Call for Applications: Spring 2012 Dissertation & Thesis Studios

 

 Call for Applications: Spring 2012 Dissertation & Thesis Studios
 
As classes resume, applications will be reviewed for 4 open seats at the Graduate School’s Dissertation & Thesis Studio.
 
 What is the Studio?

The Studio is a UMaine Graduate School-supported program that engages small, interdisciplinary groups of graduate students in structured peer-review and feedback on drafts of their Thesis or Dissertation projects.  It is designed for dissertators
and thesis-writers seeking practical guidance and supportive fellow-writers.
 
How does it work?
 
The core of the Studio is a series of structured collaborative workshops facilitated by a member of the graduate faculty whose expertise is the teaching and study of academic research writing.  Its objectives are to:
 
  • Help graduate students complete major research-writing projects;
  • Develop enhanced writing and revising skills for the future;
  • Build a more supportive graduate-student writing community; and to
  • Enhance projects with interdisciplinary perspectives.
What do Studio Alumni say?
 
Many of the projects first drafted and workshopped in the Studio have now been successfully defended.  Here’s what some of the writers have said:
 
  • "It's collegial, but we expect a lot from one another. Having a moderator/ composition expert to guide things is very beneficial. Alongside having structure for my writing process this year… a number of these discussions have helped me think about my writing in new ways; as a result, I feel I have become a clearer, more direct, and perhaps more elegant writer. I have to emphasize: the Studio experience is one of the best programs I have participated in here at UMaine. ...something you'd expect of a top-tier grad school."
  • “As a reluctant writer, I got most of my thesis done with the help of the Studio."
  • "A thoroughly enjoyable and productive process in writing my dissertation...The fact that the readers were not familiar with my research helped me find areas where I was not explaining some technical details clearly or in sufficient detail"
  • “With motivating deadlines and significant pressure to write well for my peer audience, I believe the Studio enabled me to make significant progress on my thesis that I otherwise wouldn't have made.”
  • "I cannot imagine having to write a dissertation without participating in this program."
  • "The feedback from the peers and advisor of the group were very helpful and motivating. I had been writing 'pieces' of my thesis for a year, but not until I had a community of peers getting together just to assist each other's progress, and counting on my assistance did I really begin to see myself making progress."
  • "It was my constant reminder to work on my thesis amongst all other things going on. Hearing peer and professor feedback from an outside perspective gave my thesis a little something extra not many others in my field will have in their writing."
  • "I felt overwhelmed and with a lack of resources regarding how to begin/successfully accomplish the monumental task of thesis writing. For me, the Thesis Studio provided a structural framework within which I could not only meet monthly deadlines, but also receive constructive criticism to improve the quality of my writing."
 
 How do I apply?

There is no cost for those admitted.  In considering applications, the Graduate School will seek to create the most productive mix of disciplines, needs, and availability.
 
Please complete and save the attached application and send it as an attachment to dylan_dryer@umit.maine.edu.  The deadline is 4:30 pm Wednesday, January 20, 2012.  Decisions will be announced within 48 hours.