support Archive - Online Writing Lab

Literature Recommendations for Academic Writing

Maria Noll — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 14:06:30 +0000

For Ohm members, the texts are available in full via VPN.

To access the OPAC, you must be connected to the university network or – if accessing from outside – establish a VPN connection.

Beinke, Christiane et al. (2016): Die Seminararbeit. Schreiben für den Leser. 3., völlig überarbeitete Auflage. Konstanz: UVK.

Gegenstand des Lehrbuchs ist das Erstellen einer Seminararbeit in den Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften. Orientiert an der Schreibprozessforschung wurde ein Konzept entwickelt, bei dem das Schreiben in Einzeltätigkeiten untergliedert wird, z. B. Einleiten, Gliedern, Argumentieren, Überarbeiten.
Lese: Die Seminararbeit Schreiben für den Leser

Fröhlich, Melanie; Henkel, Christiane; Surmann, Anna (2017): Zusammen schreibt man weniger allein – (Gruppen-)Schreibprojekte gemeinsam meistern. Opladen, Toronto: Barbara Budrich.

Wissenschaftliches Schreiben muss keine einsame Tätigkeit sein. Studierende erhalten konkrete Anleitungen und Tipps für die Organisation als Gruppe, lernen, gemeinsam zu schreiben und von den Möglichkeiten, die diese Form des wissenschaftlichen Arbeitens bietet, zu profitieren.
Lese: Zusammen schreibt man weniger allein

Kühtz, Stefan (2018): Wissenschaftlich formulieren. Tipps und Textbausteine für Studium und Schule. 5., aktualisierte und erweiterte Auflage. Stuttgart, Paderborn: UTB, Ferdinand Schöningh.

„Kann man das so schreiben?“ Das Buch beinhaltet Tipps, Anleitungen und konkrete Formulierungsvorschläge für deinen Text. Das neue Online-Tool macht das Schreiben noch leichter: Formulierungsvorschläge können ganz einfach ausgewählt und direkt in die eigene Arbeit eingefügt werden.
Lese: Wissenschaftlich formulieren

Niedermair, Klaus (2010): Recherchieren und Dokumentieren. 1. Aufl. Stuttgart: UTB GmbH

Alle Wege zu Information und Wissen führen über das Internet. Das Buch vermittelt die Techniken und Fertigkeiten des Recherchierens und Dokumentierens. In unterschiedlichen Suchszenarien wird das dafür nötige strategische Wissen geboten und das konkrete Vorgehen anhand von Beispielen gezeigt.
Lese: Recherchieren und Dokumentieren

Samac, Klaus; Prenner, Monika; Schwetz, Herbert (2014): Die Bachelorarbeit an Universität und Fachhochschule. Ein Lehr- und Lernbuch zur Gestaltung wissenschaftlicher Arbeiten. 3. aktual. u. erw. Aufl. Stuttgart, Wien: UTB; facultas.wuv.

Als praktische Hilfestellung für Studierende aller Fachrichtungen beantwortet das Buch Fragen rund um das Thema Bachelorarbeit, gibt Hinweise zur Textverarbeitung in Word und bietet eine Orientierung im kreativen Schreibprozess.
Lese: Die Bachelorarbeit an Universität und Fachhochschule

Voss, Rödiger (2022): Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten … leicht verständlich. Mit zahlreichen Abbildungen und Übersichten. 8. überarbeitete Auflage. München, Stuttgart: UVK , UTB.

Wissenschaftlich arbeiten – wie geht das eigentlich? Dazu zählen Themenfindung, Zeitmanagement, Recherche, Zitierweise, Lese- sowie Schreibtechniken, inhaltliche und formale Gestaltung von wissenschaftlichen Arbeiten.
Lese: Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten … leicht verständlich

Wolfsberger, Judith (2021): Frei geschrieben. Mut, Freiheit & Strategie für wissenschaftliche Abschlussarbeiten. 5., bearbeitete Auflage. Wien, Köln, Weimar: Böhlau.

Schreibblockaden lösen, Fokus finden, Leichtigkeit & Sicherheit beim Schreiben gewinnen, Eigene Sprache entwickeln statt Copy & Paste-Plagiate, „Time Finder“ für Vielbeschäftigte, Schreibmarathon: 80 Seiten in 8 Wochen, Studium abschließen mit Strategie. Geeignet für alle wissenschaftlichen Abschlussarbeiten.
Lese: Frei geschrieben

Frequently asked questions

What does academic work include?

Academic work includes: choosing a topic, time management, research, citation methods, reading and writing techniques, as well as the content and formal design of academic papers.

Are there any literature tips for academic writing in English?

You can find literature tips for academic writing in English in this article: Resources for Writing in English.

Der Beitrag Literature Recommendations for Academic Writing erschien zuerst auf Online Writing Lab.

Resources for Writing in English

Maria Noll — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 11:51:11 +0000

For Ohm members, the full texts are available via VPN.

In order to access the OPAC, you need to be within the university network or establish a VPN connection from outside.

Literature recommendations

Murray, Rowena (2011): How to write a thesis. 3rd ed. Maidenhead, England: McGraw Hill.

This book covers issues such as working out the criteria for your thesis, writer’s block, writing a literature review, making notes into a draft and much more. The author introduces practical writing techniques such as freewriting, generative writing and binge writing.
Start to read: How to write a thesis

Skern, Tim (2011): Writing scientific English. A workbook. 2nd ed. Wien: facultas.wuv.

Success in science depends on effective communication in English. This workbook is specifically designed to give under- and post-graduates confidence in writing scientific English. Examples and exercises show how to avoid common errors and how to rephrase and improve scientific texts.
Start to read: Writing scientific English

Questions

What are common grammar mistakes made by non-native speakers in academic writing?

Non-native speakers often struggle with overusing long, complex sentences, which may lead to confusion.

How can I improve my sentence structure in English?

Focus on writing clear, simple sentences before attempting complex ones. Ensure that each sentence has a subject, verb, and object and avoid unnecessary words. Reading academic texts in English can help you notice typical patterns. Practice by rewriting your sentences for clarity and getting feedback from a native speaker or language tool.

Der Beitrag Resources for Writing in English erschien zuerst auf Online Writing Lab.

Creating a Map of a Text

Maria Noll — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 13:41:52 +0000

Why create a map of a text?

This method is helpful when the academic language of a text is difficult to understand and its structure is hard to recognize.

Especially with such texts, many people find it challenging to take a step back and express the content in their own words – that is, to paraphrase – or to connect the insights gained with their own knowledge.

Creating a map of a text allows for in-depth engagement with the source.

How it’s done

Skim a text or a text section (5 min.).
Write down 2–3 questions and think about what you want to know from the text (5 min.).
Read the section again – this time carefully – and take notes or highlight keywords (10 min.).
Write down all words and terms you don’t know, but which are important to understand the text. Look up unfamiliar terms.
In the map, relate individual terms, theses, arguments, or points of criticism to each other. This representation can be expanded with your own positions as well as with the terms and arguments of other researchers (10 min.).

You can reconstruct the text as a kind of mind map, but also as a map or a building.

Working with the map

Answer the following questions – preferably in writing:

Does one aspect seem particularly central?
What is connected to what? And why?
Are there links to other texts, researchers, or theses?
What do you still not understand?
What do certain notes, paths, or boundaries mean?

This is how you can continue working with the created map:

Write a comment on the text using the map.
Write a draft of the section for which you read the text.
Clarify all terms that are still unknown.
Add page numbers and, if applicable, direct quotes.
Note down questions and ideas for further work.

You can also use a shortened version of this method: Maybe the argumentation is logically understandable, but you find it difficult to integrate it into your text without staying too close to the original.

In that case, it makes sense to use only a few elements from the “map” method. For example, you can note down keywords during the first reading, then close the book and write your own text based on your notes.

Literature: Grieshammer, Ella; Liebetanz, Franziska (2013): Zukunftsmodell Schreibberatung: Eine Anleitung zur Begleitung von Schreibenden im Studium. Hohengehren: Schneider.

Frequently asked questions

When should I create a map of a text?

Especially when you don’t understand a text but you know you need it for your work. With this reading method, you can analyze, structure, and visualize the text to ultimately understand it better and work with it further.

Does it have to be a map?

The image of a map is only meant to illustrate how you can navigate a text. You can also turn it into a building or create a simple mind map.

Der Beitrag Creating a Map of a Text erschien zuerst auf Online Writing Lab.

Summarizing Texts in Your Own Words

Maria Noll — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 13:19:33 +0000

What can I use this exercise for?

Two essential steps in academic work are reading academic literature and extracting the main ideas. This method makes it easier for you to grasp the key points of a text, approach a text that is difficult to understand, or move away from the exact wording of the original text when paraphrasing.

In addition, this technique encourages you to take a critical and questioning approach to your reading.

How it’s done

For this reading and writing technique you will need:

The text to be read
Reference books, dictionaries, a computer with internet access
Several sheets of paper,
Pens
Approx. 45 minutes time.

Here’s how to proceed:

First, read the whole text passage (5 min.).
Write a freewriting piece – an unedited flow of writing – about what you liked in the text, which aspects you found critical, and what questions you have about it (5 min.).
Read the text again and highlight any words you don’t understand. Look them up (10 min.).
Next, number the paragraphs of the text and write the numbers vertically on a blank sheet of paper, leaving enough space between them (2 min.).
For each paragraph, write a heading, a main statement, or a question and note it next to the respective number on the sheet.
Put the original text aside and write your own text or an indirect quotation using your headings, main statements, and questions (10 min.).

Literature (in German): Grieshammer, Ella; Liebetanz, Franziska (2013): Zukunftsmodell Schreibberatung: Eine Anleitung zur Begleitung von Schreibenden im Studium. Hohengehren: Schneider.

Frequently asked questions

When should I use this reading and writing technique for my texts?

Especially if you find it difficult to paraphrase, this reading method can help you learn to identify the key ideas of another text and express them in your own words. It also helps you develop a critical and questioning attitude toward your reading.

What do I do with what I’ve written?

For example, use what you’ve written to create a commentary on your reading that you can refer back to later. Or write the draft of the section for which you read the text.

Der Beitrag Summarizing Texts in Your Own Words erschien zuerst auf Online Writing Lab.