December

Structuring Argument-Based Writing

Thursday, December 5 @ 10AM; register here

Writing a long paper can be challenging, especially when it comes to organizing all the reading and thinking one has done into a coherent progression of paragraphs and sections. This webinar introduces participants to some of the fundamental principles that help guide decisions about structuring a longer academic essay.

Reverse Outlining+

Tuesday, December 10 @ 7 PM; register here

When it comes to academic writing, that actual process of putting one’s research and thinking down on paper tends to derail even the best-laid plans; no matter how clear one’s initial outline or mental blueprint, things happen and, as a result, many people end up with a first draft that’s anywhere from a bit unruly to a total mess. In this webinar, participants will be introduced to a reverse outlining technique that can help to gain a clearer view of a draft’s current paragraph-by-paragraph structure in order to figure out what is and isn’t working, and thus to make a plan for structural revision. There will also be a brief introduction to other outlining techniques.

Essay to Article: The Revision and Publication Process

Monday, December 16 @ 4 PM; register here

This webinar will introduce participants to the process of submitting an article to a peer-reviewed journal. It will cover issues like (1) the key elements of an article, (2) choosing the right journal, (3) understanding what editors and reviewers are looking for when evaluating your work (and the ways this knowledge may affect your revision choices); and (4) responding to reviewer comments if you get a “revise and resubmit.”

 

Goal Setting and Time Management

Tuesday, September 10th @ 2 PM; register here

In this webinar, designed for students in varying stages of the writing process, we will discuss how to schedule time and keep oneself accountable to writing goals and deadlines. We’ll discuss habitual writing goals and project-based goals. Participants will make a plan for completing their writing objectives, breaking down long-term goals into manageable short-term targets. We’ll also go over some web apps that can help with this process.

The Academic Job Cover letter 

Thursday, September 12 @ 4 PM; register here

The academic job cover letter is a crucial document in any candidate’s application material; often, it makes the first and most lasting impression on members of a search committee. In this webinar, participants will learn how to approach the writing of their cover letter in a way that makes a coherent and compelling argument about their suitability as a candidate rather than simply repeating information contained in their CV.

Writing a Book Review

Tuesday, September 17 @ 2 PM; register here

Many academic journals publish reviews of recent books in their field. These reviews are one of the most significant ways in which scholars around the world become aware of the books in question. Consequently, the academic who writes such a review plays a crucial role in shaping the preliminary judgment readers make, thereby influencing the field as a whole. In graduate school, many seminars include a book review as a writing assignment, and advanced graduate students often see them as an ideal starting place for trying to get published. In this workshop, participants will be introduced to the generic conventions of the book review. We will also address the rhetorical and political considerations one needs to make when critiquing senior colleagues, as well as the practicalities of getting placed in a journal.

Grant Writing: The Summary Statement

Tuesday, October 1 @ 3 PM; register here

Many grant applications ask for a summary statement that makes the case for a grant proposal in a highly condensed form. Different grant givers may call this section by a range of names, or they may not describe it as a discrete section at all, but all good grant proposals begin in a way that performs the introductory function of a summary statement. This section can be particularly challenging to write because (1) readers on the selection committee rely on the summary statement to make a preliminary assessment of the entire proposal, so the stakes are very high, and (2) because so much information must be packed into such a short space, so the risk of being confusing or unclear is also high. In this webinar, participants will learn how to craft a more effective summary statement by better understanding what a reviewer is looking for and prioritizing accordingly.​

Demystifying Academic Writing

Tuesday, October 8 @ 5 PM; register here

Just starting out in graduate school? Are you feeling a little bit jittery about getting back into academic writing? Maybe you’ve been away from writing for a while and want some refreshers. Join this webinar to learn about the key elements of academic writing, how to overcome writing fears, and how to develop a productive writing habit.

Writing a Conference Abstract

Tuesday, October 15 @ 10 AM; register here

Do you see a conference in your future? Here we will review the best practices of responding to a CFP. We’ll look at graduate school conference CFPs, as well as regional and national conference CFPs—each has its own peculiarities. We’ll provide examples of successful critical and pedagogical abstracts. We’ll also take a look at a few abstracts that failed to effectively navigate the sometimes-idiosyncratic language of a CFP and discuss why we think they failed to qualify for their panel.

October