Information Package / Course Catalogue
Academic Writing
Course Code: PDR525
Course Type: Area Elective
Couse Group: Second Cycle (Master's Degree)
Education Language: Turkish
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 3
Prt.: 0
Credit: 3
Lab: 0
ECTS: 5
Objectives of the Course

This course aims to teach students the skills and techniques necessary for writing academic papers. Students will learn how to conduct academic research, combine their own ideas and arguments with sources, and how to quote, paraphrase and summarize information from other works. Special attention will be paid to proper referencing of sources and avoiding plagiarism. All these skills will initially be introduced to students theoretically, whereupon they will apply them in a number of in-class exercises and assignments. By the end of the semester, having completed the individual stages of the writing process, students will complete an academic paper.

Course Content

This course aims to develop graduate-level academic writing skills in the field of Counseling and Guidance. The course covers the scientific research process, fundamental principles of academic writing, academic language and style, academic integrity, and ethical considerations in scholarly work. Students will develop skills in conducting literature reviews, evaluating sources, summarizing, paraphrasing, quoting, and citing references appropriately. The course also focuses on formulating research problems, writing theoretical frameworks, and preparing the methodology, results, and discussion sections of academic papers. In addition, APA style guidelines, critical evaluation of scientific articles, and the peer-review process will be examined. By the end of the semester, students are expected to produce an academic paper in the field of Counseling and Guidance that meets scientific and scholarly standards.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Learning Outcomes
1.To be able to explain the fundamental principles of academic writing, the scientific research process, and standards of academic ethics.
2.To be able to identify researchable problems in the field of Counseling and Guidance and develop research questions and hypotheses.
3.To be able to conduct systematic literature reviews using academic databases and evaluate scholarly sources.
4.To be able to summarize, paraphrase, and quote scholarly sources in accordance with the principles of academic integrity.
5.To be able to apply APA 7 style guidelines for in-text citations, reference lists, tables, and figures.
6.To be able to prepare the introduction, theoretical framework, method, results, and discussion sections of an academic paper in accordance with scientific writing principles.
7.To be able to critically evaluate scientific studies in terms of methodology, content, academic language, and reporting standards.
8.To be able to develop and revise an original academic paper draft that meets scholarly standards in the field of Counseling and Guidance.
Recommended or Required Reading
1.American Psychological Association. (2022). APA yayım kılavuzu: Güncellenmiş 7. basımın Türkçesi (H. Ekşi, S. Darcan Çiftçi ve E. Karadağ, Haz.). Kaknüs Yayınları.
2.Bailey, S. (2014). Academic writing: A handbook for international students. Routledge.
3.Day, R. A., & Gastel, B. (2020). How to write and publish a scientific paper. Cambridge University Press.
4.Swales, J. M., and Feak, C. B. (1994). Academic writing for graduate students: Essential tasks and skills. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.
5.Murray, R. (2013). Writing for academic journals. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical
Introduction to the Course and the Nature of Academic Writing The aims, scope, expectations, and assessment criteria of the course are introduced. The fundamental characteristics of academic writing, scientific thinking, academic language and style, and the culture of scholarly writing in the field of Counseling and Guidance are examined.
Week 2 - Theoretical
The Scientific Research Process and Identifying a Research Topic The fundamental stages of the scientific research process are examined. Emphasis is placed on selecting a research topic, identifying a research problem area, and developing researchable topics within the field of Counseling and Guidance.
Week 3 - Theoretical
Literature Review Strategies Academic databases, keyword development, and literature search strategies are introduced. Methods for locating current, relevant, and credible scholarly sources are examined.
Week 4 - Theoretical
Source Evaluation and Academic Reading Students engage in the critical reading of scientific articles, evaluate the quality and relevance of scholarly sources, develop effective note-taking skills, and learn how to construct a literature matrix for organizing and synthesizing research findings.
Week 5 - Theoretical
Academic Integrity, Ethics, and Avoiding Plagiarism The course examines principles of academic integrity, research and publication ethics, various forms of plagiarism, and appropriate citation practices. Students also develop skills in paraphrasing and summarizing scholarly sources while maintaining academic and ethical standards.
Week 6 - Theoretical
APA Style Guidelines and Referencing APA 7 style guidelines are examined through practical applications, including in-text citations, reference list preparation, heading levels, and the formatting and presentation of tables and figures.
Week 7 - Theoretical
Research Problem, Purpose, Significance, and Research Questions Students learn how to formulate a research problem, develop a clear purpose statement, justify the significance of a study, and construct research questions and hypotheses.
Week 8 - Intermediate Exam
Midterm exam
Week 9 - Theoretical
Writing the Theoretical Framework and Literature Review Students learn how to develop a theoretical framework, organize the literature thematically, establish connections among previous studies, and identify gaps in the existing literature.
Week 10 - Theoretical
Academic Paragraph Writing and Argument Development Students practice paragraph structure, topic sentence development, the effective use of evidence, transition expressions, coherence, cohesion, and academic argumentation in scholarly writing.
Week 11 - Theoretical
Writing the Method Section Students learn how to write the research design, participants, data collection instruments, procedures, and data analysis sections in accordance with the principles of academic writing and scholarly reporting.
Week 12 - Theoretical
Writing the Results Section The course focuses on reporting quantitative and qualitative findings, presenting tables and figures, writing results in accordance with APA guidelines, and distinguishing the reporting of findings from their interpretation.
Week 13 - Theoretical
Writing the Discussion, Conclusion, and Recommendations Sections Students develop skills in relating findings to the existing literature, discussing theoretical and practical implications, and writing the limitations and recommendations sections of an academic paper.
Week 14 - Theoretical
Scientific Article Critique and the Peer Review Process Students critically evaluate a scientific article in terms of its structure, content, methodology, writing style, and APA compliance. The peer review process and the principles of providing constructive academic feedback are also examined.
Week 15 - Theoretical
Peer Review, Revision, and Editing Students present drafts of their academic papers for peer review. Emphasis is placed on receiving and incorporating feedback, revising manuscripts, and conducting final editing for language, style, clarity, and formatting.
Week 16 - Final Exam
Final Exam
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Midterm Examination1%30
Final Examination1%70
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory143384
Assignment111314
Midterm Examination110313
Final Examination110414
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)125
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
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PÇ-5
PÇ-6
PÇ-7
PÇ-8
PÇ-9
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OÇ-1
3
1
2
3
4
5
2
OÇ-2
2
2
1
5
5
1
1
OÇ-3
2
1
5
4
4
1
1
1
OÇ-4
1
3
2
3
5
1
OÇ-5
1
2
2
3
5
1
OÇ-6
2
1
2
5
4
2
1
OÇ-7
2
1
1
3
4
5
2
2
1
OÇ-8
2
1
1
3
5
5
3
2
1
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026