グローバル教育展開オフィスでは、「英語論文執筆リトリート」を実施いたしました。
3日間の詳細について、ファシリテーターのエマニュエル・マナロ教授によるご報告と、参加者の大学院学生６名の感想をご覧ください。Facilitators, Professor Emmanuel Manalo
We conducted the three-day writing retreat at Shirahamaso Inn in Shiga on November 10-12. Six students took part in the retreat: four at the Doctoral level, and two at the Masters level. All of them were in the process of writing a research paper in English for submission to an international academic journal in education or psychology.
Writing retreats are popular among academics and writers in many Western countries, but it is almost unheard of in Japan. In fact, in the past when I have explained the idea of it to a few Japanese colleagues, they could not quite see the point of it.
The purpose of a writing retreat is to provide participants (the writers) dedicated time and space so that they can set aside their daily responsibilities to focus only on writing. That way, in a supportive environment, the participants can make significant progress in writing their journal paper, book chapter, or other writing project. The supportive environment is important as our emotions affect our writing motivation and productivity.
Writing retreats can be structured or unstructured. The writing retreat we conducted was structured. After brief self-introductions at the start, I provided some advice about procedural and output errors to avoid when writing, because those errors will likely lead to immediate rejection by journal editors. Then we discussed methods for effectively planning and structuring our objectives and time for writing. After that, we launched into writing.
We structured the days into three writing blocks: morning (3 hours), early afternoon (2 hours), and late afternoon (3 hours), with short breaks in between. At the start of each block, we quickly planned and declared specific goals for what we will aim to achieve. At the end of each day, we reported and discussed our progress and any problems we encountered. During the writing blocks, participants could take short breaks if they wished. We worked together in the same big room, and participants could ask questions or seek advice from each or from me at any stage.
Everyone made significant progress in writing during this retreat, so much so that I am expecting that at least five of the six students can finish and submit their papers before the end of this calendar year. (The sixth student is still in the process of collecting data, so finishing the paper so soon would be impossible.)
Feedback from the six students who took part in the writing retreat is provided below. The aspects that all or most of them found particularly helpful are the advice/guidance provided about goal setting and time use, learning from each other, and the supportive and focused atmosphere for writing.
Participants
Nan KANG
I’ve benefitted a lot during the 3-day Writing Retreat. Most importantly, I have made progress in my paper writing. The atmosphere there made me feel easier to get absorbed in my paper writing while working with the Professor and other members. We had a short seminar before the writing and I think the working strategies for academic writing, like time blocking, goal setting, and diagram and text plans are really useful. We actually practised these strategies in the 3 days, and I’ve never felt like working so efficiently as this time before. It seems I’ve found my own pace on my papers through this activity, and I think I will continue employing these writing strategies in my future work of writing.
Yukari ABE
The writing retreat this time was very meaningful for progressing with my paper writing. Having dedicated time to focus and seeing both the participants and the instructor also engaged in their writing helped me maintain my motivation to keep on writing. Furthermore, setting small goals prevented me from getting side-tracked by other temptations (e.g., checking my mobile, reading additional papers, etc.), allowing me to stay focused. What I learned this time will be useful for my future writing endeavors.
Lei ZHANG
Under the instruction of Manalo sensei, I not only completed the manuscript of my paper but also learned many practical skills, such as setting goals that need to be achieved within a certain time. I also have applied such skills to my current study life, which makes my life more organized and efficient. In addition, I also learned a lot from other participants about how they prepared their papers.
Shuyu XING
The Writing Retreat has been very helpful for me. In terms of writing, setting goals for time blocks and sharing progress with others has made my time more effective, that I completed several important tasks for my paper through this weekend. Also, it is an inspiring experience for me to communicate with and learn from researchers in the field of cognitive psychology, which widened my understanding about education.
Haruka MURAKAMI
It was really useful as I was able to not only concentrate on my writing but also learn time management strategy for writing. Furthermore, it was effective because I could consult with other members whenever I faced any problems, which is what I cannot do if I write alone.
Yu-Jr LAN
The 3-day writing retreat was incredibly productive. The focused environment enabled me to fully concentrate on writing my paper, and having my peers next to me was both reassuring and motivating. I also appreciate the workshop on key points for journal submissions and strategies like time blocking to effectively utilize our time when writing. I believe the knowledge and experiences gained through this writing retreat will continue to be beneficial in the future. I am so thankful for the opportunity and would definitely like to join any future writing retreats!