{"id":561,"date":"2021-04-22T15:18:27","date_gmt":"2021-04-22T14:18:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/?p=561"},"modified":"2021-07-14T10:50:45","modified_gmt":"2021-07-14T09:50:45","slug":"5-myths-about-writing-tutorials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2021\/04\/22\/5-myths-about-writing-tutorials\/","title":{"rendered":"5 myths about writing tutorials"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this blog,\u00a0student ambassador\u00a0Amber\u00a0busts\u00a0five myths\u00a0about writing tutorials\u00a0from the Skills Centre.<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A writing tutorial is a\u00a0<\/span>50-minute<\/span>\u00a0session, one to one, with a\u00a0<\/span>Skills Centre\u00a0<\/span>writing\u00a0<\/span>tutor who will give you personalised and constructive feedback<\/span>\u00a0about your writing<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>They\u2019re\u00a0<\/span>available\u00a0<\/span>most of the\u00a0<\/span>calendar\u00a0<\/span>year<\/span>\u00a0(not just near exams!)\u00a0<\/span>for students at all levels and you can book up to three a year.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In a writing tutorial, you\u00a0<\/span>normally\u00a0<\/span>present\u00a0<\/span>(or for virtual sessions, send)\u00a0<\/span>your piece that you are working on no matter how long or short and the tutor will read this.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They will first go th<\/span>r<\/span>ough the basics of grammar, spelling and structure before asking you what you particularly want to work on. Maybe you want to be more analytical, more descriptive, or more critical (<\/span>looking at you<\/span>r<\/span>\u00a0Psychology essays!<\/span>)<\/span>?<\/span>\u00a0They will then give you feedback that you can use to improve your work.<\/span>\u00a0You can also ask them whatever questions you want abo<\/span>ut academic writing<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Their whole goal is to\u00a0<\/span>give\u00a0<\/span>helpful<\/span>\u00a0and informal<\/span>\u00a0advice<\/span>, so you don\u2019t feel intimidated \u2013 yet there are so many myths surrounding them\u00a0<\/span>that<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>you might feel reluctant<\/span>\u00a0to attend them, especially if it is your\u00a0<\/span>first!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>So<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>let\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0do some\u00a0<\/span>mythbusting<\/span>!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Graphic<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Myth\u00a0One: Work\u00a0has to\u00a0be\u00a0finished<\/strong><\/h3>\n

No<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0it doesn\u2019t!\u00a0<\/span>You could have an outline, a paragraph, your\u00a0<\/span>first<\/span>\u00a0draft \u2013 anything! If you are stuck at one point in\u00a0<\/span>your\u00a0<\/span>writing, or almost done and just need the confidence boost, you can\u00a0<\/span>attend a writing tutorial.\u00a0<\/span>It is totally worth bringing (or sending!) anything you have down.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As outlined above, the<\/span>\u00a0tutor<\/span> will check over the basics such as grammar and spelling with you, so don\u2019t worry about all those odd little mistakes<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Note, however,\u00a0<\/span>that your tutor isn\u2019t a proof-reading service!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If your work is completely finished<\/span>, having someone check for these things is ace as it can pick up on things a machine simply wouldn\u2019t \u2013 however, coming with a partial piece of work such as an essay plan means that you can know from the start\u00a0<\/span>how you can structure your writing to make sure you reach your goals\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0(e.g., criticality), and make the rest of the piece a\u00a0<\/span>breeze!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Graphic<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Myth Two: I need to be\u00a0really\u00a0struggling\u00a0\/\u00a0these aren\u2019t for people like\u00a0me\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

No<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0you don\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>yes<\/span>\u00a0they are<\/span>!\u00a0<\/span>If you are even considering a writing tutorial, then you should take advantage of one! Being able to attend a writing tutorial doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re taking them directly off another student who might \u2018need them more\u2019.<\/span>\u00a0This is something students tend to express a lot<\/span>!\u00a0<\/span>You\u2019re fully allowed access to all University services, so take advantage of them!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re already really struggling, a writing tutorial (and an extension where needed!) can be an absolute lifeline, but you can also think of them as preventative, so that you don\u2019t get to the point where you are struggling.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As for \u2018people like me\u2019?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0Even if you already get good grades and are a confident writer, the tutor will be able to suggest how to\u00a0<\/span>develop<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>your writing further\u00a0<\/span>which could push your grades up even higher.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Graphic<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Myth Three: It only works for some\u00a0subjects\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Not true!\u00a0<\/span>Writing\u00a0<\/span>assignments<\/span>\u00a0are\u00a0<\/span>set\u00a0<\/span>throughout the whole University, and the people who will help you with your writing tutorial will have\u00a0<\/span>covered\u00a0<\/span>a lot of different subjects and types of assessments before.\u00a0<\/span>They have worked with many students and found ways to help them improve, but if you would like more specific advice, consider combining a writing tutorial with\u00a0<\/span>drop-in<\/span>\u00a0office hours from your\u00a0<\/span>unit<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>convenor<\/span>\u00a0or other member of teaching staff.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Graphic<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Myth Four: My department will know I\u2019ve got help and might mark me\u00a0down\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

No<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0they won\u2019t!\u00a0<\/span>You\u00a0<\/span>won\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0be reported for having a writing tutorial, and your department\u00a0<\/span>won\u2019t know<\/span>\u00a0and w<\/span>on\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0give you a lower grade for it.\u00a0<\/span>I<\/span>t\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>as simple as\u00a0<\/span>that.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Myth Five: Having a writing tutorial makes me a\u00a0weak\u00a0student\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

No<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0it doesn\u2019t!\u00a0<\/span>You have made your way to the University of Bath, one of the top Universities in the country, you are not\u00a0<\/span>weak<\/span>!<\/span> Think about how often you have used spell check \u2013 was that cheating?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this case, you are only\u00a0<\/span>having<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a writing expert\u00a0<\/span>(rather than almighty Google!) giving you a helping hand.<\/span>\u00a0It<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s easy to think that reaching out for help makes you weak, but rather it is a strong decision that you\u2019ve\u00a0<\/span>made<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and you\u2019ve taken accountability for your work \u2013 what is weak about\u00a0<\/span>that?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more first-hand student experiences of\u00a0<\/span>writing tutorials in this blog<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In this blog,\u00a0student ambassador\u00a0Amber\u00a0busts\u00a0five myths\u00a0about writing tutorials\u00a0from the Skills Centre.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1393,"featured_media":562,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[90,50,14,103],"tags":[104],"class_list":["post-561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-writing","category-dissertations","category-essay-writing","category-student-skills-ambassador","tag-writing-tutorial"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2021\/04\/writing-tutorials.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":576,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2021\/04\/22\/our-writing-tutorial-experience-the-benefits\/","url_meta":{"origin":561,"position":0},"title":"Our writing tutorial experience: the benefits","author":"Ciara Sherlock","date":"April 22, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"In this blog, two student ambassadors, Mackyla and Ciara, share their personal experiences of writing tutorials. 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