Emerging Researchers Academy
The Emerging Researchers Academy is a continuing series of student workshops designed for undergraduate researchers and those who are interested in participating in mentored research projects. The workshops offer foundational, research-supportive skill-building activities as well as informational sessions focused on deeper engagement with learning through undergraduate research. Sessions have focused on the research writing process, research question development and design, responsible conduct of research, as well as applying for research opportunities and programs, preparing for graduate study, and combattng imposter syndrome.
Spring Workshop Series
Emerging Researchers Academy: Overcoming Impostor Phenomenon to Write with Confidence Workshop
Date: Wednesday, January 28th
Time: 3-4 p.m.
How to join: Sign up via Zoom
In this online Writing Center workshop, we will help you build your writing confidence by identifying and overcoming the impostor phenomenon. You will learn techniques for tackling some of the most difficult writing challenges that can contribute to feelings of impostorism: getting started and managing your time. Come jumpstart your academic writing career, discover your writing strengths, and learn how to become a confident writer!
Emerging Researchers Academy: Research Writing Process Workshop
Date: Wednesday, February 4th
Time: 3-4 p.m.
How to join: Sign up via Zoom
In this online Writing Center workshop, we will help demystify the college research writing process by breaking it down into manageable chunks, so you don’t procrastinate until the last minute. Start your academic research writing career off right by finding out why you write the way you do, and how to become a more efficient writer!
Emerging Researchers Academy: Research Question Workshop
Date: Wednesday, February 11th
Time: 3-4 p.m.
How to join: Sign up via Zoom
Research questions can be difficult to start because they are often the first step in your research process. This online Writing Center workshop will help you feel more comfortable when beginning a research project and will teach you how to develop a clear, focused, and complex research question.
Emerging Researchers Academy: Personal Statement Workshop
Date: Wednesday, February 18th
Time: 3-4 p.m.
How to join: Sign up via Zoom
Writing about yourself can be intimidating, especially when something important like a scholarship or admittance to a program is riding on one short piece of writing. In this interactive Zoom workshop, we will look at examples of strong, successful personal statements, as well as less successful ones, and give you the tools you need to write your best statement.
Emerging Researchers Academy: Ph.D. & Research Pathways
Date: Wednesday, February 18th
Time: 4-5 p.m.
How to join: Sign up via Zoom
Curious about research or grad school, but not sure where to start? This workshop breaks down what PhDs actually are, how research careers work, and highlights the value of undergraduate experiences, such as pipeline programs. Join us to learn how to impact your communities, shape knowledge, and pursue careers you may not have considered. All majors, backgrounds, and questions are welcome!
Emerging Researchers Academy: Reading and Incorporating Academic Sources into Your Writing Workshop
Date: Wednesday, February 25th
Time: 3-4 p.m.
How to join: Sign up via Zoom
Sources are an important part of the writing process, but it can be difficult to know whether an article is “academic” or “scholarly,” much less whether or not it is useful to your research. This online Writing Center workshop is a guide to finding, reading, evaluating, and incorporating academic sources into your work. Students will learn tips to start the search for relevant sources and how to properly integrate outside information into their writing.
Emerging Researchers Academy: Developing Voice in the Age of AI Workshop
Date: Wednesday, March 4th
Time: 3-4 p.m.
How to join: Sign up via Zoom
In this workshop, we will discuss how to develop and maintain your unique voice in the age of AI. As new technologies continue to shape how we write, it’s important to ensure that our individuality still shines through. Whether you’re using AI tools for brainstorming, editing, or research, your distinct voice and perspective remains the most impactful part of your work. Today, we’ll explore practical and creative ways to strengthen your voice, while taking into consideration the impact of AI and how we can make intentional choices about how and when we use it.
Emerging Researchers Academy: Library Databases and Research Strategies Workshop
Date: Wednesday, March 18th
Time: 3-4 p.m.
How to join: Sign up via Zoom
VCU Libraries provides access to over 670 unique databases, as well as the Gold Search Box on the Libraries' website which allows you to discover books, articles, DVDs, and more. With all these options available, it should be easy to find resources for your research, right? Well, it's not that simple! Join a Teaching & Learning Librarian for a workshop about navigating library databases and forming search strategies to make your hunt for relevant, credible resources quicker, easier, and less of a headache! This workshop will demonstrate how to effectively use the Gold Search Box on the Libraries' website, as well as how to find and use subject-specific databases.
Emerging Researchers Academy: Using Zotero to Manage Your Citations Workshop
Date: Wednesday, March 25th
Time: 3-4 p.m.
How to join: Sign up via Zoom
Zotero is a free and open-source software program to help you manage citations and create bibliographies -- and save plenty of time and heartache in your research process. In this VCU Library online workshop, participants will learn how to create a Zotero account, import citations and PDFs from various platforms, organize references, and generate in-text citations and bibliographies in Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
Emerging Researchers Academy: Annotating Sources - Gathering Evidence for Your Research Project
Date: Wednesday, April 1st
Time: 3-4 p.m.
How to join: Sign up via Zoom
Why not save yourself time and energy and take notes in PDFs of sources while you read? Annotation makes reading more engaging and helps you gather the most valuable evidence from your sources. This workshop, led by the FILL, will show you how to save many kinds of texts as PDFs and introduce you to a system of note-taking using free annotation software. The easy approach to highlighting and leaving comments you will learn will ensure that you can quickly make sense of your notes when you return to them later.
Emerging Researchers Academy: Writing a Strong Introduction, Abstract, or Proposal Narrative Workshop
Date: Wednesday, April 8th
Time: 3-4 p.m.
How to join: Sign up via Zoom
Being able to show the value of a larger piece or project with a succinct, well-structured introduction, abstract, or proposal narrative can be a nerve-wracking endeavor, as you scramble to articulate your ideas in the best way possible. In this online Writing Center workshop, we will give you the tools necessary to establish your ideas in a strong, logical way that will hook your audience and get them excited about reading more.
Emerging Researchers Academy: Structuring Your Writing for Your Audience Workshop
Date: Wednesday, April 22nd
Time: 3-4 p.m.
How to join: Sign up via Zoom
It can be frustrating to put so much work into a paper, only to be told it doesn’t flow or make sense. Alternatively, if you’re not sure how to do these things, you may put off writing until the last minute, which often results in a rushed mess. This online Writing Center workshop will give you the tools necessary to meet the needs of your audience by writing strong, logical, structurally sound work.