Staff FAQ

STAFF FAQ:

• Who can use the Writing Centre?

Any undergraduate or postgraduate UCD student is welcome to use the Writing Centre.

• Who are the writing tutors?

Our writing tutors are either doctoral or post-doctoral students. They come from different disciplines and are recommended, most often by their supervisor or Head of T&L in their School. The tutors are selected for their experience in tutoring, lecturing and grading written work; their writing ability and an interest in writing, and also for their ability to connect with students and motivate them to become better writers. 

• What happens in the Writing Centre?

Students can come to the Writing Centre to avail of one-to-one sessions (30 or 50 minute sessions) or seminars on different writing-related topics. They are informed on our website and during the session that the tutors will not 'correct' or write their assignments for them, nor will they engage with the content of their paper. Rather, tutors will help them organise their assignments and will give them strategies for improving their writing skills and for communicating their thoughts in writing.

During one-to-one sessions we will ask the student what areas or issues they want to focus on, and will have a short conversation with the student to get the grasp of the student's writing ability and the requirements of the project. We will read through the sections of the student's draft or paper and will address specific concerns and point out areas for improvement. We will suggest further sessions or seminars if needed, recommend writing resources or help the student draw up a plan to improve their assignment.

• How can I encourage students to avail of the service?

We would appreciate it greatly if you could encourage students to use the Writing Centre. We'd be happy to come and talk to your students about the service we provide (contact the Manager at zeljka.doljanin@ucd.ie to schedule a class visit). Alternatively, you could mention our service to your students or post our infomation via Blackboard or email. 

• Do you have a short description that I could copy/paste to student emails or on Blackboard?

UCD Writing Centre provides free, one-to-one tuition on any aspect of writing, as well as a range of workshops on writing, to all undergraduate and postgraduate students. Bring an assignment you are working on, a paper that has been graded, or just a draft or an essay question, and we'll talk to you about your writing process and offer strategies for improving your writing skills.

Go to our website to check our opening hours and to book online: www.ucd.ie/writingcentre. We're located in the James Joyce Library.

• Can I send students whose first language is not English to the Centre?

Yes. Although we don’t offer help with English as a foreign language, we can help non-native English speakers identify recurrent issues they might have with English word usage or grammar. While we won’t do grammar exercises with them, we will help them identify grammar errors and will give them strategies to work on them. We will direct them to English grammar resources and websites, and will help them with any other aspect of their writing.

• If I organise a group of students, can you provide a workshop for them?

If you think your students would benefit from one of the workshops that we offer (check our 'Workshops and Seminars' section on this website), we might be able to provide the workshop for your class, depending on class size and tutor availability.

However, if at any time you would like a writing tutor to work with your group on a specific topic (whether in a once-off or a series of workshops), you are always welcome to hire one of our tutors.

• Who do I contact with questions/suggestions?

We would love to hear your questions, suggestions or feedback. Write to us at writing.centre@ucd.ie, and the Manager, Dr. Zeljka Doljanin, will respond to your query.