14. Critical Thinking and Writing

Critical Thinking and Writing in Law (CTWL)

The Queen Mary Critical Thinking and Writing in Law (CTWL) programme is a specialised series of classes designed to enhance the accuracy, clarity, and effectiveness of postgraduate Law students’ academic writing and research. CTWL also supports more confident participation in seminars and helps students prepare for exams and dissertations with greater assurance and skill.

A Pathway to Success for PG Law Students

Academic writing at postgraduate level is a discipline-specific skill that takes time to develop. Since assessment is primarily through essays, exams, and dissertations, the Language Centre, in collaboration with the Postgraduate School of Law, has created two tailored modules and a series of supplementary sessions to support students in:

  • Strengthening research and writing skills
  • Building confidence in academic communication
  • Enhancing overall performance across assessments

Programme Objectives

The CTWL programme is designed to achieve three key goals:

  1. Support conditional offer holders in meeting their language requirements (see Section 1 for details)
  2. Deepen understanding of effective learning strategies for postgraduate study
  3. Guide students through the writing process for essays and dissertations, from planning to final submission

Programme Structure

To meet these objectives, CTWL offers:

  • Two 10-week modules focused on academic writing and critical thinking
  • One-off sessions to support:
    • Dissertation proposal writing
    • Exam preparation and strategy