Healthy Writing Retreat

The ‘writing retreat’ approach is a well-established and successful method that provides a dedicated writing time and space through a structured framework for working in academic writing projects. This course is intended for PhD students at NOVA University and PhD holders working at NOVA (Professors, researchers,…), students from partner universities and external students.

Registrations

19 de July, 2024

Programme Details

Rationale

Nova Doctoral School (NDS) has the goal of contributing to the excellence of the doctoral training in a range of subjects. Within this investment, one of the most important initiatives is the developmental process of their writing practice. Either for an academic essay, dissertation or PhD thesis, to support writers’ experience through a heathy approach to writing is of paramount importance.

The ‘writing retreat’ approach, proposed here, is a well-established and successful method that provides a dedicated writing time and space through a structured framework for working in academic writing projects.

Syllabus

Goal Setting, Define writing tasks
Focused silent writing
Discussion and QA on writing challenges

Learning outcomes

Writers learn how to define and re-define their writing goals.
They strength their ability to set and re-set their working goals, and tasks, realistically.
Writers learn how to handle ambitious writing goals.
Acquire techniques to solve the writing challenges encountered.

References

Murray, R. (2013). ‘It’s not a hobby’: Reconceptualizing the place of writing in academic work. Higher Education, 66(1), 79–91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-012-9591-7
Pais Zozimo, J., Sotejeff-Wilson, K., Baldwin W. (2023) Women writing socially in academia. Dispatches from writing rooms. Palgrave, Series Gender and Education.
Pais Zozimo, J. (2022) Healthy writing retreats: dare to enjoy your writing and joy will abound! Bear with me and try it out. – RECIRCULATE

Registrations + Fees

Nova PhD students – Free of charge, enrolment via the platform here https://www.unl.pt/inscricoes
PhD students from other institutions: Fee 350€. More information and enrolment via email nova.doctoral.school@unl.pt

Course Duration

1ECTS | 2 days | 22h| Teaching hours: 14h Hours | Non-teaching hours/ autonomous work: 14h

Schedule

9AM – 18PM

Language

English or Portuguese

Teaching Regime

In person

Faculty

Professor Doctor Joana Pais Zózimo

The word that best describes my feeling after the retreat is ‘fulfilment’. Before the retreat, I often felt blocked, unable to move forward with work, which caused me a huge wave of frustration and demotivation. I really think the method transmited in this retreat is very useful to organize everyday work (and not only writting!), so I think it would be very useful for anyone that attended.
NOVA’s PhD Candidate on the Healthy Writing Retreat course