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Academic Writing Centre

Our mission is to help students to become better writers. We provide free one-on-one tutorials on essay writing.
The Academic Writing Centre will remain open from 15 July until August 26 for email consultations, weekly online workshops, and phone sessions. 
To book an email consultation, contact awctutors@gmail.com with your student number and your year of study and subject. We will get back to you within a day with a list of questions that will help us to understand how we can help you. Once we get your answers, we will send you a detailed response within two days. 
 
Phone consultations are reserved for students registered with the Disability Support Services. To book a session, please email awctutors@gmail.com with your year of study, student number and the times when you can be contacted. Please also confirm that you are registered with the DSS. Please let us know whether you prefer to chat over the phone or on Zoom. We will get back to you within a day with a date and time. 
 

Workshops: we meet once a week. Details for the meetings are announced here https://library.nuigalway.ie/digitalscholarship/eventsandtraining/ , on the Hardiblog, and on Twitter (@AwcNuig).  

Our summer intervention is part of the project, Retention and Writing at NUIG, generously funded by the Student Project Fund. 

What we do - image

 

We provide one-on-one tutorials on essay writing. These are free and available to everyone, regardless of level of experience or grade average. 

We also support student writing through workshops, modules, and competitions. 

We offer help in the following areas: 

  • Brainstorming your essay topic and outline
  • Structuring an argument
  • Developing your thesis statement
  • Improving sentence structure and punctuation
  • Avoiding plagiarism
  • Using secondary sources
  • Editing and proofreading techniques

What we don't do:

  • We do not do the work for you, but support you in becoming a better writer. 
  • We do not work as proofreaders, but we can teach you to proofread your work.
  • We do not assess essays or comment on the grades they received.
  • We do not judge anyone for any writing issues.

 
Where to find us - image

 

We are currently open online! To book an appointment, email AcademicWritingCentre@nuigalway.ie. 

The AWC is located on Floor 2, in the James Hardiman Library. 

Typical Opening Hours (please note that the library is currently closed due to COVID-19)

Monday                               11:00 - 13:00 and 18:00 - 20:00
Tuesday                               11:00 - 13:00 and 18:00 - 20:00
Wednesday                       11:00 - 13:00 and 18:00 - 20:00
Thursday                            11:00 - 13:00 and 16:00-18:00  (priority slot for students on the Access programme)  and 18:00 - 20:00 

Support of Irish-language writing is available on Monday and Tuesday evenings (18:00 - 20:00) 

Bíonn tacaíocht do scríbhneoireacht trí Ghaeilge ar fáil Dé Luain (18.00-20.00) agus Dé Máirt (18.00-20.00)
 
 
 
Using the AWC - image

 

During term time, you can drop into the AWC between 11:00 - 13:00 and 18:00 - 20:00 every day except Friday nights and weekends. 

To book a session, email AcademicWritingCentre@nuigalway.ie.

To get the most out of your session, bring your written work with you. Some students bring completed assignments; others bring rough drafts or notes; past assignments are also acceptable.  An AWC tutor will identify your areas of improvement and set you on the track for becoming a better writer. You can also visit the AWC if you have trouble starting your essay or choosing your essay topic.

Help for Irish-Language Writing

Contact us for information on Irish-Language support: AcademicWritingCentre@nuigalway.ie 

Help for English as a Second Language Students

There is a saying that academic English is nobody's first language. Expressing complex ideas in a second language can be especially difficult. Some challenges particular to ESL students may include the use of definite and indefinite articles, correct word usage, and sentence structure. We can also show you how to take advantage of your linguistic knowledge and to use translation as an editing tool. 

A session at the AWC can also suit advanced learners of English who require more instruction, but whose level is too high for language classes.