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Scholarly Writing Accountability Group for Faculty

Want to meet your scholarly writing and publishing goals this semester? Join a SWAG!

A Scholarly Writing Accountability Group (SWAG) is an active peer-led writing group for TU faculty that meets for 90-minutes, once per week, over a 10-week period. Sponsored by the TU Writing Center, SWAGs support faculty by connecting them to colleagues across disciplines and encouraging them to dedicate scheduled time for writing and research. In a SWAG, there is no peer review of writing; SWAGs focus on the process of writing, not the content. SWAG members support one another to write with increased frequency and develop a sustainable writing habit. Groups meet on zoom and follow a structured agenda including 15 minutes of updates and goal-setting followed by 60 minutes of individual writing and then 15 minutes of reporting and wrap-up. Each group is limited to 8-10 members who commit to attending at least 8 out of the 10 weekly sessions.

Past SWAG participants have come from multiple programs and disciplines, including Communications, Criminal Justice, English, History and Sports Medicine.

Here’s what some past participants had to say about the program:

“The ability to hold a space on my calendar (and actually keep it!) was really valuable. I got more accomplished than I would have.” 

“In addition to the motivation, the faculty group, as a resource, was fantastic. As I went along and encountered issues, I could ask one or two pointed questions during check in, and I was able to move along immediately.”

“Everyone was so encouraging, it gave me confidence in my new endeavor. Great timing. Great colleagues. Great structure. Honestly, I cannot say enough positive stuff about this initiative.”

“The camaraderie in this group was inspiring. Honestly, in addition to stating our goals, our small group had delightful discussions about scholarship and professional development that were broader than our individual goals for the day. It was wonderful to talk about what others are doing and share my research with others.”

The Fall 2022 SWAG meets on Fridays from 10:00am to 11:30am, starting September 23. To join, please complete this registration form or contact the TU Writing Center’s Assistant Director for Faculty Outreach at ebarney@towson.edu.

Categorised in: General

This post was written by Barney, E. Mairin