Dissertation Prospectus Writing Workshop (496-0-1)
Instructors
German Campos-Munoz
Meeting Info
Kresge 3535 Span & Port Sem Rm: Tues 2:00PM - 4:50PM
Overview of class
The general goal of this seminar is to provide doctoral students with resources and support as they begin writing their dissertations. The practical goal of the seminar is the production of a robust, peer-reviewed version of a dissertation prospectus, composed in accordance with the protocols and deadlines stipulated in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese's Graduate Student Handbook.
Our seminar will adopt the form and dynamics of a writing workshop envisioned as a collective and welcoming space. This means that, while technical, methodological, and stylistic aspects of academic writing will be paramount and regularly discussed and practiced in class discussions and activities, questions related to general welfare, mental health, and intellectual joy are to be considered just as important. For example, we will use the class to discuss the current conditions and challenges of academic writing, the professional and institutional positions of students tasked with the production of doctoral dissertations, the typical pressures and pitfalls experienced by course members and peers in the processes of research and writing, and the strategies and techniques that have been used and could be used to navigate the difficulties that may arise during the process.
By the same token, the seminar is directed at reflecting and building on participants' previous experiences with academic and professional writing, and all participants will be invited to bring their own practices to the table for collective consideration. To the extent you are willing to share experiences, your personal approach to and relationship with writing—tactics, tricks, and hacks; memorable anecdotes; fears and happy places; practical concerns and professional dreams; and moments of pride and disillusion—will be welcome in the context of our seminar.
Class Materials (Required)
Michelle R. Boyd, Becoming the Writer You Already Are. Sage, 2023. ISBN: 9781483374147
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Please contact the department of Spanish & Portuguese to request a permission number, spanish-portuguese@northwestern.edu.