Summer 2018 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 Workshops

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.
Wednesday, July 11th, 2:00-2:45 PM
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level) ( map )

Self-Editing Strategies for Non-Native Speakers of English
Adrienne Lynett, GWC Program Manager
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.
Wednesday, July 18th, 3:00-4:30 PM
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level) ( map )

Management of Research Data
Jamie Jamison, Data Archivist, UCLA Social Science Data Archives
This workshop covers best practices for managing research data generated in the social sciences. Topics include: rationale for data management planning; best practices for collecting and organizing research data; and best practices for protecting privacy and confidentiality. The workshop provides tips on handling video, audio, qualitative and quantitative data formats and will provide a list of resources and contact information for additional support. The workshop also provides tips for preparing data plans for dissertation proposals and funding applications.
Wednesday, July 25th, 2:30-4:00 PM
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level) ( map )

Mindfulness For Dissertation Writers
Allyson Pimentel, EdD, Associate Director, Campus & Student Resilience, Program Director, Mindful UCLA
This experiential workshop will provide instruction in the basic principles and practices of mindfulness meditation. Research on mindfulness has identified a variety of benefits including stress reduction, improved attention, reduced emotional reactivity, greater cognitive flexibility and improved overall sense of well-being, among others. Through didactics, guided practice of mindfulness and group discussion, we will explore ways in which mindfulness can support graduate students who are dealing with the challenges of research and writing.
Thursday, August 16th, 12:00-1:15 PM
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level) ( map )

Writing the Personal Statement
Robert K. Smith, English, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
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, September 6th, 5:30-6:30 PM
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level) ( map )

Workshops on Writing Grants and Fellowships

Writing the Fulbright U.S. Fellowship Application
Samuel Anderson, Fulbright Recipient, Writing Consultant
Shannon Yu, Graduate Division 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.
Thursday, July 12th, 4:00-5:30 PM
Location: Bunche Hall, room 6275

Applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Ariella Machness, NSF GRF Recipient, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Amber Villalobos, NSF GRF Recipient, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Shannon Yu, Graduate Division Fellowship Services
This workshop will discuss strategies for applying for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Open to US citizens in the Social, Physical, and Biological 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.
Thursday, August 30th, 4:00-5:30 PM
Location: Conference Room 3, Student Activities Center (basement level) ( map )

Writing Successful Grant and Fellowship Applications (Humanities and Social Science focus)
Eric Newman, Mellon Grant Recipient, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
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.
Friday, September 7th, 1:00-3:00 PM
Location: Conference Room 3, Student Activities Center (basement level) ( map )

Writing Successful Grant and Fellowship Applications (Science and Engineering Focus)
Karen Cheng, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Macrina Cooper-White, NDSEG Recipient, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Ariella Machness, NSF GRF Recipient, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
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.
Friday, September 14th, 1:00-3:00 PM
Location: Conference Room 3, Student Activities Center (basement level) ( map )

Applying for the NIH Training Fellowship
Karen Cheng, NIH Fellowship Recipient, Graduate Writing Center, Consultant
This workshop will cover the application process and required components of an NIH NRSA application.. We will discuss preparation, documents needed, and writing strategies. The workshop will mainly focus on NIH Grant F31, but F30 and F32 are very similar. The workshop will also address how to find appropriate materials/resources for a complete application.
Friday, September 28th, 12:00-1:30 PM
Location: Conference Room 4, Student Activities Center (basement level) ( map )

ESL Workshops

Statistical Software Workshops and Consultation

Current and former workshops may be found here.

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.

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.