Writing Specialist

London Metropolitan University
peter.oneill@londonmet.ac.uk
020 7320 1086

My role is to offer specialised writing provision for staff and students at London Metropolitan University. I work with staff who are interested in Writing in the Disciplines, helping them to develop effective techniques for teaching writing within existing academic modules and to incorporate “writing to learn” activities within their courses. One-to-one consultations and workshops are available for staff who wish to work with us.

My work with students involves overseeing the operations of the London Metropolitan Writing Centre. I am available to meet undergraduates and postgraduates for tutorials and I am responsible for the running of the Writing Mentor Scheme which delivers peer tutorials in academic writing. I am also responsible for the various workshops and writing groups organised by the Writing Centre.

I am involved in various research activities involving the Writing Centre. In particular, I have long-standing interests in ancient Rhetoric which I hope to explore from a more practical standpoint.

Publications

Books

• Bhagat, D. and O'Neill, P. (eds.) (2010 forthcoming) Widening Participation in Art and Design Higher Education, commisioned by Council for Higher Education in Art and Design, the Arts Council England, Higher Education Academy Subject Centre in Art Design Media and National Arts Learning Network.
   
• Deane, M. and O'Neill, P. (eds.) (2010 forthcoming) Writing in the Disciplines. London: Palgrave MacMillan.

Book chapters

• Harrington, K., O’Neill, P. and Reynolds, L. (2010) Using wikis and blogs to support writing development: the online evolving essay project. In Jenkins, L., Little, S., (eds.), Beyond Consultation: Staff-student Partnerships in Higher Education. Continuum Press.
   
• Harrington, K. and O'Neill, P. (2009) Contributions of 'Top 10 Dissertation Writing Tips',  in Waldman, J. (ed.), Doing Your Undergraduate Social Science Dissertation. London: Routledge.

Journal articles

• Bakhshi, S., Reynolds, L., Harrington, K. and O’Neill, P. (2010) Using Wikis to support Student Writing mentors' reflective practice: a brief overview. Investigations in university teaching and learning, 6(2), 178-181. 
   
• Bhagat, D. and O'Neill, P. (2010) Writing design: A Collaboration Between the Write Now CETL and The Sir John Cass School of Art, Media and Design.  Art, Design and Communication in Higher Education, special issue. http://www.atypon-link.com/INT/doi/abs/10.1386/adch.8.2.177/1
   
• Llewellyn-Jones, C. and O'Neill, P. (2010) The potential for one-to-one synchronous writing support in UK higher education: a report from the London Met Writing Centre. Investigations in university teaching and learning, 6(2), 171-177.

 

• Bakhshi, S., Harrington, K. and O’Neill, P. (2009) Psychology students’ experiences of peer mentoring at the London Metropolitan University Writing Centre. Psychology Learning and Teaching, 8 (1), 6-13.
   
• O’Neill, P., Harrington, K. and Bakhshi, S. (2009) Training peer tutors in writing: a pragmatic, research-based approach. Zeitschrift Schreiben (European Journal of Writing), published online 21.10.09: http://www.zeitschrift-schreiben.eu/cgi-bin/joolma/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=75&Itemid=32.
   
• Harrington, K. and O'Neill, P. (2008) Contributions to Moore (ed.), Supporting Academic Writing Among Students and Academics, SEDA special, 24.
   
• Bakhshi, S., Harrington, K. and O’Neill, P. (2008) Peer mentoring experiences of Psychology students at the London Metropolitan University Writing Centre. Psychology Teaching Review, 14 (2), 62-64.
   
• O'Neill, P. (2008) Using Peer Writing Fellows in British Universities: Complexities and Possibilities. In Hughes, B., Hall, B. (eds.), Rewriting Across the Curriculum: Writing Fellows as Agents of Change in WAC. Across the Disciplines, special edition.
   
• Harrington, K., O’Neill, P. and Bakhshi, S. (2007) Writing Mentors and the Writing Centre: producing integrated disciplinary writers. Investigations in university teaching and learning, 4 (2).

Conference papers

• Harrington, K. and O'Neill, P. Using student writing mentors to help first years adapt to university writing. Keynote speech at: Student Writing in Transition Symposium, Nottingham Trent University, 14 September 2010.
   
• Harrington, K., O’Neill, P., Bakhshi, S. and Reynolds, L. (2010) Using wikis in training and to support reflective practice in the Writing Centre. Presentation at: 7th European Writing Center Association (EWCA) conference: “(Re) Thinking and (Re) Situating the Writing Center and WAC connection in Europe and Beyond, American University in Paris, 24–28 May 2010.

 

• O’Neill, P., Harrington, K., Gossett, R., Holley, D. and Stott, R. (2010) Researching the role of the Writing Centre in promoting “Writing in the Disciplines” in UK Higher Education. Panel presentation at: 7th European Writing Center Association (EWCA) conference: “(Re) Thinking and (Re) Situating the Writing Center and WAC connection in Europe and Beyond, American University in Paris, 24–28 May 2010.
   
• O'Neill, P. and Bhagat, D. (2010) The implications of widening participation research in art and design for higher education practitioner. Presentation at: 5th Centre for Learning & Teaching in Art & Design (CLTAD) international conference: Challenging the curriculum: exploring discipline boundaries in art, design and media, Berlin, German, 12-13 April 2010.
   
• O'Neill, P. and Brinkschuelte, M. (2010) Negotiating National Identities: Students' Experiences of Academic Writing in an Era of Internationalisation of Higher Education. Presentation at: Conference on College Composition and Communication, Louisville, Kentucky, USA, 17-20 March 2010.
   
• O'Neill, P. and Bhagat, D. (2010) Widening Participation Research in Art, Media and Design. Presentation at: National Art Learning Network and ukadia Conference. The St Bride Foundation,10-11 January 2010.
   
• O’Neill, P., Harrington, K., Bakhshi, S., Llewellyn-Jones, C. and Agombar, M. (2009) Going Online: The Potential for One-to-One Synchronous Support in UK Higher Education. Presentation at: 5th EATAW Conference 2009, Coventry University, 30 June -2 July 2009.
   
• Harrington, K., Bakhshi, S. and O’Neill, P. (2009) Psychology students’ experiences of peer tutoring in academic writing. Presentation at: 11th European Congress of Psychology, Oslo, Norway, 7- 10 July 2009.
   
• Harrington, K., Freedman, M., Bakhshi, S. and O’Neill, P. (2009) Aligning student and staff expectations around assessment: An intervention study to help undergraduate students understand assessment criteria for examination essays. Presentation at: 11th European Congress of Psychology, Oslo, Norway, 7-10 July 2009.
   
• Harrington, K., Freedman, M., Bakhshi, S. and O’Neill, P. (2009) Helping psychology undergraduates improve examination writing. Presentation at: HEA Psychology Network Event: Promoting Psychology Student Learning Through Assessment, London Metropolitan University, 27 March 2009.
   
• O’Neill, P., Harrington, K., Bakhshi, S., Llewellyn-Jones, C. and Agombar, M. (2009) Going Online: The Potential for One-to-One Synchronous Support in UK Higher Education. Presentation at: 5th EATAW Conference 2009, Coventry University, 30 June -2 July 2009.
   
• Bakhshi, S., Harrington, K. and O’Neill, P. (2008) Psychology students’ experiences of peer tutoring at the London Metropolitan University Writing Centre. Presentation at: 4th biennial Psychology Learning and Teaching Conference, University of Bath, UK, 1-3 July 2008.
   
• Harrington, K., O’Neill, P. and Bakhshi, S. (2008) The Writing Centre abroad: Researching its efficacy in the UK. Presentation at: 3rd International Santa Barbara Conference on Writing Research: Writing Research Across Borders, University of California, Santa Barbara, 22-24 February 2008.
   
• Harrington, K., O’Neill, P. and Bakhshi, S. (2008)  Making Time and Space for Writing: Student Writing Mentors and the Writing Centre. Presentation at: Writing Development in Higher Education Conference 2008, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, 25-27 June 2008.
   
• Harrington, K., O’Neill, P. and Bakhshi, S. (2008) Developing students’ academic writing through collaborative peer mentoring. Presentaton at: EARLI SIG-WRITING conference, Lund University, 11-13 June 2008.
   
• O’Neill, P., Harrington, K., Bakhshi, S. and Reynolds, L. (2008) Developing and researching a training scheme for peer tutors at the London Metropolitan University Writing Centre. Presentation at: European Writing Centers Association (EWCA) Conference, Freiburg, Germany, 19-22 June 2008.

Work in progress

• Sinfield, S., Burns, T., Holley, D., Hoskins, K., O'Neill, P. and Harrington, K. (2010 forthcoming) Raising the student voice. In Hilsdon, J., Keenan, C. and Sinfield, S. (eds.) Learning Development in Higher Education. London: Palgrave.
   
• Harrington, K., O’Neill, P. and Bakhshi, S. (in progress) Students' experiences of peer tutoring n academic writing: a case study from a UK Writing Centre.
   
• O'Neill, P., Harrington, K. and Bakhshi, S. (in progress) Producing confident disciplinary writers: the evaluation of a student writing mentor programme in the UK.
   
• O'Neill, P., Harrington, K. and Bakshi, S. (in progress) Investigating the potential of collaborative peer writing tutorials in UK Higher Education: A two-year phenomenological study of writing mentors' reflections.