Research Article Boot Camp

Why, What, Who, and How?

Why a Research Article Boot Camp?

Getting your research published is a priority for graduate students, but finding uninterrupted time for writing is often challenging. Most of us have been in the position of having completed our research and then feeling the pressure to get it down on paper. Yet prioritizing your writing and scheduling structured writing time seems impossible amidst all the obligations and distractions of everyday living. In short, your research is just sitting there and you need something to get you moving, something to get you closer to being able to press “submit.” 

What is a Research Article Boot Camp?

The GCAC Research Article Boot Camp is designed to provide U of T graduate students with a dedicated time and space for intensive writing. By providing you with a writing regimen in a distraction-free environment, as well as expert support and advice, we can help you to reach your writing objectives, namely, finishing your manuscript so you can submit your article for publication.

In this camp, you’ll be asked to declare your writing goals and then be given dedicated blocks of writing time, free from all the regular distractions and demands on your time. You’ll be asked to abandon the Internet and email for the two days (lunch breaks excepted), giving you the opportunity to get some writing done and to consider and discuss the process of writing with other graduate students facing the same challenges as you. 

Importantly, this “Camp” offers a way to rediscover the positive aspects of writing and move away from the stress and guilt that’s often associated with it. What you will actually write depends on where you currently are in the writing process—whether you need to start, make progress on or complete your research article will be decided by you.

Who Should Sign Up?

In order to sign up for the GCAC Research Article Boot Camp, the following conditions apply:

  • You are willing to set goals and strive to reach them, to commit to a two-day program and to realize your potential for self-disciplined writing.

What Are the Logistics of the GCAC Research Article Boot Camp?

The GCAC Research Article Boot Camp takes place on two consecutive days, from 9:00 to 4:30 each day. We provide a space conducive to thinking about, discussing and getting down to the business of writing—distraction-free with places to plug in your laptop. The camp is run by a facilitator knowledgeable about the ins and outs of writing research articles. We provide morning coffee, snacks, and lunch each day of the camp. You come prepared with your laptop and all the materials (e.g., research notes, lab results) you’ll need to achieve your writing goals.

How Do I Apply?

TBA. Please subscribe to our listserv​ to receive weekly notifications on GCAC offerings, including future Boot Camps. ​​

To subscribe to the list, send an email to (upper or lower case is acceptable). In the BODY of the message, type a command of the form:

subscribe gcac-l firstname lastname