‘Responding to
writing needs at the University of Limerick’
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.