Workshops
Workshops provide specific instruction regarding a variety of writing topics and study skills. These 30-45 minute sessions are available for undergraduate and graduate-level courses and student organizations at KU, conducted by peer educators who seek to work with students at their point of need.
Please read about our workshops and policies below to make sure they fit your needs before making your request. If you know which workshop you want to book, click the button below to make your request.
Workshop Policies
- KU faculty, staff, and student organizations can request workshops. Workshops should be for a group of students. If you are a student and would like to have a one-on-one conversation about one of these topics, schedule an appointment instead.
- Workshops can be scheduled during our regular Wingspan hours throughout the semester. We do our best to accommodate every request’s preferred date/time preferences; however, we will contact you if we’re unable to accommodate the requested time. If you want to request a workshop outside of our regular hours, please contact the Wingspan: Center for Learning and Writing Support at writing@ku.edu.
- Workshops must be requested at least two weeks in advance.
- The requesting instructor must be present during the workshop. In our experience, students get the most out of presentations and workshops when their instructor is there to answer discipline- and assignment-specific questions, and to explain how the workshop is relevant to the class material. It is also important that instructors are there to monitor the class. Please do not request a presentation for a day you will be absent, as we will be unable to give a workshop if you are not there.
- Due to the large number of requests and our small staff, we cannot adapt workshops to each class. These are intended to be a general introduction to a topic instead of a deep dive into specialized knowledge. You are always welcome to add to the presentation with how it relates to your course, or follow it with additional activities during your class time.
- Workshops are often led by student employees. This is a wonderful professional development opportunity and allows us the capacity to meet the large number of workshop requests. Remember this is a learning experience, and please be respectful to the presenters.
- Workshops can take place in campus locations, such as a classroom or union, or through Zoom. We do not schedule workshops in a sorority/fraternity house or off-campus. We can book a room in the library if needed.
- Most of our staff works on the Lawrence campus. While we can occasionally schedule in-person workshops at Edwards Campus, usually these workshops will be done over Zoom.
Online Workshops
We can provide our workshops virtually as well. For synchronous classes or organization meetings, as well as classes at Edwards Campus, we can conduct the workshop over Zoom. Select the option for Zoom when completing the workshop request form.
We can also offer videos of select workshops for asynchronous online courses. We have started a YouTube channel now! You can find a few shortened versions of our workshops there, and we will continue to add videos throughout the spring. Feel free to link to these videos within your Canvas courses. If there is one you would like to share with your class that is not available, you can email us at writing@ku.edu and we will try to accommodate your request.
Available Workshops
All of our available workshops are listed below, along with a short description. Please read through the descriptions below to select the most appropriate workshop(s) for your course.
Introduction to Our Services
This short 5-10 minute presentation provides an overview of the Wingspan: Center for Learning and Writing Support services, including tutoring, writing support, Supplemental Instruction, and peer academic coaching. We can also conduct a version for graduate courses specific to the graduate programming we provide. This is a great way to introduce students to our services near the beginning of a semester.
Study Skills
This workshop focuses on a mindful approach to managing the multiple competing priorities students balance while in college. Topics include how to effectively use planners and academic calendars, behavioral and lifestyle modification that supports goal achievement, and prioritizing and planning for intentional self-care.
Approximately 30 minutes.
This workshop introduces students to empirically supported approaches to studying. From a cognitive psychology framework, students will learn what “learning” is and how to best facilitate it. Topics include dispelling common learning myths, introducing concrete study skills, explaining how our memory can best support the consumption, retention, and retrieval of information.
Approximately 30 minutes.
This workshop focuses on how to effectively engage in reading and note-taking before, during, and after class. Students will learn how to effectively prepare for class lecture through intentional reading, note-taking, and reflection of required readings, how to take meaningful notes during class lecture, and how to organize and process notes after class.
Approximately 30 minutes.
This workshop introduces students to the procedure of effective preparation for exams. Including how to identify the scope of information to study, making a study plan, confirming exam logistics, and maintaining personal well-being throughout the process.
Approximately 30-45 minutes.
Writing Basics
This workshop is designed for new undergraduate college students and considers the differences between high school and collegiate level writing. Topics include the importance of writing and conventions for college writing.
Useful for: entry level Freshman, including UNIV 101, ENGL 101/102, and First-Year Experience Courses, and anyone new to the expectations of collegiate writing.
Approximately 45 minutes
This workshop is designed for new graduate students. Topics include the conventions for writing at the graduate level, common types of writing, and tips for creating good reading and writing habits.
Useful for: students early in the graduate careers, or anyone new to American graduate-level writing.
Approximately 45 minutes
This workshop provides a general overview of the importance of avoiding plagiarism and different reasons that it might occur. Students learn strategies for avoiding plagiarism and the differences between paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting sources. While we are working to currently update it, this workshop does not cover AI yet.
Useful for: undergraduate courses; writers new to American collegiate level writing.
Approximately 30-45 minutes.
The Writing Process
This workshop discusses the stages of the writing process, including brainstorming, drafting, revision, and editing. Students will learn about time management, assess their writing process, and learn new strategies for the writing process.
Useful for: undergraduate courses, entry level courses or courses assigning significant writing projects.
Approximately 30-45 minutes.
This workshop is developed to introduce students to the process of writing a research paper from brainstorming to editing. The workshop discusses the research paper’s conventions and provides strategies for working with information from sources in writing. The workshop does not go into detail about finding sources, but the KU Libraries do provide workshops on that topic.
Useful for: anyone new to conducting research and writing about it.
Approximately 45 minutes.
The workshop is a general overview developed to help students learn how to present an argument in their papers. Students will also learn about thesis statements, what types of thesis statements exist, and how to create their own based on the assignment specifics.
Useful for: anyone new to argumentative writing.
Approximately 45 minutes.
This workshop prepares writers to respond to peers’ writing through tips for effective feedback practices. These tips can be followed by a peer response session facilitated by a workshop facilitator if desired.
Useful for: classes conducting peer reviews for the first time or instructors who would like a consultant facilitated peer review session.
Approximately 30 with presentation or 60 minutes with peer review.
This workshop builds upon the basics of general paragraph structure by framing each paragraph as an individual claim that works to support the overall thesis of a paper. We discuss strategies for defining the unique purpose of each paragraph and incorporating evidence effectively for argument development.
Useful for: students working to further develop their paragraphs.
Approximately 30-45 minutes.
Writers explore the differences between revision and editing and the importance of both in the writing process. They then learn specific self-revision techniques. It can be helpful for students to have a copy of a current draft to work with during the workshop.
Useful for: undergraduate or graduate classes; students with completed first drafts.
Approximately 30-45 minutes.
Specific Writing Genres
This presentation discusses how students can learn to write through examining the expectations of the types of writing that surround them, and it gives them a system to think about new writing tasks.
Useful for: courses where students are encountering new genres and writing in them.
Approximately 30-45 minutes.
This workshop explores how to highlight a work's significance and attract readers through the CPR method of abstract writing. It teaches writers how to outline the context (C) of their research, explain the problem (P) the research addresses, and to articulate how the research is a response (R) to this problem.
Useful for: students working on larger research projects, graduate students, and those preparing for conferences.
Approximately 30-45 minutes.
Annotated Bibliographies explore the genre and conventions of annotated bibliography to create a useful research resource for themselves and others.
Useful for: undergraduate and graduate students working on research projects requiring an annotated bibliography.
Approximately 30-45 minutes.
This workshop provides an understanding of the intent and format of personal statements. The session includes general advice on writing personal statements, as well as tips on prioritizing application materials. This workshop is about personal statements overall and not specific to one field. Instructors/organizers are encouraged to add field-specific tips to the presentation.
Useful for: students applying for scholarships, academic programs, graduate school, and internships.
Approximately 30-45 minutes.
The workshop is designed to provide knowledge of the parts of a literature review. Students will understand what they should consider before writing and what strategies they can use. They will learn to incorporate reliable sources into a focused review of the literature.
Useful for: students working on research projects requiring a literature review.
Approximately 30-45 minutes.
This workshop reviews how to develop, organize, and design a poster for a research presentation.
Useful for: graduate students and advanced undergraduate students preparing to present their research.
Approximately 30-45 minutes.
This workshop introduces the elements of a strong presentation, including organizing the content, designing a PowerPoint, adding visuals, and engaging with the audience.
Useful for: students at any level preparing a presentation, such as for class or a conference.
Approximately 45 minutes.
This workshop is designed for students who are expected to write public-facing documents. We cover business and policy memos, and we compare and contrast those communications with White Papers and public-facing research.
Useful for: Public Administration students (undergraduate or graduate), or students in programs with public-facing research.
Approximately 45 minutes