All events offered through the Center for Writing & Rhetoric are free and open to students, alumni, staff, and faculty. In addition to the events and webinars below, we often facilitate others as part of the First-Year Experience Program, New Student Orientation, ReOrientation, and the Big Pitch Competition, amongst others. We also work on a series of collaborative events with groups at CGU and across the Claremont Colleges.
Sign up for the CWR Newsletter to stay informed about all of our events! And visit our YouTube Channel to see a handpicked selection of some of our past webinars!
**Beginning in Spring 2022, registration for all events is open all semester long. The 2-week open period before each event is no longer being utilized. Sign-up for all the events that you would like to attend over the semester at one time, and we will reach out with reminders in the weeks leading up to the event.
CWR Writing & Work Events
Weekend Dissertation Bootcamps
What are dissertation bootcamps?
Our weekend dissertation bootcamps are two days of structured writing blocks and breaks (using an adapted version of the Pomodoro method) with a working lunch that features a group conversation on the dissertation process. The days also begin with a goal-setting activity and end with a reflection. The main goals of bootcamps are to provide community space, increase productivity, and develop sustainable habits that participants can utilize after the event. With the end of coursework, many graduate students report a loss of peer engagement and structured academic work time, two things that have been shown to increase the rate at which students finish doctoral degrees and the time in which they do it. Dissertation bootcamps fill this gap by providing both along with practices to help approach and complete long writing projects.
Participants will learn how to break down their long projects into chunks to stay productive even with the other demands of life. They will also have the opportunity to hear about strategies that have worked for other dissertators as well as meet with the writing consultant facilitator to briefly discuss anything about their dissertation, proposal, or thesis. There have been countless success stories over the years of graduate students regularly attending bootcamps as one of the essential ways they consistently made progress of their final degree milestone.
Dates for online Weekend Dissertation Bootcamps
* All Bootcamps will be held from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
*Each Dissertation Bootcamp features an optional workshop session for participants to develop various aspects of their writing process.
Can I come?
Current CGU students who are ABD, working on a dissertation proposal, or working on a Master’s thesis are eligible to attend the weekend boot camps. Space is limited and application review is generally first-come, first-served — but we do consider other factors to ensure that as many students as possible can participate. Proposal and Master’s thesis students are considered after all ABD students’ applications have been reviewed.
How do I know if i’ve been accepted to attend?
We normally notify all applicants of their status via email during the week prior to the weekend camp. If we are unable to accept you, we can place you on a waiting list and will notify you of any spaces that become available as soon as possible.
Weekend Write-In
Mark your calendars! We are excited to offer additional opportunities for you to write or work with us! Weekend Write-Ins –a single day writing session– for all students has replaced our 1-day writing retreats and is similarly open to students at any stage to work on any type of school-related project. Spend the day with peers reading, notetaking, outlining, drafting, preparing a presentation, revising, or doing any other class or milestone work. These write-in dates will be facilitated by a CWR consultant and offer accountability, guided work blocks, and 15 minute one-on-one breakout sessions.
Dates for HYBRID Weekend write-in
- June 25
- July 23
- August 13
* All Weekend Write-Ins will be held from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Write-In Studio
Are you looking to join a community of scholars working on their projects in order to get motivated to complete your own goals? Students writing, reading, or studying in the coursework, qualifying exams, or thesis/dissertation phases are encouraged to join our CWR consultant-facilitated working hours. These sessions offer accountability and guided work blocks with a facilitated discussion about different aspects of writing in graduate school. This student-centered event provides space to students across disciplines and at different stages in their degree programs to participate remotely in a real-time study group virtually. Additionally, students can request 15-minute one-on-one breakout sessions to ask the CWR consultant pointed questions about their work or process. Show up with a project or deadline and the CWR consultant will help you navigate 2 focused hours of work and scheduled breaks. We look forward to guiding motivated work blocks with you. Please register for CWR Write-In Studio meetings in advance through Zoom.
Dates for online WRITE-IN STUDIOS
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
3:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Students of Color Writing Retreats
The Center for Writing and Rhetoric offers closed Students of Color Writing Retreats. This is an inclusive space by and for students of color to keep each other accountable to writing goals and discuss writing in a supportive environment. Writing consultants facilitate goal-setting, work blocks, breaks, and a lunch discussion in a similar format to the CWR’s other work events but adapted to provide a shared community space for students of color.
DATES FOR ONLINE Students of Color Writing Retreats
- Stay tuned for upcoming dates
* All Students of Color Writing Retreats will be held from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.
Qualifying Exams Preparation Weekend
For most doctoral degrees, qualifying exams are the first major milestone that must be completed after coursework. The challenge of demonstrating breadth of knowledge in a field as well as preparedness for a culminating project is complicated by the shift in structure of the post-coursework phase. One proven method of maintaining productivity and motivation during this transition is to participate in community events that are designed to reduce distraction, facilitate peer engagement, and provide a source of accountability.
The Center for Writing & Rhetoric is happy to announce that in addition to our dissertation bootcamps, writing retreats, and writing groups, we will now also be offering an event just for students at the qualifying exam stage. Designed for students doing timed exams, written assignments, dissertation chapter drafts, and portfolios, the event will provide the options of either dedicated work time with peers or a combination of work time and facilitated sessions on exam preparation topics.
DATES FOR ONLINE qualifying exams preparation weekend
- Stay tuned for upcoming dates
* All Qualifying Exam Prep Weekends will be held from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
LGBTQ+ Writing Retreat
The LGBTQ+ Writing Retreat will offer queer and trans students the chance to build community with one another and attend a mid-day mini workshop. This retreat aims to empower queer and trans students’ knowledge and expertise while remaining productive and accountable. Participants have the option to meet with a Writing Consultant one-on-one using, and there will be activities like queer trivia, community discussion, and rooms with music and virtual galleries.
This is an inclusive space by and for LGBTQ+ people and allies to keep each other accountable to our writing goals and for all of us to discuss our writing in a supportive environment.
DATE For ONLINE lgbtq+ retreats
* The LGBTQ+ Writing Retreat will be held virtually from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.
Summer Dissertation Bootcamp
How is it different from the weekend boot camp?
The Summer Dissertation Bootcamp is a multi-day writing event that lasts from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm each day. During this time, you will work with peers at a similar stage as you in structured writing blocks. Through communal lunch conversations, guest visits, and workshop sessions, you will dedicate hours of work time to your project while also learning strategies for the writing process. Students who have attended this event in the past have had great success in gaining momentum to complete their dissertations.
Can I come?
There is an application process for the week-long bootcamp. All applicants are required to submit a detailed work plan detailing specific writing goals for the event. Additionally, an email confirmation from your advisor that you have discussed your plan with them is required. Our summer bootcamp is open to folks at both the dissertation and dissertation proposal stages.
How do I apply?
- Eligible students must submit an application which includes a brief statement on how you hope to benefit from the Bootcamp and a detailed Writing Plan for the bootcamp.
- You should discuss your proposed writing goals with your dissertation chair.
- Your chair must email us at cwr@cgu.edu with approval of your Summer Dissertation Bootcamp writing plan.
Apply to Attend In-Person Summer Dissertation bootcamp
Apply to Attend Online Summer Dissertation bootcamp
Can I apply for both summer dissertation bootcamps?
Yes! Students are welcome to apply for both the in-person and online Summer Dissertation Bootcamp. Please note that you should develop a separate writing plan for each event. The deadline to apply for either bootcamp is May 22, 2022!
CWR Collaborative Events
Black Solace Virtual Writing Retreats are a black-centered space for students that will occur throughout the Spring semester and have work blocks, a community lunch, and a group meditation. There will be breakout rooms available for a quiet study space and a music room. A CWR writing consultant will also be on-hand to co-facilitate and provide short consultation sessions in a separate breakout room. Come for as many or as few blocks as you like and make progress on your projects in an affirming and productive space.
*The Black Solace Virtual Writing Retreat will be held from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Workshops & Webinars
This webinar will provide an overview of writing papers using the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS, sometimes also referred to as Turabian style), which is commonly used in Arts & Humanities fields such as History, Religion, Philosophy, and Art. We will look at examples and provide tips for using Chicago to correctly format your paper, including overall structure, footnotes, and bibliographies. The webinar will also provide additional resources to help you find the information you need for future formatting and citation questions regarding Chicago. We will be using the most recent manual update, Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition (September 2017).
- Register Now for March 9, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
This webinar will provide an overview of writing papers using the APA (American Psychological Association) citation style, which is commonly used across disciplines such as Psychology, Economics, Business, and Education. We will look at examples and provide tips for using APA to correctly format your paper, including overall structure, in-text citations, and bibliographies. The webinar will also provide additional resources to help you find the information you need for future formatting or citation questions regarding APA. We will be using the most recent manual update, APA 7 (October 2019).
- Register Now for April 13, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm