University Learning Centre

Graduate Writing Workshops

Graduate writing workshops are scheduled from September through March. Update September 10, 2013:  Workshops will be posted here very soon, when we find out our room bookings.  

If you cannot attend one of our workshops, you can contact writinghelp@usask.ca for access to a recording.  Slides for these workshops are also posted on this website (see the right column on this page).

For more information aimed at graduate students, visit our graduate help page.

RSS iconGraduate Writing Workshops

If you experience difficulties registering for an event, please contact the ULC

Oct
Thu
3

An Introduction to Writing SSHRC Proposals

Graduate Writing Workshop with Professor Ron Cooley
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM

ARTS 241

This session will focus on preparing the free form components of your SSHRC Canada Graduate Scholarship application (Doctoral or Masters), especially the two-page “Program of Study.” We will explore strategies for integrating the numerous required elements into a persuasive and coherent account of your research plans.
Register for this Workshop
Oct
Fri
4

An Introduction to Writing NSERC Proposals

Graduate Writing Workshop with Professor Ron Cooley
4:00 PM to 5:30 PM

ARTS 241

This session will focus on the preparation of the free form components of your NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship application (PGS), especially the one-page "Outline of Proposed Research," which you are required to complete on your own. NSERC adjudicators assess both your "research ability or potential" and your "communication, interpersonal and leadership abilities."  A well-written "Outline of Proposed Research" will enhance both these elements of your application.
Register for this Workshop
Oct
Tue
22

Grammar I: A Review of Grammatical Terminology

Graduate Writing Workshop with Professor Ron Cooley
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM

ARTS 241

This session will provide a lecture-style overview/review of English grammar and grammatical terminology. Many of us (especially native speakers) have trouble improving our writing because we lack a vocabulary for talking about writing. If you find yourself saying "that sounds wrong but I can't explain why," this session may help.
Register for this Workshop
Nov
Thu
7

Grammar II: Common Writing Problems

Graduate Writing Workshop with Professor Ron Cooley
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM

ARTS 241

This session will review some of the most common problems in English grammar, usage, and punctuation.  We'll focus on how to recognize trouble spots and correct your own work.  You do not need to register in Grammar I to take part in Grammar II.
Register for this Workshop
Nov
Wed
27

Structure and Organization, with a Focus on the Literature Review

Graduate Writing Workshop with Professor Ron Cooley
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM

ARTS 241

Many types of writing (e.g., the scientific thesis or article) are highly formulaic -- they follow a rigid, prescribed structure.  But how does one organize an extended piece of writing where the structure is not prescribed?  This session will consider the "literature review," a prescribed component of most academic writing, where the internal structure of topics, sub-topics, and paragraphs depends on the content and the research questions.
Register for this Workshop
Jan
Thu
9

Style in Scientific Writing

Graduate Writing Workshop with Professor Ron Cooley
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM

ARTS 241

The Scientific Revolution was also a revolution in English writing style that affected all forms of expression. In this lecture-workshop session, we'll consider the main elements of scientific style, and dissect some passages of graduate-student scientific writing. We'll also consider some aspects of scientific style that are common to all academic writing.
Register for this Workshop
Jan
Wed
29

Thesis and Dissertation Proposals

Graduate Writing Workshop with Professor Ron Cooley
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM

ARTS 241

This session will review some of the common features of Masters thesis and PhD dissertation proposals, and consider some of the differences in approach across disciplines at the University of Saskatchewan.  The focus will be on tailoring the research program description to the internal university audience and to internal approval processes.  For more detailed, discipline-specific advice, students should consult their supervisor or graduate chair.
Register for this Workshop
Feb
Tue
11

The Manuscript-Format Thesis or Dissertation

Graduate Writing Workshop with Professor Ron Cooley
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM

ARTS 241

Many departments now permit students to submit a thesis or dissertation that consists of a collection of manuscripts or published papers.  But such theses and dissertations must still meet some common university-wide guidelines.  This session will review those guidelines, to help you transform a pile of manuscripts into a manuscript-format thesis.

 

Register for this Workshop
Mar
Tue
11

Revision

Graduate Writing Workshop with Professor Ron Cooley
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM

ARTS 241

Many of us are afraid to truly revise our work.  We tinker with phrasing but never consider the larger changes that would lead to real improvements.  In this session, we'll work with drafts of graduate-student writing, considering the kinds of changes to sentence and paragraph structure that make a piece of writing clearer and more persuasive.
Register for this Workshop
Mar
Tue
25

Editing and Proofreading

Graduate Writing Workshop with Professor Ron Cooley
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM

ARTS 241

Preparing a thesis or article for submission requires extreme attention to detail. In this session, we'll workshop some samples of student writing, focusing on the steps necessary to turn a good draft into an error-free final text.
Register for this Workshop

Download Workshop Slides

Editing and Proofreading

Basic Grammar

Grammar I

Grammar II

Common Writing Errors - For Finance

Global Revision Workshop

Structure and Organization

Style in Scientific Writing -BioChem

Thesis and Dissertation Proposals

 

Contact

Liv Marken
Writing Help Coordinator
liv.marken@usask.ca
Phone: (306) 966-2771

The University Learning Centre

Room 106 Murray Building
University of Saskatchewan
3 Campus Drive
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A4
Tel: (306) 966-2886
Fax: (306) 966-6329
ulc@usask.ca