Communications Workshops
Important notes:
- These workshops are only open to enrolled Purdue engineering graduate students, post-docs, and visiting scholars.
- You may register for as many workshops as you like.
- Most of the workshops occur over multiple sessions; attendance is mandatory at ALL sessions. Students who miss the first session of a workshop cannot participate in the remaining sessions.
- Typically, the workshops are held in the Purdue Graduate Student Center (PGSC), 105AB. For now they will be held online via Zoom.
- Click on the registration links located below the description of each workshop to register.
- Download Spring 2021 Flyer (PDF)
ENGR 59600: Grad ENGR Communications
One-credit course in Engineering Communications
Spring 2021 Workshops
-
“Excellent and pertinent examples for the different sections of an email.” — a former workshop attendee
Although many students prefer texting, email is still the prevalent form of communication on campus and in industry. Writing email is more complicated than it appears and often causes miscommunication. To write effective emails, writers need to consider the target audience and purpose of the email, among other aspects. This one-session workshop will cover email language issues such as tone, appropriate salutations and closings, and other issues such as the responsible use of the medium. This workshop is offered two to three times per year.
The workshop meets on the following date:
- January 25, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
Please note that this workshop will be held online. You will receive the Zoom link no later than January 25.
Registration ends at 4:00 PM on January 23.
Register for the “Communicating Via Email” workshop -
Many engineering conferences require the submission of a written abstract as the first step in writing a paper. In this two-session workshop, students will learn to identify the elements of a well-written abstract, write one of their own, and receive peer and instructor feedback on it. This workshop is offered three times per year, including in the summer.
The workshop meets on the following dates:
April 1, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
April 8, 2020 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
Please note that this workshop will be held online. You will receive the Zoom link no later than April 1.
Registration ends at 4:00 PM on March 31.
Register for the “Conference Abstracts” workshop -
“It gives confidence, and the feedback is really useful!” — a former workshop attendee
In the first of four sessions, graduate students will learn the basics of presentation design and delivery appropriate for contexts such as research group and conference presentations. The following session will be devoted to instructor and peer evaluation of the slides students create outside the workshop. For the final two to three sessions, workshop participants will give individual ten-minute PowerPoint presentations. While one student presents, the others in the group will evaluate the delivery and slide design and then provide written and oral feedback. Each presentation will be filmed so the students will have a record of it. This workshop is offered two to three times per year.
The workshop meets on the following dates:
- March 1, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
- March 8, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
- March 15, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
- March 22, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
Attendance at all 4 sessions is required.
Please note that this workshop will be held online. You will receive the Zoom link no later than March 1.
Registration ends at 4:00 PM on February 28.
Register for the “Designing and Delivering Oral Presentations” workshop -
“Discussing research with various audiences is a most critical asset…This workshop is a solution to gain…experience with how to discuss your research.” — a former workshop attendee
Engineers often need to discuss their research with non-experts. This one-session workshop covers the contexts and purposes of these talks, as well as the need to do audience analysis and how to adapt one's message to a particular audience. These adaptations include language use, appealing to different learning styles, and nonverbal communication. This workshop is offered two to three times per year.
This workshop meets on the following date:
February 2, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
Please note that this workshop will be held online. You will receive Zoom meeting information no later than February 2.
Registration ends at 4:00 PM on February 1.
Register for the “Discussing Research with Various Audiences” workshop -
“It’s a very important topic that a student does not realize at the beginning of his Ph.D.” — a former workshop attendee
In the first session of this two-session-long workshop, students will view examples of various graphics and learn how to create them for use in conference and journal papers, in addition to PowerPoint slides. Workshop participants will create their own graphics and bring these to the second workshop session to receive peer and instructor feedback. This workshop is offered two to three times per year.
The workshop meets on the following dates:
- April 19, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
- April 21, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
Please note that this workshop will be held online. You will receive the Zoom link no later than April 19.
Attendance at both sessions is required.
Registration ends at 4:00 PM on April 16.
Register for the “Effective Graphics” workshop -
“Very useful and gave me lots of good suggestions on the resources available to help my academic writing.” — a former workshop attendee
This is a five-session-long workshop for students who want to refresh or enhance their knowledge of basic written English and learn strategies for identifying and correcting errors. The sessions will focus on common grammar problems and typical issues in punctuation and mechanics. Workshop participants will write brief professional biography, as well as one other document. Both documents will receive peer and instructor feedback. This workshop is offered two to three times per year.
This workshop meets on the following dates.
February 11, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
February 18, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
February 25, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
March 4, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
March 11, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
Attendance at all 5 sessions is required.
This workshop meets two times per year.
Register for the “English for Engineers” workshop -
Join in as we hold an online writing group via Zoom. The idea is that this will become a regular time for you to work on whatever stage you’re in of the writing process, on whatever type of document you are writing. Sometimes it’s helpful to know that you’re part of a group all simultaneously doing the same thing. Joanne Lax be there to answer any questions you have during the session.
Here’s the agenda for the sessions:
- We’ll go around and find out what everyone is working on and what your goals for the session.
- Write for 30 minutes. During this time, you can mute the audio and turn off the camera or keep them on—it’s up to you what kind of writing environment works best for you.
- After 30 minutes, we’ll take a 5-minute break for comments on how the writing is going, stretching, bathroom visits, refills of coffee, etc.
- We’ll write for another 30 minutes.
- Then we’ll go around again to learn what everyone accomplished.
The online writing group meets twice a week:
Mondays, from 10:00 to 11:30 AM (starting January 25)
Thursdays, from 3:00 to 4:30 PM (starting January 28)
Note: You may register for one or both sessions, regular attendance is voluntary.
Register for the “Online Writing Groups” workshop -
“It is useful for all new grad students [who] are being involved in research.” — a former workshop attendee
This is a one-session condensed version of the “Writing a Publishable Paper” workshop to provide students with an introduction to writing an academic paper. It includes information on how to decide where to publish, the publication process, and the typical organization and components of a journal or conference paper. This workshop is intended for graduate students who do not yet have any research ready for publication. The workshop is held during the fall and spring semesters.
The workshop meets on the following date:
January 27, 2021 from 4:00 - 5:00 PM.
Please note that this workshop will be held online. You will receive Zoom meeting information no later than January 27.
Registration ends at 4:00 pm on January 26.
Register for the “Overview of Academic Paper Writing” workshop -
“It’s a good way to organize thoughts about a CV.” — a former workshop attendee
Students seeking positions in academia need a CV, rather than a resume, for their application. The first session of this two-session workshop will cover the essential information and organization of a CV, and the second session will be used for students to bring in a draft of their CV for peer and instructor feedback.
The workshop meets on the following dates:
February 8, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
February 15, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
Please note that this workshop will be held online. You will receive Zoom meeting information no later than February 8.
Attendance at both sessions is required.
Registration ends at 4:00 PM on February 5.
Register for the “Preparing a CV” workshop -
“This workshop highlights some important ‘should-be-aware-of’ stuff that I ignored before. Really great help.” — a former workshop attendee
This one-session workshop is held every fall and spring semester before the Purdue Engineering Student Council (PESC) Industrial Roundtable and EXPO, respectively. Topics covered include using the PESC website to identify and research potential employers; a job fair day plan; meeting with recruiters; and special job search tips for international students. This workshop is offered early in the fall and spring semesters.
The workshop meets on the following date:
January 19, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
Please note that this workshop will be held online. You will receive Zoom meeting information no later than January 19.
Registration ends at 4:00 PM on January 18.
Register for the “Preparing for a Job Fair” workshop -
“Many of [the] topics covered were new, and it was a crisp and good introduction to them.” — a former workshop attendee
This is a one-session workshop covering the use of etiquette in written, spoken, and nonverbal communication in professional contexts such as the job search process. Students will learn how to make a good impression on potential employers in writing, to interact verbally, and to be aware of the impact of their body language and table manners. This workshop is offered early in the fall and spring semesters.
The workshop meets on the following date:
January 22, 2021 from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
Please note that this workshop will be held online. You will receive Zoom meeting information no later than January 22.
Registration ends at 4:00 PM on January 21.
Register for the “Professional Communication Etiquette” workshop -
“It is the best resume workshop I’ve attended while at Purdue (and I’ve attended several).” — a former workshop attendee
This is a two-session-long workshop to help students write resumes and cover letters for job applications. The first session covers the information that both documents should contain, and the second session provides an opportunity for students to bring in a draft of their resume and cover letter for peer and instructor feedback. This workshop is offered early in the fall and spring semesters.
The workshop meets on the following dates:
January 21, 2021 from 12:30 - 2:00 PM.
January 28, 2021 from 12:30 - 2:00 PM.
Please note that this workshop will be held online. You will receive Zoom meeting information no later than January 21.
Attendance at both sessions is required.
Registration ends at 4:00 PM on January 20.
Register for the “Resumes and Cover Letters” workshop -
“Just the exercise of systematically working through a paper, doing peer review, and having deadlines is a great way to help yourself break up a daunting task & work through it.” — a former workshop attendee
This 11-session long workshop is designed to guide advanced Ph.D. students through the process of writing a journal or conference paper based on their individual research. At the conclusion of this workshop, students should have a paper that is ready to submit to a conference or journal. Because the workshop will focus on the content, structure, and process of writing the paper, students already will need to possess strong skills in written English. Topics covered in the workshop include audience awareness, library research strategies, copyright concerns, and the individual sections of a conference or journal paper. Students will be expected to write both during and outside of the workshop and participate in guided peer review sessions of their written work. The focus of the feedback will be on the content and organization of the writing rather than the grammar. This workshop is offered two to three times per year.
The workshop meets on the following dates:
Every Wednesday from February 3 through April 21, (except February 17, 2021) from 4:00 - 5:00 PM.
Please note that this workshop will be held online. You will receive Zoom meeting information no later than September 15.
Attendance at all sessions is required.
Registration ends at 4:00 PM on February 2.
Note: This workshop is limited to engineering graduate students enrolled at Purdue who already have research in progress and need to write a paper based on it in the near future.
Register for the “Writing a Publishable Paper” workshop -
“...knowing the review process helps you improve your own paper.” — a former workshop attendee
The selection of academic papers for publication in journals or presentation at conferences depends upon the ability of peer reviewers who can objectively judge the suitability of the paper for a particular venue. This three-session-long workshop is designed to help graduate students understand the review process, write an effective review, and learn how to respond to reviewers' comments. Students participating in this workshop will need to have access to an unpublished manuscript in their field; they will write a review of it based on the criteria supplied by the actual venue to which the manuscript will be/has been submitted. The final session will be devoted to instructor and peer evaluation of the review. This workshop is offered at least once a year.
The workshop meets on the following dates:
March 23, 2021 from 4:00 - 5:00 PM.
March 30, 2021 from 4:00 - 5:00 PM.
April 6, 2021 from 4:00 - 5:00 PM.
Please note that this workshop will be held online. You will receive the Zoom link no later than March 23.
Registration ends at 4:00 PM on March 22.
Register for the “Writing and Responding to Manuscript Reviews” workshop
Registration for this workshop is open.
Registration for this workshop is closed.
Other Workshops
-
“It will motivate us to prepare one and actually give us the chance to present & receive feedback, which is really helpful.” — a former workshop attendee
This is a three-session workshop for students who will be presenting their research in poster form. The first session will cover the unique design requirements for a poster and how to speak with the poster’s audience. The second session will be used to discuss actual engineering conference posters and logistics of poster sessions. Finally, in the third session, students will bring in a draft of their own poster and receive peer and instructor feedback on it. This workshop is offered during the fall and spring semesters.
-
After documents are revised for content and organization, writers need to edit their work for readability. This four-session workshop will give participants the tools they need to polish the final version of a paper. Using a piece of their own unpublished written work, students will learn how to edit it for tone, conciseness, coherence, and grammatical and mechanical accuracy. This interactive workshop will also include peer revision as students provide feedback on each other's writing.
-
For students finishing their M.S. in engineering and planning to apply to a Ph.D. program, this two-session workshop will focus on writing a more detailed statement-of-purpose (SOP) essay to attract the attention of prospective faculty advisors. In the first session, students will consider the content and language of the SOP. The second session will be devoted to peer review of students’ SOP drafts tailored to a specific Ph.D. program at a university of their choice.
This workshop meets late in the summer and in early fall.
-
“It is really important for [students] to know about the resources and how they can get [fellowship].” — a former workshop attendee
Fellowship programs sponsored by government agencies and foundations such as the EPA, NASA, Department of Energy, Department of Defense, the Ford Foundation, and Hertz Foundation offer opportunities for graduate students to help fund their education. In the first session of this two-session workshop, students will learn how to interpret fellowship application essay requirements and do prewriting activities. The following session will consist of instructor and peer evaluation of an essay the students write according to the requirements of a fellowship application of their choice. This workshop will be offered again in fall 2021
Registration for this workshop is open.
Registration for this workshop is closed.
.jpg)
College of Engineering Professional Communications Workshops are taught by Joanne Lax, Graduate Technical Communications and Professional Development Specialist. Ms. Lax has been teaching oral, written, and nonverbal engineering communication skills at Purdue since 1999. She has presented numerous papers on these topics at professional communications and engineering education conferences in the U.S. and abroad. Ms. Lax is on the board of the ASEE IL/IN Section. A graduate of Northwestern University, with a B.S. and M.S. in journalism, Ms. Lax also earned an M.A. in English as a Second Language from Purdue University.