Workshops - Summer 2024
The Graduate Writing Center offers a wide variety of writing workshops, ranging from general to more specialized topics. We also provide information on selected campus offices that provide assistance with research, data management, and data analysis.
All workshops are conducted on Zoom unless otherwise noted.
Note: We are still in the process of scheduling summer workshops, so more workshops will be added soon.
General Workshops
Expanding Your Audience: How to Publish Outside Academia
Jessie Stoolman, Anthropology, Writing Consultant
Where can your writing and research interests go beyond a field-specific journal article or academic conference presentation? Writing for non-academic publications offers graduate students the opportunity to flex their creative muscles and develop a broader audience for their work. This workshop will help orient students within the world of non-academic writing, providing guidance on where to publish, how to translate complex ideas for a general audience and strategies for writing a pitch letter to a non-academic publication.
Time Details: Tuesday, July 2nd, 12:00 - 1:45 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
UCLA IRB Review: Policy and Procedures
Paul Lillig, UCLA Office of the Human Research Protections Program (OHRPP)
This workshop will provide an overview of the UCLA IRB application process and related policies and procedures.
Time Details: Wednesday, July 10th, 1:00-2:00 PM
This workshop will be conducted via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Mindful Writing Retreat Sessions (Online)
Marilyn Gray, Director, Graduate Writing Center
The mindful writing retreat will integrate simple techniques from mindfulness to support the writing process and cultivate an approach to writing that fosters balance, self-care, and well-being. Please bring a current writing project because much of the retreat time will be allocated for writing. All sessions will be conducted remotely via zoom.
1) Monday, July 29th, 1:30 PM-4:00 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation
2) Monday, August 5th, 1:30 PM-4:00 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation
3) Monday, August 12th 1:30 PM-4:00 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation
Writing the Personal Statement
Jackie Davis,World Arts and Cultures/Dance, Graduate Writing Consultant
Andrew Malmuth, Sociology, Graduate Writing Consultant
This workshop will cover strategies for writing personal statements for fellowship applications, residencies, and PhD 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. The workshop will be offered twice:
Time Details:
- Tuesday, August 6th, 5:15-6:15 PM
This workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation - Wednesday, August 7th, 5:15-6:15 PM
This workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Navigating Graduate School: Academic Success Strategies for First-Generation College Students*
Harmeet Kalsi, Education, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Janel Pineda, Chicana/o and Central American Studies, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
This workshop will provide useful strategies for navigating graduate school successfully. We will focus on tips and tricks that will help you succeed, as well as elucidate aspects of the "hidden curriculum," or things you're expected to know but not explicitly taught. We will cover a broad spectrum of topics such as managing writing requirements, using organizational tools to stay on track, communicating effectively with mentors to meet your needs, and networking at conferences to build professional relationships.
*We are defining a first-generation college student as a student whose parent(s) or guardian(s) did not complete a four-year degree in the United States.
Time Details: Tuesday, August 20th, 5:15-6:30 PM
This workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Humanities & Social Sciences Writing Workshops
Strategies for Writing About Statistics
Caroline Diehl, Psychology, Graduate Writing Consultant
Leezet Matos, Psychology, Graduate Writing Consultant
This workshop will review how to report a variety of statistical findings in writing, including results from ANOVAs, linear and logistic regression, and t tests, as well as how to use APA formatting for statistics. We will also discuss how to present statistical findings clearly and accurately when writing results and discussion sections.
Time Details: Thursday, July 25th, 5:30-6:30 PM
This workshop will be conducted via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (General)
Leezet Matos, Psychology, Graduate Writing Consultant
Marie Payne, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Graduate Writing Consultant
This workshop will discuss strategies for applying for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. 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.
Time Details:
- Wednesday, August 14th, 4:00-5:30 PM
This workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation - Thursday, September 5th, 4:00-5:30 PM
This workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Writing Successful Grant and Fellowship Applications (Humanities and Social Sciences)
Jackie Davis,World Arts and Cultures/Dance, Graduate Writing Consultant
Andrew Malmuth, Sociology, Graduate Writing Consultant
Janel Pineda, Chicana/o and Central American Studies, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Ross Fenimore, Graduate Division Fellowship 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. We will also cover tips for organizing the application process.
Time Details: Wednesday, September 11th, 4:30-6:00 PM
This workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Science and Engineering Writing Workshops
Strategies for Writing Effective Scientific Papers
Aidan Howenstine, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Graduate Writing Consultant
This workshop will address basic principles for writing scientific papers and offer strategies for avoiding common pitfalls. We will also introduce key points from Joshua Schimel's book Writing Scienceon developing good narrative structure and clarity to make writing engaging and impactful.
Time Details: Monday, July 22nd, 1:00-2:00 PM
This workshop will be conducted via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Creating Effective Figures and Visual Aids
Aidan Howenstine, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Graduate Writing Consultant
Adriana Mendez Leal, Psychology, Graduate Writing Consultant
This workshop focuses on strategies for designing effective figures and visual materials. The workshop will also introduce different software packages that can be used to create high-quality figures and offer further resources for learning these programs.
Time Details: Tuesday, July 23rd, 1:00-2:00 PM
This workshop will be conducted via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Strategies for Publishing Scientific Papers
Adriana Mendez Leal, Psychology, Graduate Writing Consultant
This workshop will focus on the process of getting an article published that most differ from other graduate writing projects, such as selecting appropriate journals and interacting with editors. We will also discuss strategies for revising articles for a target journal.
Time Details: Wednesday, July 24th, 1:00-2:00 PM
This workshop will be conducted via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Strategies for Writing About Statistics
Caroline Diehl, Psychology, Graduate Writing Consultant
Leezet Matos, Psychology, Graduate Writing Consultant
This workshop will review how to report a variety of statistical findings in writing, including results from ANOVAs, linear and logistic regression, and t tests, as well as how to use APA formatting for statistics. We will also discuss how to present statistical findings clearly and accurately when writing results and discussion sections.
Time Details: Thursday, July 25th, 5:30-6:30 PM
This workshop will be conducted via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (Engineering and Physical Science Focus)
Marie Payne, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Graduate Writing Consultant
Dominique Stumbaugh, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
This workshop will discuss strategies for applying for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship with a physical science focus. 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.
Time Details: Thursday, August 22nd, 5:30-7:00 PM
This workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (Life and Bio Science Focus)
Aidan Howenstine, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Graduate Writing Consultant
Leezet Matos, Psychology, Graduate Writing Consultant
This workshop will discuss strategies for applying for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship with a life science focus. 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.
Time Details: Tuesday, August 27th, 4:00-5:30 PM
This workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Writing Successful Grant and Fellowship Applications (STEM Focus)
Leezet Matos, Psychology, Graduate Writing Consultant
Marie Payne, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Graduate Writing Consultant
Dominique Stumbaugh, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Ross Fenimore, Graduate Division Fellowship Services
This workshop will first briefly review funding opportunities for graduate students in STEM 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.
Time Details: Tuesday, September 10th, 4:30-6:00 PM
This workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
ESL Workshops
Self-Editing Strategies for Non-Native Speakers of English
Amelia Ino, Comparative Literature, Graduate Writing Consultant
This workshop will provide concrete strategies and online tools to enable non-native speakers of English to improve their writing and editing process, check grammatical issues, make appropriate vocabulary choices and approach issues like article and preposition usage in their own writing projects.
Time Details: Wednesday, July 31st, 5:15-6:45 PM
This workshop will be conducted via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Grants/Fellowships Workshops
Writing the Fulbright U.S. Fellowship Application
Jackie Davis, Fulbright Recipient, Graduate Writing Consultant
Jessie Stoolman, Fulbright Recipient, Graduate Writing Consultant
Jane Sin, Division of Graduate Education Fellowship Services
This workshop will cover strategies for writing the Fulbright U.S. fellowship application. We will discuss the structure and content of key documents using examples. We will address writing tips for fellowship applications as well as specific advice for this Fulbright fellowship.
Time Details: Tuesday, July 16th 4:00-5:00 PM
This workshop will be conducted via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Various Workshop Presenters
We will offer a series of NSF targeted workshops. The workshop will discuss strategies for applying for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. 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.
Time Details:
- NSF GRF (General)
Wednesday, August 14th, 4:00-5:30 PM
This workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation - NSF GRF (Engineering and Physical Sciences Focus)
Thursday, August 22nd, 5:30-7:00 PM
This workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation - NSF GRF (Life and Biological Science Focus)
Tuesday, August 27th, 4:00-5:30 PM
This workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation - NSF GRF (General)
Thursday, September 5th, 4:00-5:30 PM
This workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Telling Your New American Story - Applying to the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans
Janel Pineda, 2023 Paul & Daisy Soros Fellow and Graduate Writing Consultant
This workshop will provide guidance on preparing a competitive application for the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans (https://www.pdsoros.org/), which provides up to $90K in support for graduate students from migrant backgrounds. Specifically, this workshop will focus on writing strategies for telling your New American story in a compelling, creative, and empowering way. We will brainstorm and begin drafting application components during the session.
Time Details: Wednesday, August 21st, 4:00-5:00 PM
This workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation:https://ucla.joinhandshake.com/edu/events/1558616
Writing Successful Grant and Fellowship Applications (STEM Focus)
Leezet Matos, Psychology, Graduate Writing Consultant
Marie Payne, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Graduate Writing Consultant
Dominique Stumbaugh, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Ross Fenimore, Graduate Division Fellowship Services
This workshop will first briefly review funding opportunities for graduate students in STEM 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.
Time Details: Tuesday, September 10th, 4:30-6:00 PM
This workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Writing Successful Grant and Fellowship Applications (Humanities and Social Sciences)
Jackie Davis,World Arts and Cultures/Dance, Graduate Writing Consultant
Andrew Malmuth, Sociology, Graduate Writing Consultant
Janel Pineda, Chicana/o and Central American Studies, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Ross Fenimore, Graduate Division Fellowship 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. We will also cover tips for organizing the application process.
Time Details: Wednesday, September 11th, 4:30-6:00 PM
This workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Applying for the NIH Training Fellowship
Caroline Diehl, NIH NRSA Recipient, Writing Consultant
This workshop will cover the application process and required components of an NIH NRSA application. We will discuss preparation, documents required, and writing strategies for the F31, but the F30 and F32 are very similar. We will also address how to find appropriate materials/resources for a complete application.
Time Details: TBA
This workshop will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
RSVP on Handshake to receive an invitation
Statistical Software Workshops and Consultation
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.
Research Workshops at the Library
To see the most complete, current schedule of UCLA Library advanced research workshops, consult the UCLA Library research workshop page.
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.