Curriculum Blocks

Presentation Skill Development

Block 1 (3-4 hours)

Goal: Improving Presentation Skills

Discuss formal/informal seminar presentations

Provide an example of an outline for one in your field

Take your mentee to an on-campus professional presentation in his or her field

Discuss it afterward

Block 2 (5-8 hours)

Goal: Preparing your 10 to 15 minute power point presentation for seminar, symposium, or short professional presentation

Demonstrate and discuss

-The hallmarks of an effective/ineffective talk (with examples)

-The formatting and construction of well-designed slides

- how to save ppt file (to avoid losing images when using a Mac and having to present on a PC)

-How to “load” a talk onto a computer before a presentation

-Timing and delivery

-Organization of slides to tell a story that is easy to follow and one that effectively

communicates your message

-how to speak to an audience: voice projection, language, and tone

-how to present data to a broad audience

-how to fit everything into 10 or 15 minutes

Practice

-Put together a presentation

-Present it to a small audience:

-Field questions

Offer constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement

Block 3 (3-6 hours)

Goal: How to Develop and Present a Scientific Poster

Discuss what to expect at a poster session (compare/contrast regional vs national/international meetings; society meetings vs institutional meetings)

View several posters from various labs and critique (poster authors have volunteered, so no feelings will be hurt!)

Explain

-poster session etiquette

-proper poster layout and design

-how much data should be included on a poster (How much is too much? Or too little)

-how to prepare a 2 minute synopsis of your poster for passers-by

-how to accept suggestions and criticism gracefully at a poster session

-how to ensure your poster can ‘speak for itself’ even when you’re not standing right next to it

Visit printing services and learn how to request printing; costs

Make and present a poster

 

Block 4 (3-6 hours)

Goal: Preparing for longer presentations (up to 1 hr.)

Discuss planning the presentation well in advance and staying focused.

Discuss following the required format for the presentation.

Discuss organizing your talk into a logical progression

Discuss dealing with different styles of presenting (questions during the talk, or questions only at the end?)

Practice delivering a longer paper to a small audience

Go to a dissertation defense or long seminar talk and discuss afterwards.

Block 5 (3-5 hours)

Goal:  Create an educational block for grade school students

Review existing educational units prepared by other graduate students.

Learn about California K12 instructional standards.

Choose a target grade level and identify instructional standards to address.

Design a 30-minute instructional unit for students to learn about your subject while satisfying instructional standards.

Visit a school and teach the instructional unit to students.

Refine the unit design for future outreachers and post to the Outreach community or to your personal website.

 

 

 

Reading and Research Methods

 

Block 6 (3-4 hours)

Goal: Refining Advanced Research and Formatting Methods

Discuss research, ethics, and citation methods

Practice formatting a paper in the appropriate style: MLA, APA, Chicago, etc

Take your mentee to a graduate research workshop in the library.

Practice finding material using the computer from in the library and from home

Show your mentee which journals in his or her field are the most important. Explain why.

Block 7 (3- 4 hours)

Goal: Learn to Prepare Bibliographies

Attend an Endnote Basics Library Workshop

Get a free trial or full version of Endnote

Add bibliographic information from one or more of your mentees’ papers into Endnotes

Share your work and experience with your mentee

Block 8 (5-7 hours)

Goal: Improving Critical Reading Strategies

Read a published article together and discuss it.

Reverse outline the paper together, identifying the major parts: thesis, methods, conclusion, etc.

Explain how and when to read and understand graphs and charts.

Write an abstract for the article

 

 

 

Writing Skills and Strategies

 

Block 9 (3-4 hours)

Goal: Developing Ideas into Papers or Projects

Discuss seminar/research papers or projects

Provide an example of a graduate level research paper in your field.

Work together to come up with paper topics, outlines, and drafts

Give your mentee some feedback on his or her ideas

Block 10 (3-6 hours)

Goal: Revision Strategies

Discuss Paper Revision: use a seminar paper that has comments from the professor

Give the mentee feedback on his or her writing/ideas

Workshop the paper together

Demonstrate the “track changes” and “insert comments” features in Microsoft word. Explain the advantages of using these tools to revise your own paper.

Prepare questions for the mentee to ask the professor about how to improve the paper further.

Have mentee visit professor for more help.

Discuss Professor feedback and revise paper again.

Block 11 (8-12 hours)

Goal: Publishing a Paper

Discuss your mentee’s written work.  Try to find a paper that merits further development and talk about how to revise it.  (Consider the paper from Blocks 6 and 7)

Work on revisions.

Give feedback.

Prepare questions for the mentee to ask the professor about how to improve the paper further.

Have mentee visit professor for more help.

Discuss Professor feedback and revise paper again.

Show your mentees where they might consider publishing

Discuss formatting and submission requirements

Submit the paper

 

Professional Development

 

Block 12 (10-12 hours)

Goal: Presenting at a Conference

Discuss the primary academic or professional conferences in your discipline

Discuss local conferences

Help your mentee find a conference at which he or she might present.

Write an abstract for the paper (consider the paper from block 6, 7, or

Submit a proposal

Learn about GSA funding opportunities: travel grants

Apply for funding through GSA or your departments.

Go to a conference

Discuss the conference afterward.

Block 13 (6-10 hours)

Goal: Write an Artist’s Statement (Artist’s statements are required when one submits portfolios for gallery representation or exhibits work in a museum or gallery show.)

Look at examples of Artist’s statements; discuss the components

Draft a statement that reflects mentee’s work

Work together to make a list of questions to ask a faculty mentor about the writing

Consult a faculty mentor in Art

Help the mentee revise the project

Block 14 (3-5 hours)

Goal:  Creating an Academic CV

View different CV examples created by new assistant professors in your discipline

Discuss

-Types of academic CVs specific to those in the humanities, sciences, or engineering

-Types of professional activities needed to build a strong CV

-How to manage your CV throughout the years you’re in graduate school; or, how your CV    should change as you change

Demonstrate formatting and how to present information about yourself in a concise way

Practical exercise

-Find references

-Draft and workshop a CV

Preparing to TA

Block 15 (3-6 hours)

Goal: Preparing to TA

Discuss TAing and the expectations that come with it.

Visit TADP: You can make an appointment or drop in to talk to a TA Mentor

Visit TADP’s website

Discuss a TA evaluation form

Take your mentee to see a TA teach a class that your mentee will likely teach soon

Discuss the session afterwards

Block 16 (6-8 hours)

Goal: Preparing for teaching a specific course

Discuss a syllabus example

Develop a syllabus

Discuss a lesson plan example

Develop a lesson plan

Discuss how to grad an example paper

Discuss possible rubrics and standards for grading

Discuss time managment

Discuss holding office hours

 

 

 

 

 

Graduate School Survival Skills

 

Block 17 (3-6) hours

Goal: Using Library Resources

Visit the Library/libraries: Science, Rivera, Media, Music

Discuss the library resources available to graduate students: devise comprehensive list and discuss several of the most important or helpful.

-the benefits of Inter-library Loan.

- EndNote

-the availability of graduate student carrels and study rooms in the library.

-Place materials on Reserve in the Library

Do a microfilm search

Point out where the language resources are located if needed

Meet librarians appropriate to discipline

Visit the library website

-Set up personal computers to access library from home: WebVPN or Client VPN

Request A Visit in Special Collections & Archives

Block 18 (5-6 hours)

Goal: Learn to use Common Tools in Discrete Fields

Identify tools specific to college, department, and lab: for instance, if the mentee was in biology the group could go over imaging techniques, run a gel together, or perform electrophysiology.  Chemistry groups could run an NMR together, Mass Spec, or purify an interesting compound.

If you are outside the field you could contact the departments main office and arrange for a tour of their programs facilities.

 

Block 19 (2-3 hours)

Goal: Understanding Service

Talk to your mentee about the graduate student department association.

Take your mentee to a meeting of your graduate student association

Take your mentee to visit other clubs or groups in which he or she might be interested: GLBT, African Students, Chicano Students, etc.

Afterward, discuss the merits of participating in GSA or other student-centered organization

 

Block 20 (2-3 hours)

Reputation and Impression Management

Discuss the importance of reputation

Discuss the importance of impressions

Brainstorm elements that are important for developing a good impression

Brainstorm elements that are important for making positive impressions

Discuss graduate school etiquette

-showing up to class early

-avoiding embarrassing your lab mates in front of your advisor

-participating in classroom discussion

-being prepared

-getting along with peers in labs/groups/classes

 

 

Financial Support: Grants, Fellowships, and Scholarships

 

Block 21 (6-10 hours)

Goal: Constructing a Fellowship Application

Discuss

-The personal statement and how to modify them for particular fellowships

-Articulating my research in a fellowship application

-Creating a personable voice and memorable story in my application

-Other fellowship documents.

-Fellowship committees and applicant criteria

-Strategies for winning grants and fellowships

Write

-The personal statement

Find

Faculty members to work with during the application process.

People to write letters of recommendation

Other fellowship opportunities

Block 22 (6- 10hours)

Goal: Learning How to Write a Grant

Attend a UCR sponsored grant writing workshop with your mentee (Jan. 18 or Jan. 19)

Help your mentee find the major sources for grants in your field of study

Show your mentee an example of a successful grant proposal

Brainstorm a rough outline of a grant that your mentee could submit to this funding agency

Have your mentee draft the grant

Give your mentee feedback

Have your mentee make an appointment to talk to a faculty mentor about the grant proposal.

Revise as necessary.

Submit the grant

Recreation and Stress Relief

 

Block 23 (6-8 hours not counting the trip itself)

Goal: Participate in an Outdoor Excursion through UCR Recreation Center

Meet and discuss which excursions sound fun and enjoyable. (3-4 weeks ahead of time, 1 hour)

Register for the excursion. (3-4 weeks ahead of time, 0.5-1 hour)

Gather all necessary equipment for the trip. (2-3 weeks ahead of time 2-4 hours)

Pack for the trip (1-2 days ahead of time, 1-2 hours)

Go on the trip. (1.5 – 36 hours depending on trip)

Block 24 (2-4 hours)

Goal: Stress Relief

Plan a day that everyone could take a break from working and have a fun hike to the C

Plan/pack a picnic to have once at the C or afterwards (bring plenty of water)

Have an enjoyable hike up the hill to see the famous C

Graduation Requirements

Block 25 (3-4 hours)

Goal: Preparing for Qualifying Exams

Discuss logistics of qualifying exams in mentee’s department

Locate previous exams or exam questions in mentee’s department.

Pick a couple of exams that were written by the professors that work in the mentee’s intended areas

Discuss topics, problems, strategies, and preparation for the mentee’s own qualifying exams.

Work similar problems or outline potential answer to a question

Talk to recent test takers about strategies, feelings, and preparation

Block 26 (3-6 hours)

Goal: Thinking ahead to Master’s Exams

Talk to department about exam requirements

Get a sample if that is possible

Discuss with older cohort strategies and advice for taking test

Create a (practice or real) reading list

Discuss who and how to ask someone to be on your committee

Discuss balancing exam and other responsibilities

Discuss what you can do now to prepare for the exam

Career Options

 

Block 27 (5-8 hours)

Goal: Preparing for the Academic Job Market

Discuss what career options are available to graduate students with MAs, who are ABD, and with PhDs (academic: UC, CSU, City College, High School).

Take your mentee to a job talk in his or her department.

Talk about the presentation

Meet with graduate students with work experience in academia or related fields

Meet with new Professors and get their feedback on the job process

Visit the Career Center

Afterward, discuss career choices and planning ahead

Block 28 (3-5 hours).

Goal: Preparing for Private Sector Job

Discuss opportunities for employment post graduate school.

Discuss how to find a career that the mentees would be well-suited for and enjoy.

Discuss how skills needed for a career in industry can be learned in graduate school.

Visit the career center to see what sort of resources they can provide the mentees.

Show the mentees a professional development website within their discipline (example www.acs.org or www.gradstudent.acs.org for chemistry people). Explore the site and discuss what you find.

Introduce your mentees to people you know who work in industry.

Suggest clubs, groups, or extracurricular activities that may help the mentees in their professional development. Attend one of these meetings or events with the mentees.

Single Session Activities

Other Excursion Possibilities

Visit the special collections library

Visit the Graduate Division

Take your mentee on an outing that supports mental or physical health:

Walk in the botanic gardens

Go to the recreation center

Visit the UCR/California Museum of Photography

Go visit the Health Center

Visit the Well

Visit any group outreach program that may interest your mentee:

African Student Program

Asian Pacific Student Programs

Chicano Student Programs

Native American Student Programs

The Lesbian Gay bisexual Transgender Resource Center

Student Special Services

The Women’s Resource Center

Department Mixers

Holiday Events

Other Discussion Topics

Discuss the exams/ advancing process

Discuss Specialty Areas

Look for fellowship opportunities and discuss

Setting goals for the quarter

Alternative Transportation Program

Computer skills

How to make and insert graphs

Building an electronic CV

Writing a teaching philosophy

Building a portfolio