Spring 2026 Workshops

Scroll down for a complete list of our Spring 2026 workshops. We can't wait to see you soon!

For all of the events below, attendance fulfills part of the requirement for receiving a Graduate School fellowship or travel funding. To receive credit, please record your attendance in the “Professional Development Events” tab here.

SMART Goals for Maintaining Productive Writing Practices 

Register for SMART Goals Workshop Here

Date and Time:  Thursday, January 22, 6PM (Online Only)

Hosted by Dr. Jennifer Marciniak, Director of the Graduate Writing Center

Breaking down writing goals into small, attainable goals can help writers feel more productive, motivated, and positive about their writing progress. In this workshop, we will talk about how to create specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals that will alleviate the pressure of writing and support better mental health.   

Location: Online via Teams (See confirmation email for Teams link.)

RSVP Deadline: Wednesday, January 21, 6PM

Half-Day Paraphrasing Studio

Register for Half-Day Paraphrasing Studio Here

Date and Time: Friday, February 6, 9AM-12PM (In-Person Only)

Hosted by Becky Bruning, Assisant Director of the Graduate Writing Center

Grad students and postdocs are invited to join the Graduate Writing Center for a highly interactive morning of paraphrasing practice. Attendees will explore the key elements of effective paraphrases and practice several strategies that can help writers express ideas in an integrated, academic way.

Participants are encouraged to bring pdfs or printouts of 1-2 peer-reviewed articles they plan to read for coursework or research in the upcoming semester. 

Please note, this is a 3-hour event. Space is limited to the first 40 registrants. Breakfast will be provided. 

Location:Graduate Center (Third Floor of Weeks Hall) 

RSVP Deadline: Monday, February 2, 9AM - An additional registration confirmation email  requiring an RSVP will be sent the week of this event.

Two-Part Faculty Panel Series:
Writing Conference Proposals and Abstracts

In these active, online workshops, faculty from various disciplines will discuss writing conventions for conference proposals and abstracts in their respective fields before moving into breakout rooms and modeling best practices and tips for these genres. 

Part 1: Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty Panel

Register for Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty Panel Here

Date and Time: Wednesday, February 4, 12PM noon (Online Only)

Facilitated by Jennifer Marciniak, PhD, Director of the Graduate Writing Center 
 
Panelists:  

• • Priyanka Ganguly, PhD, Assistant Professor of Technical Communication and Rhetoric
  •  Dana Aicha Shaaban, PhD, Assistant Professor of Victorian British Literature 
  • Maria Shpeer, PhD Assistant Professor of Communication Studies 
  • Catherine Lammert, PhD, Assistant Professor, Teaching Education 

Location: Online via Zoom (See confirmation email for Zoom link.)
RSVP Deadline: Tuesday, February 3, 12PM (noon) 

Part 2: STEM and Human Sciences Faculty Panel

Register for STEM and Human Science Faculty Panel Here

Date and Time: Wednesday, February 11, 12PM noon (Online Only)

Facilitated by Becky Bruning, Assistant Director of the Graduate Writing Center 

 Panelists: 

• • Abinash Bhattachan, PhD, Assistant Professor, Geography and the Environment 
  • Faiaz Khaled, PhD, Assistant Professor, Atmospheric Science 
  • Melanie Schmitt PhD, Curriculum Specialist, Assistant Professor of Practice, Family and Consumer Sciences Education 
  • Kai Wu, PhD, Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering  

Location:  Online via Zoom (See confirmation email for Zoom link.)
RSVP Deadline: Tuesday, February 10, 12PM (noon) 

Responding to Reviewer Feedback 

Register for Reviewer Feedback Workshop Here

Date and Time: Tuesday, February 24, 1:30PM (Hybrid)

Hosted by Caroline Hetherington, PhD, GWC professional consultant 

Responding to reviewer comments is a critical part of the publication process. Participants will learn how to effectively read, interpret, and respond to reviewer comments to get the most out of revise and resubmit feedback. Model response letters will also be provided and discussed.   

Location: Online (See confirmation email for Zoom link.) and In-Person (The Graduate Center, Third Floor of Weeks Hall)

RSVP Deadline: Monday, February 23, 1:30PM

Understanding and Avoiding Self-Plagiarism 

Register for Avoiding Self-Plagiarism Workshop Here

Date and Time: Monday, March 2, 2PM (Hybrid)

Hosted by Jennifer Marciniak, PhD, Director of the Graduate Writing Center, and Allison Belisle, Thesis and Dissertation Unit Manager for the Graduate School 

The purpose of this workshop is to explore the definition of self-plagiarism. Attendees will also learn how and when to cite their own work. Finally, we will discuss using previously published work as part of your dissertation or thesis. 

Location: Online (See confirmation email for Zoom link.) and In-Person (The Graduate Center, Third Floor of Weeks Hall) 

RSVP Deadline: Sunday, March 1, 2PM

Organizing Literature Reviews in Publications

Register for Organizing Literature Reviews Workshop Here

Date and Time: Thursday, March 26, 2PM (Hybrid)

Hosted by GWC consultants Jacob Nadolsky, Liz Acosta, and GWC Graduate Coordinator Jacinta Hinson 

In this workshop, GWC consultants will talk about and model best practices for writing literature reviews as part of STEM and Social Sciences publications.  

RSVP Deadline: Wednesday, March 25, 2PM

Location: Online via Zoom (See confirmation email for Zoom link.)

Tips for Using Chicago Style 

Register for Chicago Style Workshop Here

Date and Time: Wednesday, April 15, 11AM (Hybrid)

Hosted by Tom Erdmann, PhD, GWC Professional Consultant 

This workshop will feature examples and activities to help writers understand Chicago citation style, including footnotes.  
 
RSVP Deadline: Tuesday, April 14, 11AM

Location: Online (See confirmation email for Zoom link.) and In-Person (The Graduate Center, Third Floor of Weeks Hall) 

Writing Tools and Software “Exhibition” 

Register for Writing Tools and Software Workshop Here

Date and Time: Monday, April 27, 12PM noon (Online Only)

Hosted by GWC Consultants Eugene Adu Henaku, Deniz Unal, and Destiny Dunn 

In this practical workshop, GWC consultants will showcase their favorite writing tools and software they utilize for help with research, writing, and formatting and teach students how to use them correctly. This workshop will feature breakout rooms so students can ask questions about the featured writing tools and software. 

RSVP Deadline: Sunday, April 26, noon 

Location: Online via Zoom (See confirmation email for Zoom link.)

In-class workshops

Would you like to schedule an in-class workshop for a course you are teaching? Learn more about the in-class workshops and orientations available for graduate students through the Graduate Writing Center. You can also request orientations for undergraduate students through the Undergraduate Writing Center.