UW-Madison Writing Center Spring 2020 Guide to Workshops and Services

Spring 2020 Guide

WW

About the Writing Center 2 Locations & Hours 3 Undergraduate Students Academic Writing Advanced Writing Opportunities

4 5

For Undergrads, Grad Students, Instructors & Staff Support for Your Writing 6 New Media & Writing 7 Writing Retreats & Community-Building 8 Special Events

9

Letters, Résumés, & Applications

10-11

Style, Grammar, & Punctuation 12 Documentation & The Writer’s Handbook

13

Graduate & Professional Students On the Academic Job Market Presentation Skills Academic Writing Dissertations & Long Projects

14 15 16 17

Instructors, Academic Staff & Faculty Approaches to Improve Teaching & Learning Programs for Faculty & Instructors

18-19 19

WELCOME to the Writing Center OUR GOAL To help UW-Madison undergraduate students and graduate/professional students across ALL disciplines and at ALL levels to become more effective and confident writers.

SUPPORT FOR THESE FREE SERVICES Writing Center services are offered free of charge to all UW-Madison undergraduate and graduate students, post-docs, staff, and faculty through the support of the College of Letters and Science.

OUR SERVICES Individual Instruction Individual instruction is the heart of the Writing Center. These one-on-one meetings are with trained doctoral-level writing instructors who provide a helpful audience for students, pointing out possible problems in their drafts and offering advice for revisions.

Workshops We also offer free, non-credit workshops for undergraduate students, graduate and professional students, instructors, faculty, and academic staff on a variety of writing situations.

Writing Fellows, Writing Across the Curriculum, & Outreach Instructors, faculty, and academic staff should refer to our website and information on page 19 regarding the Writing Fellows and the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) programs. Outreach info can be found online.

ALL TYPES OF WRITING, ALL LEVELS When you browse our catalog, you see all types of writing—from undergraduate lab reports and PhD dissertations to presentations and cover letters. That variety of workshops is reflective of the many types of writing that students are working on in the Writing Center.

FIND OUT MORE Check out our website—writing.wisc.edu. You can also get regular updates on our workshops and other aspects of our programs by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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writing.wisc.edu

Locations & Hours WHERE WE ARE Our main location on the 6th floor of Helen C. White Hall is where the majority of our individual instruction and workshops take place. In addition to our email and Skype instruction, we also provide instruction on a firstcome, first-served basis in satellite locations throughout campus. See our schedule below.

Main Location Hours: 6171 Helen C. White Hall •

January 21–February 7: M–R 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., F 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

•

February 10–May 1: M–R 10:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m., F 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

•

Finals Week May 4–6: M–W 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Satellite Locations and Hours (below) One‐on‐one instruction at satellite

Writing Center Locations • Begin Sunday, February 9 Spring 2020 Sun

Center for Cultural Enrichment

Mon

locations is on a first‐come, first‐served basis and begins the fourth week of the semester.

Tue

Wed

Witte Hall, Room 125

10:30 a.m.

–1:30 p.m.

Red Gym, 1st floor

Multicultural Student Center Red Gym, 2nd floor

2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

College Library

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Memorial Library

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

1st Floor

Chadbourne

Student Engagement Center, Room 112

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Dejope

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Gordon DEC

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

7 – 10 p.m.

7 – 10 p.m.

***

***

Tutor room Near Flamingo Run

Skype

7 – 10 p.m.

writing.wisc.edu/skype

Email

***Allow 3 business days, submit M-F

writing.wisc.edu

Fri

6:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Black Cultural Center

Student Services

Thu

***

***

***

Writing Center Main Location (6171 Helen C. White Hall) Hours:

Weeks 1-3 Monday-Thursday 10:00-5:30

Weeks 4-15 Monday-Thursday 10:00-8:30

***

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Undergraduate Students

Strengthen Your Academic Writing Lab Reports: Five Secrets for Successful Writing Monday 2/24

3:30-4:45 Sec. 1 (in the BioCommons)

Science is important and fun, but science writing can be difficult! If you’re an undergraduate and need to write a lab report for class, this workshop is for you. We’ll look at a few sample lab reports and talk about what makes them successful, focusing in on the purpose of each core component: introduction, materials and methods, results, and discussion. You’ll leave the workshop with specific strategies for improving the organization and clarity of your own lab report. If you already have a draft, go ahead and bring it with you!

Building Your Argument: Strategies for Writing Stronger Papers Thursday 2/20

3:30-4:45 Sec. 1

Has your professor or TA asked you to “strengthen,” “clarify,” or “organize” your arguments? Not sure what they want you to do? In this workshop, we will analyze the classic structure of argument-driven papers and talk about what makes this structure persuasive to academic readers. You’ll leave with a sharper understanding of what makes effective arguments and strategies for crafting your own. This workshop will be most useful for first- and second-year undergraduates writing for humanities and social science classes.

Writing In-Class Essay Exams That Impress Monday 4/27

3:30-4:45 Sec. 1

Not sure what professors are looking for on an in-class essay exam? This workshop will answer your questions and prepare you for writing collegelevel essays during exams. We’ll discuss ways to study for these exams, plan your answers, start your essays effectively, and manage your time during the exams—so you’ll be ready to write well-developed, coherent essays!

Paraphrasing Like a Pro: How to Successfully “Use Your Own Words” Monday 2/10 2:30-4:00 Sec. 1 Tuesday 3/31 3:30-5:00 Sec. 2 Do you ever find it hard to “use your own words” when conveying someone else’s ideas? Do you find yourself unsure how (and even when) to paraphrase?

This workshop will help you to consider the expectations of your audience and discipline as you adopt specific paraphrasing techniques to work with material from any source (articles, books, and more). Whether you’re new to researched writing or just need a review, put that thesaurus down and come join us for hands-on practice! This workshop is open to undergraduates and graduate students working on all types of research-based writing.

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Undergraduate Students

Advanced Writing Opportunities Undergraduate Writing Groups offered every Tuesday and Wednesday starting 2/11 from 4:00-5:30 Do you have a lot of writing to do? Would you like encouragement and a supportive space as you navigate your writing project(s)? Join a small group of other students from across the university at relaxed meetings where you’ll have the opportunity to log dedicated writing time each week and work through challenges with a community of your peers! A Writing Center instructor will attend meetings to help you set goals, structure your work time, and check in about your progress each week. If you are interested in the groups, please fill out a survey by Thursday, February 6 at the following link: https://go.wisc.edu/ fhkorv and we will follow up with you. For questions, email Mia at alafaireet@ wisc.edu.

Writing Proposals for Hilldale, Holstrom, and Sophomore Research Fellowships Tuesday 1/28

4:00-5:30 Sec. 1

If you’re applying for one of the University’s prestigious Hilldale, Holstrom, or Sophomore Research fellowships, don’t miss this workshop! You’ll have the chance to review successful applications from past years in a variety of fields and learn strategies that will help you stand out as a strong applicant.

Those with drafts of proposals and abstracts should bring them to share with a Writing Center instructor and a small group of other applicants. The application deadline for Hilldale and Holstrom applications is February 10, 2020. The deadline for Sophomore Research Fellowship applications is February 28, 2020.

Visit this link for more information: https://awards.advising.wisc.edu/allscholarships/

Undergraduate Symposium Abstract Workshop Wednesday 2/6

3:30-5:00 Sec. 1

In this workshop, you’ll discover how to make your abstract sound scholarly while appealing to the diverse Symposium audience. You’ll also have a chance to review successful abstracts from past years and get feedback on your own.

For more information about the Symposium, visit https://ugradsymposium. wisc.edu/.

writing.wisc.edu

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Undergrads, Grad Students, Instructors & Staff

Support for Your Writing Strategies to Grow Confidence about Your Writing Tuesday 2/4 4:00-5:30 Sec. 1 Friday 3/6 1:00-2:30 Sec. 2 Does improving your writing feel impossible? Do you lack confidence in the face of challenging writing assignments? This workshop, designed for undergrads, will provide you with concrete strategies for changing how you think about your potential as a writer. Beginning with common challenges of college writing, we will explore the many ways that you can develop more confidence and resilience as a writer—in college and beyond.

Ways into Writing: Strategies for Getting Started or Unstuck Tuesday 1/28 Wednesday 2/12

12:00-1:30 Sec. 1 (for graduate students) 2:00-3:30 Sec. 2 (for undergrad students)

Do you freeze up when confronting a blank screen? Do you get stuck in the middle of a draft or when trying to revise? You’re not alone! This workshop, cosponsored by the Writing Center and the McBurney Disability Resource Center, will teach strategies for moving past writer’s block, generating ideas, organizing your thoughts, and taking your draft to the next level during the revision process. Strategies we will explore include mind mapping, diagramming, freewriting, using speech-to-text tools, envisioning alternate audiences, and even drawing. If you are currently working on or about to start a writing project, please bring your materials to the workshop.

Communicating Your Writing Accessibility Needs with Course Instructors Wednesday 1/29 Thursday 2/13

3:30-5:00 Sec. 1 (for graduate students) 3:30-5:00 Sec. 2 (for undergrad students)

Co-sponsored by the Writing Center and the McBurney Disability Resource Center, this workshop provides a supportive environment for students with disabilities to practice communicating writing accessibility needs to course instructors and advisers. Participants will explore what kinds of accommodations they may need to excel in their writing this semester and learn how to communicate thoughtfully and strategically through both the early and late stages of a writing project.

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Undergrads, Grad Students, Instructors & Staff

New Media & Writing How to Make Presentation Slides Clear and Dynamic Friday 2/21 Tuesday 3/24

12:30-2:00 Sec. 1 2:30-4:00 Sec. 2

On their own, oral presentations can sometimes feel dry and underwhelming.

This workshop digs into how using slides to emphasize key points can enhance your presentation by making it more dynamic, interesting, and compelling. We will focus on three main areas of visual composition: incorporating graphics and animations; balancing text, image, and blank space; and connecting your message to the audience. While we will focus on using Google Slides, the core principles we discuss are relevant for all types of presentation software (e.g.

PowerPoint, Prezi).

How to Email Like a Professional Friday 2/14 Thursday 4/9

12:30-2:00 Sec. 1 3:00-4:30 Sec. 2

Want to demonstrate your good “communication skills” to a potential employer?

Need to request an extension or letter of recommendation from a professor? In this workshop, we’ll talk about how to compose professionally effective emails.

Along the way, we’ll have fun looking at examples of what not to do, and we’ll address your specific questions, scenarios, and concerns.

Creating Research Posters Thursday 3/5 Friday 4/3

3:30-5:00 Sec. 1 1:00-2:30 Sec. 2

If you need to create a research poster, this workshop is for you! In this planning workshop, you’ll analyze sample posters and discuss the process for making an effective research poster. DoIT offers additional workshops where you’ll experiment with programs to begin designing your own research poster.

Please consult their website for more information about their design courses.

Writing with Scrivener: Software to Keep Your Long Projects Organized Monday 3/9

2:00-4:00 Sec. 1

Are you working on a large writing project? You’re not alone if you struggle to keep your sources, notes, and drafts organized. In this workshop, co-taught by the Writing Center and DoIT, you will get training in Scrivener software and explore ways it can facilitate your thinking and writing.

writing.wisc.edu

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Undergrads, Grad Students, Instructors & Staff

Writing Retreats & Community-Building An Outdoor Writer’s Retreat: Walking, Thinking, and Writing Saturday 4/18 Saturday 4/25

9:00-1:00 Sec. 1 9:00-1:00 Sec. 2

Does relaxing between drafts seem impossible, or even counter-productive?

Do you find you think better when moving instead of sitting at your computer?

Are you interested in new ways to promote creativity in your writing process?

Come to this workshop—designed for writers of all levels—to reflect on your current writing process, engage in a relaxing 45-minute group walk along the Lakeshore Path, and then buckle down to write with a refreshed body and mind. You’ll gain first-hand experience in learning why some of the greatest writers of all time, literary and science-based, attest to walking as a crucial part of their drafting and revision processes. In this alternative-style writer’s retreat, we will explore ways that walking can help focus your attention, build new connections between ideas, reflect on your writerly process, and take advantage of your surrounding environment to take control of your writing.

A Writer’s Retreat Saturday 3/28 Tuesday 3/31 Wednesday 4/8 Tuesday 4/28 Wednesday 4/29

9:00-1:00 Sec. 3:00-7:00 Sec. 5:00-9:00 Sec. 6:30-10:30 Sec. 3:00-7:00 Sec.

1 2 3 4 5

(Helen C. White) (Ebling) (Helen C. White) (Gordon)*for undergrads (Ebling)

It’s time to get moving with your term paper, dissertation, thesis, novel, research project, or other major writing project. And time is exactly what a writer’s retreat offers. Retreat participants will engage in brief goal-setting exercises followed by time to write, with Writing Center staff on hand for consultation. Registration is limited to 20 participants for each section.

Writing for Social Justice dates TBA (see our website for more details) •

What kinds of power do words really have?

•

What does it mean to be a writer-activist?

•

How can each of us get involved in writing for social justice?

Join us as we explore these questions in our workshop series this semester. Featuring a variety of speakers and formats, this inclusive series is designed to engage all members of the UW-Madison community, from undergraduates to faculty. All are welcome, and we hope you will join the conversation!

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Undergrads, Grad Students, Instructors & Staff

Writing Center Special Events

Write-a-thon Friday, January 31, 9:00-2:00 in Helen C. White Hall, Room 6191 Are you working on a dissertation chapter, research paper, creative thesis, or any other writing project? Challenge yourself to write as much as you can during the Writing Center’s Write-a-thon! Stay energized with coffee, tea, fruit, and pastries. The Write-a-thon is modeled after our graduate writing groups, and we’ll have information available for those who want to sign up for our graduate writing groups (see page 17), as well as our undergrad writing groups (see page 5). Come by for a few hours or for the whole time!

Midnight Madness for Undergrads Sunday, April 26, 6:00pm-1:00am, College Library, First Floor The Writing Center invites undergraduates to bring their research papers, writing assignments, application letters, résumés, and cover letters to College Library for individual instruction. There will be forty-two 30-minute appointments with Writing Center instructors starting at 6:00pm and running until 1:00am. First come, first served—so get there early to sign up! And there will be free coffee, soda, and treats to help keep you energized. #uwmidnightmadness writing.wisc.edu

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Undergrads, Grad Students, Instructors & Staff

Letters, Résumés & Applications Writing Résumés and Cover Letters for Undergrads Thursday 1/30 Wednesday 4/15

3:30-5:00 Sec. 1 4:00-5:30 Sec. 2

When applying for internships, leadership opportunities, on-campus employment, and your first job out of college, make your credentials stand out above the crowd. Come to this workshop to learn how your résumé and cover letter can help you show employers your best self. We’ll discuss résumé content and design, as well as what cover letters should address, so you can apply for positions with confidence. Feel free to bring your own résumé and/or cover letter to discuss as an example.

Writing Résumés and Cover Letters for Graduate Students and Returning Adults* Friday 1/31 Thursday 4/16

12:30-2:00 Sec. 1 3:30-5:00 Sec. 2

If you have completed your Bachelor’s degree or you have several years of work experience under your belt, then this résumé and cover letter workshop is for you. We’ll review résumé content and design, discuss the best ways to align your qualifications with the position description, and learn how to build an effective argument in your cover letter, persuading decision-makers that you are the best person for the job. Please bring your own résumé and cover letter to discuss. *Note: If you are applying for academic/faculty positions, please attend our separate Academic CVs and Academic Cover Letters workshops. The workshop above is for those who are seeking work outside of the academic job market.

Personal Statements for Graduate Health Professions Programs Tuesday 2/4 Thursday 4/9 Friday 5/1

4:00-5:30 Sec. 1 3:30-5:00 Sec. 2 12:30-2:00 Sec. 3

Designed for those applying to professional health programs, this workshop will share insights for writing personal statements—ones that create a compelling portrait of yourself and give a sense of who you are as an individual, a student, and a future health professional. There will be time to review some examples and answer your questions about this important piece of writing.

Writing Your Way to a Fulbright: The Application Essays Tuesday 4/14

3:30-5:00 Sec. 1

Are you a graduating senior or graduate student and thinking about applying for a student Fulbright scholarship next Fall? In this workshop, you’ll learn about the requirements for the two essays, analyze successful samples from past applicants, and have a chance to ask questions about the essays.

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Peace Corps Application/Reapplication Workshop: Writing the Résumé and Motivation Statement Tuesday 3/3

3:30-5:00 Sec. 1

Co-led by a Writing Center instructor and a Peace Corps recruiter, this workshop will walk you through the Peace Corps application process, briefly discuss the expectations of a federal résumé, and help you draw on your experiences to write an effective Peace Corps motivation statement.

Writing Application Essays and Statements of Purpose for Graduate School Tuesday 4/21

3:30-5:00 Sec. 1

For those applying to masters and doctoral programs in the sciences, social sciences, humanities, or the arts, we’ll explore principles for writing convincing application essays, share tips for highlighting your undergraduate work, and inspire you to make the most of this opportunity to shine.

Undergrads: Thinking of Graduate School?

Since writing plays a large part in all graduate programs, we highly suggest taking on a large writing project in your junior and/or senior year. One of the best ways to work on large projects is with help—and that’s where our writing groups (see page 5) come in.

There are also research opportunities, such as the Hilldale, Holstrom, and Sophomore Research Fellowships and the Undergraduate Symposium (page 5), which the Writing Center would love to help you apply for.

Finally, there are helpful workshops on applying for graduate school and professional programs. See workshop info on these pages for more information.

writing.wisc.edu

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Undergrads, Grad Students, Instructors & Staff

Style, Grammar & Punctuation Improving Style Wednesdays 2/19-3/11 Thursdays 4/2-4/23

2:00-3:30 Sec. 1 3:30-5:00 Sec. 2

This four-week workshop is for undergraduate and graduate students who want to improve their writing style. We’ll consider the effects of stylistic variations while we review standards for clear and readable prose. This workshop is especially appropriate for students who write about complex ideas, and who want to make these ideas accessible to their readers.

Grammar I: A Review of English Grammar* Thursday 2/13 Thursday 4/2

3:00-5:00 Sec. 1 3:30-5:30 Sec. 2

This workshop will refresh and expand your vocabulary for talking about grammar by generating and addressing some common grammar problems together. We’ll briefly review some of the fundamental rules of grammar and the principles behind them and work through errors often related to nouns, pronouns, and verbs.

PUNCTUATION! Punctuation? Punctuation.

Thursday 3/5

3:00-5:00 Sec. 1

The punctuation you use can dramatically alter your meaning. Here’s your chance to review the basics of punctuation—including how to use commas, colons, and semi-colons—in a fun and friendly environment. We’ll take a logical and systematic approach to punctuating academic prose which you’ll be able to remember and use long after the workshop is over.

Grammar II: Grammar and Editing for Style and Clarity* Friday 2/21 Friday 4/10

12:30-2:30 Sec. 1 12:30-2:30 Sec. 2

In this workshop, we’ll review principles for writing grammatically correct and stylistically clear phrases, clauses, and sentences. We’ll discuss common problems like misplaced modifiers, faulty parallelism, comma splices, and sentence fragments. We’ll also emphasize building a “self-editing” checklist which participants will develop by applying workshop principles to a piece of their own writing. A solid grasp of English grammar or Grammar I is recommended before attending this workshop. *Note: These grammar workshops are a review, rather than an introduction, of English grammar. They provide in-depth explanations of the parts of speech and rules of usage that are most commonly misapplied in academic writing.

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Undergrads, Grad Students, Instructors & Staff

Documentation & The Writer’s Handbook The Basics of APA Documentation Tuesday 2/25 Monday 4/6

3:30-5:00 Sec. 1 3:30-5:00 Sec. 2

Do you have to document sources in your paper following APA style, a documentation system commonly used in psychology, nursing, education, and other social sciences? Come to this workshop to learn and practice the basics of citing sources within your paper, compiling a reference list, and using headings—all according to the latest APA guidelines.

Creating Tables and Figures in APA Research Papers Monday 3/2

3:30-5:00 Sec. 1

Within APA research papers, tables and figures are a crucial part of presenting ideas and theories, distilling previous literature, and reporting your research findings. How do you design effective tables and figures, ones that make data and comparisons easy for readers to grasp? In this introductory workshop, you will learn the basics: when to use tables and figures; how to discuss them within the text of your paper; how to make the layout, titles, and headings of your tables and figures clear, consistent, readable, and concise. Using examples from student papers and from published sources, we will also analyze how effective tables and figures tell stories and make arguments about data.

•

Stuck on citation format?

•

Know that you need help writing clear, concise sentences?

•

Want information on writing a résumé, cover letter, or personal statement?

•

Want to learn the basics of writing a literature review, grant proposal, annotated bibliography, research poster, or scientific report?

•

Have a research paper looming, and you’re not sure where to start?

The Writer’s Handbook is an extensive online resource that covers academic and professional writing, the writing process and structure, writing style, grammar and punctuation, and citation format. At any time of the day or night, you can find information, guidance, examples, exercises, and even handouts on these topics and many more.

writing.wisc.edu/handbook writing.wisc.edu

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Graduate & Professional Students

On the Academic Job Market Writing Statements of Teaching Philosophy Tuesday 2/4 Monday 2/24

3:00-4:30 Sec. 1 2:00-3:30 Sec. 2

In this workshop, you will get a chance to read and discuss sample statements of teaching philosophy. We’ll talk about the purpose of the statement (“What should I communicate through this document?”), its formal conventions (“How should I organize it? What examples should I use?”), and how to craft a statement that genuinely captures your approach to teaching and learning.

Writing Statements of Current and Future Research Thursday 2/6 Friday 3/6

3:00-4:30 Sec. 1 12:30-2:00 Sec. 2

Come to this workshop to learn how to write an effective statement about your current and future research. We’ll critically analyze some sample statements and consider what experts recommend yours should include.

Writing Diversity Statements for Academic Jobs Thursday 1/30 Friday 2/14

3:30-5:00 Sec. 1 12:30-2:00 Sec. 2

Diversity statements are a new and increasingly common addition to academic job applications. Join us for a workshop on writing a diversity statement that demonstrates to search committees how your teaching, research, and service will enhance diversity and equity efforts on their campus.

We’ll discuss what a diversity statement is, study samples from across disciplines to identify effective strategies, and begin crafting rough drafts.

Composing the All-Important Cover Letter Friday 2/21 Tuesday 4/7

12:30-2:00 Sec. 1 3:30-5:00 Sec. 2

The cover letter is where you can make the clearest, most direct case for how you are the most qualified candidate for an academic position. This workshop will introduce you to effective structures and strategies in cover letter writing.

Participants will have a chance to look at and discuss sample letters, and do some drafting/revising of their own.

Writing an Effective Academic CV Tuesday 2/18 Wednesday 3/25

3:30-5:00 Sec. 1 3:30-5:00 Sec. 2

In this workshop, we’ll discuss how audience, purpose, and discipline-specific conventions impact a CV’s effectiveness. In the process, we’ll share strategies for drafting and strengthening your own CV. Note: Please see the inset box on page 15 if you are applying for a position outside of academia.

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Graduate & Professional Students

Refine Your Presentation Skills Developing and Delivering Conference Presentations Thursday 2/20 Monday 4/6

3:30-5:00 Sec. 1 3:30-5:00 Sec. 2

This workshop will hone your skills for planning, organizing, and delivering presentations for scholarly audiences, including incorporating visual aids and preparing for the Q&A.

How to Make Presentation Slides Clear and Dynamic Friday 2/21 Tuesday 3/24

12:30-2:00 Sec. 1 2:30-4:00 Sec. 2

On their own, oral presentations can sometimes feel dry and underwhelming.

This workshop digs into how using slides to emphasize key points can enhance your presentation by making it more dynamic, interesting, and compelling. We will focus on three main areas of visual composition: incorporating graphics and animations; balancing text, image, and blank space; and connecting your message to the audience. While we will focus on using Google Slides, the core principles we discuss are relevant for all types of presentation software (e.g.

PowerPoint, Prezi).

Creating Research Posters Thursday 3/5 Friday 4/3

3:30-5:00 Sec. 1 1:00-2:30 Sec. 2

If you need to create a research poster, this workshop is for you! In this planning workshop, you’ll analyze sample posters and discuss a sevenstep process for making an effective research poster. DoIT offers additional workshops where you’ll experiment with Adobe Illustrator (or other programs) to begin designing your own research poster. Please consult the Writing Center website for more information about DoIT’s design courses.

Writing Résumés and Cover Letters for Graduate Students and Returning Adults Friday 1/31 Thursday 4/16

12:30-2:00 Sec. 1 3:30-5:00 Sec. 2

If you are applying for a job outside of academia, then this résumé and cover letter workshop is for you. We’ll review résumé content and design, discuss the best ways to align your qualifications with the position description, and learn how to build an effective argument in your cover letter, persuading decision-makers that you are the best person for the job.

Please bring your own résumé and cover letter to discuss.

writing.wisc.edu

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Graduate & Professional Students

Enhance Your Academic Writing Writing Literature Reviews of Published Research Tuesday 2/11 3:30-5:00 Sec. 1 Friday 4/3 12:30-2:00 Sec. 2 This workshop is for those who need to write a review that brings together many different texts. Join us as we practice developing and organizing themes from your research, discuss strategies for showing the argument of your lit review, and peruse samples from various disciplines.

Writing Graduate Research Proposals Friday 2/7 12:30-2:00 Sec. 1 Tuesday 3/10 3:30-5:00 Sec. 2 Roll up your sleeves for this hands-on workshop! We’ll explore ways to get a thesis or dissertation started; to organize your introduction, literature review, and methods sections; and to obtain useful feedback.

Paraphrasing Like a Pro: How to Successfully “Use Your Own Words” Monday 2/10 Tuesday 3/31

2:30-4:00 Sec. 1 3:30-5:00 Sec. 2

Do you ever find it hard to “use your own words” when conveying someone else’s ideas? Do you find yourself unsure how (and even when) to paraphrase?

This workshop will help you to consider the expectations of your audience and discipline as you adopt specific paraphrasing techniques to work with material from any source (articles, books, and more). Whether you’re new to researched writing or just need a review, put that thesaurus down and come join us for hands-on practice! This workshop is open to undergraduates and graduate students working on all types of research-based writing.

UW-Madison Dissertation Writing Camps Facilitated by senior Writing Center staff, these week-long camps provide participants with intensive, focused time to write and revise their dissertation chapters in a supportive atmosphere alongside other writers.

Those selected to participate will have multiple opportunities to share writing goals, experiment with various writing strategies, and receive feedback on their work. For information on the next dissertation writing camps to be offered in May, please visit grad.wisc.edu/pd/dissertation.

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Graduate & Professional Students

Support for Dissertations & Long Projects Graduate Writing Groups: Structured Writing Time for Large Projects At the Writing Center, we believe that community and accountability, along with setting achievable goals, play a significant role in completing major writing projects. Past participants in our weekly writer’s groups have finished chapters, articles, and have even defended their dissertations! Since the Writing Center wants to help you achieve these milestones, we offer graduate students space and time each week to maximize their productivity. Each three-hour meeting begins with goal setting and ends with brief discussions about writing strategies. The bulk of each meeting, however, will be devoted to structured writing time so that you can make substantial progress on your writing projects.

Please sign up by February 2 at https://go.wisc.edu/9xrge5. See the Writing Center’s website for more info. If you have questions, email Mike at mhaen@ wisc.edu.

Writing with Scrivener: Software to Keep Your Long Projects Organized Monday 3/9

2:00-4:00 Sec. 1

Are you working on a large writing project? You’re not alone if you struggle to keep your sources, notes, and drafts organized. In this workshop, co-taught by the Writing Center and DoIT, you will get training in Scrivener software and explore ways it can facilitate your thinking and writing.

Getting Your Dissertation off the Ground—Parts 1 and 2 These workshops are aimed at helping dissertators stay on track, from proposal to completion.

Part 1: Writing the Proposal Friday 2/14

1:00-2:30 Sec. 1

This workshop gives new dissertators an opportunity to learn more about strategic approaches to choosing a topic, selecting a committee, and writing the dissertation proposal. Participants will have time to ask questions and even do some exploratory writing.

Part 2: Writing the First Chapter Tuesday 3/10

3:00-4:30 Sec. 1

This workshop guides new dissertators through strategies for managing the dissertation and employing key action plans for drafting chapters, seeking feedback, working through writing challenges, and staying motivated to cross the finish line.

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Instructors, Academic Staff & Faculty

Approaches to Improve Teaching & Learning Creating and Sequencing Effective Writing Assignments Thursday 1/30

2:00-3:30 Sec. 1

What can you do to get great work from your students? Design great assignments! In this workshop, we’ll share five proven strategies for designing writing assignments in any discipline and for sequencing those assignments to accomplish course goals and outcomes. We’ll also discuss samples of effective writing assignments, consider how assignment design can help you respond to students’ work more efficiently, and draft a writing assignment for your classes.

Responding to and Evaluating Student Writing: Part 1 and 2 These two workshops focus on best practices for responding to student writing.

Each workshop covers a different facet of responding, including (1) one-to-one student-teacher conferences and peer review and (2) approaches to written feedback and evaluation (using e-learning tools like Canvas’s rubrics and SpeedGrader). Because they build upon each other, we recommend attending both workshops, but you are welcome to attend just one.

Part 1: Maximizing Your Time with Conferences and Peer Review Monday 2/10

1:00-2:30 Sec. 1

Research on writing across the disciplines shows that instructors can save time and enhance student engagement by facilitating discussions about student writing in-progress. This workshop outlines two effective and manageable approaches for doing so: (1) one-to-one conferencing and (2) peer review.

We’ll discuss how to prepare for both activities and highlight best practices for helping students develop their ideas, plan revisions, and offer constructive feedback to peers. Finally, we’ll look at successful models from across the university, and participants will leave with a plan for integrating conferencing and peer review into a course.

Part 2: Responding to and Evaluating Student Writing…without Getting Buried Under the Paper Load Wednesday 3/4

12:00-1:30 Sec. 1

This workshop focuses on giving feedback that supports students in the writing process. We’ll look at current research about instructor feedback and practice different forms of responding effectively and efficiently to student papers.

We’ll also explore various tools for evaluating student writing in Canvas, UWMadison’s learning management system. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of Canvas’ SpeedGrader tool, which can be used to annotate drafts, create rubrics for writing assignments, and respond efficiently to short writing assignments, even in large lecture classes. Before the workshop wraps up, there will be time for you to plan for using Canvas in your own classes.

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writing.wisc.edu

Working with Multilingual Writers and Fostering Their Success Monday 2/24

3:00-4:30

Sec. 1

In this workshop, we’ll discuss strategies and approaches for helping multilingual students (for whom English is a second language) succeed with writing tasks in your discipline-specific courses. We’ll consider various pedagogical philosophies about evaluating and assessing multilingual students’ written work, with a particular focus on the tension between upholding academic standards while allowing for some non-standard English. We’ll then articulate best practices for creating successful writing assignments and responding to students’ work, with an emphasis on how to determine errors to mark and how to formulate feedback that will help students revise. Finally, we’ll look at models of effective feedback and explore how online programs can help writers assess their own work and correct patterns of error.

Writing Recommendation Letters Monday 4/6

2:30-4:00 Sec. 1

Do you feel unprepared when asked to write letters of recommendation for your students? Are you uncertain about how much to say, how many details to include, or what tone to take? In this workshop, we’ll look at a sample of letters and we’ll offer advice about writing letters that are honest and effective.

Learn More About Our Programs for Faculty & Instructors The Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Program The Writing Across the Curriculum Program is eager to help all instructors in all disciplines think about creative and effective ways to incorporate writing and speaking assignments into your courses at all levels. We offer one-onone consultations, multiple WAC workshops, and instructional resources with plenty of advice and examples of successful writing and speaking assignments drawn from courses across UW-Madison. For more information and assistance, please contact the co-directors of the WAC program, Emily Hall at ebhall@wisc.edu or Nancy Linh Karls at nkarls@wisc.edu.

The Undergraduate Writing Fellows Program The Undergraduate Writing Fellows Program brings talented undergraduates and committed faculty together in a cooperative effort to improve student writing. The program prepares selected students from a wide range of majors to serve as peer writing tutors, called Writing Fellows. Fellows work closely with professors and students on writing in a variety of courses across the College of Letters and Science. The program enables accomplished and enthusiastic student writers to share their writing skills and intellectual curiosity with other undergraduates. If you have any questions about the program, please contact Emily Hall, Director of the Writing Fellows Program (ebhall@wisc.edu). writing.wisc.edu

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Register online for all workshops at writing.wisc.edu

Writing Center services are offered free of charge to all UW-Madison undergraduate and graduate students, post-docs, staff, and faculty through the support of the College of Letters and Science.

More detailed workshop descriptions, updates, and online registration can be found at writing.wisc.edu.

Unless noted, workshops are held in or near the Writing Center: 6171 Helen C. White Hall 600 North Park Street 608.263.1992