ALP Writing Week: improve your academic writing skills

Writing Weeks

• Workshops 1 April – 4 April 2025

  Tuesday 1 April: Clear writing in Dutch 

   This workshop is Dutch only. Read the description here.

  Wednesday 2 April: AI in academic writing - Smart assistant or risky shortcut?  

  Since the introduction of ChatGPT, generative AI has transformed how people write. GenAI tools can support academic writing by helping to generate ideas and refine assignment drafts, but there are also challenges. AI-generated content is not always accurate, and its use raises important questions about originality and academic integrity. In this workshop, we explore the role of generative AI in academic writing. How can AI tools like ChatGPT support your writing process? What are the risks and limitations? And how can you ensure responsible and ethical use? 

  Language: English
  Date: Wednesday 2 April
  Time: 13.30-15.00 
  Teacher: Gudrun Reijnierse 
  Location: HG-07A36 
  Registration: Reserve your spot for this workshop by signing up via alp.fgw@vu.nl 

  Thursday 3 April: The No Stress Writing Process 

  Do you often struggle with writing? Do you postpone writing your assignment until just before the deadline? Writing is a complex task which creates a lot of stress for many students. In this workshop you will learn about common causes why people get stuck, and you will learn strategies to get started again and be more effective in your writing. We will practise with various techniques that will help you to produce more text and make writing easier. At the end you'll make a personal action plan for your writing assignments.  

  Language: English and Dutch 
  Date: Thursday 3 April 
  Time: 13.30-15.00 
  Teacher: Gea Dreschler 
  Location: HG-05A37 
  Registration: Reserve your spot for this workshop by signing up via alp.fgw@vu.nl  

  Friday 4 April: Structure and Substance in Academic Writing 

  Do you find it hard to come up with a clear structure for your text? Do you get feedback from your teacher that the organization of text isn’t clear? In this workshop we will look at how you can create a logical structure for your text and how you can make sure that your readers understand where you are going in your writing—and why. Our workshop will provide you with some concrete strategies to work on your organization and structure skills.  

  Language: English 
  Date: Friday 4 April
  Time: 13.30-15.00 
  Teacher: Abby Gambrel 
  Location: HG-07A36 
  Registration: Reserve your spot for this workshop by signing up via alp.fgw@vu.nl 

• Workshops 6 May – 8 May 2025

  Tuesday 6 May: Science communication (in Dutch) 

  This workshop is Dutch only. Read the description here.

  Tuesday 6 May: AI in academic writing - Smart assistant or risky shortcut? 

  Since the introduction of ChatGPT, generative AI has transformed how people write. GenAI tools can support academic writing by helping to generate ideas and refine assignment drafts, but there are also challenges. AI-generated content is not always accurate, and its use raises important questions about originality and academic integrity. In this workshop, we explore the role of generative AI in academic writing. How can AI tools like ChatGPT support your writing process? What are the risks and limitations? And how can you ensure responsible and ethical use? 

  Language: English
  Date: Tuesday 6 May 2025
  Time: 13.30-15.00 
  Teacher: Paul Robertson 
  Location: BV-0H54 
  Registration: Reserve your spot for this workshop by signing up via alp.fgw@vu.nl 

  Wednesday 7 May: Structure and Substance in Academic Writing 

  Do you find it hard to come up with a clear structure for your text? Do you get feedback from your teacher that the organization of text isn’t clear? In this workshop we will look at how you can create a logical structure for your text and how you can make sure that your readers understand where you are going in your writing—and why. Our workshop will provide you with some concrete strategies to work on your organization and structure skills.   

  Language: English
  Date: Wednesday 7 May 2025
  Time: 13.30-15.00 
  Teacher: Anna Martonfi 
  Location: BV-0H54 
  Registration: Reserve your spot for this workshop by signing up via alp.fgw@vu.nl 

  Thursday 8 May: The No Stress Writing Process 

  Do you often struggle with writing? Do you postpone writing your assignment until just before the deadline? Writing is a complex task which creates a lot of stress for many students. In this workshop you will learn about common causes why people get stuck, and you will learn strategies to get started again and be more effective in your writing. We will practise with various techniques that will help you to produce more text and make writing easier. At the end you'll make a personal action plan for your writing assignments.  

  Language: English and Dutch
  Date: Thursday 8 May 2025
  Time: 13.30-15.00 
  Teacher: Gea Dreschler
  Location: BV-0H54
  Registration: Reserve your spot for this workshop by signing up via alp.fgw@vu.nl 

• Workshops 2 June – 6 June 2025

  Details about the programme for each week will be made available shortly. If you would like to receive a notification once more information is available, sign up to receive a reminder by sending an email to alp.fgw@vu.nl.