Write On! Through to the Ph.D.: using writing groups to facilitate doctoral degree progress

• Published in: Studies in continuing education 2013-07, Vol.35 (2), p.193-208
• Main Authors: Maher, Michelle, Fallucca, Amber, Mulhern Halasz, Helen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accountability; Collaborative Writing; College Faculty; Communities of Practice; Continuing education; doctoral advising; Doctoral candidates; Doctoral Degrees; doctoral education; Doctoral theses; doctoral writing; Expository writing; Graduate Students; Group experience; Higher education; Management education; Medicine; Part Time Students; Participation; Pedagogy; Peer relationship; Productivity; Scholarship; Self Control; Social Support Groups; Student attitudes; Student Motivation; Student teacher relationship; Time Management; Time on Task; Writing; Writing (Composition); Writing groups; Writing Processes
• ISSN: 0158-037X; 1470-126X
• DOI: 10.1080/0158037X.2012.736381

Although writing groups have a long history in higher education, they have only recently been recognized as a support strategy for doctoral students, particularly those at the dissertation stage. From the perspective of student participants, we investigate motivations for participation in and perceived outcomes of voluntary semi-structured writing groups used to facilitate doctoral degree completion. Group participation resulted in the development of a vibrant intellectual community among students, recent doctoral recipients, and faculty. Commitment to degree completion and student and faculty scholarly productivity soared through the use of this simple but innovative pedagogical strategy.