Doctoral School Writing Retreat: Writing for Milestones /Writing 'Up'

UAL Doctoral School Summer Writing Retreat: Writing for Milestones / Writing ‘Up’ – Structures, Arguments, and Finishing Practices

UAL Doctoral School’s Writing Retreat turns its attention to Writing for Milestones / Writing ‘Up’, as a critical phase in doctoral projects where ideas move towards structured, examinable forms. Writing for confirmation and thesis submission is not simply a matter of producing; it involves developing voice, argument and evidence into coherent contributions.

This retreat invites researchers, from UAL and beyond, to write with and through these demands: to explore how structure, style, argument, documentation and refinement shape doctoral work at key stages of progression. Across two days, participants will write, rest, reflect and develop their work, supported by guided activities, dialogue and dedicated quiet time. We will explore how writing moves from exploratory drafting to structured, examinable work.

Come prepared to write! Along each day there will be optional micro-engagements of 10–30 minutes around which we hope dialogue and experience will be shared.

The Writing Retreat will end with a social event launching a new publication, Doctoral Voices, conceived and edited by UAL PhD students Crystal Zhang and Meher Shiblee and funded through Doctoral School Catalyst funds.

You will be able to join in person in the Doctoral School or online via Teams.

Hybrid:

Teams link will be sent to invitee

In person Location:

UAL Doctoral School (2nd floor, room HH202 and HH203)

272 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EY

Prompts for inspiration

What shifts when you move from drafting ideas to writing for examination?
Where does your argument become visible—and where does it remain implicit?
How does your structure enable or limit your contribution?
What does “finished” writing look like in your field or practice?
How do clarity, voice and authority interact in your work?

Thursday 9 July [Day 1]

9:30–10:00 Gathering, settling in, welcome

10:00–17:00 Shut Up and Write (online via separate Teams link and in person)

11:15–11:45 Intervention: What Does Writing ‘Up’ Mean?

12:30–13:30 Lunch break

14:00–14:30 Intervention: Structuring for Milestones

15:30–16:00 Intervention: Providing Evidence

17:00 Close of day 1

Friday 10 July [Day 2]

9:30–10:00 Gathering, settling in, welcome

10:00–16:00 Shut Up and Write (online via separate Teams link and in person)

11:15–11:45 Intervention: Referencing as Argument: Citation and Authoring

12:15–12:30 Intervention: Editing: Polishing, Pruning or Just Stopping

12:30–13:30 Lunch break

15:15–15:45 Intervention: Final Moves: Conclusions, Framing and Articulating Contribution

16:00-17:30 Social and Launch of Doctoral Voices, a new publication conceived and edited by Crystal Zhang and Meher Shiblee

Themes/aims of the retreat

Supporting doctoral researchers in writing for progression points
Developing structure, argument and clarity in research writing
Strengthening confidence in writing for examiners and assessment
Understanding writing as a process of thinking, shaping and refinement
Building strategies for editing, polishing and completing academic work

Areas of enquiry and exploration

Structuring chapters and designing clear argumentative through-lines
Writing for doctoral genres such as Confirmation and thesis chapters
Evidencing claims through referencing
Developing voice and positioning contributions
Editing practices
Refining and completing extended academic writing