Juntos escribimos: espacios para escribir ciencia sin interrupciones

Abstract

University researchers face mounting pressure to conduct and disseminate their re- search findings, which often are important to measure career advancement, enhance

scientific standing, and obtain funding for future investigations. Although scientific publications play a central role in higher education, their writing process is usually relegated to the background. In response, writing groups, where the main activity is to write during an uninterrupted time in the company of others, offer a viable strategy to move manuscripts forward toward publication. This descriptive case study examines the implementation of such a writing group within an Ecuadorian public university, shedding light on the motivations and expectations of its participants at the start of the initiative. Descriptive statistics was used as well as a thematic analysis of the information obtained through a short, online, anonymous survey. The findings highlight researchers’ continued quest for ways to enhance their academic writing skills and stress the need for dedicated spaces specifically for focused writing.