Writing support in STEM subjects (2022/2023)
The final paper can be particularly challenging for STEM students, as they usually gain little experience in writing longer, coherent texts during their studies. For this target group, the following offerings have been developed, tested, and evaluated at SchreibCenter as part of the LeNA project “Writing support in STEM Subjects” (2022).
All offerings consider the fact that students of STEM subjects usually use more than one language when writing their thesis. They were designed and conducted in German and English.
Self-study units
We have created self-study units on thesis writing in STEM subjects. Students can use them to engage with their writing preferences individually and, in some cases, interactively, as well as to acquire knowledge about writing a thesis. The units are permanently available via moodle:
Be the Master of Your Thesis | Nimm deine Thesis selbst in die Hand
Writing Marathon
One- to two-day writing event in which students work intensively on their own text. Essential components here are a fixed daily structure, exchange with peers and the opportunity to take advantage of writing consultations at any time.
Thesis group
In this writing group, students work in a focused manner on their own text, develop writing routines, and prevent procrastination. Each session begins with goal setting, includes an intensive work phase, and is reflected upon.
Thesis feedback group
The thesis feedback group primarily supports text revision. The main part of each session is guided peer text feedback, always focusing on a different thesis challenge in the STEM subjects. We are not offering this group at the moment.
The project (April 2022 to March 2023), funded by central QSL funds (LeNA funds), was coordinated by Anna Brockhaus.