The Learning Center holds two to three skill-building workshops a month during the academic year. Regular topics include Time Management, Structuring an Argument, Research Writing, Professional Writing and Oral Presentations.
Workshops meet at the University Learning Center, 71 Fifth Avenue, 9th floor, unless otherwise specified. Reservations are not required but are recommended, as space is limited. To make a reservation, email learningcenter@newschool.edu or call 212.229.5121.
Descriptions of the fall 2012 workshops appear below.
Time Management Thursday, September 13, 12:00 noon and Tuesday, October 9, 5:00 p.m.
Effective time management is a key not only to academic and professional success but to your enjoyment of the writing process. Learn practical strategies that will help you better plan and budget your time, overcome procrastination, and feel in control of your written work. The final 30-minutes of this 90-minute workshop will include an interactive activity, where will you will learn how to block your week according to your schedule. Participants are encouraged to bring their class syllabi.
Please note: This workshop will be located in the Orozco Room at 66 West 12th Street, room 712.
Presenters: Emma Komlos-Hrobsky and Tamara Oyola
Workshop Flyer (PDF)
Structuring an Argument Wednesday, September 26, 12:00 noon
For most academic essays, you are expected to make a strong claim and support it throughout the paper with relevant evidence and analysis; easy, right? In this workshop, we will review the characteristics of a strong, debatable argument and discuss ways to build and support it throughout the essay. Feel free to bring assignment topics you will be working on as we will develop at least two sample outlines together using the methods and tips discussed.
Presenter: Jeannie Kahaney
Workshop Flyer (PDF)
A Creative Approach to Critical Voice—Two-Part Workshop
Part 1: Close Reading and Analysis Activity Tuesday, October 2, 5:00 p.m.
Part 2: Debatable Points in Academic Writing TBA
Learn how to think critically about your readings and develop original ideas and arguments. Through close reading exercises, these workshops are designed to help you feel more comfortable with language, develop personal style and perspective, write with authority about your subject matter, and practice exploratory writing approaches that can open up and push your ideas on any subject. It is recommended that you attend both sessions to get the most out of the workshop; however, each workshop will stand on its own if you can only attend one.
Presenter: Jaclyn Lovell
Workshop Flyer (PDF)
Writing Research Papers Tuesday, October 16, 4:00 p.m.
Writing a research paper is not intimidating if you break it down into steps. This workshop walks you through every stage of the process, from gathering sources and material, to developing an angle for your paper, to drafting and revising your work. A library representative shows you various research database sources and the best ways to use them.
Presenters: Emma Komlos-Hrobsky and Paul Abruzzo
Workshop Flyer (PDF)
Don't Write Like A Graduate Student: A Workshop on Style and Clarity Thursday, October 25, 12:00 p.m.
This workshop is open only to students currently enrolled in master's and doctoral programs. Learn to shed the amateur style that weakens your writing. This workshop reveals the importance of clarity, identifies problems common to graduate student writing, and recommends methods to improve your style. Please bring some short examples of your own academic writing.
Presenters: Katie Kelley and Kevin Temple
Workshop Flyer (PDF)
Graduate Writing Workshop: Using Sources Effectively Thursday, November 15, 1:00 p.m.
This workshop is open only to students currently enrolled in master's and doctoral programs. Become more confident about using outside sources in your written work. Learn how to use sources more effectively in your writing. The workshop includes useful tips about when it's appropriate to quote or paraphrase, avoiding plagiarism, and effectively integrating sources. There is a general discussion of how the use of sources can either improve or weaken academic writing. Students are encouraged to bring to the table their particular questions and examples of problems they are grappling with. A library representative will also be on hand to discuss available resources.
Presenter: Max Tremblay
Workshop Flyer (PDF)
Oral Presentations Date TBA
Location: 232 West 40th Street, room 1102
Whether you are a confident public speaker or fearful of speaking in front of an audience, this workshop can help you develop oral presentation skills. The workshop leader demonstrates and discusses techniques for engaging an audience and helping a speaker feel comfortable and confident in front of even the toughest crowds. This workshop is most effective if you bring a work in progress to practice with, such as a class presentation you are preparing
Presenter: Jesse Day
Workshop Flyer (PDF)
Creative Writing Workshop Date TBA
Are you interested in making your prose clearer and more evocative? Do you want to get feedback on creative pieces you're working on? In this workshop, we will look at successful writing techniques used by great authors and learn how to incorporate those techniques into our own work. The workshop is highly interactive, so come prepared to write, read your writing aloud, and talk about it. Feel free to bring work in progress: fiction and nonfiction writing is equally welcome.
Presenter: Mike Halmshaw
Workshop Flyer (PDF)
Professional Writing Date TBA
Whether through cover letters or emails, writing is often the first communication of your ideas and credentials to others in professional settings. This workshop can help you refine the tone of your professional writing in order to communicate clearly and powerfully with colleagues and prospective employers alike.
Presenter: Victoria Somogyi
Workshop Flyer (PDF)