Objectifs :
The general aim of the course is to give PhD students the keys to writing their thesis and defending it.
After defining the aims and difficulties of writing and defending a thesis, we will define and try out the stages involved in producing a manuscript and defending it.
We will identify good practice in writing the classic thesis and the thesis on article.
Half a day of the training will be devoted to identifying AI tools for writing and the associated good practices.

Programme :
Session 1 : Prepare the manuscript writing and the defense
It will be presented to PhD students the functions of a thesis and the difficulties. This part will aim to explain what is expected to PhD students.
Then it will be detailed the different stages of preparations. Particular attention will be paid to the formulation of goals, scientific questions and hypotheses which are the keystones of the scientific approach.
Then the methods based on mind map will be proposed to structuring content. This part will be the subject of practical exercises.

Session 2 : Optimize the writing of the thesis manuscript
At first, the different stages of the writing will be identified: the outline, the writing steps, and the organization of references. Each of these sections will then be detailed. We will take care to discuss them in the case of "classical" and "article" thesis. In a second step, the retro-planning and good writing practices will be discussed.
Finally, information on plagiarism will be given.

Session 3: Using A.I. tools in thesis writing
This session is dedicated to the use of AI in thesis writing and the problems associated with it. First, several tools for optimising the writing process will be presented. Then, by means of tests, participants will be invited to reflect on the advantages and limitations of these tools, so that they can then use them in a sensible and relevant way when writing their thesis manuscript.

Session 4 : PhD defense
This part will be discussed following the writing. At first will be given and detailed the different parts of the phD defense as well as the good practices of the use of the slides.
Then, we will give the different steps of training as well as elements to prepare the discussion.

Equipe pédagogique :
Sébastien Balme, MC Université de Montpellier

Méthode pédagogique :
This course will be interactive.
The PhD students will be invited to have reflexive practice to stimulate the exchanges.
Several training of formulation (research goal, scientific question and hypothesis) and mind-mapping will be done.
The training also includes videos.

Compétences acquises à l'issue de la formation :
After the course, the attendees will gain skills to optimize the writing and the defense of PhD thesis.

Les Compétences et capacités visées à l'issue de la formation (fiches RNCP)

Arrêté du 22 février 2019 définissant les compétences des diplômés du doctorat et inscrivant le doctorat au répertoire national de la certification professionnelle. https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/JORFTEXT000038200990/

Bloc 5 : Formation et diffusion de la culture scientifique et technique

- Rendre compte et communiquer en plusieurs langues des travaux à caractère scientifique et technologique en direction de publics ou publications différents, à l’écrit comme à l’oral

La formation participe à l'objectif suivant :être directement utile pour la réalisation des travaux personnels de recherche