The Writing Centre at London Metropolitan University
The Writing Centre at London Metropolitan University is part of the Write Now Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning initiative, a project which celebrates student writing and writing in the academic disciplines. The Write Now team works with academic staff to promote writing and its teaching across various academic disciplines and to conduct research into effective strategies of improving student writing.
In the Writing Centre, a variety of writing specialists, postgraduate tutors and undergraduate writing mentors are trained to work with students on all aspects of the writing process. Students can discuss and receive feedback on their ideas, their drafts and any other issues related to their writing in a supportive, non-judgemental environment. We believe that regular and constructive feedback is a crucial factor in improving writing, so the Writing Centre provides a space where students can receive the feedback they need in order to improve their writing skills. We aim to help students think more clearly about the process of writing and empower them to become more confident and competent writers.
The Writing Centre is also an excellent place for students to become familiar with the conventions of academic writing and with the demands of writing for their particular academic discipline. Experienced tutors help student writers to navigate the unfamiliar seas of academic writing and to understand what is expected of them by university tutors and lecturers in a friendly and supportive setting.
For further information about the the Writing Centre and the project at London Metropolitan University, please click here to visit its website or contact:
- Dr Peter O'Neill, CETL Writing Specialist: peter.oneill@londonmet.ac.uk
- Dr Katherine Harrington, CETL Director: k.harrington@londonmet.ac.uk
The Writing Centre at Liverpool Hope University
The Writing Centre at Liverpool Hope University is dedicated to the development of excellence in academic writing, and is supported by the Write Now CETL. The Centre offers individually-tailored and generic writing advice to students and staff at Liverpool Hope and across the Network of Hope, and recognises that writers at all levels of proficiency benefit from dialogue with readers.
Individual advice is available from the Centre through Thinking about Writing, a one-to-one consultation service which provides the opportunity to discuss individual concerns with a writing specialist. Level C students can also take advantage of a student mentoring scheme which is run in collaboration with Write Now.
The Writing Centre runs workshops on such issues as citation and referencing, structures in academic writing, and the reader-writer relationship, and collaborates with departmental tutors to integrate support for writing into the curriculum.
A series of free workbooks produced by the Writing Centre are available on Learnwise, or in person from the Resource Centre, which is located in Warrington 114 on the Hope Park Campus.
For further information about the the Writing Centre and the project, please click here to visit its website or contact:
- Julian Brasington, the Writing Centre Co-ordinator: brasinj@hope.ac.uk
Learning and Skills Centre (LSC) at Aston University
The LSC at Aston University is supported by the Write Now Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning initiative. The opportunity for students to develop their writing skills in a supportive and informal environment is an important role for this new centre, which was opened in October 2006.
Working in close liaison with the 5 Aston Schools (Business, Life and Health Sciences, Language and Social Studies, Engineering and Applied Science, and Combined Honours) the LSC aims to support and expand upon existing communication skills instruction within the University and will run a range of different activities to support student writing and the development of other academic skills.
The initial focus of the LSC’s Write Now activities is an Autumn programme of workshops. These focus on the myriad reading and writing skills needed in order for students to develop their individual potential as successful students. The development of student confidence through interaction and discussion with other students is an important part of this workshop ethos. Drop-in writing support is also available for students who feel that they would benefit, either alternatively or additionally, from individual consultations. Laptop computers are available for students to use within workshops, during 1-1 writing consultations, or for independent and/or group writing activities.
For further information about the Learning and Skills Centre and the project at Aston University, please visit www.aston.ac.uk/lsc or contact: Marion Spendlove, Acting Learning and Skills Manager: m.j.spendlove@aston.ac.uk