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Workshops

Many writing workshops are eligible for the Laurier Experience Record. For more information on eligible workshops, contact studentsuccess@wlu.ca.

Register for a Workshop

Writing Services will be conducting the following one-hour workshops for undergraduate students throughout the Spring/Summer 2023 term: 

How to Integrate Sources in Your Writing

During this 60-minute workshop, writers will learn how to use quotations, paraphrases, and summaries to effectively integrate sources into their writing. By the end of the workshop, writers will have a completed quotation, paraphrase, and summary ready to use in their paper. Registration is required - register today on the Student Success Portal.
  • Thursday, June 1 from 11 a.m. - noon on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
  • Thursday, July 13 from 2 - 3 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)

Writing Effective Thesis Statements

What is a thesis statement? What makes a strong argumentative thesis? In this workshop, undergraduate writers will learn how to craft a thesis statement that effectively communicates the core idea of their paper. By the end of the workshop, writers will have a clear idea how to draft and revise thesis statements for undergraduate assignments. Registration is required - register today on the Student Success Portal.

  • Wednesday, June 7 from 2 - 3 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
  • Thursday, June 15 from 10 - 11 a.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)

Clarity, Concision, and Grammar

In an academic context, we are evaluated not only on the content of our ideas but also the articulation of those ideas. Developing strategies for writing clearly and concisely are central to presenting ideas to a writer. Moreover, having a good grasp of grammatical concepts can help to make a good first impression with readers. In this 60-minute workshop, we will look at strategies for writing clearly and concisely as well as overcoming a number of common grammatical errors. Registration is required - register today on the Student Success Portal.

  • Wednesday, July 5 from 2 - 3 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
  • Thursday, July 13 from 10 - 11 a.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)

 

Previous Workshops
Transitioning to University Level Writing

 

All ASPIRE writing workshops over the Spring and Summer of 2023 will be conducted online via Zoom and are open to students on all campuses. You can register for these workshops through the Student Success Portal. All workshops are one hour in length.

 

Scholarship Proposal Writing

In this 90-minute workshop, you will develop the tools to write effective scholarship proposals. Working from samples of winning graduate student proposals (from OGS, SSHRC, and NSCERC grants), we will examine common features of successful research statements, and you will learn how to apply these writing strategies in your own proposal. This workshop is targeted to graduate students in all disciplines. Registration is required - register today on the Student Success Portal.

  • Tuesday, June 6 from 2 - 3:30 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
  • Wednesday, July 12 from 10 - 11:30 a.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
  • Thursday, Aug. 17 from 10 - 11:30 a.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)

Overcoming Writer’s Block and Transforming Your Inner Critic

In this workshop, graduate students will learn the causes for writer’s block and strategies for overcoming writer’s block. We will also discuss how “inner critics” or “imposter syndrome” can pose a barrier to writing and offer solutions on how to transform inner critics into an internal editor. Registration is required - register today on the Student Success Portal.

  • Tuesday, July 18 from 1 - 2 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)

Graduate Writing Cafe

Running from May 9 until the end of July, Writing Services will facilitate a writing group for graduate students every Tuesday morning, both in-person in Waterloo and online. Sessions begin with goal setting followed by four 25-minute dedicated writing sessions.

Registration is not required. Simply join us on Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m. - noon:

  • Waterloo In-Person: P226, The Writing and Learning Lab on the second floor of Peters.
  • Online Multicampus: Zoom

 

Previous Workshops
Strategies for Approaching Large Writing Projects

Scholarship Writing Workshop Series

Are you in graduate school or thinking about going? If so, you may want to consider applying for an academic scholarship. We offer a highly acclaimed series of presentations, the Scholarship Proposal Writing workshops, to help you write successful scholarship proposals.

In these workshops, we give you the tools you need to approach scholarship proposal writing with confidence. Working from samples of winning Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS), Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) proposals written by graduate students, we will examine common features of successful proposals, and we will teach you how to apply these writing strategies in your own proposal.

These workshops are open to all current and potential graduate students at Laurier as well as undergraduate students who may be applying for these awards. Although each workshop has an emphasis, students are welcome to attend any session listed.

Writing Services conducts these workshops in the summer and fall months.

Summer 2023 workshop times:

  • Tuesday, June 6 from 2 - 3:30 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
  • Wednesday, July 12 from 10 - 11:30 a.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
  • Thursday, August 17 from 10 - 11:30 a.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)

Stay tuned for specific dates and times for workshops in the fall of 2023.

WRITING CERTIFICATE

The Writing Certificate, run by Writing Services, has students participate in individual sessions to systematically develop effecting skills in academic writing. You are eligible to receive the Writing Certificate if you have attended and completed at least two writing workshops and two writing appointments during your studies at Laurier. If you have completed these requirements and wish to receive the Writing Certificate, please email your request to studentsuccess@wlu.ca.

If you would like to register for a writing workshop and/or book a writing appointment you can do so at our Student Success Portal

If you have any questions, you can contact Writing Services 

Available in Waterloo and Brantford.