Summary
The Writing Lab offers free support to students with any writing assignment: from paper to thesis. In a conversation with a peer coach, you learn strategies to boost your text, process and confidence.
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What are the benefits of writing coaching?
Progression with your text
A conversation with a writing coach is an efficient way to work on your text. You decide what you want to improve and the coach provides writing strategies that suit your needs. You can apply tips immediately, and bring them to future writing assignments.
Control over your writing process
Some writers ponder for a long time, make a detailed outline and then write a fluent text in one go. Others write a first draft intuitively and keep refining it until they are happy. By discovering what kind of writer you are, you can play to your strenghts and develop confidence in your writing process.
Showing yourself in your writing
Every writing assignment is an opportunity to learn about your field and to define your own place within it. A writing coach helps you put your ideas into words through conversation, so they become clearer both to you and to your readers. Together with your coach, you explore how you can truly be visible in your writing. After all, it is you writing the piece, not someone else. And that's worth showing!
Learning how scientific texts work
There are many conventions and rules in the world of academic writing. A writing coach can help you brush up on your knowledge and explain the various academic genres, such as essays, lab reports and dissertations, and why they take the form, style and structure that they do.
Meeting a real reader
Does the line of reasoning come across clearly in your introduction? Can a reader follow your conclusion? What feels crystal clear to you may still be ambiguous to someone else. It is therefore always a good idea to have a reader look over your text. Our coaches have seen many academic texts and can clearly articulate how they experience reading them.
Make an appointment
Schedule your session using this form. We usually respond within two working days.
"I could ask academic questions that I would feel nervous or embarrassed to ask in class or to my teacher."
- Master's student Communication, Health and Life Sciences
What questions can you ask the Writing Lab?
Questions we often hear are:
- How do I get started on my writing assignment?
- How do I formulate my research question more accurately?
- I find it difficult to incorporate information from sources into my text.
- The structure of my text could be better, but how do I go about it?
- My teacher thinks my writing style is too vague and subjective.
- I'm stuck and don't know how to proceed.
- I have received feedback and want to discuss how I can process it.
- What is a good balance between using AI and writing myself?
"The coaches really guide you through your writing process by asking questions and giving options and examples."
- master's student Animal Sciences
Practical matters
How long and how often?
A session takes about 45 minutes. You can visit us 5 times per writing assignment, and up to 10 times for your thesis.
Where?
Sessions take place online or at the Writing Lab. You can find us in the Forum Library, on the second floor (room 260). Enter at the main entrance of the library and walk straight ahead. You will automatically see us.
For whom?
All bachelor's and master's students at WUR are welcome at the Writing Lab. You can come by with any writing assignment and at any stage of your writing process. Unfortunately, we cannot help PhD students at the moment.
With whom?
Your writing coach is also a student at WUR and has been trained to do this work as a part-time job. This makes sessions accessible and easy-going.
What does it cost?
Sessions with a writing coach are free.
In which language?
Sessions can take place in Dutch or in English. It doesn't matter what language you write your text in.
What does a session look like? (photo report)
You are warmly welcomed by your writing coach.
You get coffee, tea or chocolate milk, to fuel and ease your thinking.
After a short introduction, you dive into your assignment and questions.
You wrap up the session by summerising what you’ve learnt and discussing your next steps. You’re welcome to take any useful handouts home with you. If you’d like, you can book a follow-up session straight away.
Do you assess my text?
No, the coach is not an assessor and not an extension of your teacher. The Writing Lab is a safe place to experiment with your writing and discuss any doubts you may have.
Do you revise or correct my text?
No, the text remains entirely yours. However, the coach will give you tips on how to improve your own writing. You can practise these so you gain confidence in your own skills.
Is my writing coach from my study programme?
Probably not. That’s an advantage, because it means you remain the expert on your subject and your text. By explaining your thoughts to someone from a different field of study, you’ll come to understand the content more deeply.
What does a writing coach not do?
- Text correction (e.g. on spelling and grammar).
- Teach English or Dutch language. You can follow a (paid) language course at Wageningen in'to Languages.
- Advise on literature searching, citing and referencing. The library can help you with that.
- Coach on study skills, (mental) well-being and using your talents. For this you can contact Student Training & Workshops.
"I learned a lot from the tools such as how to structure a text and to guide your thinking process."
- Master's student Plant Sciences
Contact
Book your coaching session using this form.
E: writinglab@wur.nl
Forum Library, room 260
W: Wur.eu/writinglab
Are you working on a large writing assignment and would you like to boost your process? Then consider joining a 3-Day Online Writing Retreat!