Graduate Writing Support 

Graduate students must do a wide variety of writing, some unfamiliar, complex, and high-stakes. From assignments for coursework (seminar papers, reports, analyses, etc.) to communication for professional purposes (emails to all kinds of audiences, presentations, proposals, applications, etc), they must write all the time, writing in all kinds of genres and on a variety of mediums and platforms. Inadequate writing skills can hold them back in terms of dissertation/thesis (and therefore degree) completion, time to graduate, professional development, job placement, and career success in and beyond grad school.

PLEASE RETURN HERE LATER IN FALL 2025 FOR UPDATES TO THE SCHEDULE AND PROGRAMS

1) Dissertation and Thesis Writing Boot Camp 

The Boot Camp helps graduate students write their dissertation or thesis a LOT more by blocking time, connecting with the community, and sharing strategies/struggles at the beginning and end of the 4-hour writing sessions. Exit surveys show that participants have written better and finished earlier.

The Strategy Sessions are built into the boot camp on the last Friday of each month. Guided by a writing professor, students take a hands-on approach to develop and discuss productivity strategies as writers.

2) The Graduate Writing Groups 

The Graduate Writing Groups will help graduate students exchange feedback on the writing they bring to the session. Students have completed journal articles, as well as dissertation chapters, using this program.

3) Graduate Writing Workshop Series 

The Writing Workshops Series is designed to empower graduate students with hands-on experience and practical skills across various writing genres. In these engaging 90-minute sessions, participants can explore and refine their writing techniques, guided by experienced facilitators. The workshops cover diverse topics such as reading strategies for graduate students, power tips for graduate-level writing, literature review methodologies, strategies for citing and engaging with sources, and more.

We believe in tailoring our workshops to your needs, so we encourage you to share your preferences, allowing us to address the specific challenges and goals you may have in your writing journey. Your active participation in these workshops enhances your writing abilities and contributes to the dynamic and collaborative writing community we are building.

Some of the past Workshop topics include:

 

Effective Reading strategies for graduate students	Writing the research (and personal) statement (using past achievements and current vision to describe a future research/career mission)
Power tips for graduate-level writing (some art, more science)	Writing the teaching philosophy statement (identifying/showcasing your strengths and passion as a (prospective) teacher)
Literature review (the why, how, and then the what)	Writing the cover/job application letter (responding to “what they need” with “what I have”)
Strategies for citing and “engaging” sources (mechanically correctly, rhetorically effectively, ethically responsible)	Social media and networking skills for the academic job market (curating your strengths and achievements on the web)
Exploring and writing for/in your discipline (strategies for genre and rhetorical analysis—using a disciplinary ethnography approach)	Professional communication (analyzing communicative situations to write effective emails and tackle challenging writing)
Writing your dissertation faster and better (strategies for discipline, productivity, getting unstuck, staying motivated, and finishing it)	Writing initially (transcending (unintentional) plagiarism)
Writing and communication skills for academic publication (navigating the process and politics behind the product)	Invention strategies: Thesis statement, topic sentences, and more (writing skills for establishing your own space and voice in your discipline)
Communicating specialized knowledge (beyond just “dumbing it down”)	Productive use of writing technologies (some “tech magic” to help you write better)

We also provide resources to students who connect to the initiatives.

IMPORTANT

Graduate students can find the events within all the above initiatives on the GSW Program Calendar. We encourage you to add this calendar layer to your SBU calendar so you can see, sign up, and join whatever event you find useful.