HUM 348 - Advanced Writing Workshop: MA Thesis, Dissertation Proposal, and Publishing

This is a writers’ workshop in which students serve as peer-evaluators and class-time is for workshopping individual writing projects. Students will develop their own original project 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, including 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 M. A. students), and the academic job application process (cover letters, C.V.s, teaching statements). The primary written assignment sequence will build your writing, block by block, toward a complete 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 not meant to be intimidating nor competitive, 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. While not required for Ph.D. students in Cultural Studies, they may find it useful for developing their writing. This course fulfills the Cultural Studies MA writing course requirement.
Units: 4
Course Type: Seminar