From structuring a research paper to delivering a powerful presentation, students at KDI School are gaining practical tools for success.

This Spring Semester, KDI School’s Writing Center has taken an active role in equipping students with essential academic tools beyond consulting services, offering a dynamic series of writing workshops. These sessions are designed not only to support students’ academic writing but also to enhance communication skills that are crucial in both academic and professional environments.

Throughout the semester, the Writing Center offered a total of six specialized workshops: Elements of a Well-Designed Presentation, Academic Integrity and Editing Your Writing with AI, Presentation Tips, What is a Literature Review and How Do I Conduct One, Introduction to LaTeX, and Presentations in LaTeX. Each workshop was led by one of the Writing Center’s diverse and skilled consultants, bringing their own expertise to support the academic success of students.

From Font to Flow: Designing Impactful Presentations

One of the standout workshops was “Elements of a Well-Designed Presentation”, led by Writing Center Consultant Jonas Trinidad (MPM, 2024). The goal? To introduce students to the fundamentals of visual communication and help them master the art of presentation design.

“A presentation has three primary components: content, design, and delivery,” Jonas explained. “In this workshop, we focused on the design element, style was more important than substance.”

Students learned to use four basic design elements, font, color, layout, and images to craft effective and engaging slides. Jonas emphasized consistency, advising students to ensure that their slides reflect a unified theme, starting from the title slide. He also shared a practical trick: always return to the original design choices to maintain coherence throughout the presentation.

Delivering this workshop was Jonas’s first assignment as a new consultant. “The experience was great. I wanted to set a positive tone for the rest of the semester,” he shared. Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the value these workshops add, especially for new students adapting to graduate-level expectations.

Mastering Research: Literature Reviews Made Simple

Another insightful session, “What is a Literature Review and How Do I Conduct One?”, was presented by Consultant Muzammil Tariq (MDS, 2024). With a clear and engaging approach, Muzammil guided participants through the purpose and process of conducting a literature review, an essential skill for thesis writing and academic projects.

“Students need to critically analyze previous literature that supports their work,” he emphasized. He recommended tools like Google Scholar, JSTOR, and SciSpace to search and analyze academic sources efficiently, and highlighted the use of AI tools as a supplementary aid.

Muzammil noted that many students struggle with literature reviews due to differences in academic backgrounds and standards. “Here, they must align with a unified format and language, which can be challenging at first,” he explained. However, he believes workshops and individual consultations at the Writing Center can significantly ease this transition.

Student Perspective: Learning Beyond the Classroom

Elena Dimas, an MDP 2024 student, attended several workshops this semester. “I’m always looking for ways to improve, and these workshops offered very practical techniques,” she said. For her, the presentation design workshop stood out: “Now, I pay more attention to choosing the right colors and fonts and using visuals to better connect with the audience.”

Elena appreciated the interactive format of the sessions, which encouraged active participation and immediate application of concepts. She strongly believes that these workshops should be an integral part of the academic program: “They provide practical knowledge that we can apply in many situations.”

She also praised the one-on-one consultation service: “When I started preparing my SRP, the feedback I received gave me clarity and direction. Sometimes we feel lost starting a project, having someone to guide us makes a big difference.”

Looking Ahead: Continued Support and Expansion

The Writing Center continues to be a cornerstone of academic support at KDI School. With a dedicated team of consultants and a growing list of workshops, students are encouraged to fully utilize the available resources, from recorded sessions on KOPUS to 1:1 consultations.

As KDI School students continue to sharpen their skills , the Writing Center stands as a vital partner in their academic journey, one well-crafted sentence, one polished presentation at a time.