Graduate Writers’ WorkshopWeek 1

Step-by-Step Guide Through the Master’s Thesis or Dissertation

Erica Cirillo-McCarthyAssistant Director of Graduate and ADEP Writing

Workshop Format Setting Goals and Writing Groups Writing Process: Invention, Drafting, Revision, Editing Free writing/ Discussion

Today’s Workshop:

These workshops will be interactive and collaborative. There will be a short lecture on each topic, models or examples of writing, followed by a discussion of specific writing strategies. Afterward, students will be expected to work in groups on their own work, so please bring your laptops/ sources/ drafts/ brainstorming/ ideas.

Workshop Format

Consider daily, weekly, and semester-long goals Goals must be:◦Measurable, Specific, Quantifiable◦Achievable

Setting Goals

“I’m going to work on my literature review” “I’m going to gather some sources” “My parents are in town and I have to plan a baby

shower, but I can still write 20 pages this weekend”

CAN BECOME….

Moving toward Specific, Measurable, and Achievable Goals

“I will write 8 pages of my literature review”

“I will gather AND evaluate 10 sources”

“I have a big commitment this weekend, so I will read and annotate 2 sources and double up on writing goals next week”

Moving toward Specific, Measurable, and Achievable Goals

What: A group of peers meet weekly or bi-monthly to announce their achievements and declare their future goalsWhere: Anywhere comfortable with space to spread out. Someone’s home, a coffee shop, a conference room in the libraryHow: Everyone agrees to be honest and supportiveWhy: Low stakes, supportive writing groups have been proven to motivate writers at any level in sustained writing projects

Benefits of Writing Groups

ANY QUESTIONS?

Invention

Drafting

Revision

Editing

Understanding the Writing Process

Invention can take the form of any type of activity that helps you, the writer, create, connect, imagine your ideas, concepts, arguments: ◦Visual (sketches, concept maps, webbing, process maps,

hierarchy maps, flowcharts) ◦ Freewriting, brainstorming, listing, outlining, ◦ Invention as inquiry, talking with others, thinking aloud and

recording, writing a narrative◦A combination of strategies

Invention

Low stakes, putting ideas and thoughts down Could be electronic or long hand Do not worry about word choice, grammar, sentence

structure at this point Find the right time that works for you Find the right place for you to spread out and not be

distracted Disconnect the internet or find a program that does that The more you get down on paper, the more confident you

become Take your freewriting or selected quotes and begin there

Drafting

Now is the time to stop and carefully look for:

◦ Idea development

◦Use of evidence

◦ Synthesis of ideas and sources

◦ Logical Flow (Does one idea flow into the next? Are the relationships between ideas clear to the reader?)

◦Word choice (Define your terms)

Revision

Come up with a plan that works for you ◦ print it out and read it aloud◦ Have someone else read it aloud so you “hear” your writing for clarity and

flow

Consideration of audience Eliminate redundancy, in word choice, in ideas, in sentence structureParallel structureGet to know your patterns of error and look for thoseFinesse the formatting, in text citation and references pageGo through and make sure all of your sources have a bibliographic entry and

that you don’t have a bibliographic entry that you haven’t cited (use the “find” function in Word)

Look for your writing ticks—over usage of certain transitions or phrases

Editing

Let’s take some time to write down our personal writing goals

Then we can go around the room and find out each person’s goal

Take these goals and put them on your fridge, your computer, your bathroom mirror

Stick to these goals

Let’s Set Some Goals!

Set an appointment with a Writing Center tutor to talk about your goals and writing obstacles

Find strategies you can use to overcome writing obstacles

Work with like-minded, supportive people in writing groups

Work closely with your advisor and always advocate for yourself

Just keep writing and coming to the workshops

Thank you!