As a graduate student, you are likely facing new academic challenges. The ideas about which you are reading, thinking, and writing are becoming increasingly complex, yet you need to find clear, concise, and engaging ways to express them. You are shifting from a focus on consuming information to a focus on producing and disseminating new knowledge and insights. You are expected to be fluent in the conventions of your discipline and to produce work that is free of grammatical and spelling errors.
Academic Skills works closely with graduate students to help them develop as scholars and writers as well as teaching assistants. We hope that you will take advantage of the many services that we can offer you.
Learn more:
- NEW Resource: Graduate Student Writers Sharepoint Site
- Services for Graduate Students
- Three Minute Thesis
- Services for Teaching Assistants
Welcome to the New SharePoint site for Graduate Students!
Starting the week of September 16, 2024, all Trent graduate students will have access to the Graduate Student Writers’ Group Sharepoint Site. This site contains information about Academic Skills support for graduate students, including programs and events geared to graduate students. Also, the SharePoint site contains a repository of presentation slides from these events. You will receive an email inviting you to join this site; be sure to follow this site to access these valuable supports.
Navigate to Graduate Student Writers Group Sharepoint Site (note you must be signed in to myTrent with your Trent graduate student account to access this site)
Services for Graduate Students
Individual Appointments
Graduate students are welcome to book a free, confidential one-on-one appointment with an Academic Skills instructor.
Synchronous video, in-person, and asynchronous appointments are available to book in the Student Experience Portal.
Writing Conferences
You can book a free and confidential appointment to discuss any aspect of your writing. Academic Skills instructors can help you organize your ideas, outline, or upgrade your grammar skills. They can also look at partial drafts and comment on grammar, organization, and clarity.
Time Management for Graduate Students
Graduate work often involves long-term research and writing projects that have few check points along the way. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of what you need to accomplish and, as a result, to procrastinate your work. You can book an appointment with an Academic Skills Instructor to discuss time management problems and to create a project plan that will work for you.
Grant Applications and Personal Statements
Academic Skills provides several resources to help you as you write graduate school or grant applications. Academic Skills is not an editing or proofreading service, but our instructors can comment on the strength and clarity of your writing and organization.
Workshops
Fall 2025 Graduate Workshops
Graduate Academic Integrity and Using Sources in your Writing
Date: Tuesday, September 23, Time: 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Place: Zoom
Register for the Zoom link to Graduate Academic Integrity and Using Sources in your Writing
Did you know that plagiarizing, cheating, and dishonesty are violations of Trent’s Graduate Academic Integrity policy? Do you know how to prevent plagiarism, especially with the introduction of AI generators, such as ChatGPT? This workshop will help graduate students protect their academic integrity by introducing them to Trent’s Graduate Academic Integrity Policy. We will delve into prevention strategies by using paraphrasing, attributing techniques, and citing of sources.
Time Management for Grad Students
Date: Tuesday, October 14, Time: 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Place: Zoom
Register for the Zoom link to Time Management for Grad Students
Need help balancing competing time pressures and commitments from a variety of sources, such as research, course work, teaching commitments, and personal life? This workshop will help with project management skills and prioritizing through the establishment of long- and short-term goals. The process of conquering the workload will become more manageable.
Managing the Graduate Reading Load
Date: Tuesday, November 4 Time: 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Place: Zoom
Register for the Zoom link to Managing the Graduate Reading Load
The graduate reading load can be overwhelming. This workshop will help graduate students understand the goals of graduate reading, the key challenges of reading large volumes of text, the process of reading, and methods to deal with the graduate reading load effectively and efficiently. We will discuss note-taking strategies and some of the common pitfalls of graduate reading.
Writing Complex Texts for Graduate Students
Date: Tuesday, November 18 Time: 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Place: Zoom
Register for the Zoom link to Writing Complex Texts for Graduate Students
This workshop will explore some of the common concerns seen in graduate writing assignments from course-based writing to research proposals and thesis writing. We will explore the writing process as an aid in clarifying the thought process. We will discuss style and flow in writing, the needs of the reader, and the basis of strong writing - the paragraph.
Winter 2026 Workshops - TBA
Writing about Quantitative Data for Grad Students
Are you planning to include quantitative data in your research project? Then this workshop was created for you! We will discuss how to organize your analysis for quantitative data, how to write about statistics, the best methods to visually present your data, and how to refer to figures in your writing. We will conclude with a discussion of how to explain your findings in the results and discussion section of your thesis.
Writing about Qualitative Data for Grad Students
Are you planning to include qualitative data in your research project? Then this workshop was created for you! We will discuss how to organize your analysis of qualitative data, the process of analysis, a discussion of NVivo analytic software, how to create and write about themes, the best methods to visually present your data, and how to refer to figures in your writing. We will conclude with a discussion of how to explain your findings in your thesis.
Survival Strategies for your Thesis Defence
This workshop will help graduate students understand the thesis defense process by demystifying the presentation, question period, and evaluation processes. We will discuss your thesis talk, including knowing your audience, explaining the rationale for your research, and telling your research story. We will provide strategies to manage the question period and general survival tips.
Navigating the World of Academic Publishing: Practical Insights and Advice for Graduate Students
Join instructors from Academic Skills and the Library for an in-depth session designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the academic publishing landscape. This session will guide you through the entire process, from preparing your manuscript to navigating the post-submission phase. You'll learn about:
- Article publishing myths and what makes an article publishable.
- Writing strategies and how to structure your manuscript effectively while adhering to submission guidelines.
- The publishing cycle and various models, including open access and the peer review process.
- Selecting appropriate journals while avoiding predatory ones.
- Developing a scholarly profile online to enhance your academic presence and discoverability of your research publications.
Graduate Student Writers’ Group – Motivation Mondays
The graduate student writing group helps to develop writers with tips to improve their writing as well as create a community of writers to encourage and celebrate achievements of writing.
Graduate students will be encouraged to set realistic writing goals on a weekly basis to monitor their progress and to maintain momentum with their writing.
We will be meeting every Monday (except October 13 and 20) starting on Monday, September 15 to Monday, December 1 from 10:30 to 11:30 am. Online presentation format via Zoom.
Register to attend Motivation Mondays remote sessions
Fall 2025 Motivation Mondays Schedule
- Week 1: Sept 15
- Pre-writing strategies: Organizing your ideas
- Goal setting
- Week 2: Sept 22
- Using your outline to manage time
- How to build momentum: 5 Steps
- Week 3: Sept 29
- Focusing literature reviews
- The motivation equation
- Week 4: Oct 6
- Integrating evidence
- Imposter syndrome
- Holiday Monday: Oct 13
- No Motivation Monday
- Reading Week: Oct 20
- No Motivation Monday
- Week 5: Oct 27
- Typical moves in a research paper
- Overcoming academic perfectionism
- Week 6: Nov 3
- Paragraph structure
- Stress and burnout in Graduate students
- Week 7: Nov 10
- Creating cohesion
- 5 ways to stop negative self-talk
- Week 8: Nov 17
- Reducing wordiness
- Blocking your time to write
- Week 9: Nov 24
- Using passive and active voice
- Impulsivity and distraction
- Week 10: Dec 1
- Revision strategies: Early and late-stage revision
- Celebrate your progress
Graduate Writing and Research Week (Oct 2025)
Graduate Writing and Research Week will take place October 20 to 23, 2025 from 1:00 to 4:00 each afternoon. Academic Skills and Trent Library will present virtual workshops for graduate students. You pick the workshops that you wish to attend. Each session is 50 minutes long and is online.
Register to attend any of these remote workshops
Schedule of Topics
Monday, October 20
- Literature Reviews - 1:00 pm
- Understand how literature reviews present a foundation of knowledge on the topic, identify important studies, and establish rationale for a study. Discover ways to use sources in your writing by effectively integrating and synthesizing multiple sources into your writing.
- Creating Coherence and Cohesion - 2:00 pm
- Coherence and cohesion are key components of effective writing. In this session, we will explore strategies to organize and maintain a logical flow of ideas across sections, paragraphs, and sentences.
- Citation Management Software - 3:00 pm
- Citation management software enables you to cite, organize, and create a reference list. Learn the highlights of Zotero, so that you can get the most out of this free, versatile tool. Facilitated by a Trent librarian.
Tuesday, October 21
- Research Proposals - 1:00pm
- Research proposals clarify researchers’ thoughts to form statements of research intent. We will discuss a structured approach to collect, analyze, and interpret information to create new knowledge.
- MaDGIC – Data Management and Analysis Tools - 2:00 pm
- Introduction to MaDGIC resources from Trent library including research computing capability, data analysis tools, and analytical software. Facilitated by a Trent librarian.
- Project Management - 3:00 pm
- Improve your project management skills, especially for larger research projects. We will consider competing priorities, building momentum, and maintaining motivation to reach your completion goals.
Wednesday, October 22
- Navigating Graduate School - 1:00 pm
- We will look at some strategies to improve your resilience, build momentum to complete your projects, and provide tips to improve interactions with your supervisor.
- Oral Presentations - 2:00 pm
- Improve your presentation skills by learning practices for public speaking and creating visual aids. We will cover strategies for improving your speaking skills, creating balance and consistency in visual aids, and discussing disciplinary differences.
- Introduction to Publishing Journal Articles - 3:00 pm
- We will consider some myths about publishing and ways to strengthen argument and structure in your paper. We will consider initial steps to selecting a journal for your publication.
- We will consider some myths about publishing and ways to strengthen argument and structure in your paper. We will consider initial steps to selecting a journal for your publication.
Graduate Writing Webinars - Winter Reading Week 2025
On Thursday, February 20, 2025 (during winter reading week) Academic Skills and Trent Library will present virtual webinars for graduate students. You register for the Zoom link and then pick the webinars that you wish to attend, like an all-you-can-eat buffet. Choose to attend one or several.
Each session is 50 minutes via Zoom. All sessions take place on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
- 1:00 pm: Writing Effective Literature Reviews
- Understand how literature reviews present a foundation of knowledge on the topic, identify important studies, and establish rationale for a study.
- 2:00 pm: Using Citation Management Software
- Citation Management Software enables you to cite, organize, and share your citations with others. Learn about the highlights Zotero, so that you can get the most out of this free, versatile tool.
- 3:00 pm: Writing Effective Proposals
- Writing a research proposal clarifies the researcher’s thoughts into a coherent statement of research intent. We will discuss a structured approach to collect, analyze, and interpret information to create new knowledge.
Write on Track - Remote Weekly Writing Group
Write on Track keeps you accountable for the work you do by giving you a peer writing group and scheduled sessions to devote to progressing on your major research project. This program is exclusively for graduate students and upper-year undergraduate students (enrolled in 3000 and 4000-level courses).
Join an Academic Skills Instructor each week for a two-hour session where they will provide you with resources and a structured setting to meet your writing goals. We use the Pomodoro Technique, an effective productivity method that incorporates periods of time to focus and short breaks, to make progress on your work.
This workshop series runs for six weeks starting February 13th and requires consistent attendance to be successful. By the end of the six-week period, students will have more familiarity with effective writing techniques to help them meet their goals.
Sessions are offered virtually this winter term over Zoom on Thursdays between 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm.
Graduate Writing Retreat - May 2025
- Event Details
- May 7, 8, 9 2025
- 9 am to 4 pm
- In-person at Traill College or Online via Zoom
- Register to attend (in-person or remotely) the Graduate Writing Retreat
Are you planning to work on your course work, MRP, thesis, or other writing over the summer of 2025? Join your fellow graduate students and learn how to increase productivity as you progress with your writing.
The Writing Retreat will take place from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on Wednesday, May 7, Thursday, May 8, and Friday, May 9. For the in-person cohort, we aim to build writing as a social activity as we take over Scott House and Bagnani Hall, Traill College. For the online option, we will provide Zoom spaces to write virtually and to follow the group programming that is offered in person.
We will be modelling daily writing processes to promote effective and efficient writing strategies. Each day will begin with a brief workshop on a motivation or writing-related issue. Academic Skills instructors will be available to meet students individually to discuss writing projects and to create writing goals. During breaks, we will offer activities to promote physical and mental wellness. We will wrap up each day by reviewing daily goals and preparing for the next day's writing.
Trent librarians will present a Zotero reference management software workshop and a workshop on digital software and databases that are available through MaDGIC. These are great opportunities to improve your digital organizational skills under the guidance of experts.
For in-person attendees, nutritional snacks will be available throughout each day to offer fuel for writing. On the last day there will be a free pizza lunch.
Sample schedule
- 9:00 - 9:45 am: Workshop: Overcoming Barriers to Write and Goal Setting
- 10:00 - 12:00 noon: Writing on your own (in person or online)
- Virtual pomodoro writing – 25-minute writing sessions with 5-minute breaks
- Academic Skills instructors available to have one-on-one appointments to discuss goal setting and writing
- 12:00 - 12:30 pm: Lunch – on your own
- 12:30 - 1:00 pm: Virtual Walk: Photography competition
- 1:15 - 3:00 pm: Writing on your own
- Virtual pomodoro writing – 25-minute writing sessions with 5-minute breaks
- Academic Skills instructors available to have one-on-one appointments to discuss goal setting and writing
- 3:00 – 3:30 pm: Workshop: Citation Management Software with a Trent Librarian
- 3:30 - 4:00 pm: Workshop: Review of daily goals and prepare for next writing session
This free event for Trent Graduate students is sponsored by Academic Skills and Traill College.
Services for Teaching Assistants
Referring Students
As a teaching assistant, you can refer students to Academic Skills for help with their math, reading, listening, writing, and grammar skills. Referrals can be made either by emailing acdskills@trentu.ca (please cc the student on the email) or by providing students with information about our services. Students can book appointments directly at www.trentu.ca/sep