple input devices that are available on mobile computers. The techniques I am going to introduce can be used to create and capture the geometry of outdoor shapes using a mobile augmented reality system with real-time veriﬁ cation and iterative reﬁ nement. To provide an interface for these techniques, a novel augmented reality user interface with cursors and menus was developed. To develop applications implementing these contributions, a new software architecture is going to be designed to provide a suitable abstraction to make development easier.

Based on these contributions, a number of modelling applications will be developed to demonstrate the usefulness of these techniques. These modelling applications will allow users to walk around freely outside, and use interactions with the hands to control the task. I hope these applications will demonstrate in the ﬁ eld to verify that the techniques will perform as claimed in the dissertation.

c) Ivan Smirnov:

I am carrying out my research work in civil engineering. My PhD thesis is titled “Fiber-Reinforced Concrete and Bridge Deck Cracking”. The objective of my research is to identify the causes of bridge deck cracking. The thesis consists of three chapters: the ﬁrst chapter is theoretical, the second and the third ones are practical. At the ﬁ rst stage of my research I am planning to study the properties of polymer ﬁbers to be used in concrete. Polymer ﬁbers are a possible solution to many of the causes of bridge deck cracking, and they can improve post-cracking behaviour. The second stage is aimed to investigate different impacts of polymer ﬁbers on concrete.

All experiments are carried out on macroﬁ bers and microﬁbers which are tested at several dosage rates to identify optimum dosage levels. I employ different research methods to study such parameters as shrinkage, compressive and tensile strength.

I have been working on my dissertation for a year. Before starting my research I studied a great amount of scientific literature and carried out a lot of experiments. I have come to the conclusion that the subject of my research has not been studied at all. This fact accounts for its topicality and novelty. If we bene ﬁ t from this research, the results will be useful in combating the bridge deck cracking problem.

My plans for the nearest future are to write the ﬁrst chapter of the dissertation and ﬁnish the experimental work to estimate the results obtained. I plan to defend my dissertation in two years though the greatest part of the work is still ahead. My research supervisor is Dr. Klimov, professor of the department of civil engineering. He helps me a lot with my research. If I have any problems concerning my work, I always consult him.

26. Retell the above postgraduate students’ stories in your own words, using the italicized expressions. Do these stories re ﬂ ect your own experience of doing research work?

27. Complete the sentences supplying them with information on your own research work.

My research work I chose to continue on to postgraduate study at the University of __________ in part due to the hugely positive experience that I had here as an undergraduate (a Master’s degree student). Now I am a ______-year full-time postgraduate student. My research interests span across the following areas __________. I am carrying on research in the ﬁeld of __________. The topic of my thesis is “__________”. The choice of the topic of my thesis is explained by the fact that this subject has not been studied thoroughly yet and it is very topical for __________. The aim of the study is __________. The novelty of the research can be seen __________. I apply some modern methods of scientiﬁ c analysis __________. To check my hypothesis I will have to carry out a lot of (some) experiments. I think I will conduct both laboratory and ﬁ eld experiments.

My thesis consists of the introduction, __________ chapters, the conclusions, the bibliography, and some supplements. In the introduction I explain the choice of the theme, draft the research goals and research methods, and summarise the content of the

chapters of my thesis shortly. The ﬁ rst chapter titled “__________” is devoted to __________. I study __________. The title of the second chapter is “__________”. It deals with __________. I analyse __________. In the third chapter titled “_________” I study __________. Finally, I draw my conclusions, draft the new scientiﬁc achievements and the recommendations for the practical application of my ﬁndings.

I work under the guidance of Professor __________. My scientiﬁc supervisor is very supportive and always helpful to me. He invests time meeting me to discuss __________ and also gives some advice on how to publish my work and how to apply for funding. I am also involved in teaching in the department. I take part in various scientiﬁc conferences and departmental seminars which provide me with further opportunity to discuss my research. I am going to present my dissertation for defence in _____. I have already published __ articles. There is much to be done and I am continuing to work on my thesis.

28. Using the information given in the above texts, make up dialogues of your own.

Situations: You meet your friend and talk about: a) progress in your research; b) your thesis.

29. Speak on your research work. Use the above texts and the dialogues made up as a model.

Thesis and final defence

In Russia, the work on a thesis (dissertation) is commonly carried out during a postgraduate study period called aspirantura. It is performed either within an educational institution (such as a university) or a scientiﬁ c research institution (such as an institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences network). It can also be carried out without a direct connection to the academy. In exceptional cases, the Candidate of Sciences degree may be awarded on the basis of published scholarly works without writing the thesis. In experimental sciences the dissertation is based on an independent research project conducted under the supervision of a professor, the results of which must be published in at least three papers in peer-review journals.

A necessary prerequisite is taking courses in philosophy and a foreign language, and passing qualifying examinations called candidate minimum. In the Soviet Union, the candidate minimum included exams in the specialty ﬁeld of the postgraduate student, in a foreign language of his/her choice and in Scientiﬁ c Communism. In post-Soviet Russia and other post-Soviet states, the examination in Scientiﬁ c Communism was replaced by that in Philosophy, and in Russia recently in History and Philosophy of Science.

The thesis is presented and defended at the accredited educational or scientiﬁc institutions before a committee called the Academic Council. The Council consists of about 20 members, who are the leading specialists in the ﬁ eld of the thesis and who have been selected and approved to serve on the Council. The summary (the author’s abstract) of the thesis must be published before the public defence in 100 copies, and distributed to major research organisations and libraries. The degree seeker must have an ofﬁ cial scientiﬁ c supervisor. The thesis must be delivered together with ofﬁ cial references of several reviewers, called opponents. In a procedure called the defence of the thesis the thesis is summarised before the Council, followed by the opponents’ speeches or the reading of their references, and replies to the opponents’ comments and the Council members’ questions by the postgraduate student. If the defence is successful, it is recommended and later must be approved by the central statewide board called the Higher Attestation Commission.

31. Say which of these statements are true and which are false.

1. The Candidate of Sciences degree may be awarded on the basis of published works.

2. The results of the research project must be published in two papers in peer-review journals.

3. In the Soviet Union, postgraduate students had to pass the qualifying examinations in the specialty ﬁeld, a foreign language and history of Russia.

4. The summary of the thesis must be sent to major research organisations and libraries.

5. A Candidate of Sciences degree seeker can write a thesis without having a scientiﬁc supervisor.

32. As you read the text, ﬁ ll in the chart according to the following headings.

Institutions where the work on a thesis can be performed.
Qualifying examinations.
The Academic Council. A defence procedure.
The Higher Attestation Commission.

33. Check your answers with your groupmates. Look up the words you do not know in the dictionary.

34. Retell the text about the defence procedure of a Candidate of Sciences degree thesis.

35. Tell your groupmates about your preparations for the defence of your thesis.

Section 7. WRITING

A reference letter is usually written to testify to a person’s skills, character and/or achievements. Sometimes a reference letter is known as a recommendation letter. It is a formal document, and should be typed and written in a serious and business-like style. Reference letters are used in a wide variety of situations. Reference letters from teachers are a crucial part of the college application packet. Each letter must be unique and describe the student’s work ethic, grades, activities and awards. It is also helpful if the letter starts or ends with a quote that relates to the career the student will pursue. Crafting a strong reference letter is a task that will help the student immensely.

36. Read the information about some speci ﬁ c features of reference letters. The exact structure of a reference letter will differ slightly depending on the type of reference it is, but this is a good basic outline:

1. Start using the business letter format: put the recipient’s name and address, if known, and address them as “Dear [name]”. If the recipient is currently unknown (this would be likely on an academic application, for instance), then use “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To whom it may concern”.

2. It is often helpful to introduce yourself in the ﬁ rst couple of lines of your letter. The recipient will not need your life history: just give a brief sentence or two explaining your position and your relationship to the candidate.

3. Your next paragraph should conﬁ rm any facts which you know the candidate will be supplying along with your letter. For example, if you are writing a reference for a job applicant, some or all of these details may be appropriate: — the person’s job title, and role within the company; — the person’s leaving salary when he/she was last employed by you (or your organisation). — the dates which the person was employed from and until. If you are writing a reference letter for an academic course, you will need to conﬁ rm the person’s academic grades.

4. In your third paragraph, you should provide your judgement upon the candidate’s skills and qualities. It is often appropriate to state that you would gladly re-employ them, or that their contributions to your college class were highly valued. Single out any exceptional qualities that the candidate has — perhaps their drive and enthusiasm, their attention to detail, or their ability to lead.

5. Close your letter on a positive note, and if you are willing to receive further correspondence about the candidate’s application, make this clear. Include your contact details too.

6. As with any business letter, you should end appropriately: “Yours sincerely” when you are writing to a named recipient, and “Yours faithfully” when you do not know who will be receiving the letter.

37. Read and translate these sample reference letters.

Sample reference letters

A. 15th October, 2011

Dear Dr. Smith,

I am writing to you in support of Edward Miller and his desire to take a postgraduate course at the University of Leeds. Though many students ask me to make this request on their behalf, I only recommend students whom I feel are well-suited for the programme of their choice. Edward Miller is one of those students and therefore, I highly recommend that he be given the opportunity to attend your university.

As professor of the Civil Engineering Department at London University, I work with many students who have substantial knowledge of civil engineering. Edward Miller has consistently shown such a strong desire to learn civil engineering that I simply could not turn down his request for a recommendation.

I ﬁrst met Edward in my Introduction to Civil Engineering course during the autumn 2008 term. Compared to the class average of 70, Edward Miller earned a 96 in the class. Mr. Student was evaluated on the basis of marks in tests and exams, in which he performed exceptionally well.

Edward is an outstanding individual with a strong character. He has the ability to produce impressive results in a wide variety of areas. Edward is a very organized and motivated person. I have seen astonishing results on complex projects that offered great attention to detail where quality was never compromised. Additionally, he has a very positive attitude and truly embraces learning all there is to know about civil engineering.

Though Edward Miller has consistently exceeded in all areas of his coursework, the best example of his intelligence shone through some papers and projects on theories of civil engineering.

The work clearly showed his ability to deliver a clear, concise, and wellthought presentation with a new perspective. In addition to his coursework, Edward also dedicated some of his time taking part in the Society of Young Researchers. The skills acquired through participation in the Society will be beneﬁcial to all of Edward’s future endeavors. Edward has the ability to manage and organise his time and schedule around different activities without having them interfere with his study.

I think Edward Miller is destined to be a leader in civil engineering, and therefore is an excellent candidate for your postgraduate course. I highly recommend that you consider his application, as he will be a great asset to your programme. I am sure you will ﬁ nd him to be a student whose talents will only grow. If you would like further information, please feel free to contact me.

Yours sincerely, John White,

Ph.D. Professor of Civil Engineering

London University

20th November, 2011

To Whom It May Concern:

It is my pleasure to write on behalf of Jane Green, who is applying to the PhD programme in Research Psychology at the University of Bath. I have interacted with Jane in several contexts: as a student, and as a teaching assistant.

I ﬁrst met Jane in 2008, when she enrolled in my Introductory Psychology class. Jane immediately stood out from the crowd, even as a first-year student. Just a few months out of comprehensive school, Jane demonstrated characteristics commonly held by the best college students. She was attentive in class, prepared, submitted well-written and thoughtful assignments, and participated in meaningful ways, such as by debating other students. Throughout, Jane modelled critical thinking skills. Needless to say, Jane earned one of five A’s awarded in that class of 75 students. Since her first term in college Jane has enrolled in six of my classes. She demonstrated similar competencies, and her skills grew with each term. Most striking is her ability to tackle challenging material with enthusiasm and endurance. She was prepared for classes, and completed all assignments. When placed in group work sessions, Jane easily adopted a leadership role, helping her peers learn how to solve problems on their own. It was these competencies that led me to offer Jane a position as teaching assistant for my statistics class.

As a teaching assistant, Jane strengthened many of the skills I have articulated. In this position Jane held review sessions and offered out-of-class assistance to students. She also lectured in class several times during the term. Leadership, humility, the ability to see areas in need of improvement, and the willingness to do the work needed to improve — these are all characteristics we value in academia.

Most important to a career in academics is research competence. As I have explained, Jane has an excellent grasp of statistics and other skills critical to a successful career in research, such as tenacity and excellent problem solving and critical thinking skills.

As a supervisor of her senior thesis, I witnessed Jane in her first independent research efforts. Similar to other students, Jane struggled with finding an appropriate topic. Unlike other students, she conducted mini literature reviews on potential topics and discussed her ideas with a sophistication that is unusual for undergraduates. After methodical study, she chose a topic that fits her academic goals. Her project earned a department award, university award, and was presented as a paper at a regional psychology association.

In closing, I believe that Jane Green has the capacity in a career as a research psychologist. She is one of a small handful of students that I have encountered in my 16 years’ teaching undergraduates that has this ability. Please do not hesitate to contact me with further questions.

Yours faithfully,

Dr. Samuel Higgings

Professor of Psychology

University of London

29th March, 2011

To Whom It May Concern:

It gives me immense pleasure to write in recommendation of John Smith for admission to your graduate programme in Applied Mathematical Marketing. I have known John for three years, and have instructed him in four separate courses. I have also served as John’s academic adviser for the last two years.

John has routinely ranked in the top 10% of his class, and is consistently one of the top students in each of his individual courses. He is hardworking, energetic and curious. I have no doubt that he will succeed in his future academic endeavours.

Last semester, John presented his mathematical model for determining sales patterns amongst video game magazines. Not only did this project earn him top honours, the ABC Company took notice and has now hired John on for a summer internship. This project was carried out during the course of one semester, demonstrating John’s strong work ethic.

I have no doubt that John will make a tremendous impact on the world at large. I am positive he will make outstanding contributions to your programme. Yours faithfully,

Dr. Thomas Cook

Professor

University of Manchester

38. Imagine that you have been asked to write a reference letter for one of your groupmates applying for a postgraduate programme. Using the above information, write a reference letter. You have a high opinion of a candidate and con ﬁ dently recommend him/her. Supply your own details.

Unit 4. RESEARCH METHODS

Section 3. GRAMMAR PRACTICE

16. Read and translate the following sentences into Russian paying attention to the meaning and use of the modal verbs and their equivalent forms.

1. You have to present your research ideas in papers and seminars. 2. A PhD thesis must represent a substantial result in a very high standard. 3. You must be tired after your hard work. Have a rest. 4. For research topics in the experimental and theoretical sciences, the laboratory or development phase of the work may require the closest supervision and discussion with the candidate. 5. A thesis must express the candidate’s voice. Any assistance with writing must be conducted as part of the overall learning process. 6. It is important to choose a research method which is within the limits of what the researcher will be able to do. 7. He can’t have ﬁnished that job yesterday. 8. He could use different methods to collect the data. 9. All presentation preparations may have been completed last week. 10. The designers are of the opinion that this structure ought to be used in the interests of the speed of construction. 11. These materials might include internal company information, relevant trade publications, newspapers, magazines, annual reports, company literature, on-line data bases, and any other published materials. 12. At the stage of thesis preparation, the candidates will have to be able to express themselves with precision, clarity and conciseness. 13. The thesis should include general discussion of the candidate’s results and ﬁ ndings, and of their signiﬁ cance in relation to the current state of knowledge in the ﬁ eld. 14. They will be allowed to begin work in the lab tomorrow. 15. You should have chosen the different methods to be applied in your research. 16. Since the 1980s, they have been able to buy their own homes very cheaply if they have lived in them for over two years. 17. No matter what form the thesis takes, it has to be presented, in both form and content, as a uniﬁed whole and address a signiﬁ cant research question. 18. All theses, whether they contain publications or not, must have a literature review that clearly details the research question, and a general discussion that integrates the work.

17. Use the model verbs must, can, may, should, ought to to complete the sentences. There may be more than one possible answer.

1. It is too far to walk from here to the station. You ... take a taxi. 2. Mary got the job because she ... speak ﬁve languages. 3. The windows are dirty. I ... clean them. 4. You ... use a dictionary. 5. I like this hotel room. You ... see the lake from the window. 6. It is a good ﬁ lm. You ... see it. 7. He ... take my book. 8. We ... go to the bank today. We have no money. 9. When you are driving, you ... wear a seat belt. 10. We ... see the lake from our window. 11. If you have time, you ... visit the museum. It is very interesting. 12. I ... come and see you tomorrow. 13. She ... use this computer program. 14. Your salary is very low. You ... look for another job. 15. Ann is a very interesting person. You ... meet her. 16. Take an umbrella with you when you go out. It ... rain later. 17. Sandra ... drive but she hasn’t got a car. 18. Tomorrow the game is very important for us. We ... win. 19. Students ... bring textbooks into the examination room. 20. It is late and you are very tired. You ... go to bed.

18. Refer the following sentences to the past and the future by changing the forms of the modal verbs must (have to/be to), can (could, be able to), may (be allowed to); use them in the negative and interrogative. Translate the sentences into Russian.

A) 1. You must pay attention to new technologies. 2. We must pass the examination in English. 3. You must improve your results ﬁ rst. 4. You must know the theme of the thesis very well. 5. You must join this project to do some real work.

B) 1. You can become a researcher in this area. 2. He can build up general knowledge, experience, and conﬁ dence. 3. Jane can continue her studies at the correspondence department. 4. She can get important results. 5. He can capture research opportunities.

C) 1. You may stop work early today. 2. The students may use this library. 3. He may take my pen. 4. John may use my ofﬁce. 5. You may go home after your lectures.

19. Read and translate the following sentences with the modal verbs expressing degrees of certainty and possibility in the present and in the future: must ( наверное , должно быть ), may/might ( вероятно , возможно ), can’t ( не может быть ).

1. Colleagues may be appropriate readers and editors of a thesis. 2. You are an architect, aren’t you? That must be an interesting job. 3. When it comes to the point of presenting your dissertation results and discussing them, you may be a little confused how to do this and so many of us are when we ﬁ rst do it. 4. Helen must get very tired in her job. She does the same thing every day. 5. That can’t be John, he is in London. 6. They might have deep insights on similar problems.

20. Read and translate the following sentences with the modal verbs expressing degrees of certainty, possibility or obligation in the past.

1. That report must have focused on postgraduate courses only. 2. Such awards should have been restricted to graduates or academic staff who were well-established in their ﬁelds. 3. They can’t have built the house of their own out of the nearest available materials. 4. This technology must have been applied to a newly designed building. 5. He may not have found an advisor sometimes. 6. These experts should have become involved more actively in the design process.

21. Translate the following sentences into English using the modal verbs.

1. Сравнительный, описательный и экспериментальный методы должны позволить вам достичь цели исследования. 2. Его коллега может помочь ему получить желаемые результаты. 3. Вам придется продолжить это исследование. 4. Ей разрешили воспользоваться этим оборудованием. 5. Вы можете не применять эти научно-исследовательские методы. 6. Он мог заранее подготовить ответы на вопросы. 7. Эти данные, вероятно, требуют дальнейшей обработки. 8. Нам приходится много работать. 9. Он сможет установить причинную связь между этими явлениями. 10. Она, должно быть, опубликовала две статьи. 11. Мой научный руководитель, возможно, будет возражать против того, чтобы я проводил исследование в этой области. 12. Ему следовало подтвердить теоретические положения экспериментальными исследованиями. 13. Ей пришлось решать эту проблему. 14. Вам следует представить данные в количественной форме и обобщить результаты исследования.

Section 5. SPEAKING

25. Here are some useful tips/phrases that will help you to speak about the research methods applied. Study and learn these phrases.

My research employs multiple methods towards investigating the phenomena of …, including experimentation, description, comparison, and modelling.

My thesis involves the application of the methodology / methods of …

There are several methods of doing …

Modern methods of scientiﬁ c analysis have been applied …

We have applied an alternative method which …

The methods of investigation I employ in my research include … in order to understand/determine …

A new approach to … is presented.

Different methods may be combined in a single study.

Many of these methods overlap or are used in combination.

These methods could also provide the answers to …

reliable methods of analysing the facts of …

This method is used to study …/ in a study of …

The comparative method is useful in …

We use an interdisciplinary approach to …

The methods of … used in the study allow/permit … to conduct experiments or make observations about …

This phenomenon… was examined by the … method.

These facts are compared with …

The system is studied by … method.

Experimental methods help to determine the nature of the relationship between … Description is used to gather data regarding … and includes observations and measurements of …

Comparison is used to determine/quantify …

26. Make up and act dialogues of your own considering the following assignments. Use the above expressions.

1. Your colleague asks you about the research methods you are using in your research. 2. The teacher conducts the English lesson and asks you some questions about the experimental method(s) applied in your research.

27. Speak on the research methods you are using in your work. Use the above expressions and the dialogues made up as a model.

Section 7. WRITING

Studying abroad gives students the chance to live overseas, integrate themselves into a totally foreign culture, meet other students, and travel. If you have decided on the country and programme, it is time to apply. This will usually involve your writing letters.

33. Read and translate the letters regarding study abroad.

a) A letter requestinga leaﬂet of the programme.

Shukhov Belgorod State Technological University Department of Architecture 46, Kostyukov street 308012 Belgorod Russia

12th May, 2011

The Admission Ofﬁce University of Bath Department of Architecture Bath, BA2 7AY UK

Dear Sir/Madam

I am currently studying at Shukhov Belgorod State Technological University, Russia (Department of Architecture). I would like to apply for the PhD programme at your university.

Please send me a description of your PhD programme in Architecture. I would also like to have all the necessary application forms and any additional information necessary to arrange my stay.

Thank you in advance for your kind assistance.

Sincerely,

Boris Klimov

b) A letter requesting a supervisor.

Shukhov Belgorod State Technological University Department of Architecture 46, Kostyukov street 308012 Belgorod Russia

20th June, 2011

University of Bath Department of Architecture Bath, BA2 7AY UK

Dear Dr. David Craig

I am Boris Klimov. I am from Russia. I have recently graduated from the Department of Architecture (M. Arch programme) of Shukhov Belgorod State Technological University (Belgorod, Russia). Soon I am planning to apply for University of Bath in order to perform PhD research there.

As my intention is to perform research in the ﬁ eld of Landscape Architecture and I am familiar with some of your books I would like to ask you to become my future supervisor. You can ﬁnd my CV in the attachment of this letter. I hope it will help you to make a decision.

Please let me know your opinion. I really hope that your answer will be positive.

I look forward to hearing from you at the earliest opportunity.

Sincerely,

Boris Klimov Encl.: CV

c) A letter requesting ﬁnancial assistance.

Shukhov Belgorod State Technological University Department of Architecture 46, Kostyukov street 308012 Belgorod Russia

22nd August, 2011

The Admission Ofﬁce University of Bath Department of Architecture Bath, BA2 7AY UK

Dear Sir/Madam

I have recently applied for the PhD programme in the Department of Architecture of University of Bath. I am from Russia and would like to be considered for ﬁ nancial assistance to cover my costs at your university. Please send complete information about funding openings for students from Russia, Central Europe or the former Soviet Union or any other categories for which I may be eligible.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Boris Klimov

34. Use the Internet to ﬁ nd the information regarding PhD programmes abroad. Choose one and write similar letters. Present them to the class.

Список использованной литературы:

1) Гарагуля С.И. Английский язык для аспирантов и соискателей ученой степени. – М.: Гуманитар. изд. центр ВЛАДОС, 2015. – 327 с. – (Учебник для вузов).

2) Гальчук Л.М. Speaking Activities on Academic English for Master’s Degree and Postgraduate Studies – Английский язык в научной среде: практикум устной речи: учеб. пособие / Л.М. Гальчук. – 2-е изд. – М.: Вузовский учебник: ИНФРА-М, 2017. – 80с.

3) Ращупкина К.С. Academic English. Учебно-методическое пособие по развитию коммуникативной компетенции магистров, аспирантов и соискателей по дисциплине «английский язык». Тверь, ТвГУ, 2017. – 190с.

УЧЕБНО–МЕТОДИЧЕСКОЕ

ПОСОБИЕ ПО РАЗВИТИЮ ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОЙ КОММУНИКАТИВНОЙ КОМПЕТЕНЦИИ МАГИСТРОВ И АСПИРАНТОВ.

Тверь 2018

Составитель: доктор филологических наук, профессор Комина Н.А.,

Texts for post-graduates

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