NARTI/SAMS Resilience, Re-Focus and Re-balance Retreat Series for Early Career Researchers: Online Structured Writing Retreat

Date/Time
Date(s) - 09/02/2022 9:30 am - 4:00 pm

Audience:

Structured Writing Retreats are facilitated sessions based upon the extensive research undertaken by Professor Rowena Murray (University of the West of Scotland). The aim of the retreats are to use dedicated writing time to progress writing projects in a supportive and non-surveillance environment.

The retreat will run over one full day and we use most of the time for writing and take regular breaks. Please ensure that you join the session five minutes before it is due to begin. Please note that this is a space for you to focus on your writing project. We will not be offering advice on writing techniques and craft.

See http://www.anchorage-education.co.uk/# for information, interviews with participants, copies of articles about retreat, evidence base etc. The online retreat will be facilitated by Dr Valerie Stead who has undertaken facilitator training with Professor Rowena Murray and regularly facilitates writing retreats for researchers.

Retreat works best when you:

  • Focus exclusively on writing (worry about editing, reading or adding references later).
  • Agree not to use internet during the session.
  • Define specific goals and sub-goals, i.e. sections of paper/chapter, number of words.
  • Define and discuss content and structure for writing sub-goals.
  • Take stock of your achievements of these goals throughout the programme.
  • Discuss your writing-in-progress –> mutual peer support.

Before you go to retreat:

  • Decide on a writing project or projects (always have a back-up project to work on).
  • Read Murray R. & Newton M. (2009) Writing retreat as structured intervention: Margin or mainstream? Higher Education Research and Development, 28(5): 527-39.
  • Review the retreat programme (next page): plan your writing tasks for each timeslot.
  • Do reading and other preparation before retreat.
  • Get notes, plans, outlines etc. together. Outline the structure of your paper/chapter.
  • Download anything you need before you go, e.g. journal’s instructions for authors.

What you will need for the retreat:

Laptop/PC, data, outlines, notes, etc.

Writing Retreat Programme:

09.30    Welcome, introductions, goal-setting

10.00    Writing (1.5 hours)

11.30    Coffee break

11.45    Writing (1.5 hours)

13.15    Lunch

14.00    Writing (1.5 hours)

15.30    Reflections, next steps

16.00    Close

If you would like to register your interest, please submit the following to narti@lubs.leeds.ac.uk by no later than Monday 17th January 2022:

  • Current status (postgraduate researcher or early career researcher) – if you are a postgraduate researcher, please state your current year of study
  • Confirmation that you are able to fully commit to participating in the retreat
  • A 200-word summary of why you would like to be considered for a place

If you have any questions about this retreat, please contact Jo Garrick (narti@lubs.leeds.ac.uk)