Stay up to date with the Graduate Writing and Presenting Lab’s programs and other graduate student events.
Do you have a question or suggestion about a GWPL event or service? Contact us!
Fall 2026 Events
Workshops and Programs
NSF-GRFP Info Session
Monday, September 14, 2026 / 4:00PM-5:00PM
Hosted by Molly Robinson
Zoom / [Register Here]
Are you a graduate student in your first in a STEM-based discipline? Are you interested in three years of funding while in grad school? Are you a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident? Then please join us for an informational session about the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP)! In this information session we will discuss the program, eligibility, and how to prepare a strong application. The informational session will be followed by a four-week writing group where you can work on the application and receive feedback from peers and the Graduate Writing and Presenting Lab. Stay tuned for more information about that forthcoming writing group!
Grad School Crash Course
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 / 11:00AM-12:00PM
Hosted by Jordan Scott and the URI Graduate School’s Enrollment Services Team
Zoom / [Register Here]
Have you ever asked yourself any of the following questions: “Who is my advisor?” “How do I form a committee?” “What even is a committee?” “What are comprehensive exams and do I even have to take them?” “What’s the difference between a thesis and a dissertation?” “What does ‘ABD’ mean?” Whether you are in a master’s or doctorate, there’s a lot of lingo to learn and academic culture to adapt to. Make sure you’re ready!
Reading with Focus and Purpose
Tuesday, September 22, 2026 / 1:00PM-2:00PM
Hosted by Tia Hines
Zoom / [Register Here]
Studying by simply reading and re-reading is one of the least effective forms of studying. The problem is that readers often read passively and without absorbing information. After reading the previous sentences, for example, did you move to this one and continue reading without processing what you had just read? Most readers do. We often don’t pause to think about what we have read. This workshop will offer graduate-level study strategies in addition to methods to maximize learning while reading purposefully.
Fall 2026 Writing Groups
Thesis/Dissertation Proposal Writing Group
Four sessions
Weekly
This writing group will take place entirely online.
[Dates and sign-up form forthcoming]
Participants in this writing group will make progress on their dissertation/thesis proposal while strengthening writing skills through an iterative peer and self-revision process. We will spend our four sessions breaking down sections from the official Graduate School guidelines into digestible group discussions. These four topic-of-the-day meetings will include 1) Title of the Study + Statement of the Problem, 2)
Justification for and Significance of the Study, 3) Methodology or Procedures, and 4)
Resources Required + Literature Cited in the Proposal. This group will meet for one-hour synchronous group sessions via Zoom.
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF-GRFP) Writing Group
Four sessions
Weekly
This writing group will take place entirely online.
[Dates and sign-up form forthcoming]
Are you interested in applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF-GRFP)? Since 1952, the program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing full-time research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Consider joining our writing and accountability group this fall, where we will work on generating and editing important application components such as your Graduate Research Plan and Personal, Relevant Background, and Future Goals Statement. Please note: this writing group is intended for those who will be first-year graduate students (master’s or PhD level) at the start of the Fall 2026 semester (graduate students in their second year or beyond are ineligible). If you will be an undergraduate junior or senior in the Fall 2026 semester who is open to working with graduate students and giving/receiving graduate-level feedback, please also consider signing up. Please also note: applicants must, at the time of submission, be a U.S. citizen, national, or a permanent resident (“green-card” holder).
Contact us via email at gradwritingcenter@etal.uri.edu for any questions about our workshops, writing groups, retreats, or any other programs we run.