Writing an essay in the first year of university can be a wake-up call for many students.
Often surprised when a professor hands back a paper covered in red ink, correcting grammar, spelling mistakes, improper citations and plagiarism, the difference between writing requirements for high school and university courses can be intimidating for some.
To help students bridge the gap, the Writing Support Centre at The University of Western Ontario is offering three Summer Academic Writing Clinics: July 28-30, Aug. 4-6 and Aug. 25-27.
The cost is $298.57, plus HST for the three day session, or $383.93, plus HST with two nights of accommodation.
The program started in 2003 in response to the demand from first-year students to learn about writing at the university level, such as subject-specific writing, academic writing styles, professor expectations, researching, sourcing, thesis statements and critical thinking.
“We noticed a lot of first-year students coming into the Writing Support Centre and they were writing five-paragraph essays, which is what they were learning in high school, but they were trying to write 10-page papers,” says Erika Serviss-Low, assistant co-ordinator, Writing Support Centre. “There was a real gap between what they were learning in high school and what they were expected to do right off the bat when they started university.”
The sessions provide lectures, tutorials and seminars. A librarian offers a talk on research skills and online journals, as well as gives a tour of Western Libraries.
One of the advantages of the program is it allows participants to become familiar with class structure and note-taking before September. They are also made aware of the services provided during the academic year by the Writing Support Centre.
Former attendees reported feeling more prepared and confident about assignments.
Although the primary focus of the sessions is first-year Western students, other students (including those attending other universities) are invited to participate in the program.
“I see how much they struggle when they are here,” says Serviss-Low. “I’m an English major, so I love talking about writing; I love helping students.
“I struggled myself. All of us who teach, we always take the time to tell them our sob stories about what happened when we started.”
For more information on the Summer Academic Writing Clinic, visit https://www.sdc.uwo.ca/writing/index.html?summer_writing_clinic.
Click here find out more about the services provided by the Writing Support Centre.