Winter 2024 Writing and Research Workshops

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.

Past Workshops

Workshop Videos

General Workshops

Strategic Reading

Jesslyn Whittell, English, Graduate Writing Center Consultant

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. Note: This workshop does not teach speed-reading techniques.

Time Details: Thursday, January 18th, 5:15-6:30 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation

Introduction to Writing a Literature Review

Marilyn Gray, Graduate Writing Center Director

This workshop will cover strategies and best practices for writing a literature review, including note-taking strategies, writing process issues, and common organizational patterns. The workshop focus will be on literature reviews for original research projects but will be generally applicable to all literature reviews.

Time Details: Tuesday, January 23rd, 5:15-6:30 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation

Project Organization for Writing

Marilyn Gray, Graduate Writing Center Director

In this workshop, we will discuss how to set up an organized system for a large-scale research and writing project, especially the writing components.

Time Details: Tuesday, February 6th, 5:15-6:30 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation

Time Management and Productivity Tips for Writing

Marilyn Gray, Graduate Writing Center Director

In this workshop, we will discuss effective strategies for time management, goal setting, and productivity when conducting large-scale research and writing projects, especially for the writing components.

Time Details: Thursday, February 8th, 5:15-6:30 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation

Navigating Graduate School: Academic Success Strategies for First-Generation College Students*

Kimberly Miranda, 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: Friday, February 23rd, 5:00-7:00 PM
RSVP on Handshake for in-person location and Zoom information

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) Friday, February 16th, 1:30 PM-4:00 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation:
https://ucla.joinhandshake.com/edu/events/1470200

2) Friday, March 1st, 1:30 PM-4:00 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation:https://ucla.joinhandshake.com/edu/events/1470206

3) Friday, March 8th, 10:00 AM-12:30 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation:https://ucla.joinhandshake.com/edu/events/1470210

4) Friday, March 15th, 10:00 AM-12:30 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation:https://ucla.joinhandshake.com/edu/events/1470212

Humanities Writing Workshops

Getting Started on the Master's Thesis (Humanities and Social Science focus)

Jeanette Charles, History, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Amelia Ino, Comparative Literature, Graduate Writing Center Consultant

This workshop will give an overview of how to write a master's thesis or project of similar length (like a qualifying paper) for students in the Humanities and Social Sciences. It will include writing activities and discussion to help participants develop their thesis topics. We will also present strategies for organizing research and literature reviews, as well as tips for drafting and revision.

Time Details: Wednesday, January 31st, 5:30-6:45 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation

Strategies for Writing the Humanities Dissertation Prospectus

Jeanette Charles, History, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Lika Balenovich, Comparative Literature, Graduate Writing Center Consultant

This workshop is geared towards giving prospectus writers the tools to write their prospectus over the course of two months. We will discuss literature review and argument development as well as how to turn the many different pieces of a prospectus into a coherent document. Please note: 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.

Time Details: Wednesday, February 21st, 5:30-6:45 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation

Social Sciences Writing Workshops

Getting Started on the Master's Thesis (Humanities and Social Science focus)

Jeanette Charles, History, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Amelia Ino, Comparative Literature, Graduate Writing Center Consultant

This workshop will give an overview of how to write a master's thesis or project of similar length (like a qualifying paper) for students in the Humanities and Social Sciences. It will include writing activities and discussion to help participants develop their thesis topics. We will also present strategies for organizing research and literature reviews, as well as tips for drafting and revision.

Time Details: Wednesday, January 31st, 5:30-6:45 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation

Strategies for Writing the Social Sciences Dissertation Proposal

Tom Jacobson, Edcation Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Brande Otis, Education, Graduate Writing Center Consultant

This workshop will give an overview of the main components of a dissertation proposal in the social sciences and cover strategies for writing the research questions, literature review, and methods sections, as well as some tips for getting through this sometimes daunting process. (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.

Time Details: Thursday, February 29th, 4:30-6:00 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation

Science and Engineering Writing Workshops

Writing Successful Grant and Fellowship Applications (STEM Focus)

Adriana Mendez Leal, NSF Recipient, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Marie Payne, NSF Recipient, 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: Friday, January 19th, 12:30-2:00 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation

Getting Started on the Master's Thesis (STEM Focus)

Adriana Mendez Leal, Psychology, Graduate Writing Consultant

This workshop will give an overview of how to write a master's thesis for students in STEM fields. It will include writing activities and discussion to help participants develop their thesis topics. We will also present strategies for organizing research and literature reviews, as well as tips for drafting and revision.

Time Details: Friday, January 26th, 12:30-2:00 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation

Dissertation Proposal (STEM) Workshop

Aidan Howenstine, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Graduate Writing Consultant

This workshop, geared toward students in STEM fields, will cover dissertation proposal structures and components, as well as writing process strategies and time management. In addition, we will address issues related to the oral defense portion of the proposal.

Time Details: Tuesday, February 13th, 5:15-6:45 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation

ESL Workshops

For relevant workshop videos, go to:
https://gwc.gsrc.ucla.edu/workshop-videos#esl_workshops

Grants/Fellowships Workshops

Writing Successful Grant and Fellowship Applications (STEM Focus)

Adriana Mendez Leal, NSF Recipient, Graduate Writing Center Consultant
Marie Payne, NSF Recipient, 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: Friday, January 19th, 12:30-2:00 PM
RSVP on Handshake to receive a Zoom invitation

General introductory fellowship workshop videos

Specific fellowship workshops, request access to fellowship resources and archives here (UCLA graduate and professional students only)

Statistical Support and Consultation

For support with statistics, please see the statistical support website of the Office of Advanced Research and Computing. Graduate students are eligible for (remote) statistical consulting services on theses, dissertations, and journal publications (projects that are not coursework).

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.