Academic writing retreats for graduate students: a qualitative case study
| dc.contributor.author | Stewart, Cyndi, author | |
| dc.contributor.author | Gloeckner, Gene, advisor | |
| dc.contributor.author | Aragon, Antonette, committee member | |
| dc.contributor.author | Basile, Vincent, committee member | |
| dc.contributor.author | O’Donnell, Cindy, committee member | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2018-06-12T16:13:50Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2018-06-12T16:13:50Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2018 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Writing retreats have proven to be a productive experience for faculty, if they are well-organized, focused on bulk writing and assist in reaching an individual's goals and connection to his or her writing. If writing retreats have shown productive for faculty, arguably there may be even greater opportunity for success considering students are seeking writing interventions to support completing their thesis or dissertation and graduating. This study examined the experiences of graduate students who participated in a writing retreat, if it was beneficial for them and understanding the aspects that led to productive writing. This qualitative case study on academic writing retreats was researched and examined to understand graduate writing retreats. The study provided retreat participants the opportunity to share their experiences at a CSU Writes graduate writing retreat, and the information gained can be used to inform other universities and academic professionals who are seeking interventions to support productive writing. The primary data source was collected from interviews with 30 participants who had attended a CSU Writes retreat during the research period. In addition to participants interviews, the data collection included an interview with the Director and facilitator of CSU Writes, a document review and evaluation of the participant evaluations and the researchers direct observations of the presentations, group discussion and the group writing environment of the retreats. The data analyzed and collected from this study provided an overview of the participants' perspectives on their experiences at an academic graduate writing retreat, their writing results and what occurred at the retreat to facilitate productive writing. In addition, this study provided an initial retreat design model from the review of the literature to support graduate writing and a proposed updated model after the research was collected and analyzed. The writing retreat could be suggested for students feeling stuck, procrastinating writing and in need of an intervention to move forward. The findings from this study expound that graduate students found retreats effective for writing productivity. This outcome, concluded from participants experiences was due to the fact that participants recognized the retreat provided an opportunity to complete a lot of writing over a period of two days, two and a half days or five days. The participants additionally stated they experienced productive writing by being part of a group where they felt an accountability to write, the retreat provided dedicated uninterrupted writing without distractions, they alternated between writing and editing depending on their personal productive times of the day, they set goals for the retreat or goals for each writing session and followed the retreat agenda of writing sessions with breaks versus binge writing. Although writing with others may be viewed as a distraction, the study discovered that writing with others resulted in positive feelings such as motivation to write, a commitment to writing and a focus and intensity towards writing. The conditions which supported productive writing were feeling part of a community of writers through writing together as a group, group discussions, learning many students experienced similar challenges to productive writing and identifying as writer as a direct result of completing a lot of writing. Out of the 30 participants interviews, 26 participants reported they either met or exceed their retreat writing goals. Based on the study's findings and results, writing retreats are a viable intervention for universities to consider for graduate students writing a thesis or dissertation and seeking productive writing. Also, a proposed retreat model to consider was provided and evaluated. | |
| dc.format.medium | born digital | |
| dc.format.medium | doctoral dissertations | |
| dc.identifier | Stewart_colostate_0053A_14664.pdf | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10217/189291 | |
| dc.language | English | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | |
| dc.publisher | Colorado State University. Libraries | |
| dc.relation.ispartof | 2000-2019 | |
| dc.rights | Copyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright. | |
| dc.subject | case study | |
| dc.subject | graduate student writing | |
| dc.subject | writing retreats | |
| dc.subject | communities of practice | |
| dc.subject | academic writing practices | |
| dc.subject | writing productivity | |
| dc.title | Academic writing retreats for graduate students: a qualitative case study | |
| dc.type | Text | |
| dcterms.rights.dpla | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Education | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | Colorado State University | |
| thesis.degree.level | Doctoral | |
| thesis.degree.name | Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) |
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