Do you want a supportive environment for writing your thesis or dissertation? Are you feeling isolated and in need of support? Do you want to hone your writing skills? Do you want to get started again on a stalled thesis or dissertation project? Are you curious about how to write your dissertation but are still in coursework?

New for fall 2020, the Jones White Writing Center is offering a Dissertation and Thesis Writing Boot Camp. This six-hour event, taking place via Zoom on Saturday, October 17, will provide a supportive environment to help you to make progress on your thesis/dissertation writing, jump-start your writing, pick up a stalled project, or build your writing skills while you are still in coursework.

The Dissertation/Thesis Boot Camp will include multiple tracks with workshops, tutoring, silent writing time, and peer review. You can attend all day or part of the day, and you can choose what you attend.

For those of you who haven't yet started your thesis or dissertation, you can come to attend many of our workshops to get a jump start on the writing process. See our full schedule, below.

Please sign up for the Dissertation and Thesis Writing Boot Camp in advance. Graduate students at all stages, including those in coursework, are welcome to attend. Once you sign up, we will be sending a Zoom URL prior to the event.

Sign up for the Boot Camp.

Full Schedule

11:00-11:45 a.m.

“Introduction and Crash Course in Key Writing Strategies for Writing Success”

This workshop is recommended for all participants and will include information about time management, allow you to set goals for the Boot Camp and your writing, discuss writing strategies, and demonstrate how to make good progress with your work. With Dana Driscoll, professor of English and director of the Jones White Writing Center.

11:15 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Silent Writing Room opens up and stays open til 5:00 p.m. Turn off your video and audio and set aside time to write your thesis or dissertation.

11:45 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

One-on-One Tutorials will be available with our graduate tutors throughout the day. If you have a big or small question, or want someone offer feedback on your work, our tutors will be available. This is a first-come, first-served service.

Noon-12:45 p.m.

Presentation: “Avoiding Plagiarism, Addressing Patchwriting, and Ethical Citation Practices for Thesis and Dissertation Writers”

We will cover advanced citation practices, self-citation, plagiarism, patchwriting, and much more so that you will be able to write and submit your work with confidence. With Jun Akyoshi, doctoral candidate in Composition and Applied Linguistics and Writing Center tutor.

1:00-1:45 p.m.

Presentation: “Publishing Your Thesis or Dissertation and Introduction to Writing for Publication”

We'll cover multiple strategies to publishing from your dissertation or thesis, and will present an overview of writing for publication in peer reviewed journals. With Dana Driscoll, professor of English and director of the Jones White Writing Center.

2:00-2:45 p.m.

Interactive Workshop: “Synthesizing Sources, Building and Refining Arguments, and Writing Literature Reviews”

For this interactive workshop, please bring a working draft of a literature review you are currently working on, and you'll learn a variety of techniques for effective source synthesis, argument building, and organizing your literature review. With Dana Driscoll, professor of English and director of the Jones White Writing Center.

3:00-3:45 p.m.

Presentation: “Successfully Managing Committee and Advisor Feedback and Forming Writing Groups”

We'll cover how to successfully engage in revision based on committee and advisor feedback, how to navigate feedback, and how to build support networks and writing groups. With Andrew Yim, assistant director of the Jones White Writing Center and doctoral student in Composition and Applied Linguistics.

4:00-4:45 p.m.

Interactive Workshop: “Peer Reviewing Your Work”

Work with your peers and Writing Center tutors to read others' work and receive feedback on your own. For this workshop, please bring a draft of your work (or section of a draft), no more than eight pages. With tutors from the Jones White Writing Center.