Lindsay J. DePalma, PhD
From 2018-2020 I worked at UC San Diego's Teaching and Learning Commons in the Writing and Critical Expression Hub as a Graduate Writing Consultant. I worked with graduate students from over 30 disciplines, on any project, at any stage in their writing process--brainstorming to final touches.
Via the facilitation of 1-1 consultations, genre specific workshops, and intensive writing retreats, it was my job to help individuals develop a piece of writing, as well as help individuals develop AS WRITERS.
I believe that individuals think through writing and that writing is a critical skill worth investing in. It is my privilege to help individuals make progress on their projects and develop more positive and productive writing practices.
You can read more about what consultants do here.
GRADUATE STUDENT FEEDBACK
“Lindsay was very helpful by asking specific questions that allowed me to take a step back from my thesis writing as a way to consider the core ideas/concerns within my art practice. I have a much better sense of next steps in my writing.”
“It's helpful to brainstorm with Lindsay."
"Lindsay helped me identify opportunities to strengthen my voice and claims in a sample of my dissertation writing.
It was so useful to have someone read my work aloud and recognize places where the writing was missing necessary steps to guide the reader through my argument. Lindsay suggested concrete strategies for zooming back out and connecting with the overall purpose of the chapter (and even the entire dissertation). I already took her advice to do some outlining and it's giving me clarity about how to compose the remainder of the chapter.
"Lindsay is always very helpful in setting realistic goals for writing productively, as well as keeping in mind possible setbacks and how to recover from them."
"Lindsay is always very clear and helpful!"
"Lindsay has fantastic constructive criticism and I immediately recommended her to two fellow student peers."
"I really appreciated working with Lindsay because her critical questioning helped me organize my thoughts."
"Lindsay was incredibly helpful! She asked questions that helped me clarify what exactly I wanted to say, and she was really encouraging when I started to doubt myself. What a wonderful person!"
My writing consultant was excellent! Lindsay gave me great feedback on my presentation. She pointed out weakness and had great suggestions for how the presentation could be improved. I would highly recommend Lindsay to other grad students who are prepping presentations, prepping for discussion sections, or who need help thinking through problems. I can't say enough good things about my consultation.
“I just wanted to thank you for this session. This has been so fulfilling, filled with wisdom on how I can work better! And I love how you built our community. Thank you!”
what dID I do at the writing hub?
One on one consultations
I worked with graduate students in any discipline on any project at any point of the writing process, from brainstorming to final touches.
Writing Workshops
I created and ran 3 hour writing workshops for graduate students. Workshops are on a variety of topics, such as Research Statements for the academic job market.
Writing Rooms and Retreats
I ran writing retreats where I helped students cultivate healthier relationships with writing via content delivery and protected writing time. I also helped facilitate a daily writing room where graduate students are invited to "stay in the chair" for 2 hours and work on a targeted writing goal.
Research
I was on a small team studying the efficacy and role of writing centers in supporting the overall well being of graduate students, which includes professional success, as well as emotional and psychological well-being.
