The FAU Writing Center: Support for English and German texts

The deadline for an important writing project is approaching: whether it is a paper, a written assignment, a doctoral thesis, or a language examination, the Writing Centre at the FAU Language Centre is on hand to help students, doctoral candidates and staff with their writing. Individual writing consultations can give you the inspiration you need to get started with your writing or help your texts take shape.

Individual writing consultations

“How do I start writing at all? How can I structure my work? Does my text sound academic?” These are just some of the concerns students and doctoral candidates have when they come for a writing consultation. Questions that can have a detrimental effect on the writing process and hold writers back. Attending a writing consultation allows you to discuss your text with a trained writing consultant. Writing consultations are tailored to suit everyone’s individual needs. While someone may need help formulating their research question, others may be looking for suggestions as to how to optimize their working process. Questions on grammar or wording are also common.

An important feature of our writing consultations is that the writer remains responsible for their own text at all times. “We do not correct or edit texts, and we cannot help with the content either,“ explains Jasmin Haderlein, writing consultant for international students writing in German. “However, we can analyze a text together and give specific tips on how to improve the writing, for example, by using certain writing techniques. We can also provide advice on topics such as AI, procrastination or time management.“

Practice makes perfect

“A number of students come to us after receiving negative feedback on their writing skills. They feel demotivated and insecure, and this is not something we can resolve in just one session. However, the good news is that writing is a process that can be learned through regular practice and by using the right writing techniques,” explains Deirdre Rieker, who offers writing consultations for English texts.

There are different points of contact depending on whether the students or doctoral candidates are writing in English or in German:

Further services offered free of charge by the Writing Center

As well as the individual writing consultations, the Writing Center offers a number of other services, all of which are also free of charge:

• Drop-in writing consultations: Each Tuesday between 2 pm and 3 pm, students can call in with questions on their writing project, with no need to register in advance.
• Writing Forum: Once a year, the Writing Centre opens its doors and offers various workshops on academic writing in German and English.
• Long Night of Writing: Each year in March the Writing Centre offers workshops and writing consultations during this popular event.

Writing retreats for academics

As well as the services offered free of charge, it is also possible to book Workshops for Academic Writing aimed at helping researchers write academic papers in English. Different departments or working groups can also arrange tailored workshops or retreats for their doctoral candidates. “Writing retreats are a great productivity booster for anyone writing their doctoral thesis and help writers develop good writing habits over the long term,” enthuses Susanne Jäckle, who coordinates the various offers and has already organized several retreats at FAU. The combination of workshop, communal writing time and individual consultations is popular with departmental heads and participants alike.

“Publication plays a major role at FAU, and the Writing Centre offers valuable services helping writers to improve their writing skills,“ underlines Julia Ellis-Simpson, who is also responsible for English. “Well-structured and precisely worded texts show not only the authors but also the university as a whole in the best light.”