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K-State Today

December 1, 2015

Writing Center, Graduate School announce inaugural Thesis and Dissertation Writing Retreat for Jan. 12, 13 and 15

Submitted by Cydney Alexis

The Writing Center is hosting its inaugural Thesis and Dissertation Writing Retreat in January 2016, with sponsorship from the English department, the Graduate School, the K-State Libraries, and the offices of the provost and the president. The application deadline is noon Wednesday, Dec. 16.

The retreat's purpose is twofold. First, the retreat will give graduate students who are at or near the proposal-writing stage time and space to write in a supportive atmosphere, among other writers. A second goal is to promote effective writing practices and to boost the proposal-writing process.

Participants should expect to write for five hours each day of the retreat and to reflect on their goals and progress with their peers. They also will meet in brief conferences with Writing Center staff, who will offer feedback and support. Lastly, participants will be able to attend optional daily workshops on topics related to proposal writing, such as using the Electronic Theses, Dissertations, and Reports, or ETDR, template, working with citation managers, and practicing strong writing hygiene. With generous support from our sponsors, the retreat will provide coffee and lunch so that participants can concentrate on writing.

Eligibility requirements must be met in order to participate:

• Participants must commit to being present for the entirety of the retreat.
• The graduate student's advisor must consent to the student's participation in the retreat, completing an Advisor Consent Form.
• Participants must be done with the research and source collection process and ready to write by the time of the retreat. Internet use is prohibited during the retreat — though participants can use the off day of Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016, to collect additional source materials.
• Participants must be in good standing with their programs.
• Participants must pay a nominal $25 retreat fee, which must be received by the Graduate School by noon Monday, Jan. 4, 2016.

Selection process:

A committee headed by the Graduate School will select 15-20 individuals to participate in the retreat. The committee aims to represent all of K-State's schools and colleges and a broad set of disciplines. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance no later than Wednesday, Dec. 23, and their $25 payment will be due by noon Jan. 4, 2016. Applicants who fail to submit payment by this date will be notified of their withdrawal from the retreat, and the committee will then offer that spot to an individual on the waiting list.

Click here to view the retreat schedule and access the application and attendant materials. Applications are due by noon Wednesday, Dec. 16.

If you have questions about the retreat, please contact Cydney Alexis at calexis@k-state.edu. If you have questions about the application process, please contact Megan Miller at mmmiller@k-state.edu.