Writing as a Student
While our main working language is German, we do have a few workshops and write-ins in English. The general rule is: if we announce something in German, it will be held in German and if we announce it in English, the event itself will also be in English.
During your studies, you will encounter many different writing assignments: the first seminar paper, the Bachelor's thesis and, at the end, the Master's thesis. The level of writing required will increase over the course of your studies. Throughout the curriculum, a larger variety of text genres are used, e.g. essays, portfolios, reviews. After you are first introduced to academic writing, there are hardly any opportunities to further develop your writing skills, try out new writing methods or speak with your peers about writing in order to learn from and with them.
The activities offered by the Writing Centre are a meeting point for all those who are working on writing projects and appreciate fixed writing appointments. We provide methodological materials and offer various opportunities to try out new things and exchange ideas with us and others about writing and the texts written.
We value an appreciative and unprejudiced approach and look forward to working with you to find solutions that suit your writing projects.
Writing workshops
The majority of our workshops are held in German, but we are continuously working on increasing the number of English-language workshop that we offer. You can find the topics of the German-language workshops on the German version of this page. In the workshops, we work with small interdisciplinary groups (6 to 12 participants). The workshops are repeated regularly. You can book them via the anny app.
The workshops we currently offer in English are:
A well-crafted paragraph structure makes texts easier to read and helps you organise your thoughts and arguments. However, paragraphing is a craft that is difficult to master – especially if you have learnt academic writing in a different language, such as German, where there is less of a focus on paragraphs. This workshop will introduce you to the basics of paragraphing and let you apply them to your own writing project. Please bring your laptop and a piece of English academic writing that you are currently working on.
Many texts contain a discussion section. What is their purpose in academic texts? How does the discussion differ from the results chapter and how is it structured? And what exactly is discussed? In this workshop, you will learn about different types of written discussions, text structures, and strategies for a meaningful discussion.
A well-written academic text helps bring your message across. But what rules apply to the academic context, and how can you learn to write better? And what are typical language pitfalls to avoid? In this workshop, we will explore the rules of academic English and discuss matters of style. With many practical exercises and examples, you will learn how to polish your texts.
Write-Ins
Most of our write-ins are held in German. At the open write-ins during the summer and the semester, there is not a lot of talking done, because the focus is on giving participants time to work on their own writing project. Therefore, a basic understanding of German should suffice to take part. Additionally, you can always speak to members of our team in English if you have specific questions. Our biweekly write-ins for PhD candidates are on Friday and do take place in English if needed. To learn more or join the write-in for PhD candidates, please contact daniela.rothe@uibk.ac.at
Writing consulting
In most of our settings (i.e. Write-Ins, Workshops, Writing groups) we have the opportunity to discuss various writing issues with you. Whenever possible, we work on specific examples provided by participants.
If required, we also offer individual consultation appointments and feedback on text excerpts (max. 3-5 pages), both in English and German.
Please note that the Writing Centre does not offer proofreading.
- How can I improve text structure?”
- How do I plan the writing process for a larger writing project, e.g. a master's thesis?”
- How do I revise a text so that it becomes clearer and more readable?”
- How can I organise my writing process so that the work can be completed within a reasonable time frame?”
To make an appointment, you can use the Contact form or write to us at ulb-schreibzentrum@uibk.ac.at. We will let you know when we are available.
OLAT course
On our OLAT course, you can find handouts on writing methods, FAQs for writing questions und further reading about academic writing. While most of the material is in German, there is also a folder titled ‘academic writing’ that contains some materials in English. Additionally, we use the messages board of the course to let you know about our current activities and events.
To the OLAT course "Writing at university"
You can inscribe yourself into the OLAT course. It is not linked with a specific class or lecture.
