Whether you are an experienced writer or just starting out, you can benefit from working with a Writing Support Tutor (WST). At FIE, we pride ourselves on our academics. The UK or Irish way of writing may be a little different from what you’re used to, so it pays to get advice. FIE Writing Support Tutors are available for FIE London and FIE Dublin students to help you strengthen your writing skills. Our professional tutors can help you from the brainstorming phase, through drafting and revision.
WSTs can help with all phases of the writing process:
- Getting started: choosing a topic, developing a thesis, writing an introduction
- Editing a draft: checking organization, clarity of your argument, sentence structure, punctuation
- Identifying good quality sources
- Ensuring correct and appropriate usage of referencing and citations
- Revisions: deciphering an instructor’s symbols and comments, finding more effective ways of developing the topic, etc.
Working with a WST is a great way to sharpen your skills. Get help from the brainstorming phase, through the drafting process, and on to the final revision. Your WST can advise you on:
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WSTs help you improve both classroom and personal writing, including scholarship letters, job applications, and cover letters and résumés.
ABOUT TUTOR SESSIONS
The length of a face-to-face or online tutorial may vary according to your needs. A recommended session should last between 45 minutes to an hour. What to expect when meeting with your tutor:
- Your tutor will not read beyond the second draft of any paper
- You will not be guaranteed a better grade because of tutoring
- You are responsible for proofreading and spell-checking your papers
- The accuracy of the information contained in any paper is your responsibility
- Submissions are limited to two drafts per assignment (resubmitting a draft for complete review counts as a second submission). However, students are permitted (and encouraged) to ask for clarification on tutor comments.
SIGN UP FOR A SESSION
To schedule an appointment please submit a Writing Support Form.
Sign up for a session at least 48 hours in advance (please note that Academic Office business hours are Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm).
Appointments may be conducted face-to-face, online, or via email depending on the needs and location of all parties.
For a follow-up appointment, you can contact your WST directly.
Cancellation is required at least 24 hours in advance via email. If you do not show up for a session, you will not be given another session for two weeks.
WRITING SUPPORT SURGERIES
Writing Support Surgeries are available to FIE Faculty to schedule in during class time. Email
Planning, organization and structure
It can be a tempting to start an assignment by simply writing down everything in a stream-of-conscious style until you reach the required number of words, but having an outline can make the process of writing easier, less daunting, and improve the quality of your work. Like having a roadmap, knowing your destination in advance and which signposts you’ll be encountering along the way, provides you with the frame from which you can flesh out and embellish your ideas and arguments. In this workshop, we will look at how to create an outline for whatever you need to write and some of the key elements of an academic paper, in a way that serves and enhances your writing.
Thesis Statement
In this session, we will deconstruct the thesis statement and explore different methods of utilizing it throughout the writing process. If the essay plan is the road map for your writing, then the thesis statement is the destination. As such, a good working knowledge of the thesis statement can be highly beneficial for academic writing. The session will include a brief class activity and discussion.
Research Methods
A masterclass on efficient research, with a focus on finding reputable and peer-reviewed journal articles. This session will demonstrate that supporting evidence and academic papers can be uncovered simply, using the tools that are already available to our students, such as via JSTOR, Google Scholar, and library databases. Based on a student led research activity, the workshop will illustrate how to effectively identify and gather varied resources to support and develop an argument, without wasting time on irrelevant sources.
Academic Referencing
This session will lead students through the core essentials of a specific referencing style – as determined by the faculty and course expectations – illustrating that citations offer the potential for better clarity, and need not be a slog! A demonstration of online citation tools, and how to mine references, will allow for a better understanding of the nuances of book, chapter, article, website, and multimedia referencing.
MEET THE WSTs
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| Victor Mellors | Ike Mohar |
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| Dr Rebecca Pollack | Catherine Looby |
