If you have ever felt like your writing wasn’t up to Mason standards, or if you have ever contemplated an upcoming academic writing assignment with dread or even terror, you are certainly not alone. It’s common for students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels to begin a new degree feeling underprepared for the types of academic writing they will be required to deliver. You may not have prepared a literature review as a high school student or developed a research prospectus at your undergrad institution.
While inexperience and uncertainty are understandable, they are not an excuse for poor writing. Your faculty are expecting you to write at the level of the degree you are seeking, so it is time to stop fretting and build any skills that you are lacking! Fortunately, the university has an excellent resource for becoming a stronger academic writer – The Writing Center.
In addition to offering face-to-face, online, and video tutoring resources year-round, the Writing Center is also hosting a slate of workshops this semester targeting specific academic writing needs:
| Workshop | Date | Time | Location | |||
| Strategies for Getting Started on a Draft | 9/21 | 12:00 – 1:30 pm | Merten Hall 1201 | |||
| Five Techniques for Clear Writing | 9/27 | 12:00 – 1:30 pm | Merten Hall 1201 | |||
| Online Resources for Improving Word Choice & Grammar in Academic Writing | 10/4 | 12:00 – 1:30 pm | Merten Hall 1201 | |||
| Strategies for Revising a Draft | 10/25 | 12:00 – 1:30 pm | Merten Hall 1201 | |||
| From Casual to Scholarly: Strategies for Elevating Your Prose | 11/1 | 12:00 – 1:30 PM | Merten Hall 1201 | |||
| Personal Statements for Graduate School Applications | 11/8 | 12:00 – 1:30 pm | Merten Hall 3300 |
The workshops are free and open to all Mason students, but registration is required. Click the links above to learn more about each workshop and to register. Unable to attend a workshop? Make the time to explore the many other resources available at the Writing Center website.
Take action to become a more confident and effective academic writer. You may not have been born knowing how to write the perfect paper, but with the right support and a desire to learn you can achieve writing success!