Extended uses for Zotero

Academic Writing, Citation management tools, Citations, Dissertation writing, Organization/ Order, Productivity, Reading, Reference management, Research, Research librarians, Writing resources, Zotero

By Michael Lines, Matt Huculak and Shevaun Ruby

For an introduction to Zotero, please see our last post.

Notes

Zotero, as a scholarly organization tool and citation manager, allows you to attach notes to items in your library, as you likely would if you were reading a physical journal or book. You can create a child-note, which is attached to a specific item in your library. This type of note would be equivalent to writing in the margins of a journal article or attaching a post-it to a relevant page in a book you are using for research.

You can also create a standalone note, which can be used more generally to illustrate a common theme or concept for your collection or project. A child-note can be moved to become a standalone note, so if an item in Zotero is no longer relevant to your research but contains notes, the notes can be moved and saved before you delete the item from your library.

Once you have created a note, or many notes, you can of course edit and move them. Zotero notes can also be fully formatted to fit your needs. As in a word processor, you can add bullets, create numbered lists, bold, italicize and underline key words or ideas, and more. The flexibility of the note tool in Zotero allows you to further organize and add to your research, all in the convenience of one location.

Group Libraries

As a scholar, you may find yourself collaborating with your colleagues and peers on certain research projects. Zotero makes collaboration simple through the creation and use of group libraries. Whoever has been invited to contribute to group libraries will be able to perform regular Zotero tasks, like adding and editing items or creating notes.

To create a group library, you must first sign up for a free Zotero account through Zotero.org. Once you have set up an online account, you can create group libraries and send invitations to your fellow researchers.

Syncing your library after adding and editing items will update the content for the whole group. Syncing your library to the Zotero server (also known as “Data Syncing”) also lets you access your Zotero library on multiple devices, although this does not include PDF attachments. Syncing your library between devices is great if you use different computers between campus, work, and home.

Working with others can sometimes result in duplicate items being saved to the Zotero library. Luckily, Zotero has a folder to display duplicate items in your library. This folder enables groups to identify when they are treading the same ground as their colleagues, thus streamlining and organizing research.

Creating annotated bibliographies

Most major citation styles have a format for annotated bibliographies. Zotero automates some of these formats and uses whatever text appears in the “abstract” field for the annotation. However, Zotero is often able to import the standard abstract along with other descriptive information, which users may not want to replace with their own custom annotation. To get around this, a number of annotated styles have been created by K. Stanger of Eastern Michigan University: https://guides.emich.edu/c.php?g=188045&p=1241422. These styles use the “extra” field to accommodate the custom annotation.

Tracking research projects and your knowledge of a field

There are a number of ways to use Zotero to track your growing comprehensive knowledge of a field. Intelligent use of the basic organizational tools (files, tags, and notes) can go a long way, and in addition Zotero offers the “timeline” feature. Select a library and click “create a timeline” under tools. You will see a customizable chronological display of the items in the library. This tool may reveal chronological gaps in your collection which should be investigated.

This collection of Canadian legal history books and articles shows no works prior to 1985, but a substantial literature exists from the 1970s.

Annotating and highlighting PDFs using Zotfile

Zotfile is a Zotero extension that allows users to highlight and annotate the PDFs attached to Zotero items and then make use of that work. Zotfile also allows for easy transfer of annotated PDFs between devices, among other functions. If you like to work directly with e-texts in multiple locations, Zotfile is for you.

Want help with Zotero? Zotero Workshops will be held in Room in Library Room 130  February 20 and 22, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

________________________________________________

Michael Lines is a Learning and Research Librarian (Medieval Studies, Philosophy, Political Science) at the William C. Mearns Centre for Learning – McPherson Library. You can reach Michael at 250-472-4236 | mlines@uvic.ca | www.uvic.ca/library/research/librarians/mlines

Matt Huculak is a Digital Scholarship Librarian at the William C. Mearns Centre for Learning – McPherson Library.  You can reach Matt at 250-472-4970 | huculak@uvic.ca | https://www.uvic.ca/library/research/librarians/huculak

Shevaun Ruby is a Learning and Research Librarian (intern) at the William C. Mearns Centre for Learning – McPherson Library. You can reach Shevaun at 250-853-3610 | sruby@uvic.ca

 

Zoom zoom with Zotero: How to get started with a citation manager

Academic Writing, Citation management tools, Citations, Organization/ Order, Productivity, Reading, Reference management, Research, Research librarians, Time management, Writing resources, Zotero

By Michael Lines, Matt Huculak, and Shevaun Ruby

Using a citation manager is a must for grad students. It facilitates the easy collection and use (and re-use) of citations, and can help in other areas of the writing process, such as note-taking, tracking research areas, making annotated bibliographies, and managing collaborative projects.

Choosing a citation manager can be hard because there are many available. As a grad student you may have different priorities than a professional writer, an undergrad student, or a librarian. Cost and flexibility may be important, especially if you are new to citation management. In addition, academics should take into account the ethics of the decision: what are the privacy implications, and are you supporting a sustainable model of scholarly labour?

Zotero is recommended here on all of the above accounts: it is a free and open-source software developed and maintained by the Roy Rosenzweig Centre for History and New Media at George Mason University, is designed to meet scholarly needs, and is licensed on terms compatible with academic freedom.

Setup

Zotero requires two components in order to function properly and save items to your library:  Zotero 5.0 Standalone and the Zotero Connector.

Zotero Standalone 5.0 is software that is downloaded from Zotero.org and then installed onto your hard-drive. It can function without an internet connection, although those functions will be limited to editing and organizing existing library items, creating notes and tags, and attaching PDFs. The second component, called Zotero Connector, is installed through your preferred internet browser (Firefox, Chrome, or Safari); this is the tool that allows you to save items like journal articles or web pages from the internet to your Zotero library. In order to save items from your internet browser to Zotero, you must have the standalone software open.

Additionally, Zotero will install a plugin to your word processor that allows you to insert and format citations and bibliographies within your paper. In Microsoft Word, this shows up as a tab simply named “Zotero.”

The system/storage requirements for Zotero are low; Zotero standalone application requires less than a megabyte of hard-drive space, and the Connector is a small extension that lives in your browser. This means the program runs quickly and should not burden your CPU, allowing you to have Zotero running while you work on other projects within your word processor or internet browser.

Collecting Bibliographic Information

Once set up, Zotero is easy to use. And Zotero is easiest to use when the researcher has a clear intention to collect and store bibliographic information and PDFs for later reading. This is part of the bigger picture of having an orderly approach to the research and writing process.

First, Zotero must be running. When the desired item is open in the browser the researcher presses the “save to Zotero” button on the toolbar, and the bibliographic information is collected (that is, its bibliographic info copied into Zotero.) Usually a PDF will also be downloaded and added to the item in Zotero, if one is available. Any website, online article, eBook, etc. may be “collected” and this includes database records that only describe a book or article.

As easy as this is, it is not always error-free, so it is good practice to double-check the information collected by Zotero while the book or article is still up on the screen. Quickly correct any errors. Once that is done, the researcher never has to return to editing the details of the citation.

Making citations and bibliographies

Once the items are in the Zotero collection, the researcher can make use of them in the writing process. The Zotero add-in for Word and other word processors should automatically install with Zotero, and will be one of the tabs in the Word processor toolbar.

When a citation is needed, select the tab, click “Add/Edit citation,” and select what citation style you will be using. Then type the first few letters of the title or author in the search box that appears, select the correct source, and press Enter. A citation will appear in the text or footnote.

Later, select “Add/Edit Bibliography” and all the sources that have been cited will be collected in a bibliography. This is where checking the citations as you entered them into Zotero pays off: if you have good data in Zotero, all your citations will be accurate at a single click of the button.

The UVic library has a more detailed guide to setting up and Using Zotero at: http://libguides.uvic.ca/Zotero.

The Library will be hosting some “Introduction to Zotero” workshops in February. The workshops will cover introductory usage of Zotero, from downloading the connector and standalone software, to adding items and making citations.  Please come!

Next time, we’ll be talking about extended uses of Zotero, such as attaching notes, creating group libraries for collaborative work, and building  annotated bibliographies.

Michael Lines is a Learning and Research Librarian (Medieval Studies, Philosophy, Political Science) at the William C. Mearns Centre for Learning – McPherson Library. You can reach Michael at 250-472-4236 | mlines@uvic.ca | www.uvic.ca/library/research/librarians/mlines

Matt Huculak is a Digital Scholarship Librarian at the William C. Mearns Centre for Learning – McPherson Library.  You can reach Matt at 250-472-4970 | huculak@uvic.ca | https://www.uvic.ca/library/research/librarians/huculak

Shevaun Ruby is a Learning and Research Librarian (intern) at the William C. Mearns Centre for Learning – McPherson Library. You can reach Shevaun at 250-853-3610 | sruby@uvic.ca

 

 

 

 

 

Just do it: Enter our contest now!

Blogs and blogging, Centre for Academic Communication, Contest, Creative writing, Environment, Graduate student writers, Inspiration and motivation, Social media, Web-based writing groups, Writing coaches, Writing groups, Writing process, Writing resources

photo of student writing near a windowGraduate  students:  Tell your writing story

For a chance to win a prize, enter our blog post contest about how the University of Victoria’s extraordinary environment matters to your writing.

Describe where you love to write, take a picture of yourself in that location, and share with us how the amazing environment at the University of Victoria and its environs inspire your writing.

Or, describe who helps you write: a writing group, counsellor, tutor, librarian, instructor, supervisor, or friend? Tell us how this relationship matters to you and your writing and include a photo of yourself and whoever makes UVic an extraordinary environment for you and your writing.

Submit your entries (blog post plus photo) to cdrcac@uvic.ca by 11:59 p.m., February 28, 2018 for a chance to win one of three prizes:

  • First prize: $100 gift certificate at UVic Bookstore
  • Second and third prizes: $50 gift certificates at UVic Bookstore

Winning entries will be published on the Graduate Student Writers’ Community blog.

Please read the Contest RULES

 

 

 

 

Being passionate about your project is not enough: Be specific and plan well

Academic Writing, Education, Focus strategies, Graduate student writers, Organization/ Order, Outlines, Planning, Productivity, Professional degree, Research, Structure, Writing process
Satty Virdi

By Satinder Virdi

Whenever I am asked what I’m studying at university, my response is always “I’m doing my Masters in Education.” This isn’t technically true as I’m actually completing a Master of Education known as the M.Ed. degree program. Apart from their titles, significant differences exist between a Master of Arts (M.A.) and an M.Ed. degree.

The M.A. in Education is a research degree primarily for students who have an interest in conducting research in the field of education. It is well suited for those who intend to pursue doctorate level study. In order to earn an M.A., students must complete and defend a thesis.

In comparison, the M.Ed. can be classed as a professional degree, which is ideal for licensed educators looking to expand their career options. This degree often focuses on more practical, field-based research and experiences, which critically evaluate educational practices. The M.Ed. does not require a thesis; however, it does contain research elements on par with the standard required by an M.A. This requirement can take the form of a capstone project, development of a portfolio, and/or comprehensive examinations.

At UVic, the final requirement of the M.Ed. program is a comprehensive examination. The penultimate task is the completion of a research project, which cannot include human subjects. The project is typically 50-70 pages and can take a number of different forms. While some projects are more theoretical, the majority aim to serve a practical purpose. Projects can range from policy development to the implementation of arts-based workshops.

The focus of my project is the mental well-being of schoolchildren. I am carrying out research that will be used by the Ministry of Education to establish guidelines for school leaders on how best to support the mental wellness of children in their schools. Mental well-being has become a recurring theme in my work over the last 10 years. During my time as a classroom teacher, I frequently came across students feeling stressed due to the fear of failure. In addition, a course I completed earlier this year sparked my interest in the mental well-being of schoolchildren further. This was a project that was completed for the Ministry of Children and Family Development. It focused on the provision of sexual health education in the schools of British Columbia. According to my research, one of the key elements associated with young people making sensible and informed sexual decisions was directly related to their mental health. This led me to investigate the Ministry of Education’s research priorities. I was unsurprised to learn that mental well-being in schools is a big agenda item for the Ministry at present. This motivated me to involve myself with the project in an attempt to support current research and investigate developments in this area.

My interest and passion for the subject led me straight to the UVic Library. I spent hours searching through various databases to find everything I could that has recently been written on mental well-being. At this point, I had no research questions or framework to work with, and I knew my approach wasn’t ideal. I downloaded paper after paper and had highlighting everywhere! When I attended my research methods class, my project supervisor taught me the importance of being specific. It was exactly what I needed to bring order to the chaos I had unintentionally created. Now that I knew exactly what I was searching for, it also lent a hand in beginning the writing process. There is no set format for writing your project. However, it is a good idea to use a basic outline regardless of the approach you use. Supervisors seem to like the three-part structure and it is what I am using too.

Following an abstract and table of contents, the first part of the write-up is an introductory chapter that explains the overall purpose and objectives of your project. It provides the general context that helps readers understand the problem being tackled and the significance of your research. Chapter two is where you outline the theoretical foundations and framework of your study. References to literature can help demonstrate your understanding of similar studies and the findings of scholars in your area of interest. The final chapter, which is what I am currently working on, is where you showcase your findings. Depending on the type of project you complete, this can take the form of a report, a workshop, or a piece of artwork. As part of the discussion and conclusions section, you can share ideas for further research or make specific recommendations.

At times writing my project has been challenging. Referring back to my original handwritten draft outline is what has always helped me stay on track. In my experience so far, being truly passionate about the subject alone hasn’t proven to be enough. What we learn and what we may know mean very little unless we can translate them into written words. Feedback from my supervisor states that my writing is persuasive and effective, which reassures me that I’m heading in the right direction. Focusing on one aspect at a time and writing in short bursts is working out well for me. As writers, our approaches and styles may vary, but I honestly believe that good planning can help lead the way for us all.

 

About Satty

Satinder (Satty) Virdi is a UK qualified secondary school teacher with 10 years of classroom experience. Since moving to Victoria in August 2016, Satty has been an M.Ed. Leadership Studies student in the Faculty of Education. She is currently completing her final project, which focuses on the mental well-being of schoolchildren. Along with her studies, she also works at the University of Victoria as a CAC tutor and the Teaching Assistant Consultant for the Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies department. Off-campus, Satty works as the Executive Director of The Society of Friends of St. Ann’s Academy; a non-profit organization, which raises awareness of and tackles issues of gender and social justice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I’m not a very good writer, but I’m an excellent rewriter”: Revising and editing with intention

Academic Writing, Centre for Academic Communication, Editors and editing, Posts by Madeline, Posts by Nancy, Revision, Writing resources

By Madeline Walker and Nancy Ami

The quotation in our title from popular writer James Michener stresses the importance of revising and editing your own writing. Indeed, knowing how to revise and edit is just as important as being able to generate a first draft.  Here we describe two ways you can revise and edit your work with intention.

Using readability statistics to plan revisions, by Madeline

A simple, free tool can help you analyze your own writing with an eye to revision.  Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software available, yet few people know about the Readability Statistics feature. This feature analyzes your writing and provides counts, averages, the percentage of sentences in passive voice, and two readability measures. You can use this information to plan improvements to your writing. For example, the average academic sentence contains 23 words (in Business it’s 15-20), but what if you see from the statistics that your average sentence is 35 words?  Now is the time to read Nancy’s contribution below and edit for concision. What if you see that 50% of your sentences are in the passive voice, but your discipline prefers active voice? You can revise accordingly. The two readability measures show the grade level of writing (Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Test) and the level of difficulty (Flesch Reading Ease Test) with 100% the easiest to read and 0-29 confusing prose.  You can use this measure to revise with an eye to clarity and accessibility.

  • To get started right away in Word for PC, go to file/ options/ proofing. Under “When correcting spelling and grammar in Word,” select the “Check grammar with spelling check box” and select “Show readability statistics.”  After writing your document, go to review/ spelling and grammar, and when the check is complete, a text box will appear on your screen on top of your document.
  • In Word for Mac, go to Word/ preferences/ spelling and grammar and check “Show readability statistics.”  After finishing your document, go to review/ spelling and grammar, and when the check is complete, a text box will appear on your screen on top of your document.

Just for fun, here are the statistics for part one of this blog post. Click here to learn more about Readability Statistics and how to interpret them. Then you can revise and edit with intention.

Concision, by Nancy

After noting my essays overflowed with phrases like “future plans for one’s life ahead” and “the discussion of the characters in the novel that was assigned,” my undergraduate communication professor suggested I read The Elements of Style.  I bought it and read it. I understood why my course instructor made notes like “awk” and “redundant” and “?” in my essay margins. I learned how I could write differently. Concisely.

Over the years, since putting aside The Elements of Style, I’ve noticed that my writing has returned to its former state. Puffy.  Expansive. Obscure. What happened to concision?

Desperate to review tips I learned more than thirty years ago, I thumbed through my yellow-paged $2.95-ticketed third edition and found scribbled asterisks next to principles like 14: “Put statements in positive form” and 17: “Omit needless words”. Would the advice I followed in my undergraduate degree help me thin my padded writing now?

I applied Strunk and White’s principles to my sentence scrawls:

  • Avoid “not”

In spite of the fact that writing is difficult for some, it is not difficult for others.

In spite of the fact that While writing is difficult for some, it is not difficult easy for others.

I replaced “not difficult” with “easy” and saved a word!

  • Trim the fat

Perfectionists are people who struggle with writing.

Perfectionists are people who struggle with writing.

I eliminated “are people who” and saved three words!

My colleague writes in an effective manner.

My colleague writes in an effective manner effectively.

I used an adverb to replace a phrase and saved four words!

Writing is an activity that is difficult for some.

Writing is an activity that is difficult for some.

I excised “an activity that is” and saved four words!

I need to call your attention to the fact that writing is difficult.

I need to call your attention to the fact that Writing is difficult!

I replaced the idea of “need” with a “!” and saved 10 words!

  • Replace clauses with phrases and phrases with words

Writing that is done by scholars can be complex and incomprehensible.

Writing that is done by scholars can be complex and incomprehensible.

Scholarly writing that is done by scholars can be complex and incomprehensible.

Complex scholarly writing  that is done by scholars can be complex and in comprehensible.

I reduced a negative eleven-word sentence to a positive simple statement of six words!

Comprehensible writing results from applying only two of the simplest of Strunk and White’s twenty writing principles. True in 1985. True today. Check it out!

In addition to employing these techniques, remember that you are always welcome to work with a tutor at the Centre for Academic Communication to improve your revision and editing skills.

Nancy Ami (R) is the Manager and Madeline Walker (L) is the Coordinator of the Centre for Academic Communication. That’s Nancy’s dog-eared copy of The Elements of Style, 3rd edition. The fourth edition is available in the Reference section of our library: PE1408 S772 2000

 

3300 Miles, Two Toddlers, and a Dissertation

Academic Writing, Centre for Academic Communication, Deadlines, Dissertation writing, Education, Feedback, Goal setting, Graduate student writers, International graduate students, Motivation, Productivity, Writing groups

By Tanya Manning-Lewis

Tanya Manning-Lewis

Writing is a journey. It is an emotional, physical, and psychological journey graduate students have to be willing to take to get to that state of academic fulfillment. For many of us, it is one of the most difficult journeys to take, and we rarely experience true contentment with the final product, but still we press on. My life, like writing, is a journey, and a constant reference point of why I should write. After travelling thousands of miles with two toddlers to do my PhD, it is a journey I am now fully committed to whether I am ready or not! Writing my dissertation in a timely manner is the journey I must take that justifies uprooting my family to pursue a degree. I am among the myriad students who experience this crippling fear of giving up everything to move to another province or country to pursue higher education. But this blog post does not dwell on the challenges, rather on how to overcome these and move beyond the typical excuses of “why I can’t write” to actually writing. It looks at how we can carve out spaces in our very busy lives to meet the demands of writing as a graduate student and ultimately accomplish our goals.

On my journey as a writer, PhD candidate, tutor, and instructor, I have learned a few lessons, albeit not necessarily from academic scholars, that have supported my writing.

The first lesson I have learned is that we all need a supportive community of writers. We need colleagues who are experiencing similar challenges and successes to support us. I have two supportive communities for my writing. First, I meet monthly with a group of international students to share our graduate experiences including writing. Many of us within the group struggle to balance family and writing demands for projects, conferences, and journals. In these sessions, we share tips, sources, and strategies that are useful in helping us to achieve our writing targets for the month. The Centre for Academic Communication (CAC) is one resource we continually refer to as a strong support for our writing. This group is most useful in encouraging me to stay on track and reminds me I am not alone–which is key to graduate work that can be so isolating.

Another supportive writing community is the “Shut up and Write” sessions co-created by Linda Edworthy and myself. This is a concept originating from the San Francisco Bay area in which graduate students are encouraged to meet for two hours each week to simply write. Five minutes are allotted after each 25-minute writing session to engage your fellow writers in discussion. These intense writing sessions have been incredibly useful in getting me to really zone in on my research topic, build on original ideas, and synthesize content.

The second lesson that I have learned is to be fearless with your writing. Take risks–it will strengthen you as a writer. Surprisingly this revelation came from my older son whom I watch adapt to a new way of life in a different country with such zest and openness. While he struggled a bit with contextual differences and communicating, it never stopped him. He wakes up each day just as enthusiastic as the day before to learn and try new things, and soon I see him blossom into this confident, sociable, and thriving student.  At this point, I think to myself, why not approach my writing with the same level of enthusiasm and fearlessness? So what if I fail at it sometimes? So what if I write an entire draft and someone says, “I don’t get it”? What does this mean for me? It means it is not a critique of me as a person, but my writing. It means I will have to be open to criticism and suggestions if I truly intend to grow as a writer. I will face rejection from journals and other institutions, but it is no excuse not to write. It is by writing that I will hone my skills. The moral of this, we should not burden ourselves with the thought of being perfect writers at all times. If you have a story or point of view to share, go ahead and share it. Your work is important, and your writing is your avenue to do that. Feeding into your fear will not only deprive you of the benefits of sharing your work, but your colleagues who would have profited from your insights. Many of my colleagues in my home country thought I was a bit crazy to move my family over 3000 miles to pursue a PhD. It may have been a crazy thought, but if there is one thing I have learned from this journey, it is you have to be willing to take risks. It was quite risky asking my husband to give up his flourishing career for five years to support my educational pursuits and most certainly risky moving with my two young sons not knowing how they will adjust to life in another country. But what is a journey without some risks? The same principle applies to writing; we have to take risks sometimes, put our writing out there for others to see what we are doing and not let our fears of the unknown cripple us. Often, we are so petrified at the thought of sharing our writing with others, we fail even to begin the process.

Writing this blog is certainly one way I am conquering my fear of sharing my writing. Here I am sharing my failures and triumphs with my own writing. I am hoping this will encourage you to break free from your own writing shackles.

Finally, I would say one of the most important lessons I have learned is to avoid the trap of complacency. While it has been difficult balancing family, school, and work, I have learned and am still learning that it is important to set aside time to write daily and commit to it. I have never missed one of the writing meetings with any of the groups. This commitment allows me to get some writing done, which is critical to my growth as a graduate student. I have also learned to be intentional about my writing and set goals so I am motivated to do so and not become complacent. I realize that the optimum time for me to write is at 10 pm when everyone is in bed. Hence, my goal each night is to commit at least 2 hours of writing to either my research or any publication I may be working on. Having these set targets force me to get the writing done, even when I would rather sleep. My constant reminder is that my journey is not mine alone, but that of my family as well.

Whatever your journey may be, you have to carve your own path to academic writing success. It does take work, but as is proven by many before us, it is achievable. While these are some of the strategies I use, there is a multiplicity of support systems for graduate students’ writing. It is important to find what works for you and commit yourself to doing it.

About Tanya

I am from the beautiful and welcoming island, Jamaica. I attained both my Bachelor in Education (Language & Literature) and Masters in Education (Language & Literacy) at the University of the West Indies, Jamaica. I have been a teacher of English and Literature for 14 years and  Lecturer for over 6 years. I am currently a PhD student in the Faculty of Education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction with special interests in language and literacy. My research focuses on four Jamaican adolescent boys’ (from low income families) almost exclusive use of Jamaican Creole (JC) and the impact on their academic success in a selected school in Jamaica, a country that only recognizes English as its official language in spite of the fact that 92% of the population experience great difficulty speaking it and the same percentage are fluent JC speakers.

Tanya tutors at the Centre for Academic Communication. 

 

Write on! Increase your productivity with a web-based writing group

Academic Writing, AcWriMo, Deadlines, Dissertation writing, Focus strategies, Goal setting, Productivity, Social media, Time management, Web-based writing groups, Writing groups, Writing resources

By Madeline Walker with Kate Turner

Kate Turner is a SSHRC post-doc student at the School of Environmental Studies at UVic.

When Kate Turner’s husband got an academic job in Bogota, she knew she would need some help finishing her dissertation. Writing a dissertation is challenging in familiar surroundings with supportive colleagues, but accomplishing this goal in an unfamiliar city with few local contacts is even more difficult.  Help, however, was closer than she imagined. When Kate heard that her friend, Daniel, a postdoctoral fellow at Yale, had committed to daily writing with another friend, Marieka, she asked to join them. Daniel and Marieka called their initiative “DiMoWriMo,” short for “dissertation to monograph writing month.” Taking their inspiration from novel writing month every November (https://nanowrimo.org/ ), Daniel and Marieka’s goal was to turn their recently completed dissertations into books. Kate’s final goal was slightly different from Daniel’s and Marieka’s, but her objective—to write a lot every day—was the same.

The three writers entered a period of intense productivity.

Here’s how it worked: Daniel, Marieka, and Kate committed to write or revise 1,000 words per day for a month, posting daily word counts on Facebook and Twitter and keeping a record in Google Sheets. On Fridays, they chatted on Skype.  The penalty for not reaching the goal? A $50 donation to an organization you don’t agree with.

Kate was part of the DiMoWriMo group for January and February 2016, and during that time she wrote and revised 55,000 words. Yes, you read the number correctly: 55,000 words!   Kate reflected that “writing a thesis is really hard and can feel isolating and disempowering. You are flooded with this bulk of information. It can be helpful to know how others are going through it and deal with it in a practical way.”  She credits goal setting, daily writing, frequent sharing, and friendly competitiveness for her stellar productivity.

picture of spreadsheet
Kate and her friends used Google Sheets to track their progress.

Kate finished her article-based dissertation at the University of Manitoba, and is now a SSHRC post-doc student at the School of Environmental Studies at UVic. She is working on a study about rural development and food heritage on the Pacific Coast of Colombia under supervisor Ana María Peredo.  Continuing to commit to regular writing with friends, Kate uses this method to keep her accountable for her academic writing goals. Although the rules may have relaxed a little since the initial group was formed (for example, writers may write several days a week rather than every day), the key idea persists—if we harness the power of social accountability, we are likely to be more productive and feel more supported than if we write in isolation.

As November approaches, perhaps you are thinking of ramping up your writing to meet a goal.  Check out Academic Writing Month, a month-long web-based writing event held every November for all academic writers. You can join in a supportive network, declare your goals, share your progress, and post results—all the while learning tips and strategies from other writers.

If you would like to start your own web-based writing group, here are a few tips from Kate to get going:

  • Groups of three to six people work best.
  • Set daily or weekly goals in words or hours.
  • Use social media and/or Google Groups to connect daily or weekly and post achievements publicly.
  • Agree on a penalty (that hurts!) for goals not met.
  • Encourage each other: Finding ways to support others will have a positive effect on your own productivity—for example, share any useful resources you find.
  • Keep things moving—even on low energy days you can work on less demanding tasks related to the project, such as preparing appendices or references.
  • At the end of each session, plan your writing for the next day.

If a web-based writing group doesn’t appeal to you, perhaps you would prefer to join a facilitated group where people meet face to face: check out the Thesis Completion Group facilitated by Counselling at UVic.

Daniel’s blog: http://www.tubb.ca/blog/2015/12/31/dimowrimo

About Academic Writing Month; http://www.phd2published.com/acwri-2/acbowrimo/about/

About Novel Writing Month: https://nanowrimo.org/

Thesis Completion Group: https://www.uvic.ca/services/counselling/groupsworkshops/thesis-completion/index.php

The Thesis Writing Starter Kit has practical guidelines for starting a writing group.

And a great little book on how to be prolific:

Silvia, P. J. (2007). How to write a lot: A practical guide to productive academic writing. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Write on!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long Distance (Tutoring) Relationships at the CAC

Academic Writing, Centre for Academic Communication, Distance students, Feedback, Posts by Gillian, Tutoring

By Gillian Saunders

Gillian Saunders, EAL specialist and distance tutor at the CAC

“Are you a distance student”? If you’ve been on the CAC’s tutorial booking site, WCONLINE, in the past year, you might have noticed this question on the landing page. The CAC has been offering distance help for a few years now, but the procedure for booking has changed a bit recently, and “real time,” or “synchronous” options are also now available: you can now “meet” with a tutor via phone, Skype, or WCONLINE’s online meeting space. I’ve been the main distance tutor for over two years now, and it’s been an interesting journey and one of the most rewarding parts of my work at the CAC. What follows is a few details about distance tutoring, my experiences as the distance tutor, and some specific information on how the distance tutoring works.

When I was offered the opportunity to take over the Centre for Academic Communication’s distance tutoring two years ago, I didn’t hesitate. Working in my pajamas?! Yes, please! The number of students in distance programs is constantly growing, and I wanted to try a few new things. We decided to keep the twc@uvic.ca email account that we were currently using for quick questions and returning feedback, but moved bookings to https://uvic.mywconline.com/, and set up a schedule for synchronous meetings. At present, UVic is one of only a handful of Canadian universities to offer real-time options for distance tutoring.

In spite of common perceptions that email interactions with distance tutors are one-sided and limited in what they can accomplish, I’ve found mostly the opposite. Distance tutoring does, in some very useful ways, actually exceed some of the limitations of face-to-face sessions. With any of the real-time distance options, and also with the written feedback option, students have a record of their interaction with the tutor, whether it’s the chat interaction in WCONLINE or a recording of a phone or Skype conversation. I can recommend links to helpful resources and websites, and these can easily be revisited later at the student’s convenience.

Although we do try to limit the distance appointments to students who really can’t make it to campus to see one of our tutors in person, we feel strongly that academic communication support should be accessible to all, for whatever reason. Are you on co-op? Working during CAC hours? Have small children at home? Distance tutoring is here for you. There is also evidence that distance tutoring may be especially useful for students with writing anxiety or disabilities. Distance tutoring makes both the writer and the tutor “invisible,” to a certain extent. Perhaps there are some cases when it’s best to focus on the writing itself – to take the focus off the writer altogether and work on the product instead. I have worked with students with physical and mental health issues, learning disabilities, and vision impairment, and students calling from rural Alberta in the parking lot of a motel. I’ve also received writing from students that is intensely personal. Maybe you’d rather not work on a personal reflection piece about your experience with depression or sexual abuse with someone face-to-face? Distance tutoring is here for you, too.

If you do need to use our distance tutoring options, there are a couple of things you can do to get the most out of your session. First, if you’re requesting written feedback, picture a human on the receiving end of your appointment. Talk to me! You can use the comments function to ask questions in the margins of your work. Some common questions that might be easily resolved this way include, “Is this sentence too long?” “Do I need a transition here?” and “Does this information fit better in this paragraph or the previous one?” Next, include whatever instructions or guidelines you might have, and any relevant background that I might need in order to understand what you’re trying to accomplish. If you only need help with one section, highlight that section, or let me know that you haven’t written the introduction yet, so that I don’t wonder where that is. If you’ve received any previous feedback from an instructor and you’re working on improving a specific aspect of your writing, that’s useful to know, too. Keep in mind that appointments are meant to last as long as our face-to-face options: that’s 30 minutes for one slot, or 60 for two that are booked together.

Finally, give yourself enough time to make revisions and possibly get a second round of feedback, if necessary. Many students find it useful to get some written feedback first, make revisions, and then follow up with a phone or Skype appointment to get clarification, ask questions, and confirm revisions. If your assignment is due Friday, you’ll need to submit it by Tuesday afternoon in order to be guaranteed written feedback by the end of the day on Thursday. Don’t wait until the last minute! Revisions often take longer than you think they will. Remember that we’re not an editing or proofreading service, so no changes will be made for you. That doesn’t help you become a better writer or a more effective editor of your own work.

At the end of last term, I asked some of UVic’s distance students about their experiences using our distance services, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Although most indicated that they would rather meet in person if this were possible, they also thought they had been able to get what they needed from the distance tutoring options. After having helped almost 200 students via our online tutoring options over the last year, up from almost 140 in the previous year, I can only imagine and hope that the number of distance tutoring users will continue to grow. Face-to-face and distance tutoring have the same goal of helping students to become better writers. Both methods can achieve this goal, I believe, if they are managed thoughtfully and used with a good understanding of their possibilities and limitations.

If you have any questions or concerns about distance tutoring and what it can do for you, please email twc@uvic.ca.

Distance Tutoring at the CAC is user friendly!

 

Writing to get your ideas heard

Blogs and blogging, Cognitive process and writing, Commentary, Dissertation writing, EAL graduate students, Feedback, Law, Op-ed, Women's voices, Writing process
Qian Liu

By Qian Liu

Writing is a process of thinking. In the process, ideas are recorded and become important sources for further thinking. Publication is a by-product of this process. Instead of keeping your ideas to yourself, publishing your work is a way to communicate with others and makes the journey of thinking less lonely.  At the very beginning of my Ph.D. program, senior students in our program told me that being a Ph.D. student is very isolating, as you spend too much time in the carrel alone working on something that people do not care about. They said that you may end up spending five years writing a dissertation that only your supervisory committee members will read carefully. This does not discourage me to continue my studies, because I believe that writing a dissertation helps me address the questions that I am always trying to address or know more about. Besides, there are always plenty of opportunities out there to have our ideas heard during the process of dissertation writing.

One good thing about conducting a research study that you are passionate about is that often there are moments when you feel that it is your responsibility as a scholar to get your ideas out both inside and outside academia. Doing research on the impact of law on Chinese women’s choices in marriage and childbearing, I always feel the need to say something when I see any chance to contribute to social and legal changes to benefit women. In 2015, I wrote a commentary for Blogging for Equality when the law’s denial of Chinese single women’s access to freeze their eggs became a hot topic worldwide after a famous 41-year-old Chinese actress and film director announced that she had travelled to the U.S. to freeze her eggs. When feminist activists and lawyers in China put forward a report titled “Single Women’s Reproductive Rights—A Research Report on Policy and Lived Experience” and received media attention worldwide, I published an op-ed for Impact Ethics and argued that an overemphasis on state law’s impact on unmarried women’s childbearing may shift our attention away from some other social norms that are more influential than state law in stopping Chinese women from being single mothers by choice.

“Instead of keeping your ideas to yourself, publishing your work is a way to communicate with others and makes the journey of thinking less lonely.”

I also write journal articles and book chapters, but I have realized that it is more rewarding and enjoyable to write commentaries (also known as “op-eds”). Journal articles and book chapters may contribute to the knowledge in your academic field, while writing op-eds is a better way to disseminate knowledge to the general public and get your ideas out quickly. I remember it took me more than half a year to develop my first major publication for the Asian Journal of Law and Society, with quite a few emails back and forth with the editors. A commentary, however, usually only takes a few days before your ideas are delivered to the public. More importantly, op-eds can be very influential. In August 2017, I received an invitation from BBC World News to comment on Chinese women’s egg freezing issues for their live show. The journalists contacted me because they found my commentaries online when they were looking for a legal expert to speak about this issue. Although I may not be among the most influential scholars in the field of women’s studies and women’s rights, I got this opportunity because of my willingness to share my research outside academia.

I am very grateful to my supervisors Gillian Calder and Maneesha Deckha, as well as the founder of Informed Opinions, Shari Graydon, for always encouraging me to write op-eds about my work. As an international student coming directly from China, I had no experience in writing commentaries for Canadian blogs. Fortunately, my supervisor recommended Informed Opinions to me, and I learned how to write op-eds from this website. The website provides a variety of resources, which includes op-ed elements, engaging openers, editors’ advice, submitting commentary, turning media requests into opportunities, and even building relationships with reporters and columnists. If my experience convinces you to start the very enjoyable journey of blogging, you may find this website helpful to you as a beginner.

You may be wondering whether you, as a graduate student, have the authority to speak to the public about a particular topic. This thought haunted me for a long time. Sometimes, however, somebody just needs to stand out. A message from Shari after my BBC interview reconfirmed the belief that I should get my ideas heard by the public. Shari said, “diverse women’s voices are so necessary to address topics that otherwise get little attention.” Still not sure whether you can write and publish commentaries? As I said before, writing is a process of thinking and publication is the by-product of this process. If you understand writing and publishing in this way, you will find that publishing is simply a way to share your imperfect ideas in order to get some useful comments to help you think.

Qian Liu is a Ph.D. candidate at the Faculty of Law, University of Victoria, Canada. Her research interests include gender and China, legal consciousness, legal pluralism, feminist legal theory, reproductive rights, law and policy implementation in China, and qualitative research. Qian is the recipient of an IDRC Doctoral Research Award from the International Development Research Centre, Canada. She has published in the Asian Journal of Law and Society and the Asian Journal of Women’s Studies. Please direct correspondence to Qian Liu at liuqian@uvic.ca.

 

 

Want to get organized? Consider using a reference management tool

Academic Writing, Citation management tools, Organization/ Order, Productivity, Reading, Reference management, Research librarians, Time management

 

By Madeline Walker

Are your notes on sources scattered everywhere? Do you write with the intention of citing later, but then forget where you found that bit of information? Choosing and using reference management software early in your graduate program will get your reading and research off to an organized, efficient start.  Academic and blogger Pat Thomson calls her chosen reference management tool, Endnote, her “adjunct brain” (2016, p. 49). Over many years, she has stored almost 10,000 items on Endnote, creating a searchable database of sources (Thomson & Kamler, 2016, p. 49). You too can let a reference manager do some of your work for you. Reference managers can keep track of articles and books by importing bibliographic information directly (or indirectly) from the source, picking up metadata from pdfs, formatting citations in your chosen style, building bibliographies, and searching/sharing data.  There are many managers to choose from—all with different features. Our library has put together a  page about reference managers with descriptions of each one and a comparison chart of six popular products.  If you want to compare a wider range of reference managers, check out Wikipedia’s comprehensive comparison chart of 32 products.

Comparison Chart on our Library’s website

Three of the most popular reference managers are Endnote, Mendeley, and Zotero. Each tool has benefits and disadvantages, so you may want to test drive the free products before deciding on one.  Functionality, aesthetics, the requirements of your discipline, and just plain personal preference will come into play. Consider what your fellow students/researchers are using in case you want to share citations or folders for group projects. One caution: the web-based versions store data in the United States so are not recommended for storing any personal or confidential data.  You may wish to consider a product you can download on your computer.

I asked three of our reference librarians to say a little about the product they’re most familiar with. However, please note that neither the library nor its librarians recommend or endorse a particular product.  Here’s what they said:

Aditi Gupta on Endnote:

Endnote can be purchased as a standalone software program (EndNote X8) that works well with MS Word, Open Office, and other tools OR students can use a free Endnote basic version.  You will need to create a free account to access Endnote basic online. It easily allows you to import references from databases and create a list of references using different citation styles including APA, MLA, and Chicago. Once you have started to import your references, you can share your folders with other Endnote users.

Rebecca Raworth on Mendeley:

“Your research content is primarily contained in PDF files: Mendeley has an integrated PDF viewer and can create citation records just from importing a PDF file. Mendeley.org has the strongest website and community platform.” (from http://libguides.wustl.edu/choose). Also, Mendeley (free version) is very good for collaborative work, and if you back up records, you can sync multiple computers. Mendeley also provides 2GB of web space.

Michael Lines on Zotero:

Zotero works best on a PC running Firefox. If you already use that combo, or can make the switch, it can really improve your workflow. Because it lives in your browser, it facilitates collecting and checking citations as you do your research. Getting that piece into your routine saves a ton of headaches. It is also an open-source program made at a US university for academic purposes, so it is strong ethically. It has an online component that can be fun, useful, and collaborative, but it is based on US servers, so it opens you up to NSA inspection.  And remember that choosing a citation manager should be part of a larger practical review of your research and reading process!

If you are reluctant to start using a reference manager because you find technology challenging, links provided in the library’s comparison chart take you to helpful videos and user-friendly documentation.

Students can consult about citation management and other research-related issues with librarians via email and text, and also in-person at the Research Help desk on the main floor of the library.

Best wishes for a productive and joyful semester.

Reference

Thomson, P. & Kamler, B. (2016).  Detox your writing: Strategies for doctoral researchers.  London, UK: Routledge.