Here’s an overview of what the Skills Centre’s 1:1 writing support service offers and how it can help you to get the best possible grades for your assignments.
“Academic writing is at the heart of all scholarly activity. During your studies, you will be required to complete a range of written assignments and examinations in a variety of genres and formats… It is vital that you acquire, develop and extend your academic writing skills to maximise your success in your studies.”
Hopkins D., and Reid, T. (2018), The Academic Skills Handbook. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
If you’ve just started university and are feeling a bit daunted at the thought of writing your first assignment, you’re certainly not alone! Many other students will be feeling exactly the same.
The good news is, the Skills Centre offers lots of support to build your confidence and develop your writing skills.
In addition to the sessions we deliver as part of your course and the skills enrichment sessions you can take alongside your course, we also offer a really valuable 1:1 writing support service tailored to your individual needs.
Suitable for all students at any stage of study, this will give you a more in-depth ‘writing workout’ where you’ll discover the areas you can develop in order to push your writing to the next level.
Being able to write clearly and concisely is also a key employability skill, so spending some time on development now will be very useful when you come to apply for jobs and in your future workplace too!
Types of 1:1 writing support
The following writing support is available:
- A 20-minute online tutorial - available on different days and at different times, so you can fit it around your schedule. Advance booking is required on MySkills.
- Email feedback - the tutor will email you their comments instead of meeting in person. You also need to book a feedback appointment.
- A writing drop-in in the Skills Zone (6E2.8) - up to 20 minutes with a writing tutor. No booking is required - just turn up on the day. Check MySkills for the days/times the drop-in is available.
For tutorials/email feedback appointments, you need to upload a draft of your work when you book. For the Skills Zone drop-in, you should bring along specific questions you want to discuss.
If you’re a returning student and your tutor has given you feedback about your writing in the past, it’s useful to share this with us in advance too.
Some common questions the writing tutors regularly get asked are:
- How do I structure an essay?
- How do I write critically?
- How do I add references in my essay?
But feel free to ask us about any aspect of writing.
You can find more information on 1:1 writing support on MySkills. It’s a good idea to read this before you book so you can get the most out of the service.
Student feedback
“The tutor gave me great writing advice. She’s massively improved my confidence with regards to my writing ability. The feedback and support I’ve been given really is second to none and I hope will pay off as I work to hand in my research project.”
In Academic Year 2021/22, on average, students who used the 1:1 writing service said it significantly improved their confidence with writing.
You can read what our former student Skills Co-Creators said about their experience of 1:1 writing tutorials in these blogs.
Our writing tutors look forward to working with you!
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