Faculty Writing & Research Groups

The Center for Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship hosts writing groups for faculty who would like to:

• gain the accountability of a regular check-in with colleagues about their progress towards scholarly or creative goals;
• gain the accountability of showing up and writing at a set time each week with colleagues;
• or share writing-in-progress and receive thoughtful feedback from colleagues.

Groups may meet for a single semester or may choose to continue for longer. For more information about the varieties of writing support that have proven helpful for faculty members, check out Kerry Ann Rockquemore’s short piece, “Shut Up and Write.”

Peer Writing and Review Groups

These are small (3-4 people) cross-disciplinary groups for faculty who want to share their writing-in-progress and receive thoughtful feedback from colleagues. Sometimes, groups are organized along broad themes such as “scholarly writing in humanities” or “scholarship of teaching and learning.” Other groups reflect a stage in one’s career, such as groups for mid-career women. Groups can meet for as little as a semester but may choose to stay together for longer.

Writing & Research Accountability Groups

Accountability groups can range in size from 3-6 people and require less time commitment than peer writing and review groups. Members agree to check-in regularly (usually weekly or bi-weekly) to report on whether they met their goals for the preceding period, and to define their goals for the upcoming period. Accountability groups do not read one another’s writing. Instead, they focus on the writing process, mutual support, and keeping members on track.

Online accountability groups provide increased flexibility for those with packed schedules or who prefer to work off campus. Group members use an online forum to set goals and to post and discuss their progress.

Junior Faculty Research Group (JFRG) 

The Junior Faculty Research Group (JFRG) offers a friendly, non-evaluative environment among junior faculty (including both pre-tenure and non-tenure-track faculty) to support scholarship. JFRGers form small groups that help set goals/deadlines for research, grant applications, and all sorts of professional writings —but groups develop their own agendas based on individual members’ needs. Members may choose to share drafts for comment, present their work informally, or just commiserate about the trials and tribulations of academic publishing and the world of research. They welcome members from all disciplines and define “research” broadly. Don’t worry if you work in another language or on projects that don’t follow a “traditional” written publication path: JFRG is happy to include you!  For more information or to join, email the JFRG coordinator, Jethro Hernandez Berrones.