Graduate Writing Skills
Strategies for Success in
Graduate School and Beyond
Session Content
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Undergraduate vs. graduate level writing
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New expectations: student and faculty
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Approaching academic writing
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Resources
Undergraduate vs. Graduate
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Most notable change when writing at the
graduate level versus the undergraduate:
purpose of writing
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Undergraduate writing: Knowledge Telling
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Graduate writing: Knowledge Making
Prior to graduate school…

Papers were
exercises in
providing
enough
information to
meet a page
limit and a
deadline
Complete Calvin & Hobbes
© 2006 Bill Watterson
Knowledge Telling

Papers typically
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demonstrate the accumulation of acquired knowledge
are directed at the teacher as the primary audience
incorporate direct quotation and paraphrase rather
than summary and synthesis
include simple argumentation and some analysis
reduce issues/topics to simplest denominators
tend towards comprehensive, yet broad, reports
Goal in Graduate Level Writing

Papers are no longer
exercises in getting a
grade from your
teacher; they are
contributions to a
body of knowledge
and part of an
ongoing conversation
http://www.cellbiochem.ca/publications.html
Knowledge Making

Papers typically
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enter an existing conversation
are aimed at peers in the field
are submitted for publication or presentation
utilize summary and synthesis
use sound argumentation and thorough analysis
follow disciplinary conventions precisely
introduce new knowledge and offer meta-commentary
that positions the writer as a scholar/professional peer
New Expectations

Students responsible for
Navigating procedures
 Initiating research
 Understanding degree/discipline expectations
 Conferencing with faculty/advisors
 Managing tasks and project timelines
 Establishing writing/research schedule

New Expectations

Faculty responsible for
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Assigning course work
 may
or may not provide detailed, step-by-step
instructions for a paper or presentation

Reviewing your work
 may
or may not offer extensive feedback
 may or may not make corrections
 may only review at pre-determined stages
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Supporting publication/presentation efforts
 may
or may not offer info on opportunities
Approaching Academic Writing
Entering the Conversation*
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Audience: peers engaged in a discussion
Purpose: add to existing knowledge
Organization: disciplinary conventions
“Flow”, Style, and Presentation
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accomplished by utilizing rhetorical patterns common
to academic discourse
-ORThey Say, I Say, Tying it Together
* Material on the following slides adapted from They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing
“They Say”
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Start with what others are saying
“Her point is” – skillful summarization
 “As Jones herself states” – relevant quotation
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One hallmark of writing well is the ability to
enter an important discussion in academic or
public spheres and clearly summarize others
in order to position one’s own argument
“I Say”
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Three responses: Yes. No. Okay, but…
“And yet” – distinguish their words from yours
 “Skeptics may object” – include a naysayer
 “So what?” – explaining why it matters

Your audience needs to know what is at stake
in order to stay interested in the content of the
paper, yet this crucial question often remains
unanswered, alienating many readers
Tying It All Together
“As a result” – connecting all the parts
 “Ain’t so / Is not” – finding balance
between a formal voice and your own
 “In Other Words” – Metacommentary
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Use metacommentary to tell your reader
how to interpret your claims, as well as
clarify and elaborate your text.
Feeling Overwhelmed?
Breaking It Down
Writing is recursive and filled with stops
and starts
 Multiple drafts are to be expected
 Identify sections of your project so that you
can establish a working timeline
 Work on smaller portions of your project
 Draft every day/week according to finished
length and deadline
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Go Back to the Basics
Resources
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College of Graduate Studies
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The Writing Center
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http://www.utoledo.edu/graduate/
http://www.utoledo.edu/centers/writingcenter/
University Libraries
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http://www.utoledo.edu/library/
Resources continued…

They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter
in Academic Writing by Gerald Graff and
Cathy Birkenstein

Academic Writing for Graduate Students,
Essential Tasks and Skills, Second Edition
by John M. Swales and Christine B. Feak
Resources continued…
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The most recent edition of the style guide
mandated by your discipline, i.e. APA,
MLA, Chicago, CSE, etc.
Thank You and Remember…
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Be Proactive
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Communicate early and often
 With
faculty / reader / advisor
 With librarian / tutor / co-hort
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Get organized and stay organized
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Seek out and utilize relevant resources
Take time to laugh a little