Senior Thesis Writing Groups

Are you writing a senior thesis? Congratulations on undertaking such a rewarding project! If you would like encouragement, feedback, and support from your peers during this challenging process, please join a senior thesis writing group. The Writing Center organizes these small, student-led groups that bring together senior thesis writers from across the university. Here’s what some past writing members have said:

“What I liked about this group was that I could keep track of my writing plan, and it pushed me to write each week in preparation for the meetings. Also, it was interesting to read the theses from other fields, which I would not have been exposed to unless I joined this group!” –Yoona, Political Science major

“Participating in the thesis writing group helped me initially to know what to expect when writing my thesis, and then later to get feedback on my ideas throughout the writing process. Connecting with other students with very different projects than my own also helped to appreciate better the wide array of research being done by my peers.” –Ryan, Biology and Mathematics majors

At welcoming and relaxed weekly meetings, you will share and discuss drafts of your thesis, give and receive feedback, and hold each other accountable for making progress. A Writing Center instructor will attend the initial meeting for each senior thesis writing group, help the group decide its goals and meeting schedule, and be in touch with the group over the course of the academic year to offer advice and support. Consistent participation from each group member is key to a productive and enjoyable writing group experience.

If you're interested in joining a group or just learning more, please RSVP for an upcoming orientation meeting by completing this short online survey: Senior Thesis Writing Group.

Orientation meetings will be held on Tuesday,January 31 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. and Wednesday, February 1 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. in room 6172 on the 6th floor of Helen C. White Hall. You only need to attend one of these orientations. (This is not when the groups will meet regularly; once formed, each group will be able to schedule their own meetings.)

At the orientation meeting, you will discuss how writing groups can be useful to writers, what kinds of feedback you most value, and what support you can expect from the Writing Center; and we'll gather scheduling information to tackle initial scheduling logistics (bring your calendars!).

If you have any questions, or are unable to attend either orientation meeting, but would still like to be involved, please email me, Stephanie at srlarson5@wisc.edu. I am very much looking forward to meeting you, learning about your projects, and supporting you as you grow as writers and researchers.