Graduate Writing Groups

Applications for Summer 2025 Dissertation Writing Groups are now open.

Participating in a Summer Dissertation Writing Group will:

  1. help you get writing done
  2. help you improve your writing and confidence as a scholar in a supportive community
  3. help you develop peer review skills, which are critical to a successful career as a graduate student and researcher

This summer, two groups are being offered:

  1. Group 1 will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm (June 2 - July 9)
  2. Group 2 will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm (June 3 - July 10)
     

Program Expectations

If you would like to join a summer group, please plan to:

  • Participate in a mandatory orientation/training for all attendees on Wednesday, 5/28 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm. 
  • Attend sessions twice a week, one will be a writing session and the other will be a peer review session or a workshop on a dissertation-related skill. 

Writing Groups

Program Contacts

More details are on the program application. Have questions? Want to be added to a wait list for future groups? Email our team members to let us know. We are excited to support you in achieving your writing goals. 

Shelley Hawthorne Smith, PhD
shellh@arizona.edu
Sara Townsend
saraltownsend@arizona.edu

Previous Graduate Writing Groups

Note: Graduate Writing Groups prior to Fall 2024 were month-long writing communities that provided support and accountability as students pursued their writing goals. Participants committed to the following activities:

  • Attending a two-hour planning session to refine the month’s writing goals  
  • Meeting with a peer writing consultant once during the month to discuss writing and/or the writing process
  • Participating in at least one Writing Efficiency Session each week
  • Attending a weekly one-hour group meeting to discuss the previous week’s achievements and the subsequent week’s goals
     

Fall 2024

  • Graduate Students Applying for Funding
  • Graduate Students in Behavioral and Psychological Sciences 

Summer 2024

  • Dissertation Writing Group

Spring 2024

  • Writing Group for LGBTQ+ Grad students (January/February 2024)
  • Women in the Health Sciences (January/February 2024)
  • Dissertating Writers in Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (February/March 2024)

Fall 2023

  • Writing Group for LGBTQ+ Grad students (September/October 2023)
  • Dissertating Writers in Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (September/October 2023)
  • Writing Group for Graduate Parents (September/October 2023)
  • First Generation Graduate Student Writers (September/October 2023)
  • First-Year Graduate Student Writers (October/November 2023)
  • Doctoral Writing Group for International Scholars (October/November 2023)
  • Writing Group for Students Transitioning from Professional Work to Grad School (October/November 2023)

Summer 2023

  • Writing Group for Indigenous Students (June/July 2023)
  • Writing Group for Women in Science (June/July 2023)
  • Dissertating Writers in Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (July/August 2023)

Spring 2023

  • Master's Students with International Interests Who are Writing About Fine Arts (Spring 2023)
  • Master's Students of Color in the Arts (Spring 2023)
  • Doctoral Writing Group for Non-Native English Speakers (Spring 2023)
  • Dissertation Writing Accountability Group (February/March 2023)
  • Writing Group for Underrepresented Students in STEM (February/March 2023)
  • Writing Group for Underrepresented/Master's Students in STEM (February/March 2023)
  • Master's Students Doing Humanistic Research (February/March 2023)
  • Doctoral Writing Group for Queer or Non-Binary Writers (March/April 2023)

Summer 2022

  • Writing Group for Students of Color in Health Sciences (June/July 2022)
  • Writing Group for Dissertating Students (June/July 2022)

Spring 2022

  • Writing Group for Dissertating Women of Color (February/March 2022)
  • Writing Group for First-Year Graduate Student Writers (February/March 2022)
  • Writing Group for Engineers (February/March 2022)
  • Writing Group for CALS students (March/April 2022)
  • Writing Group for Parents (March/April 2022)
  • Writing Group for Women in STEM (March/April 2022)