This document outlines two programs - the Scholars' Retreat and Dissertation House - that provide structured writing support for graduate students and faculty through collaborative writing groups. The Scholars' Retreat is a week-long intensive program held on-campus or off-campus that includes daily writing time, advising, mini-lectures, and a daily schedule to promote productivity. Dissertation House facilitates the formation of writing groups by connecting students with resources from the graduate school, library, and writing center and provides a regular meeting schedule for writing, group discussions, and feedback. Both programs aim to support participants through collaboration as they progress in their dissertation writing.

1. Toolkit for a Collaborative Dissertation Writing Group

2. April Mann, Writing Center Director
Koren Bedeau, Ph.D., Assistant Dean of the
Graduate School
Anna Stoute, MLIS, Head of Education and Outreach

3. Scholars’ Retreat
University of Colorado at Denver
• On-call advisors…to facilitate
maximum productivity,
including assistance in:
– developing individual writing
plans
– developing frameworks or
research questions for projects
– organizing ideas
– energizing and motivating
• One week on campus apartments
in Lakewood, Colorado
• Sample Daily Schedule
6:15 wake up
6:30 exercise (walking /running)
7:45 breakfast
8:30 writing
12:30 lunch
1:30 writing
2:30 optional walk
5:30 dinner
7:00 writing
9:00 social hour
10:00 to bed
• $1675 for one session; stay for
both sessions for a reduced fee of
$3150
• Eight participants (open to
graduate students and faculty)

4. • Tuesday – Friday (9 a.m. – 5 p.m., non-residential) or Friday – Sunday weekend
(includes evening sessions)
• Mini-lectures on:
– public speaking, your role with your advisor, balance
– Conceptualizing a topic, writing a literature review, transitioning from a
proposal to a dissertation, analyzing data, writing the last chapter, and editing
• Funded as a part of a larger National Science Foundation grant project
Dissertation House
University of Maryland College Park

5. From Idea to Collaboration
Identify
Collaborators
Graduate School
(Access to Graduate Students,
Graduate Directors, and
Dissertation Advisors)
Library
(Locations and Research
Support)
Writing Center
(Writing Support)
Resources/
Funding

6. Meeting Schedule
Monday Writing Meetings
Writing Times: 2:00pm-4:00pm OR 4:30pm-6:30pm
Group Meeting: 4:00pm-4:30pm
Locations: Library Study Rm 226 and Faculty/Dissertation Rm
Feedback Meetings
Tuesday OR Wednesday
Location: Library Study Rm 226
Time: 4:00pm-6:30pm

10. Stage 1: Beginning the Group
Brainstorm 2-3 minutes

12. Stage 2: Forming the Actual Group
Brainstorm 2-3 minutes
Forming the
Actual Group

14. Questions?
Anna Stoute, MLIS, Head of Education and Outreach
Email: astoute@miami.edu
April Mann, Writing Center Director
Email: a.mann@miami.edu
Koren Bedeau, Ph.D., Assistant Dean of the Graduate School
Email: k.bedeau@miami.edu
Thank You