Overview
Dates: October 20, 2026 and November 3, 2026
Time: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET
Speaker: Mirjam Guesgen
Format: Online
Language: English
Audience: CanNRT Trainee Members
About
This Writeathon provides you the opportunity to learn about communicating your science using LinkedIn as well as the support you need to get started creating engaging posts. You’ll workshop your ideas, receive feedback, and refine your work.
The Writeathon will be bookended by two online workshops on October 20, 2026, from 1:00-2:30 pm and November 3, 2026, 1:00-2:30 pm. In between, you will upload a work-in-progress and provide (and receive) constructive feedback for (and from) your peers.
The second workshop will be an opportunity to integrate and discuss this feedback, then refine your ideas.
Please note that you are expected to attend both sessions and participate in the peer review.
Learning objectives
By the end of the Writeathon, participants will:
- Understand the utility of LinkedIn for communicating science and creating a profile or brand
- Be able to articulate the key features and effective communication styles associated with three types of posts on LinkedIn
- Have created and refined their own LinkedIn post related to their work
- Have participated in giving peer feedback
- Have received feedback from their peers as well as the workshop facilitator
- Have a dossier of learning materials that will support them in their future LinkedIn writing endeavours.
Workflow and outcomes
Pre-work:
- Complete the readings associated with workshop one
- Set up a LinkedIn profile for yourself or check that your current profile is up to date
- Think of one or two ideas for a post you might like to create
October 20, 2026, 1:00-2:30 p.m.: Analyzing LinkedIn posts
In this introductory workshop, you’ll learn about writing effectively online. We’ll cover general guidelines for LinkedIn posts, language and style. You’ll spend time analyzing and seeing examples of three different categories of LinkedIn posts. By the end of the session, you’ll be prepared to draft a post in the style of your choosing.
October 27, 2026, end of day: Between workshops, you’ll draft your post and upload it to Teams by October 27.
Then, between October 27 and November 2, 2026, you’ll provide feedback on two of your peers LinkedIn post and read at least one of the additional resources provided.
November 2, 2026: Deadline for submitting peer feedback on draft posts
Second workshop, November 3, 2026: Refining your Post
In part two, we will showcase some other types of posts you may encounter on LinkedIn and discuss using emojis, hashtags and mentions, as well as how to join the conversation through commenting. You’ll have time to clarify the feedback you received on your post with your peers and instructor. You’ll then use the remaining time to workshop and refine your post.
Post-work:
- Decide on how regularly you want to post
- Use what you’ve learned to keep a regular posting schedule
Handouts and readings (these will sent via email)
- Slides from the workshop
- Peer feedback form
- “Your professional brand and guide to setting up an effective LinkedIn profile” by Mind Tools
- “An Expert’s Advice On Making The Most Of LinkedIn” by Bianca Barratt
Other details
The workshops will be held online using Zoom. Participants will receive a reminder with the link close to the workshop date.
As well as your laptop or computer, feel free to have paper, pens and pencils on-hand for noting down your thoughts or doing initial planning.
Be ready to discuss, share ideas and participate actively!
About the speaker
Mirjam Guesgen, PhD, is an award-winning journalist, writing for outlets in Canada, the US and abroad. She also writes scripts for popular YouTube channels like SciShow, where her videos reach an audience of more than 8 million. As part of the McGill Writing Centre, she teaches written communication skills through workshops like this and the WCOM314 Communicating Science class. Before becoming a journalist full-time, she completed her PhD in Zoology at Massey University in New Zealand and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Alberta. Her forthcoming book, The Rise and Fall of the Lab Rat, will be published in 2028.
Questions?
Contact us by email at: cannrt@mcgill.ca