i work with graduate students every day who have internalized the idea that they're bad writers - and when you believe that, almost every part of graduate school is harder.
but often, the problem is that the skills, techniques, and moves of academic argumentation aren't explicitly taught, and grads are left to extrapolate from feedback and criticism what they can work on in their own writing.
so i created this six week seminar to help give actual instruction around academic writing, with exercises, workbooks, video lessons, and support to help you improve the strength of your arguments, the clarity of your thinking, and to bring your voice and contributions to the forefront. new lessons available once a week so you don't get overwhelmed, and you can keep the material forever, so that it's always there when you need it.
it is hard to write concise, argumentative, persuasive academic prose. and to make matters worse, graduate students are rarely given writing instruction, just criticism.
let's fix that.
this seminar is for you:
- you feel like you're missing some core academic writing skills
- you consistently get feedback that your writing is unclear, hard to follow, or not persuasive
- you want to improve your writing, and the strength of your arguments
this course may not be a good fit if:
- you don't like self guided materials or workbooks
- you are looking for an editor or copyeditor to look at your writing directly (happy to recommend some!)
dr. katy peplin, founder of Thrive PhD
Thrive PhD was founded in 2017 by dr. katy peplin. what started as a coaching practice for acquaintances has grown to a worldwide community, with clients all over the world, in all disciplines. but from the courses to the workbooks, the community and the individual sessions, all of my offerings are rooted in the idea that you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your life for your scholarship, and that by working sustainably, both your life and work are changed for the better.
grad school, and academia more broadly, can be a system that's difficult to hack. it requires immense amounts of social and cultural capital to navigate it smoothly. not everyone has access to that capital - it should be easier to learn about grad school and academia. that's why i believe strongly in sliding scales and services in a variety of price points, your time and money are valuable resources and i take that very seriously.
what will the seminar cover?
here is the outline for all six lessons, each with video material, workbooks, and exercises to guide you!
week one: what makes strong writing in your field?
let's look at the writing that inspires you, figure out what about it works, and how you can start to work towards that, but in your own way!
week two: templates, maps, and outlines
part of the mystery is figuring out the structure of what you're trying to say, and how you might say it. we'll look at all kinds of tools to help you map out a path between "blank document" and "it's done and published yay!"
week three: working with the literature
for better or for worse, strong academic writing positions itself in the conversations already happening in the field and discipline. learn how to work with the literature, and not drown in it!
week four: supporting your claims
there's your argument, and then there's the evidence you need to back it up. learn how to find the balance between argument and evidence to make a clear, compelling case for your ideas.
week five: bravery and boldness
academic writing requires some bravery - saying what you mean without undercutting yourself, and maybe even disagreeing with powerful people. learn ways to identify meekness in your writing, and feel confident in your voice.
week six: when to break the rules
ultimately, the goal is not to replicate someone else's voice - the goal is to find your own, and strengthen it. we'll talk this week about when to break the rules, and how to build a sense of authenticity in your work so that people KNOW it's you!
Enrollment for the Strong Voices Seminar is now open!
Strong Voices Seminar, $150
- Six weeks of lessons, with video, workbooks, and exercises to do on your own
- New lessons are unlocked every seven days, so that you don't get too overwhelmed
- The material is yours to keep forever, so work through it (or go through it again!) at your own pace
- This is a choose what you pay offering, with tiers at $150, $112, and $75, with no explanations or forms needed