Listening to Voices from UMKC Graduate Education
During the Fall 2013 semester we invited our current 3,800 graduate students and 354 graduate faculty members to respond to a survey focused on graduate student writing resources and needs at UMKC. The survey was developed and administered by a Graduate Writing Initiative Advisory Group with representatives from the School of Graduate Studies, Miller Nichols Library, and the UMKC Writing Studio. We heard from 537 graduate students and 142 faculty members who shared their perspectives on available resources, challenges, and ideas to develop a campus-wide initiative to expand support for graduate student writing. In addition to these survey results, the Advisory Group will be listening to students and faculty members during focus group sessions in the Spring 2014 semester. Watch for an invitation to participate in focus groups shared through your UMKC email – we value your voices!
Finding One: Graduate students access some available writing resources more than others. (Student Survey)
Do you use the campus library resources?
Yes, from campus 59%
Yes, from home 75%
No, do not use/unsure 13%
Do you use the School of Graduate Studies thesis/dissertation workshops?
Yes, from campus 13%
Yes, from home 3%
No, do not use 72%
Do you use the Writing Studio resources?
Yes, from campus 16%
Yes, from home 4%
No, do not use 72%
What other resources do you use (write-in response)?
Online/Internet 12%
Databases/Guidebooks 4%
Friends/peers 4%
Librarians/other libraries 4%
Purdue OWL 4%
Professor/Adviser/Committee 3%
Finding Two: Graduate research and writing support varies by department. (Faculty Survey)
Does your department currently offer support for graduate research and/or writing?
Yes 48%
No 52%
What does your department offer?
Research course(s) 18%
Personal / one-on-one assistance 15%
Finding Three: Graduate students are interested in an initiative that would provide support for a variety of writing purposes. (Student Survey)
Have you completed professional writing or presentations?
Yes, presentation at conference 35%
Yes, multi-author article 15%
Yes, single-author article 14%
Yes, grant proposal 13%
No, I have not yet completed any 51%
How could you benefit from a graduate writing initiative – what would you like to see (write-in response)?
Overall writing improvement 26%
Reviews / feedback / peer interactions 11%
Thesis / dissertation writing and formatting 10%
Grant writing 8%
Writing professionally 8%
Help prepare for publishing 6%
Specific support for international students 4%
Discipline-specific workshops 4%
Finding Four: Graduate faculty members are interested in an initiative that will help students with challenges they face in their graduate writing processes. (Faculty Survey)
What challenges do your students face in their graduate writing processes? (check all that apply)
Scheduling / time / work and life obligations 63%
Lack of writing confidence 49%
Lack of preparation 70%
Other challenges 32%
i.e. English-as-second-language, lack of experience, lack of organization, writing skills need improvement
How could a campus-wide initiative support your department and its students? (write-in response)
Focus on strong writing skills 15%
Provide writing support and resources 11%
Help students to write papers 9%
Provide a forum for sharing research and writing 7%
Finding Five: Graduate students are most likely to utilize online resources and to attend brief, focused programs that are free or inexpensive. (Student Survey)
How likely would you be to participate in each of the following initiatives? (Top 5 based on responses)
#1 – Online tutorials
#2 – Designated writing space on campus
#3 – Evening workshops
#4 – Virtual writing groups
#5 – Once-a-semester weekend retreats
Helpful Links to Graduate Writing Support:
UMKC Writing Studio http://www.umkc.edu/writingstudio/
Peer consultants can help students with a wide array of writing – everything from English to economics, from music to science, from engineering to business. The Writing Studio’s services are available to all students free of charge. In order to meet with a Writing Studio consultant, you can walk in or make an appointment by calling (816)235-1146. Consultations last 20 – 50 minutes.
UMKC Libraries http://library.umkc.edu/ask-a-librarian
The UMKC Miller Nichols Library, Health Sciences Library, Leon Bloch Law Library, and Dental Library offer a variety of research and writing resources, from online databases to discipline-specific research and instruction librarians. Contact your librarian for an appointment for research help, research workshop & instruction requests, and collection questions & purchase requests. You can also telephone, email, or text a question to Ask A Librarian and receive a response by the next business day. Here is a link to a new Guide for Graduate Writing Resources: http://libguides.library.umkc.edu/gradwriting
UMKC School of Graduate Studies
The School of Graduate Studies reviews a paper version of each thesis and dissertation to check the format according to the discipline’s guidelines. The SGS website provides a UMKC Guide to Formatting Theses and Dissertations, deadlines for submissions and completion of the defense of theses and dissertations, and links to additional resources. The SGS also facilitates formatting workshops for graduate and doctoral students. In partnership with the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Student Council, the SGS supports presentations of graduate student research at the Community of Scholars Symposium held at the end of the Spring semester each year.