1

СИБИРСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ

ПУТЕЙ СООБЩЕНИЯ

О.А. ДЁМИНА

English Programme for Postgraduate Degree

(learning aid)

Новосибирск 2016

УДК 802:[624.21/.8+624.19](075/8)

Учебное пособие English Programme for Postgraduate Degree (learning aid) Английский для аспирантов (учебное пособие) предназначено для подготовки аспирантов к сдаче кандидатского экзамена и смены уровня владения английским языком «изучающий» на уровень «пользователь». Содержание пособия и логика заданий направлены на совершенствование языковых знаний и речевых умений для формирования коммуникативной компетенции, необходимой в ситуациях взаимодействия в международном научном пространстве с использованием современных средств научной коммуникации.

УДК 802:[624.21/.8+624.19](075/8)

О т в е т с т в е н н ы й р е д а к т о р

Доцент кафедры «Иностранные языки» СГУПСа, к.филол.н. Г.Г. Коптева

Р е ц е н з е н т ы:

кафедра иностранных языков технических факультетов (ИЯ ТФ) НГТУ (завкафедрой канд. филол. наук. доц. А.И. Бочкарев)

кафедра иностранных языков НГУТ (завкафедрой канд. филол. наук. проф. Е.И. Мартынова

доцент кафедры иностранных языков технических факультетов (ИЯ ТФ) НГТУ, канд. филол. наук. К.В. Пиоттух)

ПРЕДИСЛОВИЕ

Основной целью изучения иностранного языка в аспирантуре, в соответствии с государственным образовательным стандартом, является совершенствование навыков практического владения иностранным языком и использование его с помощью средств современной коммуникации в научно-исследовательской работе и интеграции в международное научное пространство. Задачей данного курса является обеспечить аспирантов языковыми знаниями, речевыми умениями и практико-ориентированными навыками для достижения указанных целей.

Курс соответствует требованиям ГОС к формированию заявленных компетенций, содержанию Рабочей программы по дисциплине «Иностранный язык» в объёме, предусмотренном Учебным планом подготовки кадров высшей квалификации в СГУПС, требованиям к содержанию кандидатского экзамена и состоит из шести разделов: Providing the content of postgraduate studies; What does a researcher in academia do?; Writing a science paper; How to write a PhD thesis?; Communicating at on-line international scientific conferences; Appendix, каждый из которых имеет подразделы, ориентированные на практику англоязычного академического общения.

При отборе содержания разделов внимание автора было направлено на то, чтобы, помимо овладения речевыми действиями, все задания были связанны с научной работой аспирантов, имели общенаучный характер, были насыщены активной лексикой и грамматическим аспектом. Каждый раздел включает учебные тексты и тренировочные упражнения для освоения лексики и повторения основных грамматических тем, необходимых для развития устных и письменных коммуникативных действий. Тематика текстов расширяет активный словарный запас в области организации и методологии научного исследования и совершенствует терминологический аппарат. Упражнения направлены на совершенствование умений чтения и устного взаимодействия на английском языке (в монологе и диалоге) в ситуациях международного научного общения; на формирование умений написания аннотаций, резюме и сообщений по теме исследования.

Раздел «Приложения» включает требования к кандидатскому экзамену по английскому языку, терминологическому словарю, резюме, образцы титульных листов, объявления о проведении конференции, визитной карточки, аннотации статьи, ключи к грамматическим упражнениям.

Учебное пособие предназначено для аудиторной и самостоятельной работы аспирантов при подготовке к кандидатскому экзамену по английскому языку, при подготовке публикаций статей и презентаций докладов для выступления на международных конференциях.

	Contents	Page
1.	Part I. Providing the content of postgraduate studies	7
	1.1 General idea of postgraduate studies	7
	1.2 Academic ranks and titles	13
	1.3 Entrance English Exam (EEE)	22
2.	Part II. What does a researcher in academia do?	24
	2.1 Activities and duties of PhD students	24
	2.2 Supervisory arrangements of candidate programme training	36
	2.3 The University support to research students	42
	2.4 Gathering of scientific information	47
3.	Part III. Writing a scientific paper	51
	3.1 How to process ideas and write a scientific paper?	51
	3.2 How to write an abstract?	60
4.	Part IV. How to write a thesis	72
	4.1 Thesis structure	73
	4.2 Examination of the thesis	79
5.	Part V. Communicating at on-line international scientific conferences	87
	5.1 Typical Conference Organization	87
	5.2 Guidelines for preparing personal presentation	94
	5.3 Virtual conferences and real-time presentations	116
	5.4 Guidelines for writing formal emails	128
6.	Part VI. Appendix	141
	6.1 Final Exam (requirements)	141
	6.2 Visiting Card Template	142
	6.3 Curriculum Vitae (Resume)	143
	6.4 A fragment from the Glossary	150
	6.5 Call for Papers (Virtual Conference)	154
	Abstract, annotation, comments, summary	157
	6.7 Keys to exercises	158
7.	Selected references

Part 1 Providing the content of postgraduate studies

Being a scientist requires a very good education and typically means earning a doctorate in the chosen field. The education goal of postgraduate studies is to foster young researchers and prepare them for PhD degree. Each person can get more training in his field and earn a postgraduate certificate with a very high-level professional qualification “Researcher”. Postgraduate students, having significant expertise in their field, can be awarded the research-based degree with the title of “Doctor of Philosophy” after completing a substantial body of work and defending a thesis. Doctorate work must demonstrate novelty and original thought in their chosen field of research. Typically, it requires full time study during 3-4 years. A postgraduate degree opens up more opportunities in a research or industrial career with higher paying job chances.

1. General idea of postgraduate studies

“The important thing in science is not so much to obtain new facts

as to discover new ways of thinking about them.” Sir William Bragg

You are new to research. Read the following text paying attention to the academic degrees, which can be earned at postgraduate schools of Siberian State University of Railway Engineering. Make up a list of research terminology that can be used for discussing your “Personal Development Plan” during the course of your training and research.

All creative personalities are full of original ideas and strive for developing them. Such people have the ability to think in an independent way and invent things that no one else has thought of. They tackle the world’s toughest challenges and come up with solutions that result in well-grounded technological and economic developments. Being educated in different fields, they dedicate themselves to researching of crucial problems thus advancing science as human intellectual and practical activity. Engineers, economists, lawyers or educationalists look for gaps in current critical situations and search well-grounded solutions in applied and basic science. The systematic study of various data, natural phenomena and facts through observation and experiment brings researchers together in many particular situations.

To become an expert in a specialist area and to gain high-quality research training professionals should enter the third stage of university education which is responsible for RhD training. In the Russian Federation, this stage provides the Doctoral programmes leading to the award of the degrees of Candidate and of Doctor of Science (Sc.D) after the public defense of a thesis.

The degrees of Candidate and of Doctor of Science are considered an approximate equivalent to the PhD degree in English speaking countries. PhD is an abbreviation for `Doctor of Philosophy' and is awarded in sciences and humanities to people who have done advanced research into a particular subject. The Dissertation Councils of the Higher Certification Commission under the direct leadership of the Ministry of Education and Science are authorized to confer these top qualification degrees. The Dissertation Councils are responsible for high standards during the attestation and for the quality and objectivity of the thesis evaluation. If not, the Higher Certification Commission, which strictly supervises the activity of the Dissertation Councils, may dissolve them.

These top qualification can be earned at Siberian State University of Railway Engineering that has been training its candidate students at 11 scientific fields through a postgraduate programme (aspirantura). They conduct their research under the guidance of scientific supervisors.

The fields where the academic degrees can be awarded are the following: The Physical Sciences and Mathematics, The Technical Sciences, The Economic Science, The Science of Law, Philosophy, and The Pedagogical Sciences (Education). The third stage education involves the in-depth study of a specific field, usually related to students’ first-degree subjects: Railway Track, Railway Survey and Engineering; Railway Traffic Management; Engineering and Building of Underground Railways, Airfields, Bridges and Transport Tunnels; Mechanical Gears and Machine Elements; Mechanical-engineering Technology; Test Methods and Diagnostics in Mechanical Engineering; Structural Mechanics; Mechanics of Deformable Solids; Social Philosophy; Economics and National Economy Management; Fundamentals of Pedagogy, History of Pedagogy and Education; Theory and Methodology of Professional Education (Educational Development); Employment Law, etc.

Enrollment in the third stage of the university professional education on a competitive basis is normally in July and August. A high degree of self-motivation and the abilities to undertake research are taken into account because this training requires independent work on thesis. The entrance examinations in applicant’s field of research are usually conducted by professors of the corresponding departments and include tests in a discipline of specialization and in a foreign language.

The best-prepared and talented applicants, holding higher education qualification, are admitted to full-time study. The programmes involve close work with experienced researchers who supervise postgraduate students’ study. To be successful an enrolled post graduate student will need to demonstrate intellectual independence, self-discipline and time-management skills, as he has to set and keep to his own schedule. Each applicant should keep in mind the "4-D approach" - determination, dedication, direction, discipline. The results are presented as a written report known as a thesis or dissertation.

Exercise 1.1.1

Find Russian equivalents to the following English words, word combinations, set expressions, and phrases. Check up the standard pronunciation of the words which are difficult or unknown to you. Memorize them by giving your own examples with them.

Table 1 Word List

№	Words, word combinations, set expressions and phrases
1.	academic degrees
2.	to advance science
3.	applied science
4.	award the degrees of Candidate and of Doctor of Science
5.	basic science
6.	be authorized to confer the top qualification degrees
7.	be educated in different fields
8.	be responsible for the quality of the dissertation evaluation
9.	become an expert in a specialist area
10.	candidate student, postgraduate student, PhD student
11.	come up with solutions
12.	conduct one’s research under the guidance of the scientific supervisor
13.	dedicate oneself to researching crucial applied problems
14.	the Dissertation Council
15.	do advanced research into a particular subject
16.	earn the top qualification
17.	evaluate the thesis
18.	search well-grounded solutions
19.	gain high-quality research training
20.	the Higher Certification Commission
21.	hold higher education qualification
22.	humanities
23.	look for gaps in current critical situations
24.	the Ministry of Education and Science
25.	Personal Development Plan
26.	the PhD degree
27.	public defense of a thesis
28.	result in well-grounded technological and economic developments
29.	sciences
30.	Siberian State University of Railway Engineering
31.	study of various data and facts through experiment (observation)
32.	tackle the world’s toughest challenges
33.	time-management skills

Exercise 1.1.2

Brush up your knowledge of English Grammar and pay attention to the word order in interrogative sentences in the Simple Tense. Answer the questions.

1. Do you know people who can think in an independent way and strive for developing their original ideas?

2. Why do professionals enter candidate programmes?

3. Who is admitted for the enrollment in candidate programmes?

4. What abilities and skills will any candidate student need to be successful in defending his thesis?

5. When did you make up your mind to dedicate yourself to research?

6. Who provides the guidance of candidate students?

7. What will be expected from your investigation for advancing science or technological progress?

8. Who is responsible for high standards of the dissertation quality and for awarding the academic degrees of Candidate and of Doctor of Science?

9. What specific fields can lead to the awarding of academic degrees at Siberian State University of Railway Engineering?

Exercise 1.1.3

Using the equivalent expressions from the text above, translate the Russian text into English. Use the Present Simple Tense. Check up the standard pronunciation of the words that are difficult or unknown to you. Tell this information in English. Make up your own questions about the enrollment in the third stage of the university education. Put the words in the correct order to make statements or questions.

Творческие люди имеют независимое мышление и реализуют нестандартные идеи, развивая науку как интеллектуальную и практическую деятельность человека. Являясь специалистами в самых разных областях, они берутся за решение самых сложных вопросов. Исследователи занимаются не только фундаментальной наукой, но ищут обоснованные ответы, которые имеют большое значение для технологического и культурного прогресса.

Для получения более глубокой подготовки и высшей квалификации в какой-либо области знания, следует поступить в аспирантуру и защитить кандидатскую диссертацию в Диссертационном совете. Диссертационные советы подчиняются Высшей Аттестационной Комиссии при Министерстве образования и науки и несут ответственность за уровень диссертационной работы. В РФ учёные степени кандидата и доктора наук приблизительно соответствуют степени PhD в англоязычных странах.

Программы третьей ступени высшего образования предполагают самостоятельное исследование под руководством опытных научных руководителей.

Зачисление в аспирантуру происходит на конкурсной основе. Претенденты сдают экзамены по специальности и иностранному языку. Наиболее подготовленные выпускники университетов с высокой степенью ответственности и мотивации к научной деятельности зачисляются на обучение.

Exercise 1.1.4

There are 11 candidate programmes at our University. Look through the text and extend the list of postgraduate programmes. Memorize the title of your postgraduate programme in English. Work in groups of two and tell each other about your postgraduate programmes.