North Dakota State University

The Center for Writers will be holding workshops for graduate students and faculty throughout spring semester. Workshops require registration. Contact Kristina Caton to register: kristina.caton@ndsu.edu.

Upcoming

Wednesday, April 24th: 12:00-1:30 p.m.; Library 110
Avoiding Plagiarism
Attributing research, ideas, and writing to their sources is a bedrock of academic integrity. Plagiarism, on the other hand, undermines not only the writer and researcher who intentionally or unintentionally plagiarizes, but also the work presented in the plagiarized paper. This workshop by the Center for Writers presents information about what is considered plagiarism and techniques to avoid plagiarism.

Past
Thursday, Jan. 24^th, 3:00-4:00 pm.; Library 110
Organizing Materials before Writing a First Draft

Geared to new graduate students—either new to graduate school or new to NDSU
Materials students need to bring: a couple of academic articles relevant to the student’s coursework or research, lap top, or other writing material (approx. 50 min.).

Thursday, Jan. 31st: 3:00-4:00 pm.; Library 110
Writing a First Draft

Most graduate students understand that writing well is a key component of academic success. However, most are also so busy reading for disciplinary content they don’t have time to consider how successful writers work the craft of writing. To help address this gap, the Center for Writers is offering a workshop for graduate students that highlights this often overlooked step of academic writing (approx. 50 min.).

Thursday, Feb. 14th: 12:00-1:30 pm.; Library 110
Introduction to Literature Review

This workshop will introduce the literature review, discuss audience, and suggest organizational strategies. Included in the organizational strategies will be the preparation of a topic outline and the presentation of basic principles and techniques for writing a first draft (approx. 90 min.)

Wednesday, Feb. 20th: 12:00-1:00 pm.; Library 110
How to Correct Common Grammar and Punctuation Mistakes

Good ideas can get lost in bad grammar and punctuation. In the Center for Writers graduate workshop on “How to Correct Common Grammar and Punctuation Mistakes,” we take on four common errors in a common sense way that can help clear up your writing so those good ideas can come through!

Wednesday, March 6th: 12:00-1:00 pm.; Library 110
How to Correct Common Word Choice Mistakes

Good ideas can get lost in poor word choices. In the Center for Writers graduate workshop on “How to Correct Common Word Choice Mistakes,” we take on three common errors in a way that can help clear up your writing so those good ideas can come through! (approx. 50 min.)

Thursday, March 21st: 12:00-1:15 pm.; Mandan (Memorial Union)
Writing the Results Section

There are many reasons we do not just copy and paste tables and graphs into our manuscripts. We must communicate our interpretations of the results and relate them to the aim(s) of the research. We may need to offer background information as to why a particular result occurred. Results do not speak for themselves; if they did the tables and graphs would be enough (approx. 75 min.).

Wednesday, April 3rd: 12:00-1:15 pm.; Library 110
Personal Statements
Both deceptively easy and notoriously difficult to write, the personal statement can make or break job, scholarship, or even grant applications. In this workshop we focus on some effective strategies and common pitfalls for writing this unusual genre.

Wednesday, April 17th: 12:30-1:30 p.m.; Library 110
Paraphrasing and Synthesis
Good summarizing and paraphrasing are backbones of academic writing. In this workshop, we address the differences between summary and paraphrase, “patchwriting,” and effective techniques for writing summaries and paraphrases of academic texts.

June Disquisition Boot Camp: Monday, June 3—Friday, June 7

The workshops listed below are designed for faculty. However, graduate teaching assistants are also welcome and may benefit from participation. These workshops all take place in the CFW conference room (Library 16B).

Thursday, Feb. 7th: 3:00-4:30 pm.; CFW conference room
Creating Effective Instructions and Rubrics

Grading writing assignments is notoriously time consuming. However, effectively written instructions and rubrics can save time for busy faculty and frustration for student writers; geared to faculty (approx. 75 min.).

Thursday, Feb. 28th: 3:00-4:00 pm.; CFW conference room
Tips for Helping ELL Writers

Addressing the needs of student writers can be difficult, and when students are not native English speakers it becomes even more complex. This workshop can help set a foundation for effectively working with ELL student writers across disciplines. In conjunction with Carol Bishop from the IELP program; geared to faculty (approx. 50min.).

Thursday, March 28th: 3:00-4:30 pm.; CFW conference room
Providing Effective Feedback to Students

As educators we know that student writing is a vital component to student success, yet we also know that responding to student writing can be both time-consuming and frustrating. This workshop from the Center for Writers focuses on strategies that can both streamline grading and make feedback more effective for improved student writing; geared to faculty (approx. 50 min.).