History

History of the Writing Center of Bayreuth University

The Writing Center of Bayreuth University was founded on January 1st 2009. Then known as „Schreibberatung“ it was the first contact point for writing consulations at universities in Bavaria. Prof. Gabriela Paule (Didaktik der deutschen Sprache und Literatur) whose initiative has kickstarted the writing center’s establishment, has been involved from the very start and still is the academic head today. Andrea Bausch, a trained and certified writing consultant, built up the writing center and its services that incluce annual writing tutor training since winter semester 2013/14. Today the writing center is a permanent facility at Bayreuth University and is continuing its success story as an institution for service and research across all faculties. By now the writing center consits of a team of 9 members, including student writing tutors as well as a research fellow.

Networking and Research Activites

The team of the writing center regularly visits national and international conferences like the European Writing Centers Association. Our student tutors have been representing the Writing Center with a workshop concerning the didactics of writing at the annual Writing-Peer-Tutor-Conference since 2014. Moreover, the Writing Center is a member of the Gesellschaft für Schreibdidaktik und Schreibforschung.

Services for Students, PhD Students and Instructors

Our consultation service has avidly been used by students from the very beginning with consultation numbers rising from semester to semester. In 2014 we completed over 600 consultations, in 2017 the number of completed consultations was 890. Besides individual consultations we offer a variety of workshops concerning academic writing. Our most popular workshops are „Wissenschaftliches Schreiben organisieren und planen“, „Den roten Faden finden“ and „Wie formuliere ich ‚wissenschaftlich‘“. But also our workshops held in English „Principles of Academic Writing“ and „Introduction to Academic Writing“ are becoming more and more popular. Furthermore, the „Lange Nacht des Schreibes“, organised by the Writing Center each year and part of a Writing Night in Universities all over Germany, is a welcome event for students and PhD-students who either want to get their writing projects started or keep them on track. Alone in Bayreuth more than 120 students and PhD-students take part in this event annually.

Moreover, instructors benefit from our services and e.g. get support when it comes to the design of material or the conception of lectures and seminars concerning academic writing.

Writing as a Key to Success

Writing competence is one of the success factors when it comes to studying at university and beyond. The Writing Center represents an institution at Bayreuth University that lastingly promotes writing competence in students.