Graduate Learning Communities in Scholarly Writing Practices and Techniques

Overview

These programs are co-sponsored by: Communication Across the Curriculum Program, LeaRN program, and UW Science Communication Initiative

Facilitators

Rick Fisher, PhD - Director, Communication Across the Curriculum
Bethann Garramon Merkle, MFA - Director UW Science Communication Initiative

Since Spring 2020, WySCI director Bethann Garramon Merkle has partnered with Rick Fisher, director of the UW Communication Across the Curriculum program. Each semester, they run a six-week cohort program for graduate students. Fall cohorts focus on foundational mindsets and practices that are essential to productive writing in any discipline and genre. Spring cohorts focus on fine-tuning valuable writing methods, including a weekly writing practice, writing group/accountability group strategies, and numerous other practical tools. Participation in the fall cohort is recommended prior to participation in a spring cohort. Between Spring 2020 and Spring 2022, these programs have supported ~200 students to improve their mindset and sense of self-efficacy with writing.

Join the WySCI mailing list to receive notifications about upcoming sessions.

Questions about this program can be directed to Rick Fisher (rick.fisher@uwyo.edu) or Bethann Garramon Merkle (bmerkle@uwyo.edu).

What are these programs about?

Read on for overviews of the fall program and the spring program. Participation in the fall cohort is recommended prior to participation in a spring cohort.

Fall Scholarly Writing Practices - Graduate Learning Community 1

Scholarly Writing Practices (SWP) is open to all UW graduate students. Graduate students of all disciplines, at all stages of progress through their graduate programs, and in on- and off-campus programs are welcome. We especially encourage students in early stages of their graduate program to apply--you do not need to be in the midst of your thesis or dissertation to benefit from this series!

SWP includes six 90-minute sessions and requires students to complete preparation activities (usually of less than an hour) in advance of most sessions. The program is facilitated via synchronous Zoom sessions.

Participants will come away with strategies, balancing their writing with other graduate obligations, developing successful writing habits, analyzing their existing scholarly voice, and managing references and resources for effective writing. The series also provides opportunities for participants to find and create meaningful relationships with other graduate students across programs.

Session topics include:

Social, temporal, behavioral, and psychological aspects of writing
A functional supervisor/student relationship
Resources to support your graduate research and writing
Lit reviews and managing the literature
Ethics of authorship and collaborative writing
Academic voice, style, and conventions

Full participation in this series will result in a Certificate in Scholarly Writing Practices. (To earn a certificate, students must participate in all six sessions or complete equivalent work if a session is missed.)

Spring Deep Dive in Scholarly Writing Techniques - Graduate Learning Community 2

Apply now for Spring 2023!
Tuesdays 2:45 to 4pm
Application form closes Dec. 31, 2022 | Apply here: bit.ly/UW-Spr23GLC
Participants will be reviewed by the program facilitators and will be notified of selection by mid-January 2023.

Scholarly Writing Techniques (SWT) is open to all UW graduate students who are currently working on ongoing writing projects and who desire to write more consistently and more effectively.

We invite graduate students of all disciplines, at all stages of progress through their graduate programs.
Students in off-campus programs are welcome to apply

Focus: Helping graduate writers apply a range of techniques to improve their writing productivity and quality.

Session dates and topics

The Spring 2023 SWT includes six sessions (2:45-4:00 pm) and requires students to complete preparation activities (usually of less than an hour) in advance of most sessions. The GLC will be facilitated via Zoom.

Session 1 (Jan 31): Series overview: Goals, benefits, and expectations. Participant introduction activity. Tactics for writing group formation
Session 2 (Feb 7): Critical reading as a form of writing / Finding authorial voice. Finalize writing groups
Session 3 (Feb 14): Stretching your writing muscles: The Writer’s Diet test, plus key sentences
Session 4 (Feb 21): Invisible expectations and explicit moves
Session 5 (Feb 28): Structural and storytelling arcs. The move from group activity to self-directed work
Conference & self-directed writing: To occur between Feb. 15 and April 4
Final session (April 4): Final check-in and reflection
A key component of this program is weekly writing groups; participants will learn about various writing group formats and form/participate in a group based on their shared goals.

Required elements: Participants who attend all sessions, complete weekly reflections, complete session prep work, complete a one-on-one conference with a writing specialist, and participate in weekly writing group meetings will receive a certificate in Scholarly Writing Engagement.

Self-directed elements: In addition to the required activities above, each participant will select at least one self-directed element, such as conducting an interview with a writer, developing a scholarly website, drafting a five-year research agenda, remediating an existing project/document, delivering a practice conference talk, or taking on some other writing-development activity.

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Contact Us

WY Science Communication Initiative

Dept of Zoology & Physiology (3166)

Bethann Garramon Merkle, Director

1000 E University Ave

Laramie, WY 82071

Email: wysci@uwyo.edu