Faculty Workshops

The Center for Communication across the Curriculum offers a series of workshops on the use and teaching of writing across the disciplines. Designed for faculty and TAs, interactive workshops are led by Lorraine Higgins and other rhetoric colleagues in the Humanities and Arts Department. Past workshops have included:

The CCAC also sponsors readings and talks by respected writers and teachers.

Upcoming Workshops

Teaching the Literature Review

Worcester State College (consortium workshop)
February 13, 2008, 3-4:30 p.m.
Please contact Lorraine Higgins (x5503) to register.

"Reviewing the literature" is a critical component of academic research writing. Whether presented in a comprehensive "review article" or embedded in a proposal, research report, or essay, literature reviews accomplish several goals. They help writers to pay homage to the work of others, to demonstrate their membership in a scholarly community, to contextualize and justify their own line of research, and to direct their readers to relevant resources. If researchers fail to achieve these goals in their writing, they-and their work-may be deemed irrelevant, unconvincing, and even unethical.

Despite the importance of this complex literate practice, many students misunderstand it as a tedious collection and regurgitation of sources. Instructors frequently complain that students' literature reviews are mere "knowledge dumps," disconnected summaries of information. In this workshop, participants will work with professional and student examples, identifying the purposes, conventions, and strategies of writing effective literature reviews. In doing so, they will develop definitions and exercises for teaching literature review writing in their own classrooms.

Responding to Student Drafts

Writing Across the Curriculum Series
Friday, January 25, 12-1:20pm, Campus Center, Hagglund Room

Presenter: Lorraine Higgins, Associate Professor of Writing and Rhetoric and Director, Center for Communication Across the Curriculum

Writing is an excellent way for students to learn both the content and conventions of their disciplines, but many instructors blanch at the thought of reading and commenting on stacks of student papers. Responding to student drafts can be time consuming and frustrating, especially when students repeatedly seem to misunderstand or ignore instructor comments. In this workshop, participants will review several styles of written commentary, considering how the type, placement, and quantity of comments on student drafts can affect their revision and learning. Participants will learn and practice with a “reader-based” approach that has the potential to 1) reduce the time you spend “marking” student papers, 2) model for your students how to better anticipate and respond to a reader's needs, and 3) help your students become less dependent on your editing and directive feedback.

To register on-line, go to CEDA Food for Thought Lunches and Workshops. Lunch will be provided to all those who pre-register by this Monday, January 21.

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Last modified: January 18, 2008 10:48:03