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The following resources are available to help assist students with their communications goals.

A writing consultant is available to the HKS community to offer a variety of services from assisting students with policy memos, case analyses and other class assignments to helping seasoned writers polish drafts for publication. For more details or to make an appointment, see the Details & Appointments section below.

A collection of writing, public speaking and digital communications resources curated from HKS communications program faculty, HKS workshop presenters, universities, and communications practitioners can be found below.

Writing Consultant

Details & Appointments

During the academic year, a writing consultant will offer a variety of services to the HKS community.  

These free private one-on-one sessions can help you:

  • with assignments such as policy memos, case analyses, and other class projects
  • self-edit for clarity, concision, and style
  • structure an argument to present your ideas effectively to different audiences
  • find appropriate resources on citation (MLA, Chicago, etc.)

Regarding appointments, keep in mind:

  • Last-minute appointments are often not possible, although the consultant will try to be flexible. Try to make an appointment well before an assignment is due.
  • The writing consultant is not a copy editor nor proofreader. He will work with you to improve style, structure, argumentation, citations, use of data and grammar.
  • The consultant is willing to help international students with English grammar on a limited basis, but they are not ESL instructors.

For appointments, sign-up on Google doc. HERE.

Writing Consultant:

Jerry Lanson

Jerry Lanson is a former HKS Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy where he taught "Feature Writing for Politics and Policy." Jerry was an associate professor of journalism at Emerson College and was a former acting and deputy city editor a the San Jose Mercury News.

Jerry will be available Tuesdays from 3:00pm to 5:00pm and Fridays, 10:00am to 12:00pm. An alternative time can also be set up by appointment.  To schedule an appointment with Jerry sign-up here.  He can also be reached at jerrylanson@gmail.com, or by calling 781-799-7465.   

 

Public Speaking Consultant

Details and Appointments

A public speaking consultant is available to the HKS community to offer individual support and assistance for upcoming presentations and speeches.  Jill Slye (founder & principal of A Sounding Board, and an instructor in many Harvard Communities), is available to meet with HKS students.  Meetings (online and in-person) are designed to be a safe space for students to practice, learn new techniques, and hone their public speaking skills.

For appointments, sign-up on Google doc. HERE.

Public Speaking Consultant:
Jill Slye

NEW! Peer Writing Tutors

Details & Appointments

PEER WRITING TUTORS

​The HKS Library's Peer Writing Tutors provide individualized support for HKS students working on writing projects. Tutors are trained by an HKS faculty member to help bring out the best writing in their peers through one-on-one workshopping.

Tutors are not copy editors or proofreaders, meaning they will not provide line-by-line editing on otherwise completed projects. Instead, Tutors will:

  • Help you self-edit for clarity, concision, and style
  • Structure an argument to present your ideas effectively

Tutors are available during the Spring 2023 semester, from February 6 through May 12. Appointments are 25 minutes long. Students should bring the text they are working on to their appointment (on a laptop is fine), and there is no need to share it with your tutor in advance.

Weekly appointment schedule (may change slightly based on Tutor availability):

  • Mondays, 1:30 - 2:30 pm (in person)
  • Tuesdays, 1:00 - 3:00 pm (in person)
  • Wednesdays, 1:30 - 2:30 and 4:00 - 5:00 pm (both in person)
  • Thursdays, 9:00 - 10:00 am (Zoom) and 1:00 - 2:00 pm (in person)
  • Fridays, 1:00 - 2:00 pm (Zoom)

In person appointments will take place in the Library Instruction Room (Littauer G-14, second office from the left in the HKS Library).

Make an appointment with a Peer Writing Tutor

Writing Resources

General Writing Skills
Grammar and Usage
Editing
Writing About Data

Making Data Meaningful | UN Economic Commission for Europe

Getting Published & Student Publications
Writing Policy Briefs

How to write a policy brief | IDRC - CRDI

Policy Briefs | The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Writing Policy Memos
Op-Eds
  • Video - How to Write an Op-ed| Jeff Seglin

Group Writing
PAE, SYPA, Exec. Summaries, White Papers & Briefing Books
Citations and HKS Academic Code

Harvard Kennedy School has published very clear guidelines regarding the need to cite words and ideas you have borrowed from other sources.  Please review the HKS Academic Code for information regarding citations.

The Harvard Kennedy School Library's Citation Style Guide & Tools links to resources including the American Psychological Association (APA) format, and information for citing web resources.

Public Speaking Resources

Advocacy & Persuasion
Crisis Communications
Fundamentals
Media Training

Digital Communications & Social Media Resources

Data Visualization
Podcasts, Blogs, and Websites
Social Analytics
Social Media Best Practices
Video Storytelling

ESL Resources

ESL Services Available

The Communications Program is not designed to replace English as a Second Language (ESL) courses, but if in-depth assistance is desired, there are several kinds of services available nearby:

Academic Resource Center (ARC) at Harvard University - ESL Consultations

The Cambridge Center for Adult Education on Brattle Street offers short, intense ESL assistance.

These websites also contain useful ESL resources:

EdX Course - English Grammar and Style
Improve your English grammar, essay and persuasive writing with this introductory college writing course.

EdX Course - Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking
Gain critical communication skills in writing and public speaking with this introduction to American political rhetoric.

Purdue University: ESL-specific exercises

University of Richmond Writing Center.

UMass-Boston open courseware course for free on Critical Reading and Writing.

MIT open courseware course for free on Writing and Reading the Essay.