The potential of a writing
centre in developing academic and professional writing
In contrast to other countries, particularly
the USA, systematic writing support for students at
Irish Higher Education institutions has until recently been restricted to ad
hoc interventions. However, there is now a growing awareness of the need
for support for both undergraduate and postgraduate students and an increasing
recognition of the value of such support in fostering meta-cognitive awareness
among writers so that they not only produce better written texts but develop a
greater consciousness of the processes leading to them (North, 1984). The main
aim of this study is to identify attitudes towards writing and specific
writing-related needs amongst students at one Irish university, the University
of Limerick.
The primary research for this study involves two on-line surveys: a
student survey which yielded 601 responses and a faculty survey which yielded
99 responses. Both surveys suggest support for a coordinated and systematic
approach to the development of writing. Results also indicate that more than
70% of the student respondents are aware of the importance of writing skills in
their studies and their future professional lives.
The paper concludes
that a formal writing centre has an important role to play not just in
developing student academic writing skills but in preparing students for
writing for professional purposes.
North, S. (1984) “The
idea of a writing center”, in College English, 46(5): 433-446.