Graduate Writing Workshop Series
Join us for our new series of graduate writing workshops! Throughout spring semester, we’ll be covering a range of practical skills you can apply to nearly any writing assignment. Topics include making time for writing through time management techniques, using artificial intelligence appropriately, and organizing and tracking sources. We will also be offering ongoing support through our Writing and Accountability Groups (WAGS).
Workshops are offered in partnership with the Pfau Library and the Graduate Writing Center. Check back often! More workshops will be posted as they become available.
Related Events:
- CSUSB Grad Slam Competition (April 9)
- CSU Grad Slam Competition (May 9)
- Learn more about Grad Slam!
Graduate Writing Workshops
Goal Setting and Time Management for Writers
January 30th, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Location: Zoom
Presenter: Dr. Caroline Vickers, Dean of Graduate Studies
Are you struggling to complete your writing assignments? Is a graduate thesis, project, or dissertation deadline looming on the horizon?
Discover how to tackle writing projects large and small and get from page one to done!
Learn to:
- Break projects into manageable steps
- Establish a dedicated writing time
- Ban distractions
- Set reasonable goals
This workshop has concluded.
Writing Accountability Groups (WAGS)
Information Sessions: Monday, February 3rd, 12:00 pm and Thursday, February 6th, 6:00 pm
Writing Accountability Groups are weekly scheduled writing times devoted to focusing on completing your major writing projects, such as graduate theses, conference papers, and dissertations. Meet regularly with a group of your peers and watch your work move toward completion!
Information sessions are scheduled for Monday, February 3rd at 12:00 pm and Thursday, February 6th at 6:00 pm. WAGS start date: February 12th, 5:30 - 7:30 pm in the Graduate Writing Center.
Library Resources for Graduate Students
Monday, February 3rd, 5:30 – 6:15 pm
Location: Online
Presenter: Pfau Library Staff
An overview of the library resources, services, and support available to graduate students. Lots of good things to know about!
This workshop has concluded. Watch the Library Resources Workshop Recording.
Zotero for Graduate Students
Tuesday, February 4th, 5:30 - 6:30 pm
Tuesday, March 11th, 5:30 - 6:30 pm
Location: San Bernardino Campus
Presenter: Sanjeet Mann, Pfau Library
Zotero is a free and open source program for managing your sources. It's compatible with all major browsers and operating systems (including IOS, with Android coming soon).
Presented by the Pfau Library, this session is aimed at CSUSB graduate students and advanced undergraduates writing a thesis, literature review or similar assignment requiring you to gather a large number of sources. It will show you how to get sources into Zotero, how to use Zotero to organize your sources and help with the early stages of writing, and how to cite sources from Zotero using the style guide and word processor of your choice. You'll leave the session with an understanding of the basics of Zotero and a working Zotero account.
You'll find this workshop on the Library Workshop calendar; be sure to download Zotero and the accompanying Library Guide when you register. All materials are available on the Library Workshop registration page.
What is a Literature Review?
Monday, February 10th, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
Location: Online
Presenter: William Ortiz, Pfau Library
So your professor assigned you a literature review, but what exactly is it? In this hour workshop, we'll discuss what a typical literature review looks like, types of literature reviews, examples of literature reviews in different disciplines, and provide outlines and tips to help you get started.
This workshop has concluded. Watch the Literature Review Workshop Recording.
Using AI in Graduate Writing and Research
Tuesday, February 25th, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Location: Zoom
Presenters: Nathan Jones, CSUSB Writing Center, and Shelby Reeder, Office of Graduate Studies
CSUSB has developed a guideline for using Artificial Intelligence in your graduate research and writing. Know the steps to take and the things to consider before using AI in your work. This presentation will review the university’s guidelines and instructions on how to cite AI-generated work in your paper.
Building Your Scholarly Identity
Tuesday, March 4th, 5:00 pm
Location: Online
Presenter: Jennifer Beamer, Pfau Library
Creating an online scholarly identity can increase the visibility of your research and publications, enhance networking opportunities, and help potential collaborators find you. Consciously curating and monitoring your scholarly online image helps you take control of what people see when they search for you online. This can enhance your reputation and make your work more visible. Bring your questions!
Thesis, Project, and Dissertation Formatting
Tuesday, March 18th, 12:00 - 1:00 pm
Wednesday, March 19th, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
Location: Zoom
Presenter: Shelby Reeder, Office of Graduate Studies
Are you writing a graduate thesis, project, or dissertation and need to format it for posting on Scholarworks? Learn to use the Graduate Studies formatting template and take the worry out of formatting. Learn how to format headings, text, and the table of contents automatically! Note: the formatting template is a Microsoft Word document.
Thesis, Project and Dissertation Submission Process
Tuesday, March 25th, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Wednesday, March 26th, 4:00 – 5:00 pm
Location: Zoom
Presenters: Shelby Reeder, Office of Graduate Studies and Jennifer Beamer, Pfau Library
The Submission Process Workshops explain the steps for submitting a thesis, project, or dissertation for review at Graduate Studies, including required forms, deadlines, and the benefits of sharing your work on Scholarworks. We’ll also go over the general formatting requirements, what Graduate Studies look for, and the advantages of posting your work on ScholarWorks.
Sign Me Up for March 25 Workshop
Sign Me Up for March 26 Workshop
We hope you can join us for one (or all) of our writing workshops! Please check this website regularly - we plan to add more workshops in the future!