Writing up and submission

This page contains links that will support you during writing-up and submission.

Good overall guides to the research degree programmes can be found in the handbooks – Forms and Guidance: handbooks – including those for PhD, Professional Doctorate and Affiliated Research Centre.

Writing up will be covered in the welcome back sessions that happen in September each year (slides available on Welcome Back PGR Manager listing).

Professional Academic Communication in English (PACE)

PACE is the Graduate School’s flagship Academic Literacies programme. It is led by Dr Julia Molinari and has been uniquely developed by pioneering OU researchers and practitioners, such as Emeritus Professor Theresa Lillis and Dr Jackie Tuck, to support doctoral researchers across all faculties and disciplines in becoming confident and engaging communicators.

PACE offers OU doctoral researchers several online and campus facilitated events:

• Workshops on academic reading, writing, and speaking
• Writing circles to share writing-in-progress with peers
• 1-to-1 consultations to discuss individual needs and support the drafting process
• Writing retreats
• Viva Voce practice
• international guest speakers who contribute to PACE Extra (Open Access)

These can be booked with an OU login via PGR Manager calendar. For enquiries, please email pace@open.ac.uk.

Forms and Guidance

Note: if any of these links are broken try searching on the main Forms and Guidance page.

Thesis submission guidelines

GSN Pages

Writing up groups will be advertised on Community | Graduate School Network

PACE 1:1 sessions on PGR Manager calendar.

Training resources

Professional Academic Communication in English (PACE) online resources | OU online

Other helpful resources

PGRManager@open.ac.uk for any problems with submitting to PGR Manager.

Library guidance

eTheses advice

Open Access policy

Open Research Data Online (ORDO) policies

Open Research Online (ORO) help and policies

Open Research Online (ORO)

Open Research Data Online (ORDO)

What differs between Faculties?

Each Faculty may have its own policy and procedure around stages and actions including:

• how you can spend any funds related to your training, e.g., a training grant
• health and safety, including work stations and risk assessments for fieldwork
• arranging travel for conferences and fieldwork
• equipment and specialist software
• Third Party Monitor allocation and any subject-specific buddying/mentoring.

We recommend you start by talking with your Faculty Administrator about what happens in your Faculty (mailbox address on RESEARCH-SKILLS: Contact us | OU online).