Workshops

While GCAC’s workshops are designed with graduate students in mind, all members of the University of Toronto community are welcome to attend as many workshops as they wish. We offer two types of workshops: live online or in-person (synchronous) workshops and pre-recorded, on-demand (asynchronous) workshops. Registration for both types of workshops is required.

Synchronous workshops begin 10 minutes after the listed start time to give students travelling across campus a chance to get situated. They are not recorded.

Please click the title of each workshop to read the workshop description and registration details. Once you register, you will receive details on how to join each synchronous or asynchronous workshop you have chosen. If you are are not able to register online, please contact sgs.gcacreg@utoronto.ca to be registered manually.

GCAC’s weekly Listserv messages provide an easy way to keep track of what upcoming synchronous workshops we are offering each week.

Click here to jump to asynchronous workshops

Winter 2025 Workshops

Click each workshop’s title to register.

Chronological workshop calendar

Preparing Your 3MT Presentation: Online and In-Person

Tue Jan 14: Preparing Your 3MT Presentation (Online 5.30pm – 7pm)

This workshop will support participants who are in the process of designing an effective Three Minute Thesis presentation. By the end of this workshop, participants will review and implement strategies for both writing and presenting their 3MT. Participants will evaluate and discuss winning 3MT presentations, paying particular attention to slide design, oral presentation style, and the structure of the talk. Through workshop activities, participants will have the opportunity to receive feedback on components of their 3MT.


Fri Jan 17: Preparing Your 3MT Presentation (In-Person 2pm – 3.30pm)

This workshop will support participants who are in the process of designing an effective Three Minute Thesis presentation. By the end of this workshop, participants will review and implement strategies for both writing and presenting their 3MT. Participants will evaluate and discuss winning 3MT presentations, paying particular attention to slide design, oral presentation style, and the structure of the talk. Through workshop activities, participants will have the opportunity to receive feedback on components of their 3MT.

February In-Person Workshop

Fri Feb 7: Cultivating the Skills of Constructive Disagreement (In-Person 1pm – 2.30pm)

Discovery and innovation often begin with disagreement: questioning what is allows us to consider – alone and together – what could be. Graduate students inevitably encounter disagreements as they fulfill different roles (as researchers, TAs, classmates, lab mates, employees), and such disagreements provide promising opportunities for deepening our understanding of ourselves and others.

Both in and out of academia, the ability to disagree respectfully and constructively is a skill worth cultivating both in writing and in speaking. In this workshop, we will consider the tacit, culturally shaped assumptions that influence the ways in which we participate in conversations and disagreements, and the ways in which our habits of conversing may/may not be shared by others. In the second half of the workshop, we will try out some strategies for disagreeing constructively and consider potential benefits of paying more attention to how we agree and disagree in the contexts in which we work and learn.

Getting Through Graduate Work: Monday Series (Online 4pm – 5.30pm)

Mon Jan 20: Writing a Thesis or Grant Proposal

Graduate students write many proposals − federal grant proposals, travel grant proposals, thesis proposals − and every proposal has a potentially significant impact on a student’s ability to carry out specific research. The introductory workshop in this series provides an overview of proposal writing designed to get students thinking about the demands of, and the predictable variations in, this important genre of writing. We will examine the similarities and differences between thesis and grant proposals, consider the main questions that most proposals must answer, and see examples of answers to those questions in successful proposals. We will also consider common pitfalls in proposal writing, and strategies for getting started on writing a proposal.

Mon Jan 27: Writing a Literature Review that Demonstrates the Need for your Research

Like research papers and theses, thesis and grant proposals require graduate students to situate their work within the context of other research in their field(s). A well constructed literature review will help you to clarify key points for your reader such as why your work needs to be done, how it is original, and why your proposed method is appropriate. In this workshop we will examine characteristics of both short and long literature reviews, common mistakes students make when reviewing research in their field, and strategies for increasing the effectiveness of literature reviews. The material covered will be relevant to the literature-review segments of proposals, research papers, and theses.

Mon Feb 3: Framing your Research Conceptually and Theoretically

This workshop walks you through common errors that are easy to make while framing your research project, provides guidance on how to avoid them, and provides a process for clearly presenting the concepts and theories by which a research project becomes intelligible.

Mon Feb 10: AI and the Modern Scholar: Generative AI and Academic Writing

Join us for a workshop that demystifies generative AI (including ChatGPT and Copilot) and explores some of its potential uses in academic writing.

Mon Mar 3: Writing Field Notes for Qualitative Research

Note taking is a critical yet under-discussed aspect of qualitative research. Well-written and properly organized notes can help a researcher remember minor details within their research, help train their attention to important themes and questions during the research process, and make the subsequent process of writing one’s dissertation smoother.

This workshop will address ways of structuring field notes while offering practical tips for note taking. We will discuss different note taking strategies, how to expand one’s attention to the details of research, how note writing itself can help develop research concerns, and some of the ethical considerations around writing field notes.

Mon Mar 10: Conducting Interviews in Social Science Research

Interviews are the foundation of a lot of qualitative research methodology. This workshop will discuss strategies on how to conduct interviews for one’s own research, consider when to use structured, semi-structured, and un-structured interviews, and reflect on ethical considerations that go beyond getting approval from the Research Ethics Board.

Specifically, we will be focusing on how to draft the actual questions a researcher asks a research participant. What kinds of interview questions prompt dialogue and reflection? How best to avoid questions that elicit one-word answers? This workshop will explore ways of writing interview questions which reflect one’s research questions – and that produce meaningful interviews for everyone involved.

Please note: This workshop is not about preparing students to give interviews as job applicants. It is a workshop about conducting interviews as the researcher (interviewer) and not about being interviewed.

Mon Mar 17: Preparing for Archival Research

Archival visits can be rewarding part of field research, but advanced planning is crucial for making the most of a trip. This workshop introduces students to general principles that apply to archival research in different disciplines. The workshop will discuss corresponding with archive staff, determining rules and expectations in advance, finding materials in unusual databases, and best practices for photographing, scanning, and saving materials.

Mon Mar 24: Preparing for Your Dissertation Defense

This workshop, aimed at doctoral candidates facing a defense within the next year, will guide students through the process of preparing for your dissertation defense. We will cover disciplinary differences in the defense, questions to ask your supervisor and department administrators, the defense presentation, and preparing for the question period.

Improving Your Graduate Writing Series (Online 4pm – 5.30pm)

Thurs Jan 23: Establishing Structural Coherence

Academic writing can be unwieldy and confusing, even to the person who wrote it. And readers often struggle to engage with a text when they cannot understand the overarching structure. In this workshop, we will consider three strategies for improving the structure of academic writing: understanding structure through genre; developing structure through paragraphing; signaling structure through metadiscourse.

Thurs Jan 30: Crafting Effective Sentences

Writers spend a great deal of time working with sentences. Despite this outlay of time, many writers worry that they lack a deep understanding of what makes a good sentence. In this workshop, we will consider what readers need for a pleasurable reading experience, focusing on what makes for energetic, concise, and balanced sentences.

Thurs Feb 6: Creating Movement

Academic readers generally want to be able to move efficiently through the things that they read. To facilitate that movement, writers must grasp the connections among their ideas and then illustrate those connections for readers. In this workshop, we will look at strategies for organizing sentences and paragraphs in ways that move the reader forward. We will also discuss the hazards of relying too heavily on transition words to do that work.

Thurs Feb 13: Building a Revision Process

So much of academic writing revolves around revision; most writers require multiple iterations of their work to clarify their ideas and refine their prose. Writers often struggle, however, to manage the complex array of tasks that go into revision. In this workshop, the final in this series, we will consider what it means to build a revision process. We will focus on six stages of revision: clarifying intent; tackling structure; tackling sentences; tackling movement; tackling technicalities; and letting go. These stages will show us what it might mean to transform an early draft into a final draft.

Getting Through Graduate Work: Wednesday Series (Online 4pm – 5.30pm)

Wed Jan 29: Finding Additional Granting Sources

Where do you find little-known (and low-competition) scholarships? How do you approach companies to fund your research? This workshop will focus on alternative funding sources for graduate students.

Topics will include: traditional funding categories (federal, provincial, and internal), how to choose which scholarships to apply for (e.g., stacking, quotas, estimating expected value), common pitfalls (e.g., internal/external deadlines, departmental nomination, where not to look for scholarships), and overcoming common excuses (low GPA, no publications, not enough time). Attendees will also receive a guide which outlines the steps involved in finding, applying for, and receiving alternative sources of funding.

Wed Feb 5: Writing an Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) Plan of Study

This workshop will guide you through the process of writing an effective Plan of Study section for an Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) application. We’ll discuss strategies for conceptualizing, organizing, and drafting a strong proposal for your planned graduate work, alongside tips for making the most of a very short writing space. Students from any discipline who are planning to apply for a master’s or doctoral OGS are welcome.

Wed Feb 12: Identifying and Contacting Potential Cross-disciplinary Collaborators

Cross-disciplinary research often has the potential to strengthen the validity of findings and increase their value and relevance. In this workshop, we will explore strategies for finding compatible potential collaborators and consider methods for persuading a fellow researcher that a partnership may be mutually beneficial. Additionally, we will discuss the components of an agenda for your first meeting with this peer.

Wed Mar 5: Choosing a Conference and Applying to Present

Why should you attend an academic conference? This workshop is aimed at students considering applying to present their research at a conference. We will discuss finding a conference that’s right for you, getting the most of your conference experience, and preparing an application.

Wed Mar 12: Improving Your Slide Design

Presenting academic research can be challenging, but well-designed slides can help your audience follow dense information and grasp complex subject matter. This workshop will discuss principles for creating clear, accessible, and creative slides that help to illustrate your research.

Wed Mar 19: Designing and Presenting an Effective Poster Presentation

Early opportunities for graduate students to present their research come in the form of poster presentations at conferences, research days or other academic events. Presenting a poster can allow you to gain feedback on your research and initiate networking opportunities. In this workshop, we will discuss strategies for enhancing your ability to design a well-organized, informative and attractive poster. We will also consider common approaches to engage visitors and connect with individuals with shared interests.

Wed Mar 26: Formulating a Compelling Teaching Philosophy

The statement of teaching philosophy is a fundamental element of the teaching portfolio, which is required for applying to academic jobs. This workshop allows graduate students who have already had opportunities to teach to reflect on their teaching practice and market their unique outlook to potential employers. We will explore techniques to interrogate, identify and describe your approach to instruction and assessment. Beyond this, we will discuss how to support a teaching philosophy with evidence, even if your teaching experience is limited.

Asynchronous Workshops

WORKSHOPS ON-DEMAND (Pre-Recorded Videos)

Click the title of each on-demand workshop to be taken directly to its registration page, where descriptions are also available.

ADVANCED GRAMMAR
Identifying Verb Tenses by Dr. Adeiza Isiaka
Choosing Verb Tenses by Dr. Adeiza Isiaka
Using Reporting Verbs by Dr. Adeiza Isiaka
Identifying & Combining Clauses and Sentences by Dr. Adeiza Isiaka
Using Infinitives by Dr. Adeiza Isiaka
Using Gerunds by Dr. Adeiza Isiaka
Definite and Indefinite Articles – The Basic Rules by Dr. Katie Fry
Using Articles with Generalizations by Dr. Katie Fry
Using Articles with Countable and Uncountable Nouns by Dr. Katie Fry
Using Quantifiers by Dr. Katie Fry
Using a Corpus to Check Grammar by Dr. Katie Fry

USING CORPORA TO IMPROVE YOUR ACADEMIC WRITING
Part One: Introduction to Using Corpora to Improve Your Academic Writing by Dr. Katie Fry
Part Two: Consulting the Contemporary Corpus American English (COCA) to Improve Your Academic Writing by Dr. Katie Fry
Part Three: Building Your Own Corpus to Improve Your Academic Writing by Dr. Katie Fry

CULTIVATING GRADUATE COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Preparing to Write a Grant Proposal by Dr. Jane Freeman
Writing Effective Literature Reviews by Dr. Jane Freeman
Developing Effective Note-Taking Strategies by Dr. Jane Freeman and Jeff Newman
Quoting and Paraphrasing: Working with Sources in the Social Sciences and Humanities by Dr. Peter Grav
Designing Graphics for Publication by Dr. Vaughn Mangal
Community Engagement: How to Effectively Communicate Research to the Public by Dr. Giulia Rossi
Writing a Personal Statement for PhD Applications by Stephanie Redekop
Giving Feedback on Student Writing (for TAs) by Stephanie Redekop
Building Community in the Online Environment by Dr. Cristina D’Amico

IMPROVING YOUR ORAL PRESENTATION SKILLS
Preparing your Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) Presentation by Dr. Cristina D’Amico
Strategies for Organizing Your Oral Presentation by Dr. Cristina D’Amico
Connecting with your Audience Online by Dr. Cristina D’Amico
Creating Accessible PowerPoint Presentations by Dr. Cristina D’Amico
Four PowerPoint Techniques for Academic Presentations by Dr. Matt Jones
Focus and Listening in Online Meetings by Dr. Matt Jones

IMPROVING ACADEMIC READING, WRITING AND SPEAKING IN ENGLISH
Making Requests Appropriately by Clare Nippard
Disagreeing Respectfully by Clare Nippard
Writing Emails with Your Audience in Mind by Clare Nippard
Building Your Academic Vocabulary by Lina Balsamo
Academic Idioms Part 1 by Lina Balsamo
Academic Idioms Part 2 by Lina Balsamo
Improving Your Graduate-Level Reading Skills by Dr. Katie Fry

IMPROVING ACADEMIC READING AND WRITING IN THE SCIENCES
Creating and Designing Poster Presentations for Scientific Conferences by Dr. Vaughn Mangal
Creating Effective Figures by Dr. Peter Sabatini
Writing CIHR Proposals by Dr. Peter Sabatini
Citation and Working with Sources in the Physical and Life Sciences by Dr. Peter Grav
Science Dissemination by Will Staples

WRITING IMRD (INTRODUCTION – METHODS – RESULTS – DISCUSSION) RESEARCH ARTICLES (for students in Divisions 2, 3 and 4)
Writing Titles and Abstracts by Dr. Peter Grav
The “I” in IMRD: Writing Effective Research Article Introductions by Dr. Peter Grav
The “M” in IMRD: Crafting Your Methods Section by Dr. Peter Grav
The “RD” in IMRD: Strategies for Successful Results and Discussion Sections by Dr. Peter Grav