Workshops
Looking to boost your academic skills?
The ERC’s Workshops can help you become more successful by helping you better manage your time, perform better on different test formats, and improve your study habits.
The ERC’s Workshops can help you become more successful by helping you better manage your time,
perform better on different test formats, and improve your study habits.
Currently offered workshops are:
Overview of ERC Programs and Services Workshop
Get an overview of the services we provide for academic success including: academic planning; tutoring; time management; study skills; writing assistance; foreign language conversations and much more.
Avoiding Plagiarism Workshop
How do you use sources? When do you cite? How can you best avoid plagiarism? Based on Boston University’s policies on academic honesty, this workshop will answer questions about using sources without plagiarism and with proper citation.
Note Taking & Study Skills Workshop
Are you tired of cramming for exams? This workshop will help you study smarter, not harder! Set yourself up for success by learning active note taking and study techniques you can use throughout the semester to improve your comprehension and retention of course material.
Test Taking & Test Anxiety Workshop
This workshop offers strategies that will help you navigate exams more efficiently, budget your time, and manage your stress levels during an exam. You will learn how to approach different types of questions on an exam and how to respond if you don’t know the answer to a question. You will also learn how to assess your performance on past exams in order to improve your study strategies.
Time Management & Goal Setting Workshop
Does it feel like there are never enough hours in the day? Are you pulling all-nighters to complete assignments at the last minute? Or, perhaps, you have all of your classes and extracurricular activities color-coded in your iCal or Google Calendar, but you aren’t sure how to optimize your study time. In this workshop, you will learn essential time management principles and strategies for overcoming procrastination. You’ll also discover prioritization tools to help you confidently navigate your weekly routine and set achievable goals that build toward your long-term objectives.
Academic Integrity Workshop
This interactive workshop explores the importance of academic integrity in higher education, and addresses the following important questions: What is academic integrity? Why is academic integrity important? What are some of the values associated with academic integrity? Why is integrity important in the realm of higher education? How does the concept of academic integrity transition into environments outside of higher education?
Reading Strategies Workshop
Did you know that boosting your reading comprehension is one of the most effective ways to enhance your overall academic performance? This workshop will introduce you to a variety of techniques for reading textbooks, academic articles, and more. You will also learn annotation and note taking strategies to help you translate class readings into study materials for your next exam or paper.
Self-Editing Workshop
Led by ERC writing fellows, this workshop will equip you to edit and proofread your papers with confidence! While learning how to revise the style and voice of your papers, you will also learn how to identify patterns of error at the sentence level.
*We also offer custom workshops for faculty/staff and student organizations.
Check out the ERC Calendar to see the schedule for upcoming workshops.
What does a Writing Assistance appointment look like?
You will be challenged to work through your writing process with the guidance of your Writing Fellow. Your Writing Fellow will talk with you about your writing and what you’re trying to accomplish, ask about the problems that you’re already aware of, read through your composition with you, and present feedback on how you might resolve your concerns and improve your own work. Fellows will respond to any issues you have identified and offer insights. We encourage you to share what you hope to accomplish during your appointment, and the Writing Fellows will do their best to help!
It’s okay if you haven’t written anything yet, or what you have is not as polished as you’d like. The Writing Fellow can help you with all stages of the writing process: time management and organization, brainstorming, confusion over the reading or prompts, outlining, thesis formulation, building an effective argument, drafting, presenting and integrating evidence/quotations, revising, style and voice, patterns of error at the sentence level, citations/avoiding plagiarism, and techniques for editing and self-proofreading.
What should I not expect of my Writing Fellow?
You should not expect your Writing Fellow to proofread or edit your writing for mistakes; this is something we expect you to do. Writing Fellows cannot work on the same assignment with you more than three times. Without written permission from your instructor, Writing Fellows will not help you with a take-home exam. Please don’t expect the Writing Fellow to have a lesson prepared for your appointment as they are not teachers.
What should I bring?
Laptops are permitted or you can bring a printed double-spaced copy of your writing. It is most helpful to bring your assignment sheet. You can also bring your class syllabus, application form/essay prompts, outline/notes (especially if your draft is still rough), professor’s comments, and/or previous assignments (especially if you hope to identify recurring patterns of issues in your writing).
How can I get the most out of my appointment?
To make the most of your appointment, arrive on time and be ready with your writing and related material. Come with a goal of what you want to accomplish in your session and let your Writing Fellow know. Remember that you are the expert. Writing Fellows are generally not familiar with the content of your classes. They can help you articulate your own ideas and structure your arguments effectively.
Keep an open mind: Students sometimes misdiagnose their own writing. Writing Fellows may direct your attention to new aspects of your work or provide constructive feedback. Be willing to view your work with fresh eyes and engage with your Writing Fellow about their feedback.
I'm a BU faculty/staff member. Is it ok if I attend an ERC workshop?
Certainly! We welcome faculty and staff in our workshops, whether for personal enrichment or as an opportunity to learn more about the resources that are available to students. Simply RSVP through our
Calendar.
Additionally, if you would like an ERC staff member to present for your class, event, or student group, fill out our Workshop Request Form
