Fall 2014 Writing and Research Workshops

The Graduate Writing Center offers a wide variety of writing workshops, ranging from general to more specialized topics, such as academic genres, writing in certain disciplinary areas, or writing English as a Second Language. We also provide information on workshops and services from other campus offices that provide assistance to graduate students. Special thanks to our campus programming partners: the UCLA Library, Writing Programs, the Institute for Digital Research and Education, Counseling and Psychological Services, and the Career Center.

Online Workshops

Past Workshops

GWC Flyers

Current Quarter Workshops in Chronological Order (Complete GSRC Calendar)

Google Calendar (Just GWC Workshops This Quarter)

General Writing Workshops

Strategic Reading
Winmar Way, Education
Feeling overwhelmed by your reading lists? Concerned that you are missing the point of what you have just read? Are you taking pages of notes for every article you read? This workshop will cover effective reading and note-taking strategies so that you read more efficiently, assess your reading with a critical eye, and annotate each work so that important concepts are easily accessible. Nota Bene: This workshop does not teach speed-reading techniques.
Two times (same workshop):
Friday, October 3rd, 12:00-1:30pm
Tuesday, October 7th, 3:00-4:30pm

Location: Conference Room 2, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Academic Writing Skills Workshop for ESL Graduate Students
Alexandra Verini, English
In this interactive workshop, ESL graduate students will learn skills and strategies to build their fluency, accuracy, and comprehensibility in English academic writing. In addition, we will discuss useful on-campus, online, and print resources that will help students to work independently to improve their writing. There will also be time for questions and answers about ESL writing issues and concerns.
Two times (same workshop):
Thursday, October 16th, 5:10-7:00pm
Friday, October 17th, 12:00-1:50pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Writing the Personal Statement
Matthew Knauff, Philosophy
This workshop will cover strategies for writing personal statements for fellowship applications, internships, and Ph.D. programs. Among other topics, we will discuss organization, introductions and conclusions, and use of examples. Students from all schools and departments are welcome to attend. If you are currently working on a personal statement, we encourage you to bring your draft to the workshop.
Friday, October 24th, 12:00-1:30pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Policy Writing: Best Practices in White Paper and Memo Writing
Pauline Lewis, History
This workshop provides an overview of best practices in memo and white paper writing as seen in policy-related fields (e.g., urban planning, public policy, public health, business and education). We will discuss the purpose, organization, and style of this genre of writing. Then we will apply this knowledge through an in-depth analysis of exemplar papers. This workshop is designed to enable you to write effective memos and white papers for graduate and professional settings.
Thursday, November 6th, 5:15-6:45pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Workshops on Writing Grants and Fellowships

Writing Successful Grant and Fellowship Applications (Sciences and Engineering Focus)
Lauren Krogh Slone, NSF GRF Recipient, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Cherie Francis, Graduate Division Fellowships and Financial Services
This workshop will first briefly review funding opportunities for graduate students in sciences and engineering. The workshop will then focus on strategies for writing effective applications for grants and fellowships to support graduate study and research, especially for students seeking doctorates and research MAs. The workshop will also cover tips for organizing the application process.
Please RSVP for this workshop at the following link:
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/writing-successful-grant-and-fellowship-applications-sciences-and-engineering-focus-107-tickets-12716063087
Tuesday, October 7th, 5:15-7:00pm
Location: Conference Room 2, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Writing Successful Grant and Fellowship Applications (Humanities and Social Sciences Focus)
Pauline Lewis, Fulbright Recipient, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Cherie Francis, Graduate Division Fellowships and Financial Services
This workshop will first briefly review funding opportunities for graduate students in humanities, social sciences, and related fields. The workshop will then focus on strategies for writing effective applications for grants and fellowships to support graduate study and research, especially for students seeking doctorates and research MAs. The workshop will also cover tips for organizing the application process.
Please RSVP for this workshop at the following link:
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/writing-successful-grant-and-fellowship-applications-humanities-and-social-sciences-focus-109-tickets-12716201501
Thursday, October 9th, 5:15-7:00pm
Location: Conference Room 2, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Lauren Krogh Slone, NSF GRF Recipient, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Professor Francesco Chiappelli, Graduate Division Faculty Extramural Fellowship Proposal Consultant
Cherie Francis, Graduate Division Fellowships and Financial Services
This workshop will discuss strategies for applying for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Open to US citizens in the Social, Biological, and Physical Sciences, this highly competitive fellowship provides three years of fellowship funding to successful applicants. The workshop will focus on the intellectual merit and broader impacts criteria for NSF grants, the structure of the research proposal and personal statement, suggestions for writing style, and tips for Fastlane submission.
Please RSVP for this workshop at the following link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/applying-for-the-nsf-graduate-research-fellowship-1010-tickets-12715768205
Friday, October 10th, 12:00-1:45pm
Location: Conference Room 2, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Humanities Writing Workshops

Writing Successful Grant and Fellowship Applications (Humanities and Social Sciences Focus)
Pauline Lewis, Fulbright Recipient, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Cherie Francis, Graduate Division Fellowships and Financial Services
This workshop will first briefly review funding opportunities for graduate students in humanities, social sciences, and related fields. The workshop will then focus on strategies for writing effective applications for grants and fellowships to support graduate study and research, especially for students seeking doctorates and research MAs. The workshop will also cover tips for organizing the application process.
Please RSVP for this workshop at the following link:
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/writing-successful-grant-and-fellowship-applications-humanities-and-social-sciences-focus-109-tickets-12716201501
Thursday, October 9th, 5:15-7:00pm
Location: Conference Room 2, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Writing the Humanities Course Paper
Renee Hudson, English
This workshop will cover strategies for writing and revising graduate-level humanities course papers. In this workshop we will discuss ways to develop papers for graduate courses, including how to develop a more complex thesis and how to write a literature review.
Thursday, October 23rd, 5:10pm-7:00pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Social Sciences Writing Workshops

Writing Successful Grant and Fellowship Applications (Humanities and Social Sciences Focus)
Pauline Lewis, Fulbright Recipient, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Cherie Francis, Graduate Division Fellowships and Financial Services
This workshop will first briefly review funding opportunities for graduate students in humanities, social sciences, and related fields. The workshop will then focus on strategies for writing effective applications for grants and fellowships to support graduate study and research, especially for students seeking doctorates and research MAs. The workshop will also cover tips for organizing the application process.
Please RSVP for this workshop at the following link:
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/writing-successful-grant-and-fellowship-applications-humanities-and-social-sciences-focus-109-tickets-12716201501
Thursday, October 9th, 5:15-7:00pm
Location: Conference Room 2, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Writing the Social Sciences Graduate Course Paper
Winmar Way, Education
This workshop will cover strategies for writing and revising graduate-level course papers in the social sciences. In this workshop we will discuss ways to develop papers for graduate courses, including how to develop a more complex thesis and how to write a literature review. A few pointers on the differences between qualitative and quantitative papers will be covered as well.
Tuesday, October 28th, 5:10-7:00pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Science and Engineering Writing Workshops

Writing Successful Grant and Fellowship Applications (Sciences and Engineering Focus)
Lauren Krogh Slone, NSF GRF Recipient, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Cherie Francis, Graduate Division Fellowships and Financial Services
This workshop will first briefly review funding opportunities for graduate students in sciences and engineering. The workshop will then focus on strategies for writing effective applications for grants and fellowships to support graduate study and research, especially for students seeking doctorates and research MAs. The workshop will also cover tips for organizing the application process.
Please RSVP for this workshop at the following link:
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/writing-successful-grant-and-fellowship-applications-sciences-and-engineering-focus-107-tickets-12716063087
Tuesday, October 7th, 5:15-7:00pm
Location: Conference Room 2, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Lauren Krogh Slone, NSF GRF Recipient, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Professor Francesco Chiappelli, Graduate Division Faculty Extramural Fellowship Proposal Consultant
Cherie Francis, Graduate Division Fellowships and Financial Services
This workshop will discuss strategies for applying for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Open to US citizens in the Social, Biological, and Physical Sciences, this highly competitive fellowship provides three years of fellowship funding to successful applicants. The workshop will focus on the intellectual merit and broader impacts criteria for NSF grants, the structure of the research proposal and personal statement, suggestions for writing style, and tips for Fastlane submission.
Please RSVP for this workshop at the following link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/applying-for-the-nsf-graduate-research-fellowship-1010-tickets-12715768205
Friday, October 10th, 12:00-1:45pm
Location: Conference Room 2, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Practical Tips for Writing a Scientific Paper
Lauren Krogh Slone, Psychology
This workshop will cover the basics of how to plan for, prepare, and organize science-specific writing, including term papers, manuscripts and abstracts. We will also cover style, common structure and tips for avoiding problems such as excess jargon and ambiguously stated hypotheses.
Friday, November 21st, 12:00-1:30pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)

ESL Workshops

Academic Writing Skills Workshop for ESL Graduate Students
Alexandra Verini, English
In this interactive workshop, ESL graduate students will learn skills and strategies to build their fluency, accuracy, and comprehensibility in English academic writing. In addition, we will discuss useful on-campus, online, and print resources that will help students to work independently to improve their writing. There will also be time for questions and answers about ESL writing issues and concerns.
Two times (same workshop):
Thursday, October 16th, 5:10-7:00pm
Friday, October 17th, 12:00-1:50pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Email Etiquette at the University
Alexandra Verini, English
A graduate student will write hundreds of emails while getting his or her degree—emails that invite professors to serve on thesis/dissertation committees, emails that ask for extensions on papers, emails in which graduate students introduce themselves to potential mentors or advisors. Designed for graduate students who speak English as a second or foreign language, this workshop breaks down the language necessary to make polite requests over email. It also covers basic email etiquette and includes opportunities to edit real example emails written by graduate students.
Friday, November 14th, 12:00-1:50pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Statistical Software Workshops and Consultation

Current and former workshops : http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/seminars/default.htm

For walk-in consulting information, Stat books for loan, and the most up-to-date listing of seminars, please see the Statistical Consulting Services web page of the Institute for Digital Research and Education. The Statistical Consulting Services also keep an extensive archive of past workshops.

Research Workshops

Research Workshops

Research Library Tours (30 minutes)
Stop by for one of these tours of the Research Library during Welcome Week!
Meet outside the main doors, on the portico.
Tuesday (September 30th), 11:30 AM & 1:30 PM
Wednesday (October 1st), 1:00 PM & 2:00 PM
Thursday (October 2nd), 12:00 noon & 2:00 PM
Friday (October 3rd), 11:00 AM & 1:00 PM

Jump Start Your Research at UCLA (1 hour)
Learn about the many resources and services the Library offers to help undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty with assignments, research and teaching.
Meet in the Research Library East Classroom, room 21536.
Wednesday, October 8th, 5-6 PM
Thursday, October 9th, 12-1 PM
Tuesday, October 14th, 5-6 PM
Wednesday, October 15th, 12-1 PM
Thursday, October 16th, 4-5 PM

Introduction to Zotero (1 hour)
Find out about the purpose, uses, and features of Zotero, a free, open-source application that helps researchers manage references and notes and create formatted bibliographies. Participants are encouraged to bring their own computers, but CLiCC laptops will also be available. Taught by Margarita Nafpaktitis, librarian, Charles E. Young Research Library. Meet in the Research Library Research Commons Classroom, room 11630F.
Monday, October 20th, 4-5 PM
Thursday, October 30th, 5-6 PM

Intermediate Zotero (1 hour)
Already a Zotero user? Explore more features in this session, including working with groups, sharing bibliographies, generating reports, and more. Participants are encouraged to bring their own computers, but CLiCC laptops will also be available. Taught by Margarita Nafpaktitis, librarian, Charles E. Young Research Library. Meet in the Research Library Research Commons Classroom, room 11630F.
Thursday, November 13, 5-6 PM

EndNote for the Social Sciences and Humanities (1 hour)
This hands-on session offers an overview of EndNote, a citation management software program that helps researchers manage and organize their references, and automatically create and format citations and bibliographies. Taught by Gabriella Gray, librarian, Charles E. Young Research Library. Meet in the Research Library East Classroom, room 21536.
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2-3 PM
Tuesday, November 18th, 3-4 PM

Research Clinic (1 hour)
Drop in between 12-1 PM with your assignment or research project in any stage of completeness. Librarians with expertise in a number of humanities and social science subject areas will be on hand to help you make the most of library resources to move your work forward. Lobby area, Charles E. Young Research Library.
Tuesday, November 18th
Thursday, November 20th
Monday, November 24th
Tuesday, December 2nd

Click the link below for more information about the research and teaching support offered by the UCLA Library: http://www.library.ucla.edu/support

Research Guides
Online research guides link to key resources and reference books for certain courses and disciplines. Subject guides, course guides, and general research guides are available.

Research Appointments
Graduate students are encouraged to contact the Library's subject specialists for more specialized and personalized assistance with research, library resources, and subject databases; find a complete list of all subject specialists here.

Copyright Questions
Contact the Library's copyright experts for assistance with copyright, publishing, intellectual property, and other related issues at copyright@library.ucla.edu.