Communication

Understanding contexts & audiences, Active listening, Creating strong questions, Receiving & providing feedback, Understanding academic honesty (citations, plagiarism, use of AI and ChatGPT), Finding one’s scholarly voice (both written and oral), Honing writing skills for academia & industry, Creating grant proposals, Networking, Presenting & public speaking

Effectively communicate ideas through oral, written, visual, digital, and non-verbal skills while actively listening to foster understanding and empathy. Strong communication enhances interpersonal connections, especially in an increasingly digital world.

GradUP: Communication Key Topics

Written – Communicating with various audiences in writing
Verbal – Communicating through spoken language for understanding across various audiences
Interpersonal – Empathizing, listening, and being sensitive to others and the larger social system
Visual & Digital – Expressing ideas and concepts through the development of digital content

GradUP: Communication Resources

Skill Building

Writing Support & Skill Building

Willis Center for Writing 1-on-1 Consultations
The Jill and Marvin Willis Center for Writing offers support to students, faculty, and staff on a wide variety of writing projects. Services are free of cost and available to all UGA writers. By appointment only.
Willis Center for Writing Workshops
New offerings are posted each semester and include topics such as; overcoming procrastination, strategies on improving your writing, navigating writers block, telling your research story, and much more.
Back to the Basics in Sentence Construction
Resources designed to help writers shore up their fundamental composition skills.
Plagiarism Resources / Turnitin Draft Coach
Resources compiled by UGA Libraries including a checklist to avoid plagiarism, tools for managing references and citations, and links to Turnitin Draft Coach for student writers.

Writing Productivity

Writing Productivity Resources
A collection of resources to enhance writing productivity from our peers at UCLA. Including guides on different techniques, strategies for writing from home, time tracking, managing tasks, and much more.
The Writing Process: Developing Healthy Habits in Writing
A healthy writing process can do wonders for a writer. It provides structure, focus, and clarity, allowing writers to approach their work with confidence and purpose. These resources for building healthy writing habits from our peers at Clemson is a great start to increasing your writing productivity.

Visual Communication

Data Studio @ Main
This instructional lab provides UGA faculty, staff, and students with a technology-enhanced environment to enhance their research data-related knowledge and skills. Reserve the space or meet with a team member to find the right tool for visualizing your data.

Communicating Research

Research Communications
A collection of resources to help you learn techniques to effectively communicate your research to a broad audience.
Spoken with Authority
Gain great insight into how to prepare for virtual and in-person presentations, learn what common errors to avoid, and be “in the know” with presentation trends, among many other relevant oral communication topics. Resources include videos and books.
Consortium on Graduate Communication
An international association whose members provide professional development in graduate communication skills.

Programs / Certificates

NCFDD 14 Day Writing Challenge

NCFDD 14 Day Writing Challenge
This challenge is a free opportunity for you to experiment with daily writing, online community, and supportive accountability.

Dissertation Writing Retreat

Dissertation Writing Retreat
Provides structured writing time and resources for graduate students who are completing dissertation writing. Students benefit from writing tips, resources, one-on-one consultations, peer feedback, and focused writing time.

Graduate Certificate in Crisis Risk Disaster Communications

Graduate Certificate in Crisis Risk Disaster Communications
Open to graduate students seeking advanced learning in crisis and risk communication, risk management, and disaster management.

Communication-Focused Groups & Organizations

Athens Science Café
Fun, lively meetings held in places like coffee houses, pubs, and community centers where everyday people come together and learn about a variety of topics from professional scientists and engage in conversations with peers of all levels of experience. Find them on Instagram at athscicafe.
Athens Toastmasters Club 1779
Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. These clubs meet both online and in person, and their purpose is to help individuals develop confidence and improve their communication abilities. This is a local chapter and the organization requires membership dues to become a full member. For additional free resources, see Toastmasters International.
Demosthenian Literary Society
UGA literary/debate society open to students.
The Phi Kappa Literary Society
UGA literary/debate society open to students.

Awards / Competitions

Communication of Research and Scholarship Grants

Communication of Research and Scholarship Grants
Support for graduate students who wish to communicate the results of their scholarship to non-academic audiences.

Conference Travel Grants

Conference Travel Grants
Enable eligible students to present results of their dissertation or thesis research at important conferences in their fields.

Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition

Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition
Develops academic, presentation, and research communication skills and supports the development of students’ capacities to effectively explain their research using non-technical language appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience in under three minutes. The Graduate School competition happens every fall semester. Some departments and colleges may offer local competitions during the spring semester.

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