Academic Writing for Social Good – TAA Webinar 12/4

Academic writers want to disseminate their research for many reasons. Many are motivated by university requirements for certain kinds of publications. Others want to contribute to their fields by communicating with other researchers. Some of us want to communicate with professionals or practitioners, entrepreneurs or activists, makers or inventors who work outside the ivory tower. We hope our findings can be applied to make a difference. How can we use our research and insights in ways that contribute to the social good?

Join us Monday, December 4 from 3-4 p.m. ET for “Academic Writing for Social Good”, where textbook writer Janet Salmons and environmental non-profit leader Lynn Wilson will  share examples and suggestions for socially beneficial ways to think about our publication strategies.

The most useful textbook & academic posts of the week: November 10, 2017

This week, November 6-11, 2017, was not only the first full week of Academic Writing Month (AcWriMo) 2017, but it also marked the sixth annual #UPWeek event in celebration of University Press Week. Throughout the week, there were a lot of great resources being shared throughout the academic community, no doubt inspired by these events. Our collection this week has something for everyone beginning with some humor illustrating the life of a grad student and tips about academic writing; exploring the scholarly process involving university presses, scholars, and reviewers; taking new perspectives on the publishing process, idea development, and resulting impact; increasing accessibility of scholarly resources; and sharing ideas with a broader audience. As stated by Oliver Markus, “The secret to good writing is to use small words for big ideas, not to use big words for small ideas.” Now go, write, and share your big ideas!

The Academic Juggle: Managing Your Writing in a World of Commitments – TAA Webinar 11/9

Do you ever feel like you’re working on a million tasks at once, but not making progress on any of them? As an academic, it’s likely that you are juggling multiple commitments and projects. Even the most determined of us can find ourselves overwhelmed at the scope of our responsibilities. If you find yourself struggling to keep track of your writing amidst all your other professional obligations, you’ll want to join us Thursday, November 9 from 3-4 p.m. ET for the TAA webinar, “The Academic Juggle: Managing Your Writing in a World of Commitments”, presented by Jane Dr. Jane Jones, academic editor and productivity coach at Up In Consulting.

7 Strategies for writing successful grants

Throughout my journey as a grant writer, reviewer, and mentor to aspiring grant writers, I have had multiple opportunities to read grant proposals that received funding—and many more that did not. One question I often get from novice grant writers is: “How do I get my proposal funded?” To address this question, it is helpful to examine strategies that successful grant writers have in common. Here, I highlight seven basic strategies that I consider “musts” when it comes to preparing grant proposals.