Get to Know the Writing Studio: Graduate and Professional Student Edition
Resources for Graduate and Professional Students
Consultation Sessions
Graduate Writing Consultants and the Writing Studio’s Full-time Professional Staff work with Vanderbilt graduate students on any piece of writing, from course papers, articles, and grant proposals to dissertations and other longer projects. Writing consultants are trained to be attentive generalist readers, capable of responding to projects across the disciplines.
The focus of a consultation session varies according to the individual writer and project; for example, consultant and writer may discuss strategies for clarifying and developing an argument, or they might address issues regarding organization, audience, or the integration of quantitative information. Consultants will work with writers whether they are just beginning a project and determining its scope or they are working on final revisions. The Studio’s one-to-one services can help graduate students stay on schedule in pursuit of their academic goals.
Regular Sessions
Graduate and professional students can schedule multiple appointments per week (two in fall, three in spring and summer) using the online schedule system accessible from anywhere on the Writing Studio website (vanderbilt.edu/writing). Regular consultation sessions are fifty minutes long.
Extended Sessions
Graduate and professional students working on theses and dissertations may make special arrangements for extended and ongoing sessions with a writing consultant. Requests for extended sessions should be addressed to writing.studio@vanderbilt.edu and are available on a first-come first-served basis.
Prior to requesting an extended or ongoing session, graduate writers must hold an initial 50-minute session, during which time the writer and the consultant they wish to work with should discuss the project, determine the type of ongoing appointment most suitable to the writer and the work, and set goals for the series of extended sessions. Additional information about extended sessions is available on our Policies and FAQ page.
Workshops and Writing Groups
The Writing Studio hosts a variety of additional programs focused on the needs of graduate-level writers, including weekly writing groups, our annual Dissertation Writers Retreat series, and a variety of workshops focused around common concerns and opportunities.
Learn More about the Writing Studio
- Know What to Expect: A General Overview of Your Writing Studio Appointment
- FAQ and Appointment Policies
- Meet Our Writing Consultants
- Locations
- We’ll See You Online: Guide to Creating and Accessing Online Writing Consultation Appointment
- Writing Studio Events and Programming
- Get Inspired! (Testimonials from Vanderbilt students)