1. Graduate Writing Skills Strategies for Success in Graduate School and Beyond

2. Session Content Undergraduate vs. graduate level writing Undergraduate vs. graduate level writing New expectations: student and faculty New expectations: student and faculty Approaching academic writing Approaching academic writing Resources Resources

3. Undergraduate vs. Graduate Most notable change when writing at the graduate level versus the undergraduate: purpose of writing Most notable change when writing at the graduate level versus the undergraduate: purpose of writing Undergraduate writing: Knowledge Telling Undergraduate writing: Knowledge Telling Graduate writing: Knowledge Making Graduate writing: Knowledge Making

4. Prior to graduate school… Papers were exercises in providing enough information to meet a page limit and a deadline Papers were exercises in providing enough information to meet a page limit and a deadline Complete Calvin & Hobbes © 2006 Bill Watterson

5. Knowledge Telling Papers typically Papers typically demonstrate the accumulation of acquired knowledge demonstrate the accumulation of acquired knowledge are directed at the teacher as the primary audience are directed at the teacher as the primary audience incorporate direct quotation and paraphrase rather than summary and synthesis incorporate direct quotation and paraphrase rather than summary and synthesis include simple argumentation and some analysis include simple argumentation and some analysis reduce issues/topics to simplest denominators reduce issues/topics to simplest denominators tend towards comprehensive, yet broad, reports tend towards comprehensive, yet broad, reports

6. Goal in Graduate Level Writing Papers are no longer exercises in getting a grade from your teacher; they are contributions to a body of knowledge and part of an ongoing conversation Papers are no longer exercises in getting a grade from your teacher; they are contributions to a body of knowledge and part of an ongoing conversation http://www.cellbiochem.ca/publications.html http://www.cellbiochem.ca/publications.html

7. Knowledge Making Papers typically Papers typically enter an existing conversation enter an existing conversation are aimed at peers in the field are aimed at peers in the field are submitted for publication or presentation are submitted for publication or presentation utilize summary and synthesis utilize summary and synthesis use sound argumentation and thorough analysis use sound argumentation and thorough analysis follow disciplinary conventions precisely follow disciplinary conventions precisely introduce new knowledge and offer meta-commentary that positions the writer as a scholar/professional peer introduce new knowledge and offer meta-commentary that positions the writer as a scholar/professional peer

8. New Expectations New Expectations Students responsible for Students responsible for Navigating procedures Navigating procedures Initiating research Initiating research Understanding degree/discipline expectations Understanding degree/discipline expectations Conferencing with faculty/advisors Conferencing with faculty/advisors Managing tasks and project timelines Managing tasks and project timelines Establishing writing/research schedule Establishing writing/research schedule

9. New Expectations Faculty responsible for Faculty responsible for Assigning course work Assigning course work may or may not provide detailed, step-by-step instructions for a paper or presentation may or may not provide detailed, step-by-step instructions for a paper or presentation Reviewing your work Reviewing your work may or may not offer extensive feedback may or may not offer extensive feedback may or may not make corrections may or may not make corrections may only review at pre-determined stages may only review at pre-determined stages Supporting publication/presentation efforts Supporting publication/presentation efforts may or may not offer info on opportunities may or may not offer info on opportunities

10. Approaching Academic Writing Audienc e style “Flow” presentation Purpose organization

11. Entering the Conversation* Audience: peers engaged in a discussion Audience: peers engaged in a discussion Purpose: add to existing knowledge Purpose: add to existing knowledge Organization: disciplinary conventions Organization: disciplinary conventions “Flow”, Style, and Presentation “Flow”, Style, and Presentation accomplished by utilizing rhetorical patterns common to academic discourse accomplished by utilizing rhetorical patterns common to academic discourse-OR- They Say, I Say, Tying it Together They Say, I Say, Tying it Together * Material on the following slides adapted from They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing

12. “They Say” Start with what others are saying Start with what others are saying “Her point is” – skillful summarization “Her point is” – skillful summarization “As Jones herself states” – relevant quotation “As Jones herself states” – relevant quotation One hallmark of writing well is the ability to enter an important discussion in academic or public spheres and clearly summarize others in order to position one’s own argument One hallmark of writing well is the ability to enter an important discussion in academic or public spheres and clearly summarize others in order to position one’s own argument

13. “I Say” Three responses: Yes. No. Okay, but… Three responses: Yes. No. Okay, but… “And yet” – distinguish their words from yours “And yet” – distinguish their words from yours “Skeptics may object” – include a naysayer “Skeptics may object” – include a naysayer “So what?” – explaining why it matters “So what?” – explaining why it matters Your audience needs to know what is at stake in order to stay interested in the content of the paper, yet this crucial question often remains unanswered, alienating many readers Your audience needs to know what is at stake in order to stay interested in the content of the paper, yet this crucial question often remains unanswered, alienating many readers

14. Tying It All Together “As a result” – connecting all the parts “As a result” – connecting all the parts “Ain’t so / Is not” – finding balance between a formal voice and your own “Ain’t so / Is not” – finding balance between a formal voice and your own “In Other Words” – Metacommentary “In Other Words” – Metacommentary Use metacommentary to tell your reader how to interpret your claims, as well as clarify and elaborate your text. Use metacommentary to tell your reader how to interpret your claims, as well as clarify and elaborate your text.

15. Feeling Overwhelmed?

16. Breaking It Down Writing is recursive and filled with stops and starts Writing is recursive and filled with stops and starts Multiple drafts are to be expected Multiple drafts are to be expected Identify sections of your project so that you can establish a working timeline Identify sections of your project so that you can establish a working timeline Work on smaller portions of your project Work on smaller portions of your project Draft every day/week according to finished length and deadline Draft every day/week according to finished length and deadline

17. Go Back to the Basics

18. Resources College of Graduate Studies College of Graduate Studies http://www.utoledo.edu/graduate/ http://www.utoledo.edu/graduate/ The Writing Center The Writing Center http://www.utoledo.edu/centers/writingcenter/ http://www.utoledo.edu/centers/writingcenter/ University Libraries University Libraries http://www.utoledo.edu/library/ http://www.utoledo.edu/library/

19. Resources continued… They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein Academic Writing for Graduate Students, Essential Tasks and Skills, Second Edition by John M. Swales and Christine B. Feak Academic Writing for Graduate Students, Essential Tasks and Skills, Second Edition by John M. Swales and Christine B. Feak

20. Resources continued… The most recent edition of the style guide mandated by your discipline, i.e. APA, MLA, Chicago, CSE, etc. The most recent edition of the style guide mandated by your discipline, i.e. APA, MLA, Chicago, CSE, etc.

21. Thank You and Remember… Be Proactive Be Proactive Communicate early and often Communicate early and often With faculty / reader / advisor With faculty / reader / advisor With librarian / tutor / co-hort With librarian / tutor / co-hort Get organized and stay organized Get organized and stay organized Seek out and utilize relevant resources Seek out and utilize relevant resources

22. Take time to laugh a little