Summer 2015 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 selected campus offices that provide assistance with research, data management, and data analysis. 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.

General Writing Workshops

Writing the Fulbright U.S. Fellowship Application
Pauline Lewis, Fulbright Recipient, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Mikelle Nickens, Graduate Division Fellowship Services
This workshop will cover strategies for writing the Fulbright U.S. fellowship application. We will address writing tips for fellowship applications as well as specific advice for this Fulbright fellowship. We will discuss the structure and content of key documents using examples.
Thursday, July 9th, 12:00-1:45pm
Location: Bunche Hall, Room 6275

Editing for Style: How to Improve Your Writing
Stacey Meeker, Information Studies; GSA Director of Publications
I've been told that my writing is "dense" and "passive" and that my sentences don't "flow." How can I fix these problems? This hands-on workshop will cover strategies for improving writing at the sentence level. We will look at common problems like the overuse of weak verbs, passive voice, and nominalizations as well as offer specific tips to strengthen clarity and cohesion.
Friday, July 24th, 12:00-1:45pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)

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.
Friday, August 14th, 12:00-12:45pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Self-Editing Strategies for Non-Native Speakers of English
Alexandra Verini, English
This workshop will provide concrete strategies and online tools to enable non-native speakers of English to make appropriate vocabulary choices and approach issues like article and preposition usage in their own writing projects.
Monday, August 17th, 5:15-7:15pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Preparing for Careers in Academia: Teaching, Diversity, and Research Statements (Humanities and Social Science Focus)
Marilyn Gray, Director, Graduate Writing Center
Margarita Nafpaktitis, Instruction Coordinator, Research Library
Renee Hudson, Consultant, Graduate Writing Center
Teaching philosophy statements may be required in applications for academic jobs as well as some fellowship and grants. This workshop presents the elements of a well-constructed teaching philosophy statement and explores ways to develop a teaching philosophy and to write about your teaching effectively. The workshop will also cover tips for writing research and diversity statements. Whether you are going on the academic job market soon or you are at an earlier stage of graduate school, we encourage you to attend. We also encourage you to bring any syllabi you have taught or developed to this workshop, but it is not required.
Please RSVP for this workshop at the following link :
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/preparing-for-careers-in-academia-teaching-diversity-and-research-statements-for-humanities-and-tickets-18121114742
Thursday, August 27th, 2:00-4:30pm
Location: Career Center, Conference rooms A&B (third floor)

Preparing for Careers in Academia: Teaching, Diversity, and Research Statements (Sciences and Engineering Focus)
Marilyn Gray, Director, Graduate Writing Center
Margarita Nafpaktitis, Instruction Coordinator, Research Library
Timothy Williamson, Consultant, Graduate Writing Center
Teaching philosophy statements may be required in applications for academic jobs as well as some fellowship and grants. This workshop presents the elements of a well-constructed teaching philosophy statement and explores ways to develop a teaching philosophy and to write about your teaching effectively. The workshop will also cover tips for writing research and diversity statements. Whether you are going on the academic job market soon or you are at an earlier stage of graduate school, we encourage you to attend. We also encourage you to bring any syllabi you have taught or developed to this workshop, but it is not required.
Please RSVP for this workshop at the following link:
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/preparing-for-careers-in-academia-teaching-diversity-and-research-statements-for-stem-phd-students-tickets-18121126778
Friday, August 28th, 12:00-2:30pm
Location: Career Center, Conference rooms A&B (third floor)

Strategic Reading
Rebecca Hill, English
Alexandra Verini, English
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:
1) Thursday, Sept 3rd, 5:15-6:45pm
2) Friday, Sept 4th, 12-1:30pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Writing the Personal Statement
Rebecca Hill, English
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.
Thursday, Sept 10th, 5:15-6:45pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Dissertation Proposal/Prospectus Workshops

Strategies for Writing the Humanities Dissertation Prospectus
Renee Hudson, English
This workshop provides an introduction to the dissertation prospectus in the humanities or related fields. We will discuss literature review, argument development as well as how to turn the many different pieces of a prospectus into a coherent document. Nota bene: this is meant to be an addition to--not a substitution for--serious discussions with your advisor about what is expected of you in your home department.
Thursday, July 23rd, 3:00-5:00pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Strategies for Writing the Social Sciences Dissertation Proposal
Stacey Meeker, Information Studies
This workshop will give an overview of the main components of a dissertation proposal in the social sciences and cover strategies for writing the introduction, literature review, methods, and significance sections. These strategies should be adapted to your department's and advisor's expectations about the structure and content of your proposal. If you have preliminary drafts of an abstract or research questions, please bring them.
Thursday, August 6th, 5:30-7:30pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Sciences Dissertation Proposal Workshop
Natsuki Atagi, Psychology
This intensive workshop will cover dissertation proposal structure, writing process strategies, and time management. In addition, we will address issues related to the oral portion of the proposal. Please bring an outline of your proposal and an abstract if you have them.
Thursday, August 13th, 5:30-7:30pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Workshops on Writing Grants and Fellowships

Applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Natsuki Atagi, NSF GRF Recipient, Graduate Writing Center 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.
1) Thursday, August 27th, 5:15-7:00pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)
2) Wednesday, September 16th, 1:00-2:45pm
Location: Conference Room 2, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Writing Successful Grant and Fellowship Applications (Sciences and Engineering Focus)
Natsuki Atagi, NSF GRF Recipient, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Katelyn Caslavka, NIH Fellowship 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.
Thursday, September 3rd, 2:00-4:00pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)

Writing Successful Grant and Fellowship Applications (Humanities and Social Sciences Focus)
Kathryn Renton, Social Science Research Council Fellowship 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.
1) Thursday, September 10th, 2:00-4:00pm
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level)
2) Friday, September 11th, 12:00-2:00pm
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
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.

To see the most current schedule of UCLA Library workshops, consult the UCLA Library research workshop papge.