CLST 470 - Advanced Writing Workshop: MA Thesis, Dissertation Proposal, and Publishing

The dynamic of the class is not a traditional seminar setting. Instead it is designed as a writer’s workshop in which students serve as peer-evaluators and class-time is for workshopping individual writing projects. Students will develop their own original project based on a previous seminar paper that can be a final MA publishable paper, thesis/dissertation proposal, article for publication, literature review, or thesis/dissertation chapter. There are two aims of this course. The first is to discuss and workshop academic writing and publication strategies including, but not limited to, research practices and the mechanics of writing, particularly argumentation, significance and contestability, and structure. The second objective is to foster academic professionalization by identifying presentation and publication opportunities, and by examining and practicing grant writing, applications to PhD programs (for MA students), and the academic job application process (cover letters, CVs, teaching statements). The primary written assignment sequence will build your writing, step by step, toward a finished paper. All in-class sessions are structured as workshops and are geared toward teaching you how to give and receive generous collegial feedback. Workshops are meant to be neither intimidating nor competitive; instead they will promote academic collegiality, intellectual generosity, and will teach you how to be brave enough to have your work critiqued and read in front of colleagues. This class is required for Cultural Studies MA students; PhD students in Cultural Studies may also find it useful for developing their writing. This course satisfies the Advanced Writing Workshop requirement for MA students in Cultural Studies.
Units: 4
Course Type: Seminar