Centre for Writing and Scholarly Communication

Writing at the graduate level involves bringing complex and technical ideas together, through layers of description, causation, correlation and more. Articulating this complexity in writing is difficult and requires many drafts and revisions to first elicit the core ideas and then refine them to be cohesive and comprehensive; this workshop draws on research into thesis-drafting […]

Did you know that 40% of language production in English is formulaic, that is, made up of common expressions? However, producing effective writing in English can be challenging for many non-native writers of English. The good news is, these formulaic expressions can be learned. This workshop is designed for those who speak English as an […]

Literature reviews accomplish several purposes for scholars. In the introduction to a research article, research paper, or thesis chapter, for example, writers review relevant research in order to establish a research gap, problem, or need that the current study addresses. But how do writers summarize the scholarly conversation already underway and, then, join that conversation? […]

This workshop is designed for undergraduate and master’s students applying for funding from the Canada Graduate Scholarship-Master’s (CGS-M) Program. Drawing on evidence-based research about successful grant proposals, facilitators discuss particular elements of this written academic genre: audience, purpose, knowledge gap, competence claim, structure, style, and more. The workshop includes examples of successful UBC CGS-M research […]

Writing at the graduate level involves participating in ongoing debates and conversations in your field, to a range of audiences more or less likely to agree with you. Engaging in this conversation requires aligning with certain perspectives while distancing yourself from others, and emphasizing certain interpretations while allowing for other perspectives. Managing this delicate balance […]

Abstracts play a vital role in the communication of research. Studies show that abstracts are the most frequently read part of a research article, and that abstracts help researchers determine whether or not to read the entire study. But how do writers communicate the relevance and legitimacy of their research to members of the discipline? […]

How does one give a successful oral presentation? “Make eye contact,” “be confident,” “dress professionally”… The advice that we often receive tends to focus on the performance aspect of presenting, rather than viewing it as an opportunity to communicate and further our research. In this workshop, we invite you to re-think oral presentations as part […]

How do I avoid plagiarizing? “Paraphrase,” “cite everything,” “stick to the style guide”… These answers, and perhaps the question itself, neglect the fact that academic writing involves a complicated process of text integration, rather than mechanically following the rules to avoid being accused of plagiarizing. Despite the widespread interest surrounding academic integrity, what constitutes academic […]