IAP Independent Activities Period
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IAP 2011 Activities by Category

Writing and Communications Skills

Dissertation Writers Support Group
Steven Strang, Besty Fox
Thu Jan 13, 20, 03:30-04:30pm, 12-132

No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 11-Jan-2011
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)

Writing a thesis or dissertation can be daunting and frustrating if we try to "go it alone." These sessions will present an overview of the thesis-writing process, as well as tips for managing time and emotional stress. In addition, we will discuss the possibility of establishing one or more support groups for the Spring and beyond.
Contact: Steven Strang, 12-120, 253-4459, smstrang@mit.edu
Sponsor: Writing and Communication Center

Effective Speaking
Barbara Smith
Tue Jan 11, Thu Jan 13, Tue Jan 18, Thu Jan 20, 03-05:00pm, 1-390

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 05-Jan-2011
Limited to 50 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: None Required

Have you always wondered why some people seem at ease with public speaking? Have others told you to speak up because you speak too softly, or perhaps you are self-conscious because of your accent? Well, this class is for you! You will learn the proper techniques for projecting your voice and delivering a talk. (Prerequisite - must be an MIT Student, Faculty, Staff or Affiliate to attend class.)
Contact: Barbara Smith, 5-320, x3-0137, bsmith@mit.edu
Sponsor: Mechanical Engineering

Individual Consultations at the Writing and Communication Center
Steven Strang
Mon-Fri, Jan 3-7, 10-14, 18-21, 24-26, 10-03:00am, 12-120

No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Repeating event. Participants welcome at any session
Prereq: none

The Writing Center's professional staff will offer free consultations on any communication issue (writing,speaking, presentation) including finding topics, generating ideas, improving grammar and stye, organizing documents, and using evidence. We can help with theses from any department, application essays, resumes, articles for publication, proposals,course papers. Practice your oral presentations,work on slide design, etc. Go to our online scheduler to schedule an appointment.
Web: http://writing.mit.edu/wcc/appointments
Contact: Steven Strang, 12-120, 253-4459, smstrang@mit.edu
Sponsor: Writing and Communication Center

MIT Writers' Group
Steven Strang
Tue Jan 11, 18, 25, 12-01:00pm, 12-134

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 03-Jan-2011
Limited to 20 participants.
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
Prereq: none

Want to write but need some motivation or support? Join other writers to get advice about your own writing, to help other writers, or to get inspiration to write something to share with the group-any kind of writing is possible (e.g, fiction, poetry, literary nonfiction, course-specific assignments, theses, and professional projects).
Contact: Steven Strang, 12-120, 253-4459, smstrang@mit.edu
Sponsor: Writing and Communication Center

Making the Most of Your Presentation
Dr. Jean-luc Doumont, Communication Consultant, Principae
Mon Jan 24, 02-04:00pm, 32-123

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event

Strong oral presentation skills are a key to success for engineers, scientists, and other professionals, yet many speakers are at a loss to tackle the task. Systematic as they otherwise can be in their work, they go at it intuitively, sometimes haphazardly, with much good will but seldom good results. Based on Dr. Doumont's book "Trees, maps, and theorems" about “effective communication for rational minds” this lecture proposes a systematic way to prepare and deliver presentations. Among others, it covers structure, slides, and delivery, as well as stage fright.
Contact: Leann Dobranski, 5-122, x3-3371, leann@mit.edu
Sponsor: Teaching and Learning Lab
Cosponsor: Dean for Graduate Education (ODGE)

Storytelling for Money
Kevin Brooks, MIT Alumni, Laura Packer
Thu Jan 13, 09am-12:00pm, E14-525

Enrollment limited: first come, first served
Limited to 50 participants.
Single session event
Prereq: Comfortable with English.

Want to tell short riveting stories about your life or work for fun, profit and academic prowess? We all tell stories, but sometimes you need to tell one that has an effect; to teach, influence or make people think. At MIT stories are often told for money – grant money, sponsor money, job money, VC money – yet so often people launch into their spiel without thinking, “What’s my story?”
This 3-hour intro will teach you how to tell your story for classes, demos, interviews, or elevators. Learn how to tell stories that leave listeners wanting to hear more and asking you the questions you want them to ask. You will:
· Identify, develop and craft a story from your own life or work
· Learn applied storytelling theory for performance and public speaking
· Have fun
Led by seasoned performing storytellers: Kevin Brooks is a Media Lab alumnus and has told stories for stage and sponsors. Laura Packer is a storyteller, teacher and coach who has performed and taught worldwide.
Contact: Kevin Brooks, E15-468A, (781) 267-3798, storyiap11@media.mit.edu
Sponsor: Media Arts & Sciences

Structuring Your Scientific Paper
Dr. Jean-luc Doumont, Communication Consultant, Principiae
Tue Jan 25, 02-04:00pm, 32-123

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event

Papers are one of the few deliverables of the work of researchers. Well-designed, they efficiently allow each reader to learn only what he or she needs to. Poorly designed, by contrast, they confuse readers, fail to prompt decisions, or remain unread. Based on Dr Doumont's book Trees, Maps, and Theorems, about “effective communication for rational minds”, the lecture shows how to structure scientific papers, theses, and technical reports effectively at all levels to get the readers' attention, facilitate navigation, and, in this way, get the message across optimally.
Web: http://www.principiae.be
Contact: Leann Dobranski, 5-122, x3-3371, leann@mit.edu
Sponsor: Teaching and Learning Lab
Cosponsor: Dean for Graduate Education (ODGE)

Technical, Scientific, and Professional Communication
Leslie Perelman
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)

All WAC workshops are open to instructors and teaching assistants who work with CI subjects, or who are interested in integrating writing and speaking into their subjects.
Contact: Chelsey Norman, 12-117, x3-0650, chelseyn@mit.edu
Sponsor: Writing and Humanistic Studies

Designing Writing Assignments
Dr. Leslie Perelman Director, Writing Across the Curriculum
Often poorly-designed writing assignments produce poorly-written, vague, and unfocused papers. Well-designed assignments can help students develop a deeper understanding of the material they’re writing about and how scholars think about that material. This workshop will focus on designing assignments to help students achieve the communicative goals you set while avoiding confusion and temptations to plagiarize.
Mon Jan 24, 10-11:30am, 12-134

Why We Cite: Teaching the Purposes and Practices of Academic Source Use
Dr. Suzanne Lane Associate Director, Writing Across the Curriculum
Do your students cite sloppily, quote incorrectly, lack evidence, summarize rather than analyze, or choose sources poorly? This workshop will address the complex issues that arise in teaching students to identify, evaluate, integrate, and document sources professionally.
Tue Jan 25, 10-11:30am, 12-134

Thinking and Talking: Oral Communication in the Classroom
Atissa Banuazizi Lecturer, Writing Across the Curriculum
This workshop will examine the rich variety of forms that oral presentations can take, in order to help instructors reconceptualize the role of speaking in their classes. Participants will develop a deeper understanding of fundamental oral communication concepts, will consider how speaking assignments may be integrated into a class most fruitfully, and will explore how to respond to student presentations.
Wed Jan 26, 10-11:30am, 12-134

Powerful Feedback: Crafting Effective Response to Student Writing
Dr. Neal Lerner Director of Training, Writing Across the Curriculum
What kind of feedback will help students understand how to revise that essay, report, or article, or to write more effectively in their next assignment? This workshop will help faculty, TAs, and instructors learn to articulate their criteria for student writing, and to provide the kinds of comments and strategies that will help students understand how to improve both their essays and their skills as writers.
Thu Jan 27, 10-11:30am, 12-134

Teaching Students to Communicate: Recent Research from MIT - THIS SESSION IS CANCELLED
Leslie Perelman
How is the teaching of communication being shaped by developments in digital media? Do students in new interdisciplinary fields learn to communicate in interdisciplinary ways? What’s new in the teaching of scientific communication? This session will present recent developments in the field of writing and communication by researchers in Writing Across the Curriculum at MIT.
Thu Jan 27, 02-04:00pm, 12-134

Writing Recommendations that Rock (Without Sacrificing All Your Weekends)
Alison Hynd, Kim Benard
Tue Jan 4, 02-03:30pm, 56-167

No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Single session event

Faculty: Are you swamped by requests to write recommendations and reference letters for students or colleagues? Are you new to recommendation writing and need some pointers? Do you want to spiff-up your style and make sure your recommendations are effective? Then come and learn some effective strategies for writing recommendation letters that work while being efficient with your time. This workshop is offered by staff and faculty members who read and write a LOT of recommendation letters, so we understand both how important these are to our students and how much time it can take to write an effective letter. RSVP to Alison Hynd, PSC, hynd@mit.edu.
Contact: Alison Hynd, PSC, x8-0691, hynd@mit.edu
Sponsor: Global Education and Career Development
Cosponsor: Public Service Center


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Comments and questions to: iap-www@mit.edu Academic Resource Center, Room 7-104, 617-253-1668
Last update: 7 Sept. 2011