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During dissertation writing, PhD candidates face challenges engaging with academic writing, among other things, which leads to their participation in writing retreats with their peers. Developing a better understanding of PhD candidates' needs to optimize engagement with writing is important for improving the overall doctoral experience and reduce attrition. We then conducted a qualitative longitudinal experimental study with PhD candidates from Canadian universities: 15 respondents who participated in a writing retreat and 15 respondents who never participated in such event. Based on our findings, this article presents a complementary perspective to the theoretical model of engagement with writing by Murray (2015). Thereon, we expand on the intersectionality of components (cognitive, physical, social) to illustrate the influence of structured writing activities. These intersections highlight the benefits of writing retreats to answer the needs of PhD candidates to engage with writing: planning dedicated writing periods, implementing effective work methods in environments enabling concentration, and engaging with collective writing activities. By way of supplementing the most recent literature on the subject, we suggest that the participation in structured writing retreats serves as a pedagogical benchmark for graduate programs to offer students comparable conditions in support of their writing requirements to enhance academic success.

Over the past twenty years, graduate studies have seen significant growth, with student numbers more than doubling worldwide. Unfortunately, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development continues to report dropout rates averaging 50% for PhD and 40% for master's programs, in all disciplines combined. Among the reasons quoted for abandoning study programs are deficient academic writing competencies that could not only hinder how graduate students progress through their academic journey, but also how they integrate with the scientific community as novice scholars. Accordingly, this article will present an overview of studies related to academic writing groups, which have been identified as one of the strategies to benefit graduate studies. Based on a systematic literature review, we present a chronological account of key issues and concepts that have influenced the phenomenon throughout history. Thereafter, we explain the various characteristics of academic writing groups in order to delineate this phenomenon through the description of its inherent elements and propose an all-encompassing definition. The analysis of 72 documentary sources also allows the observation of trends through the examination of geographical, disciplinary, and methodological factors drawn from scholarly publications. Finally, we highlight considerations for future exploration of academic writing groups used as a pedagogical strategy in the context of higher education, from disciplinary, sociocultural, and gender perspectives.

To overcome the assumption that dissertation writing is an anxiety-provoking process, this multi-phase mixed-method research aimed to develop a comprehensive picture of writing enjoyment in the context of doctoral studies, as well as to understand if and how writing in the company of others can enhance dissertation writing enjoyment. Firstly, we interviewed 30 PhD students to conceptualize writing enjoyment. These qualitative results revealed that dissertation writing enjoyment represents a moment of clarity when doctoral students' ideas are easily extracted from the mind to be written as a tangible text perceived to be of high quality. Then, based on a pre-experimental design, a T-test was used to compare the scores of writing enjoyment and sense of writing community for two equivalent groups in terms of sociodemographic and academic profiles: 59 PhD students participating in writing retreats (experimental group) and 59 PhD students writing alone (control group). Overall, the experimental group shows higher writing enjoyment. Lastly, 15 PhD students participating in writing retreats were interviewed to understand how writing in the company of others seems to enhance writing enjoyment, that is, by way of social flow. Finally, this article provides empirical evidence for reforming pedagogical practices to foster PhD students' positive emotions.

PhD candidates face heavy workloads and lack strategies to prioritize their dissertation, resulting in limited writing opportunities and low confidence in writing capabilities. Although writing retreats are known to propel academics' writing productivity, little is known about how they may assist PhD candidates in enhancing writing self-efficacy and self-regulation. An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Method with a quasi-experimental design was used to examine the impacts of writing retreats on PhD candidates' internal factors (writing self-efficacy and self-regulation) and external factors (urgency and opportunities to write). An experimental group (n = 34) and a control group (n = 64) answered a questionnaire measuring retreat effects, after which a subsample (n = 30) was interviewed to further interpret these effects. In sum, writing retreats enhance PhD candidates' writing self-efficacy and self-regulation through goals setting and time management practices. Recommendations are provided about using socially structured writing activities to support PhD candidates' dissertation advancement.

Cet article porte sur le processus de transition identitaire expérimenté par de nouveaux professeurs occupant des postes menant à la permanence dans quatre universités de l'est du Canada. Lors de cette recherche qualitative, des entretiens individuels semi-dirigés ont permis de recueillir les témoignages de 24 participants. L'article explore principalement les tensions négociées lors du processus transitoire, particulièrement celles associées à la construction de la nouvelle identité de professeur. Finalement, la discussion aborde les questions de continuités, de ruptures et de stratégies de transition identitaire. Mots-clés : transition identitaire, nouveaux professeurs d'université, continuités et ruptures, stratégies de transition identitaire. This article examines the process of identity transition as experienced by new professors in tenure-track positions at four universities in eastern Canada. In this qualitative research, individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 participants. This article explores the tensions negotiated during the transitional process, particularly those associated with the construction of the new identity as a teacher. Finally, the discussion addresses the issues of continuity, rupture, and identity transition strategies. Keywords: identity transition, new university professors, continuities and ruptures, identity transition strategies., Introduction Bien que la formation doctorale permette la socialisation des doctorants aux rôles et aux fonctions d'enseignant et de chercheur, les difficultés rencontrées par les titulaires de tels diplômes pour [...]

The context of higher education in Canada suffers from alarming rates of dropout and prolongation of study programmes. The lack of academic writing ability and feeling of isolation are among aggravating factors impeding on the success of graduate students. Writing retreats are identified as a potential solution to support and improve academic writing output. This article presents an innovative concept designed by a non-profit organisation, "Thèsez-vous," specializing in creating physical and human environments to facilitate academic writing. Over the past four years, the organisation implemented and formalized a writing retreat model for graduate students from various fields of study and universities across the Quebec province in Canada. A description of the writing retreats structure and functioning is presented, as well as an analysis of established objectives: 1) progress academic writing based on realistic individual goals; 2) identify optimal writing conditions; and 3) reduce isolation. Based on conclusive findings, the implemented model produces positive results in developing academic writing abilities through a community of practice forming during writing retreats and interacting afterwards. This expanding network of graduate students represents a new generation of researchers, sharing similar challenges with academic writing and collaborating in interdisciplinary settings to progress scientific efforts at large.

PhD candidates face heavy workloads and lack strategies to prioritize their dissertation, resulting in limited writing opportunities and low confidence in writing capabilities. Although writing retreats are known to propel academics' writing productivity, little is known about how they may assist PhD candidates in enhancing writing self-efficacy and self-regulation. An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Method with a quasi-experimental design was used to examine the impacts of writing retreats on PhD candidates' internal factors (writing self-efficacy and self-regulation) and external factors (urgency and opportunities to write). An experimental group (n = 34) and a control group (n = 64) answered a questionnaire measuring retreat effects, after which a subsample (n = 30) was interviewed to further interpret these effects. In sum, writing retreats enhance PhD candidates' writing self-efficacy and self-regulation through goals setting and time management practices. Recommendations are provided about using socially structured writing activities to support PhD candidates' dissertation advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome the assumption that dissertation writing is an anxiety-provoking process, this multi-phase mixed-method research aimed to develop a comprehensive picture of writing enjoyment in the context of doctoral studies, as well as to understand if and how writing in the company of others can enhance dissertation writing enjoyment. Firstly, we interviewed 30 PhD students to conceptualize writing enjoyment. These qualitative results revealed that dissertation writing enjoyment represents a moment of clarity when doctoral students' ideas are easily extracted from the mind to be written as a tangible text perceived to be of high quality. Then, based on a pre-experimental design, a T-test was used to compare the scores of writing enjoyment and sense of writing community for two equivalent groups in terms of sociodemographic and academic profiles: 59 PhD students participating in writing retreats (experimental group) and 59 PhD students writing alone (control group). Overall, the experimental group shows higher writing enjoyment. Lastly, 15 PhD students participating in writing retreats were interviewed to understand how writing in the company of others seems to enhance writing enjoyment, that is, by way of social flow. Finally, this article provides empirical evidence for reforming pedagogical practices to foster PhD students' positive emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The context of higher education in Canada suffers from alarming rates of dropout and prolongation of study programmes. The lack of academic writing ability and feeling of isolation are among aggravating factors impeding on the success of graduate students. Writing retreats are identified as a potential solution to support and improve academic writing output. This article presents an innovative concept designed by a non-profit organisation, Thèsez-vous, specializing in creating physical and human environments to facilitate academic writing. Over the past four years, the organisation implemented and formalized a writing retreat model for graduate students from various fields of study and universities across the Quebec province in Canada. A description of the writing retreats structure and functioning is presented, as well as an analysis of established objectives: 1) progress academic writing based on realistic individual goals; 2) identify optimal writing conditions; and 3) reduce isolation. Based on conclusive findings, the implemented model produces positive results in developing academic writing abilities through a community of practice forming during writing retreats and interacting afterwards. This expanding network of graduate students represents a new generation of researchers, sharing similar challenges with academic writing and collaborating in interdisciplinary settings to progress scientific efforts at large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]