The 2024 Graduate Writing Lab Fellows on the steps outside Sterling Memorial Library

Graduate Writing Lab

Creating community around writing

The Graduate Writing Lab supports Yale graduate students with all aspects of written, oral, and visual communication. Our team of five full-time staff and 40 graduate student Fellows helps graduate students communicate the significance of their research to a wide range of audiences. In addition to helping grad students join the academic conversation and navigate the writing conventions in their field, the Graduate Writing Lab strives to build community and promote a supportive writing culture in which every Yale graduate student can thrive.

Information about our programs can be found below, and you can learn about upcoming events in the Graduate Writing Lab newsletter.

  • Creating Community

    in 2023–24

  • 2682

    grad students used GWL programs, with 7942 total engagements

  • 2712

    writing consultations attended, with 801 unique attendees

  • 129

    workshop and panel events offered, with 1242 unique attendees

  • 52

    semesterlong peer-review groups, with 160 unique participants

  • 35

    All Writes & retreats, where 414 students wrote for 6414 hours

1–1 Consultations

  • Get feedback from a GWL Fellow in your discipline
  • We’ll work with you at any stage of the writing process
  • All genres are welcome, from papers to applications to creative writing
  • We’ll listen to your goals and work with you to achieve them
Two graduate students sitting on a bench in a Yale courtyard discussing a paper.

Workshops & Panels

  • More than 100 events per year are free and open to the Yale community
  • Multi-part workshop series build skills like dissertation writing, fellowship applications, academic style, and more
  • Single-session workshops cover academic genres, public writing, and productivity skills
  • Expert panelists share their knowledge and experience
Two Yale graduate students doing a post-it activity at a whiteboard during a Graduate Writing Lab workshop.

Peer-Review Groups

  • Communities of 4–7 writers who exchange feedback and support one another on a common project
  • Four types: research paper, prospectus, fellowship application, and dissertation (humanities, social science, RITM)
  • Groups members set goals & procedures, meeting schedule, and discussion format
Three students looking at a laptop and discussing a paper together.

Writing Retreats & All Writes

  • Set goals and draw focus from a community of other writers
  • We supply drinks, meals, and snacks so you can focus on getting work done
  • Half-day All Writes allow you to write with company in a quiet, supportive space
  • Multi-day writing retreats offer long stretches of writing broken up by lunch, breaks, and accountability check-ins
Students Writing at a Graduate Writing Lab All Write event.

GWL Staff & Fellows

  • Meet the Graduate Writing Lab directors and our team of 40 graduate student Fellows
  • Learn the department and research interests of each Fellow, so you can meet with a consultant in your field
Staff photo of the 2024–25 Graduate Writing Lab Fellows.

Public Speaking Programs

  • Earn the Poorvu Public Communication Certificate 
  • Practice your pitch, presentation, or lecture in our public speaking studio
  • Get 1–1 feedback from a GWL Fellow
Two grad students presenting research to a large lecture hall.

Online Writing Resources

  • Guides and models for prospectus writing, fellowship writing, and publishing
  • Materials on academic style and conventions
  • Resources for building writing skills and ensuring academic integrity
  • Guides for discipline-specific GWL support
Students writing in Starr Reading Room in Yale's Sterling Library

We’re here to help!

Reach out to the Poorvu Center team if you have any questions or to learn more about our programs.

Contact Us