Unabridged: A Library Research Intensive

Program news

Apply to the program

Apply to Unabridged 2025

The application takes about 15 minutes to complete and asks about your current research and your interest in the program. Submit by October 31 to receive first consideration; starting November 1st, we continue to accept applications on a rolling basis until our wait list is full.

Program details
Who should apply?

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About

Unabridged is a multi-day library research intensive for graduate students, designed to help you lay the groundwork for a career in academic research. Our term-time “Bookends” workshops complete the program.

Session topics span the entire research process, and a host of expert instructors offer a multi-disciplinary perspective on research practices. Our goal is to make visible to you the network of research support staff across campus, and to give you the tools you need to develop an effective, resourceful, and creative research practice.

Through discussions and hands-on activities, you will build conceptual frameworks and practical skills that you can adapt to any academic research setting. By the end of the program you will be able to:

Navigate complex research environments
Organize your research in intellectually productive ways
Optimize your search strategies
Manage your scholarly persona and negotiate with publishers

Contact

Contact the Unabridged Team - use our contact form to send an email to the Unabridged Program Coordinator team.

Program details

January intensive

A 5-day program, with 3-4 hours of class plus 1 hour of prep per day, typically offered during the second week of January. Unabridged 2025 is expected to run, in person, January 13-17, 1:00-4:30 pm.

Sample program outline with session descriptions (January 2025).

Bookends workshops

Term-time workshops (typically 1-2 hours), offered via open registration throughout the year. Topics are specifically designed to complement Unabridged’s January program.

Self-Care for Scholars (online module)

Harvard affiliates: workshop typically offered in September.

Fair Use and Your Scholarly Rights (online module)

Harvard affiliates: workshop typically offered in October.

Archives and Primary Sources (online modules)

Harvard affiliates: "Exploring Special Collections and Archives" workshop typically offered in January.

Search for Archival Materials (online module)

Harvard affiliates: workshop typically offered in February/March.

Know Before You Go: Preparing for Summer Research (online module)

Harvard affiliates: workshop typically offered in May.

Who should apply

Our January intensive is designed for Harvard-affiliated graduate students planning for a career in academic research, especially in the humanities and social sciences.

No specific research experience is required. Our sessions are accessible to new graduate students and useful to seasoned faculty. The only requirement is a potential research project, as you will need a practice topic for many of the hands-on activities: this can be anything from a seminar paper to a book project, at any stage, from initial ideas to near-complete manuscript.

You must be a current Harvard affiliate to apply. Preference is given to graduate degree candidates in FAS (GSAS or Harvard Extension School), including those in PhD programs offered jointly between GSAS and one of the professional schools.

All other applicants—including faculty, visiting scholars, special students, post-docs, FAS staff, and Harvard graduate students from outside FAS—will be placed on a waiting list and notified close to the workshop date if a spot has opened up. We do not accept undergraduates.

The application period typically begins October 1st, and continues on a rolling basis until our wait list is full.