Editor: This is an in-depth review of Academic Writing Made Easy by TUM (Technical University of Munich). Although this course is in Class Central’s list of Best Free Online Courses of All Time, it is currently unavailable for enrollments. Meanwhile, check out 170 Free Online Writing Courses to Improve Your Skills.

Why did I take this course?

My writing skills were nowhere near perfect, the additional lack of confidence in myself made it worse. I could not get anything written down without giving up. I could not understand how some people came up with amazing texts, expressing themselves wonderfully, using colossal words, and correct grammar. I did not know how to express myself in words. Though the thought was clear, writing it down was the hard part. Moving into college with that same mindset and needing proper guidance on the subject, I searched for a few writing courses with the help of Class Central and I found Academic writing made easy by the Technical University of Munich. After taking this course, I now believe that writing is not some magical gift only intelligent people can wield, it is a skill anyone can be good at if one is taught properly and that is exactly what this course will do. It teaches you the step-by-step basics of writing, explains the science behind good writing, and helps you build more confidence.

What is required to take this course?

There are only a few requirements to take this course. As an English course, it requires an upper-intermediate (B2) to advanced (C1) level in the English Language. A laptop may also be required because some of the exercises are not compatible with a mobile device. The course is very easy to take without having any of these challenges.

Should you upgrade to get a certificate?

The course has both a free version and an upgraded version. The free version gives you access to all the video lessons, graded exercises, forums, and Q&A sections. While the upgraded version provides unlimited access to the contents and videos in addition to two tests; a mid-term and a final test, then a verified certificate, which looks good on your resume. By upgrading to the verified version, you would also be supporting the producers of the course.

About the course

This 6 weeks course is taught by a few lecturers namely: Dr. Heidi Minning, Jeremiah Hendren, Dr. Stephen Starck, Dr. Aparna Bhar, Susan O’Byrne, Rose Jacobs, and Ruth Shannon. They are a team of exceptional lecturers, who individually are experienced in the arts of writing. The course has been tailored for every level: a beginner, trying to build a strong foundation; an intermediate, and an advanced writer, who wants to sharpen their skill. It covers the step-by-step basics of writing and organizing your text. Each week contains video lessons and graded exercises that explain how your writing is to appeal to your audience, understanding the genre and tone of each type of text. It also teaches cohesion: how to make your ideas flow logically. I appreciated how it explained how to write a reader-friendly sentence, how to be credible, make your reader understand and believe your text, and an in-depth explanation of punctuation. My favorite was when Jeremiah Hendren gave a lecture on overcoming writer’s block, which helped me build more confidence in writing. It is not a time-consuming course as it is self-paced, where you can set goals of 2-3 hours per week. It also provides a forum, where you can associate with your peers and a Q&A, with instant replies.

Why do I feel you will enjoy the course?

For the time I spent taking the course, I was very satisfied. Each time I finished a unit of the course, I was excited about the progress I was making and how much knowledge I was uncovering. I genuinely recommend this course to anyone struggling to write academically. It is easy, professional yet fun, and consumes less time. I hope your experience is as splendid as mine was.