Plagiarism Ponderings

Plagiarism is a serious issue and has become more prevalent even at the graduate level. It is true – many students do not understand the multiple facets of plagiarism, and most are not intentionally copying the works of others. Access to internet sources has made it easy and convenient to copy and paste passages (short and long) from websites, peer-reviewed journals, and e-books. Many have employed this as a form of note-taking as they comb through their research. The problem is that as they copy/paste and write their own words, the two get intertwined. The student author may not remember what was copied, what has already been paraphrased, and what constitutes their own original thoughts.

It is important to educate our students on how to identify plagiarism, how to avoid it, and how to cite correctly. In fact, our librarians at California State University Fresno’s Henry Madden Library, offer workshops on “Avoiding Plagiarism” and our Grammar for Grad Students Series has also included a session on plagiarism.

While it is crucial for students to know how to avoid plagiarism, we also must equip them with strategies of how to incorporate information from sources into their own writing. They need to master the art of paraphrasing. We have seen many students who come into the Writing Studio poorly equipped with paraphrasing skills. They look at a paragraph and try to rearrange words or replace words in the hopes of making it their own. When this occurs, it is apparent that the student is engaging with words and not the overall topic itself. As they research literature related to a specific topic, they need to be gaining understanding of that topic based on what the experts in the literature are saying. They need to be able to understand the ideas embodied in the research and know how to cite appropriately. This requires much more than substituting a word here and there or re-ordering a sentence. If a student has taken the time to research and understand the topic, they will be able to communicate the issues embodied in the topic in their own words.

The progression of moving from reading and researching to creating the draft is crucial, and it is one reason we encourage students to come in and meet with a writing consultant early in the writing process. It is during the stages of brainstorming, research, outlining, and drafting where students are forced to articulate the information as they talk to the consultant. This gives them the opportunity to verbalize research themes and ideas and leads to a better understanding of the topic. In addition, it is at this time that paraphrasing skills can be developed with the guidance of a writing consultant.

I think that students need to be made aware of plagiarism. Consequences need to be in place when plagiarism occurs. I also think we need to continue to support students in their own writing processes, so they can confidently convey the research found in the literature while giving credit where credit is due.

Here are some helpful sites that provide more information, strategies, and exercises for paraphrasing and avoiding plagiarism:

http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/plagiarism/: this is a great article from UNC. It outlines common knowledge, paraphrasing, avoiding plagiarism, and strategies for taking organized notes.

Several universities have created Plagiarism Tutorials:

The University of Southern Mississippi http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/plag/plagiarismtutorial.php

Duke University: https://plagiarism.duke.edu/

Penn State: http://tlt.psu.edu/plagiarism/student-tutorial/

Simon Fraser University: http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/academic-integrity/plagiarism-tutorial

The plagiarism-checking platform (Turnitin) also has some resources: http://turnitin.com/en_us/resources

By Debra Neufeld

An Abrupt Release of Responsibility: A Constructivist Approach for Graduate Writing Consultants

Q: At what point does a consultant step back and let the student take the reins?

A: At the moment they enter the session.

We, as writing consultants, are often expected by graduate students to be their editors. We cannot let ourselves fall into this trap. This will not help these students grow to be the writers they feel like they should be or help them accomplish their goal of completing a thesis, project, or dissertation. The primary issue being addressed here is that we may find ourselves so comfortable with our students that we can sometimes forget that they are the ones who are doing the writing. How do we avoid this predicament?

Perhaps the answer to this question can be summed up in one word—listen.

In my three years of experience as a Graduate Writing Consultant I have found that when I’ve been listening too much to my own voice, during a consultation, I know I must immediately stop talking. At this point, we, as consultants, need to stop and ask them how they would go about fixing the sentence, or paragraph, or entire first chapter. We are not the end-all-be-all and, on top of that, I’ve found that the students, with whom I’ve worked, often have a more interesting voice than my own. All writing consultants, and/or tutors, should stop themselves if they have talked longer than 10 seconds and ask questions that lead the students to their own conclusions, which will give them time to have their own moment of realization. I have found that these pauses are very important.

On a personal note, I was rarely given my own amount time to think and come up with my way of learning/retaining information. This was often the case as a high school student and especially as an undergrad. I didn’t figure out how to solve mathematical equations on my own until I took the CBEST test. I had a moment of realization during that seemingly unending time frame when I suddenly learned my way to solve math problems—by drawing. All students have subjects with which they struggle. When it comes to writing, I find myself comfortable. Yes, I may know how to construct a sentence, but how can I help a person who is uncomfortable with the written word become comfortable? They need a guide to help them find their way of writing.

One way of teaching a child to swim is to throw them into a body of water without telling them what to do. This may seem sudden and cruel, but the child has seen the water, has probably seen others swim, is probably being thrown in by a person with whom she/he is familiar, etc. The child, mid-air, is subconsciously evaluating the situation, and is searching their biological instincts to find a way to survive the experience. They also trust that, if they fail, they will be saved. Throw the student in, but be there to save them from drowning. Grammar, logical continuity, syntax, research, outlining, the drafting process, and other processes have been a part of every graduate student’s life at some point—this is their pool of water. They may not have the vocabulary to explain these things and they may not know how to explain the functions of language on the page—they may not know that they already know how to swim—but they have been exposed enough to paddle their way to safety.

Students often get caught up in sounding scholarly. When encountering this, try to ask them, “How would you write this sentence?” Often, after they have let go of that Jiminy Cricket on their shoulder who is telling them that they need to write to a scholarly audience, they dismantle the facade and rewrite the sentence in their own authoritative voice. These students haven’t quite learned that they have already become the scholars and they definitely do not trust themselves. How do we show them how to trust themselves? We ask them to explain the subject in their own words. We should listen, ask, and then listen again. They have the tools and a constructivist approach would assume that they would find their way. A consultant should say “there is the pool,” throw them, in and be the “life jacket” in case the student flounders. Nine times out of 10, the student will find their way toward a clear, scholarly, voice that belongs to them.

Ronald Dzerigian

Presenting Papers at Academic Conferences

Academic conferences in your field of study are valuable (and often initially intimidating) scholarly experiences. Since I am preparing to attend a conference next month, I’ve compiled a series of tips for applying to, getting to, and presenting at graduate and undergraduate conferences.

Finding a Conference

This step may sound like the simplest, but it can be surprisingly overwhelming to find current CFPs (calls for papers) considering the hundreds, if not thousands, of conferences held every year in the U.S. (not to mention those taking place overseas).

• Literature:

Since my field is literary studies, the two sites I use most often to find CFPs are https://www.cfplist.com/ and https://call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu/. Both sites contain mountains of requests for abstracts, but both allow you to narrow your search by your field of interest (e.g., digital humanities, interdisciplinary studies, rhetoric and composition, etc.). CFP List even has a nifty feature that allows you to sort your results by abstract deadlines and event dates.

• Philosophy:

http://philevents.org/

• Computer Science, Engineering, Biology, Psychology, Statistics, Music, and More:

http://www.wikicfp.com/cfp/allcat

This wiki contains CFPs from a vast array of disciplines, with the most popular being computer science and artificial intelligence.

Submitting a Conference Proposal

Once you’ve found a conference at which you’d like to present, the next step is submitting your proposal. Some conferences will ask for a short abstract (typically ranging from 150 to 500 words) of the paper you’d like to present. Other conferences require you to send your entire paper for consideration. If you’re sending an abstract, be sure it includes your thesis, topic, and the terrain the paper will cover. Attach your abstract (in Word Doc or PDF form) to an email that includes your name, paper title, university affiliation, and class standing. Unless you’re attending a conference specifically for undergraduates, it’s best not to include your academic year if you are an undergrad.

“I’ve been accepted to present at a conference—Now what?”

If you’ve been accepted to present, congratulations! Your first step should be to find out if the conference offers any assistance (such as travel grants or free accommodations) to presenters. If not, don’t despair; contact the department office of your academic major and ask if funding is available. At Fresno State, most of this funding is provided to graduate students through their individual departments or through travel grants awarded by the Division of Graduate Studies (see http://www.fresnostate.edu/academics/gradstudies/financial/travel.html).

Revising a Paper for a Listening Audience            

• Kerber (2008) points out that hearing a paper is much different from reading it; she advises presenters to make good use of examples and quotes: “Listeners have difficulty absorbing abstraction after abstraction; they need to be grounded in lived experience. Think about the ratio between example and argument as your paper develops.”

• In the same vein, make sure you’re using reader-based prose throughout your paper; incorporate helpful transitions, and “turn complex sentences into simple, declarative statements” (Kerber, 2008).

Preparing to Present a Paper

• Find out how long you’ve been given to read your paper. The conference organizers should email you with a schedule. Time yourself as you practice reading your paper aloud, and be sure to leave time at the end for audience questions. Remember that it’s better to conclude your paper too soon than to go on for too long.

• According to the Writing Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “A general rule of thumb is that one double-spaced page takes 2-2.5 minutes to read out loud. Thus an 8-10 page, double-spaced paper is often a good fit for a 15-20 minute presentation.”

• Pepper your paper with cues to “remind yourself to pause, look up and make eye contact with your audience” (The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill).

• Add cues to remind yourself when to take a breath (Kerber, 2008).

• If you’re worried about reading a parenthetical citation during your presentation, you can remove in-text citations from the copy of the paper you’ll be reading aloud. You will still want to have an extra copy with your references included in case you get a question about one of them.

• Don’t use staples. When presenting, flipping through a stapled conference paper is more distracting than simply putting aside unstapled pages as you finish them.

• Print your paper in 14- or 16-point font “so that you do not need to squint to see it when you are standing at a podium” (Kerber, 2008).

Conference Etiquette

It is considered proper to attend at least one conference panel other than your own. Just as you want attendees at your panel, your fellow presenters are eager for audiences.

References

Kerber, L. K. (2008, March 21). Conference rules, part 2. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/article/Conference-Rules-Part-2/45734

The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (n.d.). Conference papers [handout]. Retrieved from http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/conference-papers/

Eryn Baldrica-Guy

Teaching Associate, First-Year Writing Program

Consultant, Graduate Writing Studio

Just About Time

This week I am going to feature two of our amazing writing consultants and their thoughts on the best use of time and managing life during the writing process. We are losing Katy as she is moving on to a job in her field of study and expertise, but Scott will be back to discuss his ideas further in a continuing series. First up, Katy Hogue:

Returning to school after a break is always rough. You have to get used to the routine and rhythms of school life again. All of a sudden your schedule fills up and for a few weeks you mourn the loss of your free time. For graduate students, breaks can be problematic. The pressure of graduate school makes breaks necessary for survival with sanity intact. Yet, advisors will tell you that you should be working on your thesis during your breaks to do out-of-town research and to finish your program on time. Struggling with these conflicting demands is just one of the things that make graduate school a learning experience inside and outside the classroom. One of the things you learn, whether you work during your breaks or not, is to take advantage of the time off to tackle long-term projects with fresh vigor. By focusing on a few things at the beginning of the semester, the transition back into academic life can go more smoothly.

• Manage your time well.
• Take the time to sit down with all your syllabi and write out your schedule for the whole semester. This is especially important if you are managing multiple jobs and/or a family life. Use a daily planner, Google Calendar app, etc.
• Plan to do as many small assignments, in which you pick the due date, early in the semester. You will be fresh from the break, and later in the semester you will be focused on your larger research projects.
• Build time into your schedule to work on your thesis even if it is only 30 minutes a day.
• Learn to “read like a grad student” for your seminars that are not related to your own research. Focus on argument, evidence, and scholarly conversation, and less on factual content.

• Don’t forget about your thesis or dissertation.
• When buried with work from your seminars, it is easy to get sidetracked. Avoid this by making appointments with consultant at the Graduate Writing Studio or by forming a discipline-specific study group in which you only discuss your larger projects.

• Look after your physical well-being.
• Get enough sleep. Don’t let the workload overwhelm you to the point that you’re burning the candle at both ends. Lack of sleep makes everything seem more overwhelming.
• Eat well. Food is a vital source of energy, yet when we get busy we reach for fast food first. This habit can make us sluggish and turn the Freshman 15 into the Grad School 20. Some prep at the grocery store can make healthy choices much easier.
• Exercise and get some sun. Sunlight is a natural mood enhancer and Vitamin D producer. Everyone knows it’s wise to exercise for health, but it can also help relieve stress and boost your attitude.
• Don’t forget to socialize. Even if you don’t think you have the time or energy, the stress-relieving and mood-improving benefits far outweigh the costs, in moderation.

With these few tips, I hope your semester will go well.

Thanks Katy! Let’s see what Scott has to say:

A Series on Self-Care, Time Management, and Writing at the Graduate Level

By Scott Trippel, Graduate Writing Consultant

Welcome to graduate school. A parade of assignments, group projects, and heavy reading designed to enhance and overwhelm the life you once knew. Common wisdom tells us that graduate school is tough. It is potentially catastrophic for family relationships, a near impossibility when working full-time, and effectively the end of our social lives.
But does it have to be?

With careful consideration of what you value, you really can do it all. It isn’t easy. It takes discipline. But with a little effort you can have more of that precious commodity — time.

Take Care of Yourself

Sleep, exercise, and a healthy diet are often the first casualties of a graduate education. Why? Maybe because we never had great self-care habits to begin with or because we’re convinced we can “catch up” on our sleep over the weekend. Whatever the case may be, “crunch” times are common in graduate school. Healthy habits go out the window when all our assignments and readings are due at the same time.
My advice? Before anything else, consider your sleep hygiene. You might feel better emotionally working on a paper at 2 a.m., but the clarity of your thinking (and writing) will be impacted by a lack of sleep. Poor sleep can lead to a racing mind, sensitivity to pain, irritability, trouble concentrating, and an ongoing feeling of exhaustion. So, instead of spending 3 hours in the middle of the night, try sleeping, wake up refreshed, and get your paper done in 1 hour. I found a lot of advice about sleep hygiene online, one of the best comes from the University of Michigan Health System. You can find it here.
As far as exercise and a good diet, take it seriously. Treat it as a part of your graduate experience and not something supplemental. Taking care of yourself is necessary for your success. And if you need help, try contacting the Student Health and Counseling Center.

What Do You Think?

Please add your comments to this posting. Is there a connection between self-care and academic success? Is there something you do that gives you a physical or mental edge? Do you eat brain food? Have a secret to exercising? Have trouble sleeping?

Further Reading

A 7-step plan to jump-start your natural energy. (2011). Boosting Your Energy (2011) (pp.
35-43 9p). Stamford, Connecticut: Harvard Health Publications.

Gellis, L. A. (2007). The link between education and sleeping difficulties: The role of sleep hygiene. Dissertation Abstracts International, 67, 5401.

Mullally, B. A. (2011, January 1). Knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs regarding physical activity on a college campus. ProQuest LLC.

Ploughman, M. (2008). Exercise is brain food: the effects of physical activity on cognitive function. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 11(3), 236-240 5p.

Williams, D.A. & Carey, M. (2003). You really need to sleep: Several methods to improve your sleep. University of Michigan Health System.

The Benefits of Getting Feedback From the Writing Studio

Students often ask how the Graduate Writing Studio, or any writing center for that matter, can help them with their writing. While we are fluent in MLA and APA at the GWS, writing centers are about much more than citation help. Research has shown that visits to writing centers benefit students in myriad ways, from motivating habitual procrastinators to write to improving the overall quality of their essays.

A study conducted at the University of Central Florida found that students who received feedback on a written assignment “started writing their papers significantly earlier than [those] who didn’t receive feedback” (Rapp Young and Fritzche 49). Students with a high tendency to procrastinate actually began to write their papers early only if they were going to receive feedback from the writing center (50). The researchers concluded that students who use the writing center ultimately procrastinate less on their writing (52). In addition, writing-center attendees reported greater satisfaction with their writing habits than students who didn’t visit the writing center (53). Another study from Indiana Wesleyan University showed statistically significant improvements in the clarity, precision of thesis statements, and quality of writing-center students’ essays (Henson and Stephenson 3). In 2010, a British study found that writing-center attendance “is significantly associated with higher student achievement” (Yeats et al. 505).

A great deal of students we see at the Graduate Writing Studio are completing degrees in psychology, nursing, and physical therapy. While health-centric disciplines may not be popularly associated with writing, the GWS can offer guidance on literature reviews, case reports, evidence-based papers, and any other written projects. In a 2013 evaluation of its own writing center, the Medical University of South Carolina found “that nearly all students who used the Center agreed (and most strongly agreed) that it met their needs” and use of the Center was “associated with a better written product” (Ariail et al. 132).

Having a set appointment with a writing consultant motivates students to write, likely because they know someone will be reading their work in a matter of days. The GWS provides another set of eyes to notice confusing wording and passages that may need further explanation. While reviewing one’s work alone is a valuable tool, writing consultations allow the formerly hypothetical reader to ask the writer questions and offer advice immediately.

Eryn Baldrica-Guy

Works Cited

Ariail, Jennie, et al. “The Value of a Writing Center at a Medical University.” Teaching and Learning in Medicine 25.2 (2013): 129-133. Print.

Henson, Roberta, and Sharon Stephenson. “Writing Consultations Can Effect Quantifiable Change: One Institution’s Assessment.” Writing Lab Newsletter 33.9 (2009): 1-4. Expanded Academic ASAP. Web. 22 Jan. 2016.

Rapp Young, Beth, and Barbara A. Fritzsche. “Writing Center Users Procrastinate Less: The Relationship between Individual Differences in Procrastination, Peer Feedback, and Student Writing Success.” The Writing Center Journal 23.1 (2002): 45-58. JSTOR. Web. 20 Jan. 2016.

Yeats, Rowena, et al. “What a Difference a Writing Centre Makes: A Small Scale Study.” Education + Training 52.6/7 (2010): 499 – 507. Emerald Insight. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.

Graduate Writing Resources

There are a number of books that graduate-level academic writers should, at the very least, be aware of, and in many cases own. Creating a robust library of resource books is a must for anybody making their way through a master’s or doctorate program. I own several of the books mentioned here and I plan on checking out several more that appear on this list. I have borrowed this specific list from the University of Toronto: http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/books/writing-for-graduate-students. Their website has several categorized lists of resources for students of all levels including those in graduate programs. Here is the list that they offer online for graduate level writers:
American Psychological Association, Publication Manual
Besides giving detailed advice on format for referencing and page layout, this handbook covers such technicalities as abbreviations, numbers, and figures. Chapter 3 gives brief advice on writing style and a quick review of grammar, and sets out clear guidelines on avoiding unbiased language. Chapter 8 and the Appendix include advice on publishing, including reporting standards for articles using new data collections. Be sure to use the sixth edition, published in 2009: it changes a number of rules from those given in earlier editions.
Becker, Howard S. and Pamela Richards. Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start and Finish Your Thesis, Book, or Article
For advanced work; advises on efficient ways to produce and publish academic work.
Cook, Claire Kehrwald. The MLA’s Line by Line How to Edit Your Own Writing
Solid and well-explained advice on academic style; worth studying for humanities scholars and anyone else aiming at clear complex prose.
Day, Robert A. How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper
Solid, though old-fashioned advice on constructing and revising research papers.
Flemons, Douglas. Writing Between the Lines: Composition in the Social Sciences
An excellent guide to writing strong, logical, and clear prose to present research material. Focuses mostly on style at the sentence level.
Galvan, Jose L. Writing Literature Reviews: A Guide for Students of the Social and Behavioural Sciences
A comprehensive guide to writing reviews of empirical research: starts with how to read documents in their disciplines; discusses literature reviews as part of essays, dissertations, journal articles; includes samples.
Harman, Eleanor and Ian Montagnes, ed. The Thesis and the Book
Elegantly written and sometimes humorous essays asking for elegantly written academic books. Worth reading, but don’t look rely on it for quick solutions.
Huth, E. How to Write and Publish Papers in the Medical Sciences
Authoritative guide to advanced writing, good section on Vancouver referencing system
Locke, Lawrence F. et al. Proposals That Work: A Guide for Planning Dissertation and Grant Proposals
An excellent resource. Focuses on scientific argumentative patterns, shows examples of four kinds of proposals for different types of research.
Luey, Beth. Handbook for Academic Authors
Thorough and sensible discussion of the practical aspects of scholarly publishing. Chapter 2 on journal articles covers good writing style, selecting a journal, and dealing with rejections. Other chapters touch on manuscript preparation and proofreading.

Modern Language Association. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
The standard work for referencing methods in Humanities subjects. The seventh edition, published in 2009, has a thorough and helpful section on citing electronic and online sources. Chapter 3 gives advice the mechanics of writing.
Nickerson, Eileen T., The Dissertation Handbook: A Guide to Successful Dissertations
A brief guidebook on the various stages of the dissertation. Chapter 12, “Life After the Dissertation,” touches on professional presentations as well as articles. It advises on such practicalities as the query letter and timelines for responses.
O’Connor, Maeve, Writing Successfully in Science
Knowledgeable advice from a journal editor on planning, writing, and publishing academic work in the sciences.
Swales, John M. and Christine B. Feak. Academic Writing for Graduate Students: A Course for Nonnative Speakers of English
Thorough coverage of all aspects of writing academic papers, offering tips on vocabulary and grammar along with explanation of standard structures of reasoning. Units 7 and 8 cover Constructing a Research Paper, including comments on defining a niche for the topic and making rhetorical moves to convey that intention to the reader.
Swales, John M. and Christine B. Feak. English in Today’s Research World
More advanced than the above book; useful for native speakers of English too. Chapters on professional genres such as the conference abstract, poster presentations, some elements of dissertations. Targets specific problems, gives exercises and models, shows how to make judgements on your own.
M. Zeiger. Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers
A thorough self-instruction guide to reasoning, style, and organization.

If you have other selections that you have found useful in your academic writing experience, please feel free to share them with us.

William Anderson
Staff, Fresno State Graduate Writing Studio

Fresno State Fall 2015: Getting Ready To Write the Big One

I love fall semesters at Fresno State. Though it always starts hot here in the Central Valley of California in August, by October the heat usually subsides and the temperaments of returning college students begin to cool along with the ambient air temperature.  In the fall at the Graduate Writing Studio we get to meet lots of new graduate students who have yet to succumb to the dead eyed, long distance stare of a third year student who has been working on their thesis for a very long time, working two jobs, student teaching, and beginning to feel the pressure of mounting student loans. New grad students are always so bright-eyed and fresh looking (they even smell good). Yet, they are generally terrified of the prospect of having to write a thesis or a project in order to graduate from their respective programs.

I won’t lie, for some students it will be a very arduous task. For some, it may in fact be the longest sustained piece of writing they will ever attempt. Regardless of the perceived intensity of the experience, I have found that anyone (disregarding a few extreme cases) can get through the process. What is needed from the very beginning is program-long support.

In the Graduate Writing Studio at Fresno State we work diligently to help students elevate their writing skills to the level demanded by the university for successful completion of any program on campus with course work and a culminating writing component. We are here to keep you moving toward your goals, even when you think you can’t go any further. Whether it be a major overhaul of a thesis chapter, or just a positive affirmation needed at the right time, we are here to help you finish this journey.

We are just getting started this semester, so those of you who are new graduate students, come see us right away. It is never too earlier to start utilizing our services. Those of you who already know us, welcome back and get your initial appointments started, there is a lot of work to be done!

For those of you that follow this blog who are not students here at Fresno State, we welcome your input and ideas. Collaboration is now a world-wide reality thanks to digital social outlets such as this one. We benefit from your input immensely and hopefully we get to speak to many more of you this year. Look for posts from our new graduate student consultants, our APA guru Debbie, our long time consultants, and hopefully some of our graduate students who have utilized our services and have something to say about their experiences with academic writing at the master’s and doctorate levels. I will be here too, fanning the flames of academia and extolling the virtues of the graduate writing community.

And Now, For Something Completely Different:

Welcome to Fall 2015 Everyone!

William Anderson / GWS Staff

Doors Close and They Open. Summer is Upon us.

Here’s another little excerpt from one of our consultants who graduated and is going on to a PhD program next semester. Kat Boniface has been a great asset to the Graduate Writing Studio at Fresno State and our only regret is that we did not get to keep her with us longer:

So, I originally wanted to write about the delights of the serial comma (a.k.a. the Oxford comma, or on rare occasions the Harvard comma, due to those presses recommending its use). Or possibly rant about the existence of the not-so-delightful Turabian. I have strong opinions on both of these things. But really, neither of these things encompass my experience at the Graduate Writing Studio this semester. The fact that I do have strong opinions on these topics may be why I jumped at the opportunity to join the staff at the GWS. I learned so much from the students I worked with, even as I helped them evaluate and improve their own work. I learned about their projects, and about their ways of approaching both writing and research. I also benefitted from being on the other side, as a client myself, having my own assumptions and organization upended. From both angles, I am continually reminded that writing is a process that we continually restructure and refine with goal of precise, and maybe even beautiful, communication.

Again, thank you so much Kat, safe travels and good luck in your new program in Riverside.   

It is going to be a grand semester in the fall. We will be adding 5-7 new consultants to fill in the vacancies left by our graduating group. It has been a long time since we have had to fill this many consultant positions. I personally find it very exciting that a whole new group of graduate students are going to get the opportunity to work with their peers one on one and have the kinds of experiences that some of our departing consultants have mentioned here. The Graduate Writing Studio of Fresno State has seen tremendous growth in the number of students that we serve over the last few semesters and it doesn’t look as though it is going to slow down any time soon.

Debbie Neufeld and I and of course Mr. Radke will be on duty throughout the summer. We already have booked appointments on the calendar helping out the various EdD cohorts from Fresno and CSU Bakersfield. We often do consultations with these clients via ZOOM (virtual distance consulting) as most of these students are already working educational professionals who cannot come to our campus during the day. The advent of ZOOM has really opened up our service capabilities and this too is poised to explode this coming semester.

Well folks, as summer begins, it does get awful quite here in the Henry Madden library, but know that the GWS staff is working diligently on improvements to our program, sharpening our consulting skills and knowledge, ironing out some of our challenges, revamping workshops and getting ready for the influx of students who need academic writing help starting in August. We will have a full staff in place, ready to serve the graduate students of Fresno State and a whole new slew of workshops and trainings available to all graduate students from all programs at Fresno State.

If you would like more information, you have several options:

Call: 559-278-2450

Email: fresnostategws@gmail.com                                                              

Facebook: www.facebook.com/FresnoStateGWS

Twitter: twitter.com/fresnostategws

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/Fresnostategws

And of course we post here every Friday on this blog.

We would love to here from other writing studios/centers at colleges across the country. Sharing our experiences and ideas will only make us better consultants and tutors for our students. Please do not hesitate to contact us via any media route. We would be honored to get to know you and to share some of the experiences that we have all had. Have a great summer and I will see here next Friday!

William Anderson

Graduate Writing Studio

Fresno State