Over the last few weeks, I’ve been working on a new program for academic writers*, researchers and postgrads at Griffith Uni.
(*I am deliberately not using the term ‘students’ here – a strategic shift in language from a subordinate-learner mentality towards a more peer-professional modality).
During formulation, I called it GAWLERS.
GAWLERS stood for (whatever words work best for you):
- G____(?) Growing? Griffith? Gorgeous? Graduate?
- Academic
- Writing
- Language
- Expression
- Research
- S_____(?). Studio? Students? Syndicate?
I pitched my idea to three kick-ass postgrads (Jenny, Bec and Janis) colleagues and invited them to come on board as the Executive Board – which they did! Woohoo!
We then set about formalizing the club and registering it with Griffith student associations. This took longer than expected, but we were undeterred and ran a number of sessions before being formalized anyway. I had contacted 26 students I’d worked with previously and they became the inaugural RAW members.
Internally, we referred to ourselves as GAWLERS, but we needed a more recognizable name – one that was easy to understand what the group was about. So instead of GAWLERS, we decided on RAW (Research And Writers).
RAW origins
Like most other educational institutions, Griffith University life and work changed profoundly in response to the recent COVID-19 ‘educational scramble’.
Soon after moving online in April 2019, I established an online ‘Show Up & Write’ space for students I knew as a way of staying connected, focused and productive. These sessions were regularly attended and participants said how useful it was to have a collegial space to talk, share, and create academic work. In break times, we asked questions, offered support, discussed our writing, and gave suggestions for improvements in a low-stakes and impactful way.
While Griffith responded to COVID and snap lockdowns by reducing staffing, decreasing services, and suspending many student professional development and networking opportunities until further notice, our study group flourished. As word of mouth about our group passed to others, ‘new’ people joined from all over Griffith.
It was clear there was an immediate need for this group and so in June 2021, the main proponents (Nina, Janis, Bec and Jenny) decided to formalise this opportunity and open it up for all Griffith students and candidates.
We call the group Griffith ‘Research and Writers Studio’, or RAW for short.
What we do
We are an online club bound by our commonality of academic work, research, and writing. Our club aims (see below) articulate our ethics, commitment and focus. RAW members include undergraduates, postgraduates, and professional teaching staff who are also studying at Griffith.
Our members come from all Griffith locations, not only in Brisbane (26) and Queensland (10), but across Australia (6) and around the world (6). We are proud to be a truly transdisciplinary group, transcending cultures, hobbies, degrees and programs, ages, gender, ability, locations, backgrounds, and personalities. This plurality in membership adds vibrancy, interest and new skills we would not otherwise have access to at Griffith elsewhere.
Research and Write (RAW) Studio
This group helps members be more confident, productive, and stylish academic writers and researchers.
Our group is guided by three key aims:
Aim 1. To present academic writing and research in influential ways to diverse audiences.
Develop and grow fundamental and advanced academic, writing and research skills and experience through a range of online and in-person opportunities. These include exclusive focused study groups, writing, editing and specialist workshops, writing process forums, accountability writing groups, skill drill sessions, special events and writing retreats and targeted academic skill sessions. These events consolidate and extend transferable oral, written and visual communication skills underpinned by positivity, engaged expression and critical evaluation of information, argument and opinion. Applicable for all levels of study across all disciplines.
Aim 2. To build confident, competent, and collaborative identities.
An inclusive and safe space to share university, writing and researching experiences. Instead of the usual teach-to model, this club moves towards a learn-with approach. Members are X to pursue their own academic and professional goals in ways that are productive, thoughtful, engaged and self-directed. Supporting a passion for lifelong learning through achievement, capacity and mastery. Provide opportunities for leadership and active engagement. Connect members with additional editing, proofreading, mentoring and/or other academic support services if needed. Interaction between Ph.D, Masters, Honours and undergrads is encouraged. To build relationships within and beyond the physical campus by establishing a collaborative and diverse community of practice.
Aim 3. To extend, challenge and share innovative, creative, ethical, and positive writing-research-action.
Provide members with opportunities to develop their own personal and professional goals. Respecting and strengthening engagement with First Nations, cross-cultural, and individual or cultural diversity peoples, cultures, perspectives and lifeworlds. This club adheres to an ethical code of conduct based on compassion, positive change and social and environmental responsibility and action. This club supports members to be intrepid and innovative in their writing and research endeavours to initiate, develop and implement new ideas and projects.
A massive thank you to Janis, Bec, Jenny, and all those early adopters who jumped in to get us started – thank you all!
We’ve already had some amazing sessions and I can’t wait to see where this leads.
I’m excited about this project and will be sharing some of our highlights along the way.
Write on all!