dissertation writing group

How To Write A Dissertation Or Thesis

8 straightforward steps to craft an a-grade dissertation.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Expert Reviewed By: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | June 2020

Writing a dissertation or thesis is not a simple task. It takes time, energy and a lot of will power to get you across the finish line. It’s not easy – but it doesn’t necessarily need to be a painful process. If you understand the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis, your research journey will be a lot smoother.  

In this post, I’m going to outline the big-picture process of how to write a high-quality dissertation or thesis, without losing your mind along the way. If you’re just starting your research, this post is perfect for you. Alternatively, if you’ve already submitted your proposal, this article which covers how to structure a dissertation might be more helpful.

How To Write A Dissertation: 8 Steps

• Clearly understand what a dissertation (or thesis) is
• Find a unique and valuable research topic
• Craft a convincing research proposal
• Write up a strong introduction chapter
• Review the existing literature and compile a literature review
• Design a rigorous research strategy and undertake your own research
• Present the findings of your research
• Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications

Step 1: Understand exactly what a dissertation is

This probably sounds like a no-brainer, but all too often, students come to us for help with their research and the underlying issue is that they don’t fully understand what a dissertation (or thesis) actually is.

So, what is a dissertation?

At its simplest, a dissertation or thesis is a formal piece of research , reflecting the standard research process . But what is the standard research process, you ask? The research process involves 4 key steps:

• Ask a very specific, well-articulated question (s) (your research topic)
• See what other researchers have said about it (if they’ve already answered it)
• If they haven’t answered it adequately, undertake your own data collection and analysis in a scientifically rigorous fashion
• Answer your original question(s), based on your analysis findings

In short, the research process is simply about asking and answering questions in a systematic fashion . This probably sounds pretty obvious, but people often think they’ve done “research”, when in fact what they have done is:

• Started with a vague, poorly articulated question
• Not taken the time to see what research has already been done regarding the question
• Collected data and opinions that support their gut and undertaken a flimsy analysis
• Drawn a shaky conclusion, based on that analysis

If you want to see the perfect example of this in action, look out for the next Facebook post where someone claims they’ve done “research”… All too often, people consider reading a few blog posts to constitute research. Its no surprise then that what they end up with is an opinion piece, not research. Okay, okay – I’ll climb off my soapbox now.

The key takeaway here is that a dissertation (or thesis) is a formal piece of research, reflecting the research process. It’s not an opinion piece , nor a place to push your agenda or try to convince someone of your position. Writing a good dissertation involves asking a question and taking a systematic, rigorous approach to answering it.

If you understand this and are comfortable leaving your opinions or preconceived ideas at the door, you’re already off to a good start!

Step 2: Find a unique, valuable research topic

As we saw, the first step of the research process is to ask a specific, well-articulated question. In other words, you need to find a research topic that asks a specific question or set of questions (these are called research questions ). Sounds easy enough, right? All you’ve got to do is identify a question or two and you’ve got a winning research topic. Well, not quite…

A good dissertation or thesis topic has a few important attributes. Specifically, a solid research topic should be:

Let’s take a closer look at these:

Attribute #1: Clear

Your research topic needs to be crystal clear about what you’re planning to research, what you want to know, and within what context. There shouldn’t be any ambiguity or vagueness about what you’ll research.

Here’s an example of a clearly articulated research topic:

An analysis of consumer-based factors influencing organisational trust in British low-cost online equity brokerage firms.

As you can see in the example, its crystal clear what will be analysed (factors impacting organisational trust), amongst who (consumers) and in what context (British low-cost equity brokerage firms, based online).

Need a helping hand?

Attribute #2:   Unique

Your research should be asking a question(s) that hasn’t been asked before, or that hasn’t been asked in a specific context (for example, in a specific country or industry).

For example, sticking organisational trust topic above, it’s quite likely that organisational trust factors in the UK have been investigated before, but the context (online low-cost equity brokerages) could make this research unique. Therefore, the context makes this research original.

One caveat when using context as the basis for originality – you need to have a good reason to suspect that your findings in this context might be different from the existing research – otherwise, there’s no reason to warrant researching it.

Attribute #3: Important

Simply asking a unique or original question is not enough – the question needs to create value. In other words, successfully answering your research questions should provide some value to the field of research or the industry. You can’t research something just to satisfy your curiosity. It needs to make some form of contribution either to research or industry.

For example, researching the factors influencing consumer trust would create value by enabling businesses to tailor their operations and marketing to leverage factors that promote trust. In other words, it would have a clear benefit to industry.

So, how do you go about finding a unique and valuable research topic? We explain that in detail in this video post – How To Find A Research Topic . Yeah, we’ve got you covered 😊

Step 3: Write a convincing research proposal

Once you’ve pinned down a high-quality research topic, the next step is to convince your university to let you research it. No matter how awesome you think your topic is, it still needs to get the rubber stamp before you can move forward with your research. The research proposal is the tool you’ll use for this job.

So, what’s in a research proposal?

The main “job” of a research proposal is to convince your university, advisor or committee that your research topic is worthy of approval. But convince them of what? Well, this varies from university to university, but generally, they want to see that:

• You have a clearly articulated, unique and important topic (this might sound familiar…)
• You’ve done some initial reading of the existing literature relevant to your topic (i.e. a literature review)
• You have a provisional plan in terms of how you will collect data and analyse it (i.e. a methodology)

At the proposal stage, it’s (generally) not expected that you’ve extensively reviewed the existing literature , but you will need to show that you’ve done enough reading to identify a clear gap for original (unique) research. Similarly, they generally don’t expect that you have a rock-solid research methodology mapped out, but you should have an idea of whether you’ll be undertaking qualitative or quantitative analysis , and how you’ll collect your data (we’ll discuss this in more detail later).

Long story short – don’t stress about having every detail of your research meticulously thought out at the proposal stage – this will develop as you progress through your research. However, you do need to show that you’ve “done your homework” and that your research is worthy of approval .

So, how do you go about crafting a high-quality, convincing proposal? We cover that in detail in this video post – How To Write A Top-Class Research Proposal . We’ve also got a video walkthrough of two proposal examples here .

Step 4: Craft a strong introduction chapter

Once your proposal’s been approved, its time to get writing your actual dissertation or thesis! The good news is that if you put the time into crafting a high-quality proposal, you’ve already got a head start on your first three chapters – introduction, literature review and methodology – as you can use your proposal as the basis for these.

Handy sidenote – our free dissertation & thesis template is a great way to speed up your dissertation writing journey.

What’s the introduction chapter all about?

The purpose of the introduction chapter is to set the scene for your research (dare I say, to introduce it…) so that the reader understands what you’ll be researching and why it’s important. In other words, it covers the same ground as the research proposal in that it justifies your research topic.

What goes into the introduction chapter?

This can vary slightly between universities and degrees, but generally, the introduction chapter will include the following:

• A brief background to the study, explaining the overall area of research
• A problem statement , explaining what the problem is with the current state of research (in other words, where the knowledge gap exists)
• Your research questions – in other words, the specific questions your study will seek to answer (based on the knowledge gap)
• The significance of your study – in other words, why it’s important and how its findings will be useful in the world

As you can see, this all about explaining the “what” and the “why” of your research (as opposed to the “how”). So, your introduction chapter is basically the salesman of your study, “selling” your research to the first-time reader and (hopefully) getting them interested to read more.

How do I write the introduction chapter, you ask? We cover that in detail in this post .

Step 5: Undertake an in-depth literature review

As I mentioned earlier, you’ll need to do some initial review of the literature in Steps 2 and 3 to find your research gap and craft a convincing research proposal – but that’s just scratching the surface. Once you reach the literature review stage of your dissertation or thesis, you need to dig a lot deeper into the existing research and write up a comprehensive literature review chapter.

What’s the literature review all about?

There are two main stages in the literature review process:

Literature Review Step 1: Reading up

The first stage is for you to deep dive into the existing literature (journal articles, textbook chapters, industry reports, etc) to gain an in-depth understanding of the current state of research regarding your topic. While you don’t need to read every single article, you do need to ensure that you cover all literature that is related to your core research questions, and create a comprehensive catalogue of that literature , which you’ll use in the next step.

Reading and digesting all the relevant literature is a time consuming and intellectually demanding process. Many students underestimate just how much work goes into this step, so make sure that you allocate a good amount of time for this when planning out your research. Thankfully, there are ways to fast track the process – be sure to check out this article covering how to read journal articles quickly .

Literature Review Step 2: Writing up

Once you’ve worked through the literature and digested it all, you’ll need to write up your literature review chapter. Many students make the mistake of thinking that the literature review chapter is simply a summary of what other researchers have said. While this is partly true, a literature review is much more than just a summary. To pull off a good literature review chapter, you’ll need to achieve at least 3 things:

• You need to synthesise the existing research , not just summarise it. In other words, you need to show how different pieces of theory fit together, what’s agreed on by researchers, what’s not.
• You need to highlight a research gap that your research is going to fill. In other words, you’ve got to outline the problem so that your research topic can provide a solution.
• You need to use the existing research to inform your methodology and approach to your own research design. For example, you might use questions or Likert scales from previous studies in your your own survey design .

As you can see, a good literature review is more than just a summary of the published research. It’s the foundation on which your own research is built, so it deserves a lot of love and attention. Take the time to craft a comprehensive literature review with a suitable structure .

But, how do I actually write the literature review chapter, you ask? We cover that in detail in this video post .

Step 6: Carry out your own research

Once you’ve completed your literature review and have a sound understanding of the existing research, its time to develop your own research (finally!). You’ll design this research specifically so that you can find the answers to your unique research question.

There are two steps here – designing your research strategy and executing on it:

1 – Design your research strategy

The first step is to design your research strategy and craft a methodology chapter . I won’t get into the technicalities of the methodology chapter here, but in simple terms, this chapter is about explaining the “how” of your research. If you recall, the introduction and literature review chapters discussed the “what” and the “why”, so it makes sense that the next point to cover is the “how” –that’s what the methodology chapter is all about.

In this section, you’ll need to make firm decisions about your research design. This includes things like:

• Your research philosophy (e.g. positivism or interpretivism )
• Your overall methodology (e.g. qualitative , quantitative or mixed methods)
• Your data collection strategy (e.g. interviews , focus groups, surveys)
• Your data analysis strategy (e.g. content analysis , correlation analysis, regression)

If these words have got your head spinning, don’t worry! We’ll explain these in plain language in other posts. It’s not essential that you understand the intricacies of research design (yet!). The key takeaway here is that you’ll need to make decisions about how you’ll design your own research, and you’ll need to describe (and justify) your decisions in your methodology chapter.

2 – Execute: Collect and analyse your data

Once you’ve worked out your research design, you’ll put it into action and start collecting your data. This might mean undertaking interviews, hosting an online survey or any other data collection method. Data collection can take quite a bit of time (especially if you host in-person interviews), so be sure to factor sufficient time into your project plan for this. Oftentimes, things don’t go 100% to plan (for example, you don’t get as many survey responses as you hoped for), so bake a little extra time into your budget here.

Once you’ve collected your data, you’ll need to do some data preparation before you can sink your teeth into the analysis. For example:

• If you carry out interviews or focus groups, you’ll need to transcribe your audio data to text (i.e. a Word document).
• If you collect quantitative survey data, you’ll need to clean up your data and get it into the right format for whichever analysis software you use (for example, SPSS, R or STATA).

Once you’ve completed your data prep, you’ll undertake your analysis, using the techniques that you described in your methodology. Depending on what you find in your analysis, you might also do some additional forms of analysis that you hadn’t planned for. For example, you might see something in the data that raises new questions or that requires clarification with further analysis.

The type(s) of analysis that you’ll use depend entirely on the nature of your research and your research questions. For example:

• If your research if exploratory in nature, you’ll often use qualitative analysis techniques .
• If your research is confirmatory in nature, you’ll often use quantitative analysis techniques
• If your research involves a mix of both, you might use a mixed methods approach

Again, if these words have got your head spinning, don’t worry! We’ll explain these concepts and techniques in other posts. The key takeaway is simply that there’s no “one size fits all” for research design and methodology – it all depends on your topic, your research questions and your data. So, don’t be surprised if your study colleagues take a completely different approach to yours.

Step 7: Present your findings

Once you’ve completed your analysis, it’s time to present your findings (finally!). In a dissertation or thesis, you’ll typically present your findings in two chapters – the results chapter and the discussion chapter .

What’s the difference between the results chapter and the discussion chapter?

While these two chapters are similar, the results chapter generally just presents the processed data neatly and clearly without interpretation, while the discussion chapter explains the story the data are telling  – in other words, it provides your interpretation of the results.

For example, if you were researching the factors that influence consumer trust, you might have used a quantitative approach to identify the relationship between potential factors (e.g. perceived integrity and competence of the organisation) and consumer trust. In this case:

• Your results chapter would just present the results of the statistical tests. For example, correlation results or differences between groups. In other words, the processed numbers.
• Your discussion chapter would explain what the numbers mean in relation to your research question(s). For example, Factor 1 has a weak relationship with consumer trust, while Factor 2 has a strong relationship.

Depending on the university and degree, these two chapters (results and discussion) are sometimes merged into one , so be sure to check with your institution what their preference is. Regardless of the chapter structure, this section is about presenting the findings of your research in a clear, easy to understand fashion.

Importantly, your discussion here needs to link back to your research questions (which you outlined in the introduction or literature review chapter). In other words, it needs to answer the key questions you asked (or at least attempt to answer them).

For example, if we look at the sample research topic:

In this case, the discussion section would clearly outline which factors seem to have a noteworthy influence on organisational trust. By doing so, they are answering the overarching question and fulfilling the purpose of the research .

For more information about the results chapter , check out this post for qualitative studies and this post for quantitative studies .

Step 8: The Final Step Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications

Last but not least, you’ll need to wrap up your research with the conclusion chapter . In this chapter, you’ll bring your research full circle by highlighting the key findings of your study and explaining what the implications of these findings are.

What exactly are key findings? The key findings are those findings which directly relate to your original research questions and overall research objectives (which you discussed in your introduction chapter). The implications, on the other hand, explain what your findings mean for industry, or for research in your area.

Sticking with the consumer trust topic example, the conclusion might look something like this:

Key findings

This study set out to identify which factors influence consumer-based trust in British low-cost online equity brokerage firms. The results suggest that the following factors have a large impact on consumer trust:

While the following factors have a very limited impact on consumer trust:

Notably, within the 25-30 age groups, Factors E had a noticeably larger impact, which may be explained by…

Implications

The findings having noteworthy implications for British low-cost online equity brokers. Specifically:

The large impact of Factors X and Y implies that brokers need to consider….

The limited impact of Factor E implies that brokers need to…

As you can see, the conclusion chapter is basically explaining the “what” (what your study found) and the “so what?” (what the findings mean for the industry or research). This brings the study full circle and closes off the document.

Let’s recap – how to write a dissertation or thesis

You’re still with me? Impressive! I know that this post was a long one, but hopefully you’ve learnt a thing or two about how to write a dissertation or thesis, and are now better equipped to start your own research.

To recap, the 8 steps to writing a quality dissertation (or thesis) are as follows:

• Understand what a dissertation (or thesis) is – a research project that follows the research process.
• Find a unique (original) and important research topic
• Craft a convincing dissertation or thesis research proposal
• Write a clear, compelling introduction chapter
• Undertake a thorough review of the existing research and write up a literature review
• Undertake your own research
• Present and interpret your findings

Once you’ve wrapped up the core chapters, all that’s typically left is the abstract , reference list and appendices. As always, be sure to check with your university if they have any additional requirements in terms of structure or content.  

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

20 Comments

thankfull >>>this is very useful

Thank you, it was really helpful

unquestionably, this amazing simplified way of teaching. Really , I couldn’t find in the literature words that fully explicit my great thanks to you. However, I could only say thanks a-lot.

Great to hear that – thanks for the feedback. Good luck writing your dissertation/thesis.

This is the most comprehensive explanation of how to write a dissertation. Many thanks for sharing it free of charge.

Very rich presentation. Thank you

Thanks Derek Jansen|GRADCOACH, I find it very useful guide to arrange my activities and proceed to research!

Thank you so much for such a marvelous teaching .I am so convinced that am going to write a comprehensive and a distinct masters dissertation

It is an amazing comprehensive explanation

This was straightforward. Thank you!

I can say that your explanations are simple and enlightening – understanding what you have done here is easy for me. Could you write more about the different types of research methods specific to the three methodologies: quan, qual and MM. I look forward to interacting with this website more in the future.

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions 🙂

Hello, your write ups is quite educative. However, l have challenges in going about my research questions which is below; *Building the enablers of organisational growth through effective governance and purposeful leadership.*

Very educating.

Just listening to the name of the dissertation makes the student nervous. As writing a top-quality dissertation is a difficult task as it is a lengthy topic, requires a lot of research and understanding and is usually around 10,000 to 15000 words. Sometimes due to studies, unbalanced workload or lack of research and writing skill students look for dissertation submission from professional writers.

Thank you 💕😊 very much. I was confused but your comprehensive explanation has cleared my doubts of ever presenting a good thesis. Thank you.

thank you so much, that was so useful

Hi. Where is the excel spread sheet ark?

could you please help me look at your thesis paper to enable me to do the portion that has to do with the specification

my topic is “the impact of domestic revenue mobilization.

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Dissertation Writing Groups

The invites applications for Humanities Dissertation Writing Groups. These competitive grants will encourage supportive and critical discussion of dissertation prospecti and drafts of dissertation chapters in the humanities.

The funds will provide support for small groups of interdisciplinary graduate students to convene regularly to share drafts of dissertation chapters and to discuss research and writing strategies for approaches to the group's common interdisciplinary focus. The selected groups of graduate students will meet throughout the 2024-25 academic year and, preferably, through the summer of 2025.

Grants of $250 per participant will be made available to groups of 4-5 participants who can demonstrate that their research interests productively converge. These groups would include students working in at least two different humanities graduate fields or groups within a single field whose research lends an interdisciplinary approach to their fields. The use of these funds will be flexible, from copying and dinner/refreshments to financial support for special research materials or trips to be shared by the group.

Applications should include a schedule of meetings (roughly one every 2-3 weeks) to be held in the course of the academic year, which would necessarily include regular circulation to the group of chapters-in-progress by each member. Such sessions should offer substantive response and discussion by the group of each individual chapter. If the groups consist of students who have very recently passed the A-Exam, their sessions could be focused on penning a prospectus.

All applicants must have completed the A-Exam by September 15, 2024, with at least two members of the group having completed the A-Exam by September 1, 2024. 

The competition will be adjudicated by the Humanities Council.

Application Guidelines

Applications for Humanities Dissertation Writing Groups should be submitted by one member who will assume organizational responsibility for an additional stipend. Each writing group should consist of  a minimum of four members (with no more than five) . Groups should be prepared to convene by September 1, 2024.

Applicants should submit the following materials as  one .pdf file :

1. A dissertation writing group title and statement of no more than 750 words describing a rationale for linking the work of participants from different disciplines or disciplinary perspectives. The statement should show how each participant's perspective would contribute to elaborating and enriching a common context for writing.

2. A one-paragraph description of the dissertation project from each participant.

3. A CV for each member of the group.

4. A schedule of meetings and activities for the coming year. The basic requirement is a series of meetings organized around the circulation, presentation, and discussion of 2 chapters in progress by each member (a prospectus counts as a chapter).

No budget proposal is necessary.

Deadline: March 22, 2024

Please send all application materials in a single .pdf to Amanda Brockner at [email protected] .

We’re Moving!

Graduate Writing Support is now located under the Educational Resource Center , BU’s on-campus resource center dedicated to empowering undergraduate and graduate students alike with the resources they need to succeed as learners. We’re confident that this move will allow BU’s Graduate Writing Support programming to continue meeting graduate student needs into the future!

For more on Writing Assistance Appointments, Thursday Write-Togethers, Accountability Partners and our Dissertation Writing Series (Dissertation Writing Groups, Dissertation Writing Retreats and Dissertation Writing Institutes), please head to the ERC’s Graduate Writing Support repository: https://www.bu.edu/erc/grad/gws/ .

• GradPost Blog

What you need to know about dissertation writing groups

Career & Tools

Whether you're thinking about ​joining a group, starting a group, or already in a group, you ​should do yourself and your group a favor by reading the ​blog by Chris Golde on Dissertation Writing Groups: Feedback and Motivation.

Whether you're thinking about ​joining a group, starting a group, or already in a group, you ​should do yourself (and your group) a favor by reading the ​blog by Chris Golde on Dissertation Writing Groups: Feedback and Motivation .

​In her blog, Golde outlines everything ​a pack wolf needs to know about the benefits of writing groups, what to discuss when starting a group, how to spend your meeting time, giving feedback, building trust, potential pitfalls, and links to resources.

Read​ it ​today and ​start reaping the benefits tomorrow.

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The mission of the  Dissertation Writing Group (DWG) is to provide doctoral students with an expanded network of support to encourage completion of the dissertation writing process. The DWG is open to doctoral students from all programs, and is a joint effort sponsored by the Graduate School, the UM Writing Center, and UM Libraries. 

The Dissertation Writing Group meets every week via Zoom and the schedule for meetings this semester will be:

During the weekly check-in meetings on Monday, we will go around and everyone will go over their accomplishments from the previous week, goals for the upcoming week, and any particular challenges or questions they might have.

For the writing sessions, we will get together and independently. The goal of these sessions is to help build structure and accountability into your writing process.

Meeting Link invites will be sent out each week but here are the permalinks to the meeting rooms: 

Monday/Wednesday/Friday Morning Meetings: https://miami.zoom.us/j/91682033588?pwd=VllpN1RCeWdkanF6T29LSmNpZ1d6UT09  

Tuesday Writing Sessions: https://miami.zoom.us/j/97297163600?pwd=TlBuaE1nT0VramJpVDhGMVZOZDlNQT09  

Conference Links To schedule a writing conference, use this link: https://um-dwg.youcanbook.me/   At the time of your scheduled conference, join me on Zoom at: https://miami.zoom.us/my/ndeyo  

The purpose of these sessions will be to provide a shared writing space. The time will mostly be spent silently writing together, but there may also be brief discussions of daily/weekly goals and time for some general Q&A. The sessions will be run by Dr. Nathaniel Deyo, a Writing Program lecturer who received his Ph.D. in English from the University of Florida in 2016. He has since turned his dissertation into a book, Film Noir and the Possibilities of Hollywood, published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2020. For more information, please email Dr. Deyo at  [email protected] .

"The main reason for me to join a writing group was because it forced me to concentrate on making some progress with my writing project, made me stay off my cellphone, and pushed me to try to remain as focused as possible on the task and goals I promised myself I’d accomplish during the session. I enjoy the writing groups because I have a lot of unstructured time since I’m at the latter end of my Ph.D. program." - Oshea Johnson, Ph.D. student in Sociology

Read our full interview with Oshea on how writing groups have helped him stay focused and be productive. 

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Thesis and Dissertation Writing Programs

In addition to one-on-one writing appointments, the Graduate Writing Center has a number of programs and workshops that offer support to dissertators and thesis writers.

During the academic year, the GWC offers single-session overview workshops on master's theses, dissertation proposals, and dissertation writing. Click our current schedule or browse past workshops to see when these topics may be offered. We also encourage you to look at relevant workshop videos .

Writing Groups

The Graduate Writing Center sometimes organizes writing groups of various types (online writing groups, facilitated writing groups, or independent writing groups). We are also happy to help groups of graduate students self-organize into writing groups. For best practices on setting up writing groups, see our writing groups resource page . For information about writing groups currently being offered or organized by the GWC, see our writing groups web page.

Master's Thesis Mentoring Program

The Graduate Writing Center offers a program to support graduate students who are working on master's theses (or other master's capstone projects) and doctoral qualifying papers. The program provides workshops and one-on-one writing appointments. For more information, read Master's Thesis Mentoring Program .

Spring Break Writing Retreats

The Graduate Writing Center offers writing retreats for graduate students who are working on master's theses, dissertation proposals, dissertations, and other writing projects. These programs are usually offered in spring break and summer. Retreats are open to all graduate and professional students. For more information and registration instructions for spring break writing retreats, scroll to the bottom of this web page and click on the relevant program. For programs offered during to the summer, go to the summer boot camp and thesis retreat page.

Summer Dissertation Boot Camps and Thesis Retreats

The Graduate Writing Center holds a number of programs during the summer to help graduate students who are at the dissertation and dissertation proposal stages. We also offer dissertation/thesis retreats during the summer. See our most current summer dissertation boot camp and program offerings for more information.

Spring Break Writing Retreat (All Fields) with Online and In Person Options

This program is for graduate or professional students who are writing large-scale projects like master's theses or capstones, doctoral dissertations or proposals, or manuscripts for publication. The program provides dedicated time to focus on your writing and has online and in-person options. For STEM students, it additionally offers workshops related to scientific writing issues. To read more and register, please see the program description below. Deadline to register is Monday, March 18th.

CLICK HERE for application and program details for spring break writing retreat.

SCHEDULE, March 25th – 27th (in person); March 25th – March 28th (online):

Daily Schedule: 9:00-10:00: Online productivity workshops & discussion 10:00-12:00: Online writing groups or individual work (in person) 12:00-1:00: Lunch break 1:00-2:00: Online Workshops or individual work 2:00-4:00: Online writing groups or individual work (in person)

Morning Online Productivity Workshops (9-10 am) Morning workshops will address project organization, time management, and productivity tips.

Online Writing Group or Individual Work If you are doing the retreat online, you will join online writing groups via Zoom at the designated times. If you are at the in-person location, you may work independently or join the online writing groups via Zoom.

How to Sign Up for the Writing Retreat : Fill out the web form (linked here) by Monday, March 18th . We don't anticipate any capacity issues, but if we have any, we will accept registrants on a first-come, first-served basis.

Morning Productivity Writing Workshops (9-10 am)

Monday, March 25th, 9:00–10:00 AM — Project Organization for Writing 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.

Tuesday, March 26th, 9:00–10:00 AM—Time Management and Productivity Tips for Writing 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.

Wednesday, March 27th, 9:00–10:00 AM — Demos of Tools Writing consultants will demo a couple of organizational tools and how they use these tools to support writing.

Afternoon Scientific Writing Workshops (1-2 pm)

Monday, March 25th, 1:00–2:00 PM — Strategies for Writing Effective Scientific Papers This workshop will address basic principles for writing scientific papers and offer strategies for avoiding common pitfalls. We will also introduce key points from Joshua Schimel's book Writing Science on developing good narrative structure and clarity to make writing engaging and impactful.

Tuesday, March 26th, 1:00–2:00 PM — Creating Effective Figures and Visual Aids This workshop focuses on strategies for designing effective figures and visual materials. The workshop will also introduce different software packages that can be used to create high-quality figures and offer further resources for learning these programs.

Wednesday, March 27th, 1:00–2:00 PM — Thesis and Dissertation Writing in STEM Fields (Final Stages) This workshop will give an overview of the final components and writing stages of a STEM thesis or dissertation.

Further Resources

Advice for Thesis Writing If you haven’t seen a final thesis or dissertation in your field, we recommend looking one from your department in the ProQuest Dissertation database available through the UCLA Library. This database allows you to search by institution, advisor, and manuscript type (master's thesis versus dissertation).

Optional Reading: Joan Bolker. Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes A Day . 1998. Paul Silvia. How to Write a Lot . 2007.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]

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Graduate Student Writing Groups

The ultimate goal of a thesis or dissertation writing group is to help members of the group complete the writing required for a graduate degree, and have as positive an experience as possible .

What do grad students say about the experience of writing a dissertation or thesis?

• “A writing buddy was essential to staying motivated and productive.”
• “I felt really isolated before working in a writing group. It was great to see what other students were doing, and how we shared similar struggles.”
• “My writing group [of people outside my research area] really helped make my work more coherent and improve the logical progression of my thinking, so my supervisor could focus feedback on the content itself.”
• “Writing the dissertation was such an unbelievably long process. Connecting with others helped me keep perspective, especially when a new member joined who was just starting out. I saw I had made progress, and it felt great to encourage a more junior student.”

Why a writing group?

Graduate students might create or join a writing group to:

Another type of thesis writing group is a thesis writing support group, which is often psycho-educational in nature and led by a professional counsellor. This resource will only focus on peer-driven groups.

There is no formula for creating a group, but here are some things to consider:

• MA or PhD students?

Given the different expectations in an MA thesis vs. a PhD dissertation or manuscript, it may be preferable to seek members working at the same level.

• Same research field, or different departments?

If members are in similar fields, they share a general knowledge base, which may be helpful if they offer feedback on each other’s writing. On the other hand, if members come from different fields, they may be more open to divergent interpretations or ideas, more likely to take creative risks in their thinking, and less competitive (e.g., for supervisor’s time, grants, jobs) or less concerned over intellectual property rights.

• Similar or different stages in the writing process?

Some groups prefer members to be at various stages from proposal writing to final editing, so more experienced students can mentor and encourage less experienced students. Some groups want members to be at similar stages, to share a common experience.

• Open or closed membership?

An open writing group, with members who just show up to write on a regular basis and then leave, can more readily have an open membership. These groups often pop up (and disappear) independently in departments, or through the School of Graduate Studies or the Society for Professional and Graduate Students at Queen’s.

Closed groups have a fixed and committed membership that enables trust to develop. These groups may have expectations for adding new members, duration of membership, and departing members.

• Members who are currently friends or currently unfamiliar to each other?

The person who initiates the group typically will have an influence on soliciting members. It is important that members believe they can be comfortable, trusting and respectful with each other, especially if the group will be interactive.

• Large or small?

Depending on the purpose served, the group can be very large (60?) or rather small (6?). Other factors, like being able to find available space and a common meeting time, may influence the size of the group.

Determining purpose and format: Types of writing groups

Clarifying the writing group’s purpose and structure is critical. For more detailed information on this topic, please see the Stanford University Hume Writing Centre’s Starting an Effective Dissertation Writing Group and the University of Minnesota’s Getting the most from a writing group .

It is also important to establish the group’s boundaries . Completing a thesis or dissertation is very demanding and often challenges a student’s sense of self-worth and professional direction or ambition. A peer writing group is not a therapy group, although there may be emotional and psychological benefits to participating in a writing group.

Students with concerns for their sense of self or well-being should speak to a trusted professor, mentor or counsellor. Counsellors are available to full- and part-time students through the Queen’s School of Graduate Studies or through Student Wellness Services .

Writing groups often fall into one or more of the following categories: community-based, accountability-based, and feedback-based.

Accountability-based group members usually

• set “public” deadlines for completing specific tasks, in person, an online social media group, or a shared Google doc
• check in with each other’s progress
• acknowledge each other’s successes, and encourage each other through setbacks.

One online accountability site is Phinished.org , where writers can make pacts about how much they will finish. Students who want to “show off” their accomplishments might use 750words.com , where students earn points for daily writing and can display their badges on Facebook.

Community-based group members usually develop

• community norms for noise, conversation, internet use, food, timing, attendance, etc.
• a structure for breaks, start and end times, social chat time, and perhaps writing exercises

There are no “rules” to follow, but a format for a community-based group might include:

• A check-in from each member about events of the week, progression on goals, new barriers or issues to be resolved (maybe 2-3 minutes per member).
• An educational or problem-solving discussion of new or persistent issues (maybe up to 20 minutes). This discussion could include brainstorming solutions, an invited speaker, a group member presenting on a hot topic, or a discussion of a relevant writing technique.
• Time to set SMART writing goals for that writing session and for the upcoming week (5 min)
• Writing time (1-2 hours?). The group should agree how much time they would like to spend writing, and when they will take breaks. Breaks support focused, creative thinking. One way to use a longer writing period is to break up the time like this:

Write for 80 minutes, then break for 10 minutes Write for 60 minutes, then break for 10 minutes Write for 10-15 minutes to review the writing to identify issues or unclear thinking. Then, write down a question to ponder until the next writing session. Start the next session by writing a response to that question, or discuss unanswered questions with the group or thesis supervisor.

• Time to socialize after writing (maybe 15 minutes).

Every group needs to work out a format that meets the needs of the members, and is manageable and sustainable.

If your group is designed for feedback, the group

• shares their work. Some standard systems for writing, editing and collaborating online include Google Docs, OneNote (Outlook) and Dropbox
• sets expectations and norms for the amount of time any one person will spend on feedback
• determines the focus of the feedback (content vs writing style) and for when writers need to share with the group
• members specify what kind of feedback they want, and direct readers to specific concerns.

The Writing Center at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill offers a thorough list of questions to help feedback-based groups set expectations and norms.

In addition to the possible elements of a community-based writing group, feedback-based groups include time for writers to share their work and receive feedback. Some groups will choose to devote their time to feedback only, and save writing time for non-group time.

Managing feedback

Writing groups usually include time for writers to share their work and receive feedback.

The following content is based on work by S. Lee and C. Golde .

Asking for feedback

Feedback groups need to consider:

• how to schedule feedback: sign-up list, regular rotation, informal approach
• whether to distribute materials in advance or present material during the group
• clarifying what writing projects might be acceptable for requesting feedback: outlines? first drafts? polished drafts? conference papers? whole works vs chapters or sub-sections?

Writers seeking feedback should offer a brief overview of the piece’s purpose, audience and key ideas, their own current assessment of it, and a specific request for structural, stylistic or other feedback. The piece should be short enough to allow the group members to review it in a reasonable time frame. Writers seeking feedback should not treat their group members as proofreaders.

Giving Feedback

Giving feedback is a skill, but it starts with intention. Are you there to support the writer or show off your own skills? Be sensitive and helpful, and remember that soon it will be your turn to hear what others think of your writing.

It is a rare opportunity for a writer to hear from others in a “safe space.” Respond with specific references to their work, using language that is clear, non-judgmental and leaves room for the writer to further explain themselves. Avoid overwhelming the writer with too much feedback. Offer praise as part of your feedback; every piece of writing has something praiseworthy about it. Speak as a thoughtful reader, not as an all-knowing judge, and stick to the type of feedback that the writer asked for.

Receiving Feedback

It is an act of courage to request feedback and then listen with an open mind to what is offered regarding your writing. You may not agree immediately (or ever!) with all that you hear, but it is a privilege to have people spend time thinking about your work, so it behooves you to pay attention and sort through comments later.

To accept feedback gracefully,

• listen to the entire feedback first , and try to understand the meaning of the feedback. Write down notes and questions.
• be engaged. If anything is unclear, restate your understanding of what you thought the speaker said.
• be respectful. Try not to be too defensive. Even if a reader’s response is due to a misinterpretation of the writing, their perspective deserves attention. If several readers agree that a section is confusing, the problem probably lies in the writing.
• keep a feedback log. Keep track of the kinds of feedback you get. Identify common themes. Address problems with your writing group, or visit the Writing Center or your supervisor.

Practical logistics

The group’s planning and organization could be determined in advance by one person who initiated the group, or they could be negotiated among members during an early meeting. Some logistics to consider:

• group rooms in libraries , booked by students
• the Kingston Frontenac Public Library (613.549.8888) has small bookable meeting rooms
• When and how frequently will you meet?
• What are the expectations around attendance and preparation (e.g., for a feedback-based group)? What is the consequence of failing to keep the commitment?
• How can new members join , and what is the process when a member decides to leave ?
• What work can be brought for feedback? Initial ideas or outlines or rough drafts or polished drafts? Research proposals? Thesis or dissertation writing only? Conference presentations? Publication submissions? Grant proposals? Job applications or CVs?

Group leadership and roles

Depending on the focus of the dissertation writing group, there may or may not need to be a leader. For example, an online accountability group like Phinished.org has a web manager rather than a leader.

A group aimed at increasing community may not require a leader, but may need someone to book rooms and communicate with members.

A feedback-based group will benefit by agreeing on a leadership or organizational model. Members may decide to have a single leader or rotate the leadership, to manage or delegate tasks such as:

• scheduling meeting times
• booking rooms
• communicating among members
• setting the agenda and facilitating the meeting (e.g., who presents work for feedback, selecting writing activities, inviting quest speakers, etc.)
• keeping the meeting on track and on time
• note-making for feedback
• bringing the cookies 😊
• setting up and/or cleaning up the room

Adding new members and ending the group

Another logistical decision is: will the group be open or closed in membership?

New members may be added to a closed feedback-based writing group once an established member completes writing their dissertation, or no longer wishes to be part of the group. Generally, the culture of a closed group will be better maintained if a group member talks to a prospective member before inviting them to join, in terms of

• their writing goals (does this group meet their needs?)
• their ability to make the same time/space/duration/ possibly “feedback homework” commitments of the existing members
• whether they appear to be compatible with the existing members

Some groups might choose to vet prospective members for “fit” or have a trial period before the prospective new member has to officially join the group. As new members join, there usually is a period of re-adjustment and a shift in the developmental stage of the group.

Endings are inevitable, and often generate mixed feelings: “YEAH, I did it! But I’m going to miss you so much!”

Individual members of a feedback-driven group will leave as they complete their own projects or the group may disband as planned after some period of time, or just dwindle out. Ending a feedback-based or community-based thesis writing group hopefully signals great accomplishments for members.

Regardless of the reason, the end presents an opportunity for self-reflection, either individually or as a summative exercise by the whole group. Some reflective questions to consider:

• How did this group help me meet my personal goals?
• Are there ideas or work habits or activities that would be useful to include in my future large writing projects?
• What can I take away and quickly put into practice in my academic life?
• Is there unfinished work (personal or professional writing or activity) that I need to complete? For example- do I need to reduce my fear of speaking in public?
• Can I get ideas or resources from the group to help solve a particular problem before we end?

Interested in joining an accountability- and community-focused writing group? Sign up for Grad Writing Lab.

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Expand Your Pack: Start or Join an Online Writing Group!

Are you looking for a way to get started on a summer writing project? While we often think of academic writing as a solitary pursuit, we can benefit from the community of other writers, whether they share advice about their processes, give feedback on our work, commiserate with our struggles, or simply work beside us virtually. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and amid busy schedules, online writing groups have proven an indispensable source of support for academic writers seeking accountability, motivation, and community .

Last fall, the Graduate School Professional Development Team launched the GradPack Slack Space for grad and postdoc trainees to join or start peer-lead online writing groups. Members can browse Slack channels to find virtual writing support groups with a variety of formats or disciplinary focuses. Alternatively, members can propose new writing groups based on their needs and interests and create new Slack channels for their groups.

To explore the benefits of online writing groups and best practices for leading them, we reached out to six current and former peer group leaders for their perspectives: Claudia Alberico (Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management PhD), Abida Haque (Computer Science PhD), Iwinosa Idahor (Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development PhD), Kate Jones (Geospatial Analytics PhD), Dr. Alex Milliken (a recent graduate in Computer Science), and Honey Minkowitz (Public Administration PhD).

Why Should I Start an Online Writing Group?

Help colleagues be productive and accountable

As Honey explains, “by becoming a leader, I could help other people that were in the same process.” Claudia adds that “working on Zoom was good for us to have that accountability, be able to share our anxieties, and learn from each other”. Iwinosa elaborates on the value of leading online writing groups for maintaining energy on writing projects: “I really enjoyed the momentum that we gained during the [spring 2020 online] retreat , and I didn’t want to lose that.” By forming a writing group, she connected with “other students who didn’t want to lose that either, so we were able to keep that going.”

Build community

Kate explains that “even though I’ve never met these people in person, I do feel very connected to them and their projects”.

For Iwinosa, “a big component was making sure that we were holding each other accountable and providing a community.” Honey agrees that the “biggest lesson for me was providing that opportunity for collaboration and connection” among writing group members. Moreover, Alex suggests that leading a virtual writing group can be an “opportunity to interact with folks outside your discipline or lab group.”

Practice leadership skills

All writing group leaders cultivate transferable skills such as maintaining meeting schedules, communicating with group members, and listening to members to establish meeting formats that work with their needs. As Abida notes, “I like to work with other people [and] I also like to lead things, so I thought it would be nice to lead a group, use my ideas, and experiment with them.” Alex specifically found the leadership aspects motivating for their own writing accountability: “if I personally lead things, then I’m more likely to be accountable as well. Knowing that I was going to be able to help others, in turn, guides me to get my own stuff done.”

Carve out dedicated time to make progress on writing projects

Kate finds that leading a group helps her to be intentional about scheduling writing time: “I’ve been setting aside a very structured hour every single week, which makes it seem less daunting to really carve out more writing time when needed.” Abida, too, notes that as a writing group leader, “honoring those times is really important also for yourself,” even if group members are not able to attend every meet-up.

What Type of Writing is Best for Me?

Here are a few common writing group formats that you could start or join based on the types of writing support that you are looking for:

• Productivity Groups meet regularly in real time to write together, for example on Zoom or other video conferencing platform. Members often start the session by sharing their goals and end the session by reflecting on their progress, and may incorporate techniques, like the Pomodoro technique , to divide a longer session into manageable working blocks.
• Accountability Groups meet briefly (for example, 30 minutes every month) to discuss goals and setbacks on writing and provide external peer accountability. Members might participate in accountability groups asynchronously by exchanging messages in a group chat app to motivate each other, share common struggles, and report small victories.
• Feedback Groups provide feedback on each other’s writing, such as advice about the structure/organization or style, by meeting via Zoom or other videoconferencing platform. These groups may meet less often than working groups depending on members’ writing timelines and goals (ex. monthly versus weekly or biweekly meetings).

Your writing group may combine aspects of these formats depending on members’ needs and interests. For example, Abida uses Slack to organize “hashtag writing sprints,” or virtual Pomodoro working sessions that do not require members to be on Zoom: “I’ll put a message on #general [Slack channel], and I’ll say, ‘Hey, everybody, I’m going to start sets of 20 minutes’.” She shares a link to the cuckoo.team collaborative timer tool to announce the start and end of each working block and break times. With this tool, users do not need to be on Zoom to participate in a virtual working session.

You can also join multiple writing groups for help with different aspects of the writing process. As Kate puts it, “don’t necessarily feel like you need to be in just one group. I know of four or five members who write in multiple groups” based on their writing goals.

How Can I be a Good Group Leader?

Be clear and consistent about the purpose and logistics of the group : As Alex suggests, “the group worked well when we had a scheduled meeting time,” and Iwinosa adds that it’s good to “stick to one time” for consistency.

Before the group begins, you should send a survey to prospective members about their availability. You should also have an informational meeting to determine regular meeting times and formats that are best for members’ needs and interests. For example, do members want to meet regularly to write together on Zoom, meet to discuss common writing challenges, or give feedback on each others’ work?

As the group starts, you should have a communication plan, such as when and how you will remind members about meetings and how members can communicate with each other (ex. Slack messaging, emails).

Abida likewise recommends having a consistent meeting time “because when people know [the meeting times], they can trust you, they can expect you to show up and to help them out.”

Create “rituals” to structure meetings : Your group should create a routine for every meeting. As Claudia explains, “I took a leadership role to actually get the group started, to say, ‘okay, we’re meeting to get to know each other,’ and we’ll decide what we’re going to do from there.” In her group, members greeted each other, discussed writing progress, and set goals for the working session before beginning to work using the Pomodoro technique. They also took a few minutes at the end of the session to reflect on their work period and set new goals.

Iwinosa suggests creating norms to manage expectations: “We set up guidelines [such as] ‘we’re doing it virtually,’ ‘we keep our cameras on,’ just to be able to see each other and to hold each other accountable”.

Honey’s group for public administration majors also has a routine. As she explains, “we talk for a while, catching up with lives and how things are going during COVID. And then we write in silence for a block.” These “rituals” build structure into the meeting and can help prospective members understand what they will get from the group.

Build rapport in a virtual setting : Likewise, it’s especially important now to create rapport, or an emotional connection, with group members. Admittedly, this can be challenging in a virtual setting like Zoom, but it’s crucial to create that connection and community when we are physically isolated from colleagues. Alex recommends establishing this rapport during the first meeting: “Try to get to know them [your group members], as opposed to just get to know what they’re working on. Ask them about extracurricular activities, or other things that they do that they enjoy.” These brief conversations can become part of your group’s routine, as Kate suggests: “Take that five or six minutes at the beginning of the writing meeting to still establish community”.

Be flexible, supportive, and responsive to group members’ needs : Effective writing group leaders listen to group members and negotiate norms that work with their needs. They also make adjustments when the current format isn’t working. For example, Honey mentions that “I’ve tried to hone it into what people are interested in.” Her group started as a motivational listserv for writers across disciplines but evolved into a feedback group for writers in her field of public administration: “A discipline-based writing group might be more beneficial” to connect writers with similar background knowledge and goals. Iwinosa likewise advises to “be as flexible as possible and offer a variety of options”. For example, you may need to shift the focus from milestone projects, like dissertations, and word counts to a broader set of “writing-related activities,” like analyzing data, summarizing literature, and practicing conference presentations that keep group members productive and motivated.

Good group leaders also cultivate empathy and help members celebrate small victories, “serving as that cheerleader for your group,” as Iwinosa puts it. Alex, moreover, suggests that leaders can “show that they [your writing groups members] can be proud of themselves for completing tangential, relevant tasks to their writing project” even if they did not accomplish their initial goal for the session.

Sometimes, group leaders have to reach out to members who are less responsive. This can be difficult, but, as Alex recommends, “if you notice that maybe someone is falling behind, or maybe they’re not showing up, reach out” using tools like email or Slack direct messaging. Iwinosa agrees that it’s important to be understanding and “show grace to your group. Understanding that there may be days where you’ll be the only one in the session, and then there’ll be times where the entire group shows up”.

However, writing group leaders should not feel pressured to micromanage members. Rather, the goal is to cultivate a positive, supportive environment for group members who engage and to recognize when your group’s working routines may not be the best fit for everyone. Abida explains that “what’s worked better for me…is to just be someone that is encouraging” to colleagues facing similar writing struggles and create a supportive virtual space for members to work together on writing.

Model good writing habits : As Iwinosa explains, being a group leader involves “encouraging not only your group, but also yourself as a peer leader, to take care of yourself, modeling what it looks like to take breaks to practice self care in order to stay focused and motivated.”

Get Involved!

For step-by-step guides on getting started with an online writing group, see these resources from Inside Higher Education and UNC Writing Center .

If you have questions or would like to share about a writing group you are currently leading, contact Dr. Katie Homar on the Professional Development Team.

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In collaboration with the Rackham Graduate School, the Sweetland Center for Writing coordinates several student-led writing groups for graduate students writing their dissertations. These interdisciplinary writing groups provide structured support in a facilitated peer-based setting to aid dissertators working through long-term projects.

Dissertation Writing Groups place writers from various disciplines but in similar stages of their dissertation projects together to share work in-progress and encourage ongoing writing production. Groups will also be organized based on student meeting mode preference (in-person or remote).

Dissertation Writing Groups consist of five members including a group leader. Participants must be in the writing phase of their dissertations and available to meet at least eight times per semester to workshop group members’ writing on a rotating basis. Each group will determine meeting schedules and expectations.

Participant experiences

Juan Udaondo Alegre  "Inside the Dissertation Writing Groups"   |  Molly B. Parsons  "Dissertation Writing Groups Are Not Committees"

Application Process

• The application deadline for Fall 2024 is Sunday, August 25
• Notification of acceptance is Tuesday, September 3

Group Leaders

Those interested in becoming group leaders must provide additional information with their applications. Dissertation Writing Group Leaders’ duties include:

• Participating in 2 mentoring sessions with the DWG coordinators;
• Managing the logistics of the writing group;
• Facilitating group sessions and coordinating correspondence among group members.

Leaders earn a $600 stipend for their services. If you would like more information about the group leader position before applying, contact Monroe Moody ([email protected]) or April Conway ([email protected])

Continuing Groups

Dissertation Writing Groups may continue to receive support from Sweetland for one additional semester, with a new group leader. If your group would like to continue for a second term, each member must reapply and list the new group leader and the other group members. The new group leader must answer the leader application questions.

Workshop Materials

Leader guidelines.

As a group leader, you are in charge of the logistics for peer review workshops. The following guidelines should help you prepare for and execute peer review workshops. These guidelines work well in conjunction with  Workshop Guidelines .

As a leader of your group, the first item you should consider is setting up a calendar for workshops. Having a set calendar for meetings creates deadlines that might help writers in their creative process. Once you have this calendar, possibly 2 weeks after the mandatory orientation meeting, please send a copy to April Conway and Monroe Moody. This copy will allow April and Monroe to follow your progress and help you along the way.

Preparing for the workshop

You first need to decide what role writer and readers will play during the workshop: will the writer have 5 minutes at the beginning to introduce the chapter and remind the readers of his/her concerns? Will the writer stay mostly silent during workshop? These are things you will negotiate with your group, but you should remind your peers in advance about how the workshop will develop.

You should plan on workshopping only ONE writer per 60 minutes, since that time allows for extensive, targeted, and constructive feedback. You can also decide the order readers will follow in giving their feedback.

About 5 days before the workshop, you should remind the writer to circulate their chapter, if they haven’t done so already. You should also make sure that every group member has received the chapter to be workshopped.

Remind readers they can use the  Feedback Letter  to draft their feedback. That document guarantees equal feedback from group members. It is important that you account for readers’ critiques so that group members will see this work as integral to the dissertation writing group. Please let April or Stephanie know if you need any help with that.

Remember that, most of all, you are a reader as well (or a writer if it is your turn).

Discussing workshop values and goals with your group members

Soon after you are acquainted with your group members, possibly during your first meeting, discuss with your group members what makes a workshop successful. Remind your group members of the positive aspects of interdisciplinary feedback. One important aspect to touch upon is that academia, and many other professional outlets, are based on interdisciplinarity. If your goal is to apply for a job in academia, then you will have to practice this kind of interdisciplinary exchange, and the dissertation writing groups offer you an avenue for such practice.

During your first meeting, it is also a good idea to assess expectations. You might consider asking your group members what they would like out of the workshop, or what they consider less desirable, to create an open dialogue about the shared values of the workshop. The following are some of the attributes of an effective workshop that you might emphasize during the meeting:

• Readers should begin their feedback with positive traits so that writers can know what they have done well and what their strengths are. These positive traits work as templates for writers–they allow writers to know what works well in their writing.
• Readers should offer respectful, but brave, feedback. It must be clear that feedback comes from a positing of caring, even when that feedback is critical. While readers and writers should be mindful of disciplinary differences, focus on how these disciplinary differences might enhance your writing process and benefit you in the long run, for your academic and professional careers.
• Readers should focus on global concerns, taking inspiration from the list they can find in  Workshop Guidelines .

With your group members, you should also decide what role you would like writers to play during the workshop. In reader-response workshops, the writer is usually instructed to remain quiet and take notes so that readers can share their feedback without interference from the writer’s perspective until the end of the workshop, when the writer can ask questions. However, you might choose for the writer to be more active in their own workshop and allow them to ask questions about their chapter either at the start or throughout the workshop.

If you decide that the writer will play an active part in the workshop, be sure to discuss with the group the writer’s role, making it clear that the writer should ask open-ended questions about the chapter, not simply provide a defence for it. These decisions are best taken at the beginning of your experience in the dissertation writing groups, as they set up specific standards of practice.

Workshop Guidelines

Peer workshops offer the opportunity to learn from group members through exposure to peers’ work in a different academic field. The purpose of the workshop is to start thinking critically about revision strategies together. By workshopping your peers and dealing with different academic fields, you will also improve your ability to revise your own writing for clarity and accessibility. This is particularly important because, once you enter the job market, often the committee that will read your work will be composed of scholars that might not belong to your field of study. It is essential to practice ways to engage in conversation with them, to enhance your professional chances. The following guidelines provide clear directions for each step of the group workshop as well as some general principles to keep in mind during workshop.

Preparing for the Workshop

Step 1:  The writer being workshopped should circulate their chapter at least 4 working days before the workshop. This time-frame will allow readers ample time to give constructive and extensive feedback. In addition, writers should include with the chapter a cover letter addressed to readers in which they identify specific concerns. This letter can be drafted following the guidelines in “ Writer’s Cover Letter .” This is the writer’s chance to guide the readers toward providing the most useful feedback. Remember, ask your readers exactly what you want to know about how to revise your writing.

Step 2:  Readers should follow the “ Feedback Letter ” to draft their response letters. In addition, readers are invited to print a paper version of the chapter and mark it extensively. Readers are then invited to take paper copies of the feedback letter and the marked-up chapter to the workshop, and give those documents to the writer at the end of the workshop, so that the writer has material copy of the feedback. It would be advisable to mark on the chapter’s paper copy any later order concerns, such and typos and syntactical issues, since you might not need to spend time talking about them during workshop, but the writer might benefit from your minor editing.

Step 3:  Readers should make a list of possible issues to address during the workshop. Keep in mind that you will not have time to address all you’ve written in your letter to the writer, so choose the 1 or 2 concerns that you believe more pressing. The following questions should help you to think about some topics to address in your list. You need not answer all of these questions, but some may stand out as being pertinent to you.

• Development of central argument. Does the chapter stay on topic/lose focus at any point? Is the chapter geared toward a too restricted, specialized audience? Do you feel you have learned something new reading the chapter, or that you needed to know something in advance before reading the chapter?
• Support. Is there enough evidence to support the central idea? As far as you can tell, is all of the evidence relevant to the main idea? From a lay perspective, do you need to know more? Are some passages too obscure?
• Organization. What is the purpose of the chapter? Is it an introduction? A Lit review? An analysis? An Argument? Please refer to Academic Writing for Graduate Students to see if the chapter follows the conventions of its genre. With that in mind, are paragraphs ordered effectively? Do sentences and paragraphs have a clear purpose? Do they use transitions to create relationships? Do they build well on each other?
• Style. Does the voice or tone improve the chapter or take away from the writer’s credibility? Is the language use appropriate for the audience?

General workshop principles

• When, as a reader, it’s your time to speak during workshop, start with concerns of the higher order, based on the list you’ve made in Step 3.
• Use specific examples. This is why it is better to have a paper copy of the chapter with you, because you can always point out specific parts or sections in it. If the writer needs to go deeper, point to the place that left you too much on the surface. As a helping device, imagine that you are a member of the writer’s dissertation committee, or of a hiring committee. Do not shy away from offering constructive criticism.
• In this respect, offer critique, not summary. You do not need to offer a play-by-play—remember the writer will receive your letter at the end of the workshop. Always remember that revision is most often than not a considerable activity, and writers know that. In your critique, focus on depth.
• Be kind. Be brave. Remember that the goal of the workshop is to provide a space for the writer to brainstorm essential revisions. It is not an exam; it is a conversation. Writing is an act of discovery, and there is no end to discovery. Your intelligence and interest will help the writers further their discovery. You are an ally in the path toward completion.

The role of the writer

As a writer, remember that you’re always in control of your writing. Some feedback you receive might appear not relevant to your purpose, and that’s ok. Among your group members, you are the expert on your discipline and your committee’s needs, and you will decide what kind of feedback to retain and what to discard. It is better to have more than less. This is why it is very important for you to draft the letter you will send your group as a cover letter along with your chapter, indicating what specific areas you want feedback on. Following the template provided in the “ Writer’s Cover Letter ” will allow you to retain agency of your writing process. Also, remember that your group members are intelligent, high achieving people, as you are, at the very top of their disciplines. Chances are, if they find something unclear, it is not simply because they are not from your discipline. You might need to revise/clarify your writing.

Most importantly, we invite you to see workshops as conversations that continue even past the workshop meeting. We encourage you to pay particular attention to the letters you receive from your group, and the paper copies of your chapter that your group gives back to you. Then, we invite you to engage in one-to-one email with any one member of your group if you need clarifications, or if you think that a one-to-one conversation might further help you. If you need some external help in understanding or actuating the feedback you receive, remember that you can always April Conway and Stephanie Moody and they will be happy to work with you.

Feedback Letter

Read the workshop draft twice.

Because you’re reviewing work from somebody who might not work in your academic field, your first read should work as a general introduction to some specific terminology you might not be familiar with. During this first reading, underline all concepts you believe need clarification, and send a personal email to the author asking if those concepts are easily understood by the author’s audience.

During your second read, in which you mark up the text for argumentative concerns, you can mark up the text gathering the necessary information that will allow you to write a letter to the writer following the template below. Remember that the comments you provide will serve the writer in rewriting/revising his/her chapter. It will be the writer’s task to decide how to use your comments. Do not fear being over-simplistic. To create consistency in the feedback the writer receives, we suggest you write a letter including these three paragraphs. If there is anything else you would like to add, please feel free to do so.

Paragraph 1: Detail what works in the essay. Articulate how or why something is particularly effective, given the purpose and scope of the chapter. Be as specific as possible, pointing out what works for a lay audience and what you think works for the specific academic community to which the writer belongs.

Paragraph 2: Paraphrase the chapter’s main point as you believe the author intended it to be. Try to extensively answer these questions from a lay perspective: What is this chapter about? What is its role in the dissertation? If you find it difficult to answer these questions, reflect in writing on why you find it difficult. Can you come up with 2 or 3 key points that work particularly well or that need revision, and expand on those? Keeping in mind the chapter’s goals, does the author express a clear narrative? What is it? Do you think the chapter adds to the scholarly work done in the writer’s specific field?

Paragraph 3: Detail any other substantial issue you notice in the chapter, related to analysis and organization but also on language issues. Do you have any concern about sources used or quotes reported in the text? Are there any features of structure or language that distract you from the overall goal of the chapter?

Writer's Cover Letter

Providing a brief set-up, no more than one page, for your readers allows you to guide their feedback in the direction that best suit your needs. For example, you might be at a stage in your writing that style is not that central an issue, since you’re still figuring out your argument through your writing. In that case, receiving feedback on your style would not give you useful suggestions for revision. So, by telling your reader to focus on argumentation, and not on style, you’re providing a feedback frame that will be most useful to you.

To understand the utility of writing such a cover letter for your readers, think about the fact that you will have to write such a letter if you plan to enter the academic job market. In most situations, you will be asked to provide a writing sample, which will have a specific page number. Usually, what they ask is shorter than a chapter, so you will have to contextualize that section in a way that invites your readers’ understanding. Consider that writing this cover letter for your group will function as practice for your professional future.

In order to systematize and simplify the drafting of a cover letter, you can follow the template below.

Paragraph 1:  Briefly set your writing context for your readers. Think about answering the following questions: what do your readers need to know about what comes before, so that they can understand the rhetorical situation of the text you’re workshopping? Where does this particular section fit within your chapter? At what stage in the composition process is it? Is it a very first draft? A restructured third draft? Close to being submitted to your advisor? Have you already received any kind of feedback from your advisor? If so, what was it? Answering these questions allows your readers to participate more actively to your writing process, and they will be able to provide the feedback you desire.

Paragraph 2:  Guide your readers toward your most pressing questions and concerns. Think about these questions: what would you most like to find out about this specific writing? What would most help you in revising this text? Remember that you are in charge of your writing, and your readers are not there to evaluate your work–they are there to help you reach a comfortable and confident level so that you can submit your writing to your advisor. This might be a good moment to share with your readers if you know of any recurring issues in your writing, that maybe former teachers or consultants made you aware of.

Paragraph 3:  Briefly reflect on what’s coming next. A dissertation is a complex writing endeavor, with a fractal logic. The logic you follow in the text you’re workshopping must be situated in the overall logic of your chapter and dissertation. By sharing your bigger structure with your readers, you help them consider if the text you’re sharing makes sense in your specific writing context, made up of what comes before and what’s coming next. Your readers might provide you with useful comments on your overall logic. In short: where does the particular chapter you’re working on fit within your dissertation?

This cover letter is an important tool to actively guide your readers to your questions and concerns. Don’t be shy in asking for exactly what you feel you need.

Group Logistics

Meeting rooms.

The university provides access to meetings spaces for your group. While you are also free to choose locations off or near campus — or within specific department spaces to which group members have access, this list provides links to other potential spaces for your group.

Brandon Center in School of Education The Brandon Center offers both public and private group spaces that are worth considering — though some will require a group member in the School of Ed.  soe.umich.edu/rooms/brandon_center/

Duderstadt The Duderstadt Center on North Campus has study rooms – including three group study rooms –  that can be reserved online.  dc.umich.edu/spaces/study-rooms

North Quad North Quad provides a variety of unreservable  “shared spaces” that we encourage you to explore for your group. There are Media Gateway Team Rooms on the first floor in the Media Gateway area, and there are two Study Rooms inside of North Quad Space 2435.  https://northquad.umich.edu/reservations

Palmer Commons The Windows Lounge of Palmer Commons offers public space for groups. Though it’s unreservable, the central location may provide convenient space for your group.  palmercommons.umich.edu/article/windows-lounge

Rackham https://rackham.umich.edu/rackham-life/study-spaces/

If you know of other spaces we might suggest for groups, please let us know.

Leader Training

Resources & readings.

Read Text Aloud  – a google doc of text-to-speech options for every device

Scrivener   – Scrivener is a content-generation tool for writers.

Pomodoro  – Pomodoro is a time-management tool for writers.

Scrapple  – Scrapple is a mapping and visualization tool.

Doctoral Writing SIG

Explorations of Style: A Blog about Academic Writing

What is an Ed.D. Dissertation?

Ackerman, Erin. “Analyze This- Writing in the Social Sciences.”   They Say, I Say.  Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. 2nd ed. New York: Norton, 2010. 175–192.

Allen, J.   The Productive Graduate Student Writer : How to Manage Your Time, Process, and Energy to Write Your Research Proposal, Thesis, and Dissertation and Get Published: Vol. First edition . Stylus Publishing, 2019.

Barron, Paul and Louis Cicciarelli.  “Stories and Maps: Narrative Tutoring Strategies for Working with Dissertation Writers” ;  Writing Lab Newsletter: Special Issue on Writing Center Support for Graduate Thesis and Dissertation Writers ; 40: 5-6; Jan/Feb 2016.

Botshon, Lisa and Eve Raimon.  Writing Group As Sanctuary .   Chronicle of Higher Education, April 2009.

Broder Sumerson, Joanne. “Anatomy of a Dissertation.”  Finish Your Dissertation, Don’t Let It Finish You! , John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2013. Pp. 29-37.  ProQuest Ebook Central .

Brooks-Gillies, Marilee, Elena G. Garcia, and Katie Manthey. “Making Do by Making Space: Multidisciplinary Graduate Writing Groups as Spaces Alongside Programmatic and Institutional Places.” Graduate Writing Across the Disciplines: Identifying, Teaching, and Supporting, edited by Marilee Brookes-Gillies, Elena G. Garcia, Soo Hyon Kim, Katie Manthey, Trixie G. Smith. WAC Clearinghouse, 2020. 191-210.

Feak, C., & Swales, J. M. (2009).  Telling a research story: Writing a literature review.  Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Gardiner, Maria and Hugh Kearns.  The care and maintenance of your advisor . Nature.  Vol 469.  p 570. Jan 2011.

Gillen, Christopher. “The Data Suggest- Writing in the Sciences.”   They Say, I Say.  Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. 2nd ed. New York: Norton, 2010. 156–174.

Gopen, George D., and Swan Judith A.  The Science of Scientific Writing .  American Scientist  78.6 (1990): 550-58.

Hjortshoj, Keith.  From Student to Scholar : A Guide to Writing Through the Dissertation Stage . Routledge, 2019.  EBSCOhost ..

Lovitts, Barbara E.  The Transition to Independent Research . The Journal of Higher Education. Vol. 79, No. 3, May/June, 2008, p 296-325.

Plaxco, Kevin W.  The Art of Writing Science .  Protein Science : A Publication of the Protein Society  19.12 (2010): 2261–2266.  PMC . Web. 3 Aug. 2016.

Ritzenberg, Aaron and Sue Mendelsohn.  How Scholars Write.  Oxford Press, 2021.

Silvia, Paul.  How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing .  (2018). 2nd edition.

Zumbrunn, Sharon.  Why Aren’t You Writing? Research, Real Talk, Strategies, and Shenanigans , SAGE Publishing, 2021.

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Current peer-review groups, dissertation writing in the humanities peer-review groups —fall 2021.

Writing a dissertation in the humanities? Find collegiality, structure, and inspiration by joining a peer review group. Facilitated by Graduate Writing Lab Fellows, these small writing groups offer the guidance and motivation of peers by allowing you to receive feedback as you work on a chapter of your dissertation. You will set weekly writing goals and take turns giving and receiving feedback as your drafts progress. Group members support one another by sharing strategies and troubleshooting challenges in their writing process.

Groups will be organized by fields of similar interest. They will start in late September and meet every week. The meeting day, time, and location (including online or in person) will be determined based on participants’ schedules.

Register through this link.

Dissertation Writing in the Social Sciences Peer-Review Groups —Fall 2021

Writing a dissertation in the social sciences? Find collegiality, structure, and inspiration by joining a peer review group. Facilitated by Graduate Writing Lab Fellows, these small writing groups offer the guidance and motivation of peers by allowing you to receive feedback as you work on a chapter of your dissertation. You will set weekly writing goals and take turns giving and receiving feedback as your drafts progress. Group members support one another by sharing strategies and troubleshooting challenges in their writing process.

NIH NRSA F30/31 Fellowship-Application Peer-Review Groups—Fall 2021

If you are looking for a collaborative atmosphere to get feedback on your NIH NRSA F30/31 application, join our Peer-Review Group, facilitated by a GWL Writing Consultant and NRSA Fellow! You will meet weekly in a small group setting to provide each other with constructive criticism and tips for improving your application essays. Group members will be expected to provide feedback for their peers in addition to receiving guidance on their own work. You will improve the quality of your NRSA application and enhance the overall clarity and effectiveness of your writing style in a friendly, welcoming environment!

The groups will aim to start the first or second week of October . All meetings will be virtual (via Zoom), and the meeting format and schedule will be determined based on participants’ needs. Meetings will be 60-90 minutes.

Register through this link .

NSF GRFP Fellowship-Application Peer-Review Groups—Fall 2021

If you are looking for a collaborative atmosphere to get feedback on your NSF Graduate Research Fellowship application, join our Peer-Review Group, facilitated by GWL Writing Consultants and successful NSF Fellowship applicants! You will meet weekly in a small group setting to provide each other with constructive criticism and tips for improving your application essays. Group members will be expected to provide feedback for their peers in addition to receiving guidance on their own work. You will improve the quality of your NSF application and enhance the overall clarity and effectiveness of your writing style in a friendly, welcoming environment!

The groups will aim to start the week of September 13th , and go until mid-October. All meetings will be virtual (via Zoom), and the meeting format and schedule will be determined based on participants’ needs. Meetings will be 60-90 minutes. 

RITM Dissertation-Writing Peer-Review  Groups—Fall 2021

The Yale Center for the Study of Race, Indigeneity, and Transnational Migration dissertation writing groups provide a space for doctoral students, in all programs and departments, who are writing dissertations on topics related to race, indigeneity, and/or transnational migration. Participants share their own work and provide constructive feedback to others, while making progress towards their degrees. Groups of 4-6 members each will meet weekly for 90 minutes, followed by voluntary group writing time. A facilitator from the Graduate Writing Lab will coordinate meetings and discussions.

Participants are expected to attend consistently throughout the semester. Applicants should be doctoral students who have an approved prospectus and are eager to share their work and receive feedback from their peers.

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

Peer-Review Groups

Learn about Peer-Review groups and how they can amplify your writing progress! We offer groups for dissertation writing, research paper writing, and fellowship writing.

Reserve a Room

The Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning partners with departments and groups on-campus throughout the year to share its space. Please review the reservation form and submit a request.

Writing Consultations

For graduate students looking for expert advice on planning, drafting, and revising their research paper, dissertation, presentation, or any other writing project.

• Doctoral Writing Center
• Doctoral Support
• DWC Support

Writing Support Group

Writing can be an isolating endeavor, especially when you are working on a project as immense as your dissertation! Why do it alone?

What is a Writing Support Group and Why Should I Join?

In a writing support group, you can join a group of up to five peers who are all working on their dissertations. You can schedule a day and time to meet up and work on your dissertations together.

What Are the Advantages?

A writing support group allows you the opportunity to:

Stay Motivated Do you ever work at a coffee shop or library? Do you notice it can be easier to focus when you are working alongside others that are doing the same? We gain motivation from people around us, especially if they are working on the same type of project as we are!

Be Consistent It is so easy to put off working on your dissertation for a day, and then another day, and then a week! Joining a writing support group creates consistency in your schedule. You commit to working on your dissertation once a week for a set period of time. In this, you prioritize your dissertation and its completion.

Make Progress Setting aside the time to work on your dissertation will help you make consistent progress on the project. At the end of the day, this is what we all are striving for – progress that leads to a final product!

What is the Commitment Level?

We have options for you! You can tell us what day you would like to join a group, choosing between a few time slots and level of consistency. Based on this information, we will pair you with a group! (Note: As this is a new service, you may end up being the first member of a group, but we will add people to each group as they register).

What if I Cannot Attend One Day, What Happens?

This is a support service for you. Thus, if you cannot attend one day, we recommend that you reach out to your writing group to let them know. That being said, we do ask that this is not something that becomes a habit. A part of joining a writing support group is being there for other people. Your presence helps to ensure their presence as well. We encourage all students to prioritize their groups and show mutual respect by showing up.

How do I Sign Up?

If you are interested in joining a group, just fill out this interest form below! We will contact you soon!

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Thesis and Dissertation Support

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The Grad Center is here to help you get started, make steady progress, and complete your thesis or dissertation on time. 

Workshops and Events 

Writing Programs and Support 

Penn Three Minute Thesis (3MT)

Thesis and Dissertation Resources

We offer workshops and information sessions throughout the year designed to support productive research, writing, and degree completion.  

Popular workshops include: 

Publishing Workshop Series  Curious about publishing but not sure where to start? Join the library staff and the Graduate Student Center for workshops on different aspects of the publishing process!

Reference Management Tools  Reference management software can save researchers considerable time and energy in compiling and formatting references for publications. One-hour workshop demonstrating the most widely-used citation management tools. 

Setting Writing Goals We recognize that depending on where you are in your Masters, PhD, or professional program, it may be challenging to find the motivation to write or to establish a routine that is balanced with your personal tasks and obligations. Join the Weingarten Center and Graduate Student Center for our writing goals workshops to learn effective strategies for setting and keeping clear, achievable writing goals and a balanced schedule. 

See all upcoming events

Whether you need intensive writing time or are looking for ongoing writing motivation and feedback, we work with campus partners to provide range of academic writing support. 

Dissertation Boot Camp   Looking for an environment where you can focus solely on writing your dissertation? The Graduate Student Center's popular Dissertation Boot Camp is your two-week writers' retreat. Dissertation Boot Camp was  created at Penn in 2005  to help students progress through the difficult writing stages of the dissertation process. By offering an environment and support for intense, focused writing time, the Camp provides participants with the structure and motivation to overcome typical roadblocks in the dissertation process.   Boot Camp is a two-week long, bi-annual event.  Drop-in Writing Consultations   Weekly drop-in writing consultations with experts from the  Weingarten Center , held throughout the academic year. Weingarten staff can discuss work at every stage, and help you move past difficult roadblocks in the process. Writing Accountability Groups  Whether you’re working on a dissertation, journal article, or other writing project, forming a group with other students working on writing projects is a great way to help one another make progress and meet deadlines, by providing accountability and encouragement along the way. Check out our resources for existing writing groups or fill out the group matching form below and we will help connect you with a writing group or partner!  Writers Retreats & Graduate Writers Rooms  The Grad Center collaborates with campus partners to provide graduate students with the space, structure, and encouragement to make progress towards completing major research-related writing projects. 

See all Academic Writing Programs

Penn Libraries : Offers a great many  workshops  to help in the research and dissertation process. In addition,  subject librarians  are standing by to support teaching, research, and learning. The  Using Electronic Resources  guide provides information on accessing e-resources, optimal browser settings, as well as common connection problems and solutions. They also maintain lists of free or reduced-price  online journals & ebooks  and  streaming video ! 

Office of Regulatory Affairs : Helps to assure that all research conducted at Penn honors Penn's standards for the treatment of people and animals .

Office of the Vice Provost for Research : Provides information on funding opportunities and links to graduate student resources.

Penn Electronic Research Administration (PennERA) : PennERA is a full life-cycle system for research project development, support, and management.

Weigle Information Commons : Supports study groups and collaborative learning and offers training, equipment, and support for digital media. Several support services are provided for students as they work to improve their effectiveness in writing, speaking, and original inquiry. 

Research Tools and Websites  

Penn Libraries guide to  Statistical Software  

Bibliomania : Provides free online literature with more than 2000 classic texts.

Elements of Style Online book : the classic reference book for all writers.

Library of Congress Online research center : provides free educational materials including access to the Library of Congress archives.

Bibliographic & Reference Management Software

BiblioScape : Free Download

Endnote  works well for the health sciences and for large collections of articles, despite some technical and installation issues. Available for a discount at  Penn Computer Connection

Mendeley  is a cloud-based proprietary system that includes Facebook-style social networking, PDF annotation, a platform for self-promotion and crowd-sourcing of citations and annotations. Mendeley has a wide range of functionality but suffers from performance and accuracy issues.

RefWorks  is a stable, well-established platform, but has limitations in terms of working with PDF files. Provided by and integrated with the  Penn Library

Zotero  is an open-source software program that is notable for its ease of use, its ability to grab screenshots, and its capabilities for archiving website content for local storage.

For more details and a handy comparison chart, check out the Penn Libraries'  Citation Management Tools Guide . 

Print Resources  

Wayne C. Booth, Joseph M. Williams, Gregory G. Colomb,  The Craft of Research, Third Edition  (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing), (Chicago: U of Chicago Press, 2008)

Carol M. Roberts,  The Dissertation Journey: A Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Writing, and Defending Your Dissertation  (Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2004) -  Google Books

Kiel Erik Rudestam, Rae R. Newton,  Surviving Your Dissertation: A Comprehensive Guide to Content and Process  (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2007) -  Google Books

Dissertation Process

Writing and revising .

The Weingarten Center provides writing consultations to help you organize and make progress on your writing through their Learning Consultations.

LaTeX Fundamentals Tutorials from Penn Libraries: If you're new to using LaTeX to format your thesis or dissertation, check out these short video tutorials from Penn Libraries that include examples and practice exercises!

Defending your Thesis/Dissertation 

Preparing for the Oral Defense of the Dissertation by Marianne Di Pierro  (PDF, opens in new tab)

CWiC : Provides courses and workshops for students to improve speaking abilities.

Productivity

PhinisheD : Discord server group for people working on their dissertations.

Print Resources 

Joan Bolker,  Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day: A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis  (New York: Holt, 1998) -  Google Books

Sonja Foss and William Waters,  Destination Dissertation: A Traveler's Guide to a Done Dissertation (Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2007) -  Google Books

Jane Burka with Lenora M. Yuen,  Procrastination: Why You Do It, What to Do About It Now  (Cambridge, Mass: Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2008)

Guidelines and Policies

Most academic polices and procedures at Penn are school-based. Students should consult with their school or graduate group with questions or for help in understanding academic policies and procedures.

See our complete list of academic policies in our resource guide or search for university policies by topic in the Graduate Catalog .

Academic Rules for Research Programs

• Academic Rules for PhD Programs
• Academic Rules for Research Master's Programs

Academic Integrity All members of the Penn Community are responsible for upholding the highest standards of honesty and complying Code of Academic Integrity  at all times. 

• Guides on how to properly cite materials included in your document

Research Policies and Guidelines

• Fairness of Authorship Credit in Collaborative Faculty-Student Publications for PhD, AM, and MS Students
• Guidelines for Research in the Community
• Guidelines for Student Protection in Sponsored Research Projects
• Patent and Tangible Research Property Policies and Procedures
• Policy Regarding Human Subject Research in the Sociobehavioral Sciences
• Procedures Regarding Misconduct in Research for Nonfaculty members of the Research Community

Leaves of Absence PhD students will be granted a leave of absence for military duty, medical reasons, or  family leave ; any of these may require documentation. Read more in the PhD Student Leave of Absence Policy .

Dissertation Guides The University's requirements for preparing, formatting, and submitting the dissertation are documented on the Provost's Graduate Degrees website . The website also includes helpful resources, a graduation calendar and checklist, and links to external resources. 

Submission and Graduation

Preparing and filing your thesis/dissertation are the key final steps leading to the awarding of your degree. 

Preparation and Formatting 

University Style Guide for Master's Theses

Dissertation Formatting Guide  (DOCX, opens a download window) The University's requirements for preparing, formatting, and submitting the dissertation are documented in the Dissertation Formatting Guide. The manual also includes helpful resources, a graduation calendar and checklist, and links to external resources. 

Graduation Requirements

The  Office of the Provost  oversees the graduation process for all PhD and Research Master's degrees as well as PhD dissertation and research master’s thesis deposits . The University of Pennsylvania confers degrees in May, August, and December. Commencement and diploma ceremonies are held in May.

Degree candidates must apply to graduate by the date listed in the  Graduation Calendar  to be eligible for the conferral of their degree and issuance of their diploma in a given term. The specific deadlines for deposit and graduation for each degree term are listed in the  Graduation Calendar .

Please note  the deadline to complete all degree requirements and sign up for graduation is several weeks in advance of the graduation date.  

Dissertation Submission At the University of Pennsylvania, each doctoral student presents the dissertation publicly, defends it, and, with the approval of the dissertation committee, submits the final manuscript for publication.

To successfully deposit a PhD dissertation, the University's requirements for formatting the dissertation must be followed, per the  Dissertation Formatting Guide (DOCX, opens a download window) . Research Master's students must follow the Master's Thesis Style Guide . Please read the Formatting FAQs for assistance with formatting your work, as proper formatting may take more time than you anticipate. 

Additional Resources

Penn resources and support.

Office of Student Disabilities Services : Provides comprehensive, professional services and programs for students with disabilities.

Weingarten Center : Offers instruction in academic reading, writing, and study strategies.  The Weingarten Center offers access to  academic support resources  and advising. Students can schedule 50-minute virtual or in-person meetings or sign up for 25-minute virtual or in-person drop-in sessions with a learning instructor  via the MyWeingartenCenter portal  to discuss their study strategies and approaches to a variety of academic assignments and assessments.

Counseling Services : Offers counseling and graduate student specific support groups.

Funding your research : Visit our Graduate Funding page 

Graduate Group Review Student Feedback Form Graduate Groups are periodically reviewed by the Graduate Council of the Faculties (GCF) in order to identify strengths and weaknesses within each program, and to recommend any changes that may help to improve the Graduate Group. This feedback form is intended to solicit general information and impressions about your graduate school experiences to share with GCF. If there is a specific incident you would like to report, please use the University’s  Bias Incident Reporting Form .

Global Resources

Penn Global  Before going abroad for academic work, be sure to check out Penn Global's International Travel Guidance page, which provides help during an emergency abroad, research concerns when abroad, travel arrangements, visa information and more. Be sure to register your trip  to stay connected to Penn resources in the event of an emergency and pre-authorize any necessary medical insurance coverage. 

Perry World House  Perry World House at the University of Pennsylvania (PWH) is a global policy research center that aims to advance interdisciplinary, policy-relevant research on the world’s most urgent global affairs challenges. At a time of increasing ideological division and highly politicized of policymaking, PWH draws on the wide range of expertise found across Penn’s 12 Schools, connecting Penn with policymakers, practitioners, and researchers from around the world to develop and advance innovative policy proposals.  

Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement  The Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement at the University of Pennsylvania is founded on the principle that a democratic, open, secure, tolerant, and interconnected world benefits all Americans. Based in Washington, D.C., the Penn Biden Center engages more of our fellow citizens in shaping this world, while ensuring the gains of global engagement are widely shared.  

Penn Abroad Penn Abroad serves as the hub for student global opportunities at the University of Pennsylvania. Each year Penn Abroad sends more than 1,000 Penn students to over 50 countries around the world on semester study abroad, summer internships, and embedded Global Seminars. Explore our website to find information about the many global opportunities available to Penn students. 

International Student and Scholar Services International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) aims to provide immigration assistance as well as a sense of community for the international population at Penn.  In addition to answering your technical questions about immigration, ISSS also offers student programs and leadership opportunities for students, such as Forerunner and the Intercultural Leadership Program (ILP), to foster meaningful engagement throughout their journey with Penn. 

Resources in Print

Robert L. Peters,  Getting What You Came for: The Smart Student's Guide to Earning a Master's or a Ph.D.  (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1997)

Emily Toth,  Ms Mentor's New and Ever More Impeccable Advice for Women and Men in Academia   (Philadelphia, U Penn Press, 2008)

Penn's Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an annual, university-wide competition for doctoral and research students to develop and showcase their research communication skills through brief, 3-minute presentations. 

Learn more 

Have suggestions for more helpful resources? Let us know !

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Writing Groups

Graduate writing groups.

Graduate Writing Groups are virtual groups that meet every two weeks that provide a supportive environment for students who are working on their thesis or dissertation. Our writing groups will provide you with a supportive environment that will help you make progress and stay positive. Research demonstrates that graduate students who take part in writing groups are more productive writers, have higher self-efficacy, and build confidence as writers (Ekstein et. al. 2017; Simpson, 2012; Mannon, 2016). Our assessment demonstrates that by joining our groups, graduate writers significantly improve in setting goals, focusing on their writing, and making progress on their drafts.

When are groups running next, and how do I sign up?

Our Graduate writing groups run in fall, spring, and summer each year. Visit this page or check your IUP email at the beginning of the term for information on how to join a group. Sign up by September 1 , 2024. This semester, we are offering two types of groups: the Graduate Writing Groups and Graduate Writing Productivity Groups. See our full schedule below.

Why should I sign up? How does this help me?

Graduate Writing Groups are for graduate writers who have begun the thesis/dissertation process (at any stage) and are writing independently. Our writing groups will provide you with a supportive environment that will help you make progress and stay positive. Our assessment demonstrates that by joining our groups, graduate writers significantly improve in setting goals, focusing on their writing, and making progress on their drafts.

What are my options for GWGs?

The Center for Scholarly Communication offers two types of groups. Select the group that is best for you.

• Goal setting and regular check-ins with group members to help you stay on track
• Short interactive presentations on key aspects of thesis/dissertation writing including goal setting, time management, self-editing strategies, revision, handling feedback, and work/life balance
• Small group supportive environment
• Writing Productivity Groups are intended to offer a space for accountability and support from peers. These groups will not include mini-lessons and will instead offer extra time for writing. These groups meet via Zoom either every week or every other week.

Groups are led by a Center for Scholarly Communication Consultant who is nearing the end of their own dissertation writing process.

Who should sign up?

Because our Graduate Writing Groups are in high demand, they will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Because we have a limited number of spaces available, we will prioritize those who did not get to participate in previous writing groups and those who have a good attendance record in previous GWGs. We also give priority to students who have completed their coursework. These groups are specifically for students who are independently writing (e.g. we ask that faculty do not require their students to join the groups as part of a course, as we cannot meet that level of demand).

These groups are best for graduate students who want to commit to regular meetings and have the accountability of a small group environment. We ask that you commit to attending at least five sessions of the six offered for bi-weekly groups or nine of eleven for the weekly groups. If you can’t make this commitment, please consider signing up for individual tutorials.

When are they offered?

All GWGs are offered virtually. These are the Graduate Writing Groups offered this semester:

• Graduate Writing Group 1: 7:30 p.m.–9:00 p.m. ET on Monday, meeting every other week; Meeting dates: September 9, September 23, October 7, October 21, November 4, November 18
• Graduate Writing Group 2: 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, meeting every other week; Meeting dates: September 10, September 24, October 8, October 22, November 5, November 19
• Graduate Writing Group 3: 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, meeting every other week; Meeting dates: September 14, September 28, October 12, October 26, November 9, November 23

These are the Writing Productivity Groups that will be offered:

• Writing Productivity Group 1: 8:00 p.m.–9:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, meeting every week; Meeting dates: September 10, September 17, September 24, October 1, October 8, October 22, October 29, November 5, November 11, November 19 (Weekly)
• Writing Productivity Group 2: 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, meeting every week; Meeting dates: September 11, September 18, September 25, October 2, October 9, October 23, October 30, November 6, November 12, November 20 (Weekly)
• Writing Productivity Group 3: 9:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, meeting every other week; Meeting dates: September 14, September 28, October 12, October 26, November 9, November 23 (Bi-weekly)

Great! How do I sign up?

Please sign up for our groups by filling out this short form .

If you have questions, feel free to email the Graduate Writing Group coordinator, Madelyn Carroll, at [email protected] .

Faculty Writing Groups

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School of Graduate Studies

Thesis writing group.

The School of Graduate Studies and the Writing Centre are pleased to offer a 6 week program (1-2 meetings per week) designed to help graduate students make significant progress on or complete their theses. If you are looking for some distraction-free time to write and can commit to a consistent writing schedule, then this writing group is for you.

The Thesis Writing Group will be dedicated to independent writing for students to produce content in a cowork setting. This event is NOT meant for students who are seeking help learning or developing their academic writing, but rather for those who are currently engaged in substantial writing and are looking for a dedicated space to focus on that work. The Writing Centre continues to offer appointments for students who would like one-on-one help and more information for booking appointments can be found at the following link . 

If you have any questions, please contact the event facilitator directly (Cherise Ragoonath,  [email protected] ) or the Writing Centre ([email protected]).

For this semester, we will be conducting separate in-person and online sessions for the Thesis Writing Group, please make note of the dates and times listed for each session to ensure you are registering for the correct group.

Dates/Time:

The In-Person sessions will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays on the following dates:                                        

• Tuesday June 11th
• Thursday June 13th
• Tuesday June 18th
• Thursday June 20th
• Tuesday June 25th
• Thursday June 27th
• Tuesday July 2nd
• Thursday July 4th
• Tuesday July 9th
• Thursday July 11th
• Tuesday July 16th
• Thursday July 18th

Time: All In-Person sessions will run from 2pm-5pm NDT      Location: Tuesdays - UC 3013 (The Loft), University Centre     Thursdays - UC 2001 (MUNSU Council Chambers), University Centre                                                                                              The Online sessions will run on Fridays for the following dates:

• Friday June 14th
• Friday June 21st
• Friday June 28th
• Friday July 5th
• Friday July 12th
• Friday July 19th

Time: All Online sessions will run from 12pm-3pm NDT           Location: Webex

Students who register for the Writing Group are expected to come to all meetings. However, we will be accommodating students who may face unexpected circumstances that prevent them from attending some of the meetings. Students who will only be able to attend some meetings or a partial number of hours per day should contact the event facilitator before registering. Accommodations will be granted for students who can demonstrate need (e.g., childcare responsibilities, conflicting work schedules).

• In-Person for students in the St. John’s Metro Area.
• Online through Webex for students outside the St. John’s Metro Area.

Expectations:

• The writing group is intended to give students the opportunity to generate text, not perfect it.
• Graduate students are encouraged to meet with their supervisors prior to the writing group to establish goals.
• All participants should measure their achievements at the start and end of each session.

Registration:

In-Person 

If the registration is full, you may use the waitlist link and you will be contacted if we are able to accommodate you. Please do not register using the other link if the registration is full (e.g., online when you would like to come in-person).

Students who submit incomplete forms or inconsistent responses (e.g., indicate you would like to come to the writing group to take writing classes) may be contacted to confirm their intention to attend the event or have their registration removed.

Attendance will be taken at the start of each session followed by a brief introduction and discussion of everyone’s goals for the session. Students who register for the Writing Group are expected to come to all meetings. However, we will be accommodating students who may face unexpected circumstances that prevent them from attending some of the meetings. If you are unable to attend more than one of the listed sessions, please contact the event facilitator (Cherise Ragoonath, [email protected] ) before registering. Students who miss multiple sessions will forfeit their spot in the group to make space for anyone on the waitlist.

In-Person Waitlist

Related Content

• Resources for Students

Arts & Sciences Dissertation Seminar

Biannually since 1996, this program (formerly the Andrew W. Mellon Dissertation Seminar), has been funding up to 12 graduate students at an early stage of work on the dissertation to participate in a semester-long seminar devoted to discussion of one another’s dissertation work and of the questions of method and purpose raised by “humanistic” scholarship more broadly. Students are selected from among applicants working in arts, humanities, and social science departments. A team of two faculty members—from two departments, thus representing two distinct methodologies—directs the seminar.

The purpose of the A&S Seminar is to speed the transition from course work and qualifying examinations to the kind of independent research and writing required to complete the dissertation. This can be a difficult transition, especially for students in the arts and humanities, where scholarly work still remains by and large individual and solitary. The A&S Seminar facilitates this transition by offering participants the collegiality and some of the structure of the graduate seminar–e.g., production deadlines, the opportunity to share and get feedback on their work, the obligation to engage critically and constructively with the work of their fellow seminarians. Such cross-disciplinary exchange increases participants’ understanding of the methodologies of their own chosen disciplines, and it enhances their ability to explain and defend their work in the larger arena of non-experts.

For more information, see the "A Meeting of Minds" page or contact Kim Emmons ( [email protected] ).

A&S Dissertation Seminar Fellows

2022-23 fellows.

• Charlie Ericson (English)
• Polina Ermoshkina (Sociology)
• Chemning Han (Sociology)
• Dane Harrison (Music)
• Brooke Jesperson (Anthropology)
• Sam Nemeth (Music)
• Huangqi Jiang (Psychological Sciences)
• Reema Sen (Sociology) 
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2020-21 Fellows

• Casey Lynn Albitz (Sociology)
• David Allen (History)
• Sophie Benn (Music)
• Sherri Bolcevic (History)
• Aimee Caya (ArtHistory)
• Nathan Dougherty (Music)
• Wenxuan Huang( Sociology)
• Luma Al Masarweh (Sociology)
• Kelli Minelli (Music)
• Taylor McClaskie (Music)
• Brita Thielen (English)

2018-19 Fellows

• Paul Abdullah (Music)
• Dominique DeLuca (Music)
• Philip Derbesy (English)
• Julia Knopes (Anthropology)
• Daniel Luttrull (English)
• Elizabeth Nalepa (Sociology)
• Melissa Pompili (English)
• Stephanie Ruozzo (Music)
• Yan Zhang (Anthropology)

2016-17 Fellows

• Tirth Bhatta (Sociology)
• Evan Chaloupka (English)
• Kate Doyle (Music)
• Joe Filous (History)
• Peter Graff (Music)
• Ray Horton (English)
• Aaron Manela (Music)
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• Allison Schlosser (Anthropology)
• Alicia Smith-Tran (Sociology)
• Jing Wang (Anthropology)

2014-15 Fellows

• Michael Bane (Music)
• Cara Byrne (English)
• Ariel Cascio (Anthropology)
• Eric Earnhardt (English)
• Catherine Forsa (English)
• John Frye (Bioethics)
• Sarah Koopman Gonzalez (Anthropology)
• Brian Macgilvray (Music)
• Mandy Smith (Music)
• Margaret Waltz (Sociology)

2012-13 Fellows

• Alim Beveridge (Management)
• Leah Branstetter (Music)
• Devin Burke (Music)
• Jason Carney (English)
• Katherine Flach (Art History)
• Armin Karim (Music)
• Christina Larson (Art History)
• Erik Miller (History)
• Maia Noeder (Psychology)
• Sarah Rubin (Anthropology)
• Elizabeth Salem (History)

2010-11 Fellows

• R. Wells Addington (English)
• Daniel Anderson (English)
• Dana E. Cowen (Art History)
• Nadia El-Shaarawi (Anthropology)
• Emily Hess (History)
• Indra K. Lacis (Art History)
• Rebecca Siders (Sociology)
• Kelly St. Pierre (Music)
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2007-08 Fellows

• Lyz Bly (History)
• Alex Bonus (Music)
• Tami Gadbois (Art History)
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2005-06 Fellows

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• Elizabeth Carpenter (Anthropology)
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2004-05 Fellows

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Graduate Writing Center: Dissertation 101

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Presenter: Marilyn Gray, Director, Graduate Writing CenterDissertation: This workshop will give an overview of the dissertation requirement in terms of structure, process, and role in one’s career trajectory. The workshop will address the dissertation from multiple angles to deepen attendees’ understanding of decisions and choices around the planning and execution of the dissertation. 

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Vereshchagin Vladimir Ivanovich on his 70th birthday

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• Published: 23 March 2013
• Volume 69 , pages 420–421, ( 2013 )

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Translated from Steklo i Keramika , No. 12, pp. 37 – 38, December, 2012.

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Vereshchagin Vladimir Ivanovich on his 70th birthday. Glass Ceram 69 , 420–421 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10717-013-9494-9

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Published : 23 March 2013

Issue Date : March 2013

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10717-013-9494-9

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