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peer-reviewed, The purpose of this booklet is to provide readers with an introduction to a Writing in the Disciplines (WID) curriculum in higher education institutes. It is intended to provide an overview of the ethos and practical work that occurs in Writing in the Disciplines curricula., PUBLISHED, peer-reviewed

peer-reviewed, The purpose of this booklet is to provide readers with an introduction to the concept and role of writing centres in higher education institutes. It is intended to provide an overview of the ethos and practical activities of higher education writing centres. It is not a guide to setting up a writing centre; for a more comprehensive guide on that topic, we refer you to The Maynooth University Guide to Setting Up a Writing Centre (2015). This booklet is intended for any intelligent reader interested in the topic. It will be of particular interest to colleagues working/teaching in higher education in Ireland, PUBLISHED, non-peer-reviewed

peer-reviewed, 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 to adopt a systematic approach to writing support for both undergraduate and postgraduate students and an increasing recognition of the value of such support in fostering metacognitive 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 paper is to report on a study that inquires into student and staff attitudes towards academic writing and into the specific writing-related needs of students at one Irish university, the University of Limerick (UL), in order to justify what we feel to be an appropriate response to a multiplicity of writing-related needs in the Irish context. The paper reports on the two main phases of the project, namely the research phase that would inform the response adopted by the University (2005-2007) and the action-response phase which outlines the course of action taken by the University to respond to the writing needs of its students (2007 to date), including collaboration with other institutions. The primary research on which this paper reports highlights an awareness of the importance of writing skills for the development of students’ academic and professional lives, yet it also draws attention to the lack of support for the development of student writing. Having investigated the many options available, this paper concludes that a formal writing centre has an important role to play in providing a coordinated and systematic approach to the development of writing. The creation of a writing centre is an expression of the recognition of the centrality of writing to teaching and learning at higher education and the importance of writing as a means of learning., PUBLISHED, peer-reviewed

peer-reviewed, In the rapidly changing environment of language learning and teaching, electronic literacies have an increasingly important role to play. While much research on new literacies focuses on the World Wide Web, the aim in this study is to investigate the importance of corpus consultation as a new type of literacy which is of particular relevance in the context of language learning and teaching. After briefly situating the theoretical and pedagogical context of the study in relation to authenticity and learner autonomy, the paper describes an empirical study involving eight postgraduate students of French. As part of a Masters course they write a short text and subsequently attempt to improve it by using concordancing software to consult a small corpus containing texts on a similar subject. The analysis of the results reveals a significant number of changes made by the learners which may be classified as follows in order of frequency: grammatical errors (gender and agreement, prepositions, verb forms/mood, negation and syntax); misspellings, accents and hyphens; lexico- grammatical patterning (native language interference, choice of verb and inappropriate vocabulary); and capitalisation. The conclusion notes that the situation in which these students found themselves (i.e. faced with a text on which the teacher had indicated phrases which could be improved) is replicated in many cases every day, and suggests that corpus consultation may have a useful role to play in the context of interactive feedback, particularly in cases where traditional language learning resources are of little use., PUBLISHED, peer-reviewed

peer-reviewed, In 2007, when the authors of this chapter were being selected to get Ireland’s first writing centre up and running, concerns about postgraduate writing for publication coincided with national and institutional drives to up-skill the population for participation in a knowledge economy. A feature of our context is that our institution began its life as a National Institute of Higher Education and maintains strong ties with local industry to this day. Student retention and transferable skills development were Higher Education Authority concerns that largely determined some goals for our target groups. Those groups included mature students, international students and students coming in through the Access programme as a consequence of low, or the absence of, Leaving Certification exam scores (http://www. examinations.ie/). The national discourse about writing at third level in Ireland up to that time was largely limited to talk about writing development for professional academic advancement.

peer-reviewed, On 29 June 2011, 280 delegates interested in the teaching, tutoring, research, administration and development of academic writing in higher education in Europe descended upon the University of Limerick to discuss the role of the student experience in shaping academic writing development in higher education. The EATAW 2011 conference invited all those interested in academic writing development in higher education to contribute to the discussion on enhancing the quality of the student experience through writing. Enhancing the student experience is central to the vision and mission of most higher education institutions in Europe and beyond. How students experience academic writing impacts upon their identities and on their participation in academic and disciplinary environments. Writing programmes and initiatives that actively engage students in the writing conventions and practices of their academic communities can enhance the quality of the student learning experience.

peer-reviewed, Given the increasing pressure higher education institutions are facing, collaboration is key to increase capacity to address competing demands. The professional development (PD) of academic staff has been identified as one of the key priority areas in the modernisation of Higher Education to support them to cope with growing numbers, more diverse student groups and a dynamic environment. There is a need for a flexible approach to PD that leverages from formal and informal approaches to allow academic staff to upskill while practicing. Many Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) are collaborating in this area to exchange best practice and increase the PD activities they offer to their staff. However, each HEI has different strategies, cultures and institutional needs. To allow them to collaborate they need to develop a shared vision in the area of PD. This paper discusses the FLEXIpath project in which three HEIs are collaborating to extend their PD provision to enhance academic practice. It explores the role of a visual modelling approach, (specifically the OOFAT model), in facilitating the development of a shared roadmap for the provision of collaborative PD through negotiation and scaffolded discussion.

peer-reviewed, This paper gives insights into research conducted within the Writing Centre Exchange Project (WCEP), a research collaboration among three university writing centres in Sweden, Germany and Ireland, which focuses on organisational perspectives on writing centre work. WCEP rests on the theoretical framework of institutional work. Previous research, conducted in US writing centres, developed a model of institutional work in writing centres that includes specific Strategic Action Fields (SAFs) and collaborative learning as a means to interact with stakeholders. By using this model, WCEP has targeted ongoing institutional work intended to establish and sustain missions, goals and activities in and around writing centres. Drawing on participatory action research, WCEP explores the extent to which the institutional work at the three European writing centres correlates with the model. The main findings show that indeed the same strategic action fields are relevant, but furthermore, different subcategories emerge depending on the local context. This paper explores some of the subcategories that differ and draws conclusions for the institutional work of writing centre directors.

peer-reviewed, This paper gives insights into research conducted within the Writing Centre Exchange Project (WCEP), a research collaboration among three university writing centres in Sweden, Germany and Ireland, which focuses on organisational perspectives on writing centre work. WCEP rests on the theoretical framework of institutional work. Previous research, conducted in US writing centres, developed a model of institutional work in writing centres that includes specific Strategic Action Fields (SAFs) and collaborative learning as a means to interact with stakeholders. By using this model, WCEP has targeted ongoing institutional work intended to establish and sustain missions, goals and activities in and around writing centres. Drawing on participatory action research, WCEP explores the extent to which the institutional work at the three European writing centres correlates with the model. The main findings show that indeed the same strategic action fields are relevant, but furthermore, different subcategories emerge depending on the local context. This paper explores some of the subcategories that differ and draws conclusions for the institutional work of writing centre directors.

peer-reviewed, Given the increasing pressure higher education institutions are facing, collaboration is key to increase capacity to address competing demands. The professional development (PD) of academic staff has been identified as one of the key priority areas in the modernisation of Higher Education to support them to cope with growing numbers, more diverse student groups and a dynamic environment. There is a need for a flexible approach to PD that leverages from formal and informal approaches to allow academic staff to upskill while practicing. Many Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) are collaborating in this area to exchange best practice and increase the PD activities they offer to their staff. However, each HEI has different strategies, cultures and institutional needs. To allow them to collaborate they need to develop a shared vision in the area of PD. This paper discusses the FLEXIpath project in which three HEIs are collaborating to extend their PD provision to enhance academic practice. It explores the role of a visual modelling approach, (specifically the OOFAT model), in facilitating the development of a shared roadmap for the provision of collaborative PD through negotiation and scaffolded discussion.

peer-reviewed, Despite the recognition of the multiple affordances of multimodal corpora in capturing the complex and dynamic nature of real-life communication, their use in L2 classrooms is still limited. Informed by the body of related literature and by research on pedagogic corpora, this research investigates Saudi learners’ attitudes towards using a pedagogic and context-specific corpus to raise their awareness of spoken academic discourse. In particular, this research examines the attitudes of the participants towards the use of a web-based multimodal corpus of TED Talks (MCOTT), and the potential influence of participants’ profiles on their attitudes. Participants are intermediate EFL learners (N=103) enrolled in the foundation year of their tertiary education, and are invited to participate in this exploratory research. Data is gathered through two questionnaires (i.e. learner profile and learner attitude questionnaires), interviews, and classroom observations, and are analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. To investigate learner attitudes, this thesis explores questionnaire results relating to the participants’ perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived behavioural control, affective attitude, and future intentions. Generally, participants indicate positive attitudes towards MCOTT, and no significant issues of concern were reported. Interview and observation data help to extend the understanding of participants’ attitudes through highlighting reasons for participants’ appreciation of MCOTT and TED Talks, as well as offering need-based recommendations for improving the corpus. To determine the possible influence of participants’ profiles on their attitudes, this thesis examines the correlation between participants’ profiles (motivation, attitudes towards oral skills and towards autonomy, and ICT competence) and their attitudes to MCOTT use. Results indicate that there is a positive correlation between all four profile related variables and participants’

peer-reviewed, Despite the recognition of the multiple affordances of multimodal corpora in capturing the complex and dynamic nature of real-life communication, their use in L2 classrooms is still limited. Informed by the body of related literature and by research on pedagogic corpora, this research investigates Saudi learners’ attitudes towards using a pedagogic and context-specific corpus to raise their awareness of spoken academic discourse. In particular, this research examines the attitudes of the participants towards the use of a web-based multimodal corpus of TED Talks (MCOTT), and the potential influence of participants’ profiles on their attitudes. Participants are intermediate EFL learners (N=103) enrolled in the foundation year of their tertiary education, and are invited to participate in this exploratory research. Data is gathered through two questionnaires (i.e. learner profile and learner attitude questionnaires), interviews, and classroom observations, and are analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. To investigate learner attitudes, this thesis explores questionnaire results relating to the participants’ perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived behavioural control, affective attitude, and future intentions. Generally, participants indicate positive attitudes towards MCOTT, and no significant issues of concern were reported. Interview and observation data help to extend the understanding of participants’ attitudes through highlighting reasons for participants’ appreciation of MCOTT and TED Talks, as well as offering need-based recommendations for improving the corpus. To determine the possible influence of participants’ profiles on their attitudes, this thesis examines the correlation between participants’ profiles (motivation, attitudes towards oral skills and towards autonomy, and ICT competence) and their attitudes to MCOTT use. Results indicate that there is a positive correlation between all four profile related variables and participants’

peer-reviewed, Despite the recognition of the multiple affordances of multimodal corpora in capturing the complex and dynamic nature of real-life communication, their use in L2 classrooms is still limited. Informed by the body of related literature and by research on pedagogic corpora, this research investigates Saudi learners’ attitudes towards using a pedagogic and context-specific corpus to raise their awareness of spoken academic discourse. In particular, this research examines the attitudes of the participants towards the use of a web-based multimodal corpus of TED Talks (MCOTT), and the potential influence of participants’ profiles on their attitudes. Participants are intermediate EFL learners (N=103) enrolled in the foundation year of their tertiary education, and are invited to participate in this exploratory research. Data is gathered through two questionnaires (i.e. learner profile and learner attitude questionnaires), interviews, and classroom observations, and are analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. To investigate learner attitudes, this thesis explores questionnaire results relating to the participants’ perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived behavioural control, affective attitude, and future intentions. Generally, participants indicate positive attitudes towards MCOTT, and no significant issues of concern were reported. Interview and observation data help to extend the understanding of participants’ attitudes through highlighting reasons for participants’ appreciation of MCOTT and TED Talks, as well as offering need-based recommendations for improving the corpus. To determine the possible influence of participants’ profiles on their attitudes, this thesis examines the correlation between participants’ profiles (motivation, attitudes towards oral skills and towards autonomy, and ICT competence) and their attitudes to MCOTT use. Results indicate that there is a positive correlation between all four profile related variables and participants’

peer-reviewed, In 2007, when the authors of this chapter were being selected to get Ireland’s first writing centre up and running, concerns about postgraduate writing for publication coincided with national and institutional drives to up-skill the population for participation in a knowledge economy. A feature of our context is that our institution began its life as a National Institute of Higher Education and maintains strong ties with local industry to this day. Student retention and transferable skills development were Higher Education Authority concerns that largely determined some goals for our target groups. Those groups included mature students, international students and students coming in through the Access programme as a consequence of low, or the absence of, Leaving Certification exam scores (http://www. examinations.ie/). The national discourse about writing at third level in Ireland up to that time was largely limited to talk about writing development for professional academic advancement.

peer-reviewed, Despite some of the critiques of the conventions of academic writing that have been outlined above, it is also clear that nurturing good writing skills among students enhances their ability to think in complex and coherent ways (Bean, 2001). Writing is not only valued in academia; good writing skil ls are important for the enhancement of our students' professional lives. Despite its centrality in academia and professional life, it is often left up to the students themselves to become good at writing. While there have been notable changes in the UK and Ireland in providing dedicated support for student writing, many higher education contexts rely on students being acculturated or somehow induced into academic writing simply by being immersed into university life (Lea and Street, 1998).

peer-reviewed, In April 2007, Ireland’s first Regional Writing Centre at the University of Limerick was launched. This chapter outlines the various international, European, national, regional, and institutional winds to which the growing Centre responded. Trailing UL’s Regional Writing Centre through its path from inception to fruition, the profile reveals the influences that have shaped its ethos, guided its development and served to sustain it. Furthermore, the profile outlines the Centre’s variegated approach for achieving what it hopes to be a more systematic approach to undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional writing development at UL and the region.

non-peer-reviewed, Students often struggle with writing as they are unaware of the process of writing and of strategies and skills to help them write well. They often focus on the product of writing rather than engaging with the process of writing. However, it is in the process of writing, and in the discovery of that process, that learning happens (Murray 1973, Emig 1977, Berlin 1982). It is thought that the inductive, non-intrusive model of student peer-tutoring practiced at the Regional Writing Centre at the University of Limerick, based on the model proposed by Ryan and Zimmerelli (2006), encourages students to engage with their own writing and learning in a non-threatening, approachable and positive manner. However, amidst the rising debate on what constitutes student engagement with learning, it is timely to investigate whether, and to what extent, the model used to train peer tutors in the Regional Writing Centre constitutes real and meaningful student engagement for those who peer tutor in the Centre and for the students they tutor.

non-peer-reviewed, This issue of the Journal of Academic Writing contains selected, peer-reviewed articles based on presentations given at the EATAW 2011 conference. The conference, held on 29th June 2011 at the University of Limerick, Ireland, and hosted by the Regional Writing Centre at the University of Limerick, took as its focus the role of the student experience in shaping academic writing development in higher education. The EATAW 2011 conference brought together 280 participants to contribute to discussion of how to enhance the student experience through writing development. Conference delegates included writing teachers and researchers, writing centre and writing programme administrators, staff developers, and professional and peer writing tutors. A focal point of the conference was a keynote panel featuring peer tutors in writing from three universities. A reflection on this keynote, along with narratives written by peer writing tutors working in universities in Europe, is included in the new ‘Dialogues’ section of this issue.

non-peer-reviewed, This issue of the Journal of Academic Writing contains selected, peer-reviewed articles based on presentations given at the EATAW 2011 conference. The conference, held on 29th June 2011 at the University of Limerick, Ireland, and hosted by the Regional Writing Centre at the University of Limerick, took as its focus the role of the student experience in shaping academic writing development in higher education. The EATAW 2011 conference brought together 280 participants to contribute to discussion of how to enhance the student experience through writing development. Conference delegates included writing teachers and researchers, writing centre and writing programme administrators, staff developers, and professional and peer writing tutors. A focal point of the conference was a keynote panel featuring peer tutors in writing from three universities. A reflection on this keynote, along with narratives written by peer writing tutors working in universities in Europe, is included in the new ‘Dialogues’ section of this issue.

non-peer-reviewed, Students often struggle with writing as they are unaware of the process of writing and of strategies and skills to help them write well. They often focus on the product of writing rather than engaging with the process of writing. However, it is in the process of writing, and in the discovery of that process, that learning happens (Murray 1973, Emig 1977, Berlin 1982). It is thought that the inductive, non-intrusive model of student peer-tutoring practiced at the Regional Writing Centre at the University of Limerick, based on the model proposed by Ryan and Zimmerelli (2006), encourages students to engage with their own writing and learning in a non-threatening, approachable and positive manner. However, amidst the rising debate on what constitutes student engagement with learning, it is timely to investigate whether, and to what extent, the model used to train peer tutors in the Regional Writing Centre constitutes real and meaningful student engagement for those who peer tutor in the Centre and for the students they tutor.

peer-reviewed, In April 2007, Ireland’s first Regional Writing Centre at the University of Limerick was launched. This chapter outlines the various international, European, national, regional, and institutional winds to which the growing Centre responded. Trailing UL’s Regional Writing Centre through its path from inception to fruition, the profile reveals the influences that have shaped its ethos, guided its development and served to sustain it. Furthermore, the profile outlines the Centre’s variegated approach for achieving what it hopes to be a more systematic approach to undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional writing development at UL and the region.

peer-reviewed, Despite some of the critiques of the conventions of academic writing that have been outlined above, it is also clear that nurturing good writing skills among students enhances their ability to think in complex and coherent ways (Bean, 2001). Writing is not only valued in academia; good writing skil ls are important for the enhancement of our students' professional lives. Despite its centrality in academia and professional life, it is often left up to the students themselves to become good at writing. While there have been notable changes in the UK and Ireland in providing dedicated support for student writing, many higher education contexts rely on students being acculturated or somehow induced into academic writing simply by being immersed into university life (Lea and Street, 1998).