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Proof-reading is an important part of academic writing and also a transferable skill that students can benefit from later in their careers. We see independent learning as crucial to our students’ development and offer support and guidance [http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/studyadvice/StudyResources/Writing/sta-proof.aspx] on how to make their proof-reading more effective. We do not recommend professional proof-readers because of the danger that intended meaning may be changed.
I do agree that it's something home students fairly regularly ask for too. In some ways, it's more of a problem, because they just send it home for their parents to proofread (and on the way they often rewrite and edit...). The international students don't usually have that luxury which is why their needs are more transparent.Students for whom English is not their first language also have access to additional language support through our International Study and Language Institute, which offers In-Sessional English Support and a Self-Access Language Learning Centre. We advise international students who are not confident about their academic writing to ask a fellow student, who is a native English speaker, to read through their work with them. This way they learn, self-correct and gain more confidence in their language skills at the same time. Friendships from ‘thank you’ dinners often develop this way, all adding to the student experience.
1st Floor, University of Reading Library, Whiteknights, PO Box 223, Reading, RG6 6AE
( 0118 378 4242/4614 : www.reading.ac.uk/studyadvice twitter: @unirdg_study
Please note that I now work part-time and am not usually on campus on Mondays.
Interesting article – wondering what others experiences are? Mine are that this is not limited to international students – though certainly this is by far the largest cohort
Perhaps particularly unsurprising, when at UWS we do not offer any English language support for undergraduate (and limited for postgraduate) students.
Am regularly asked by students – both home and international – to proofread their work – and have to explain that this is not part of the service we offer.
Glasgow University offers (and charges for – though below ‘market’ rates) an ‘essay checking service’ - http://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/mlc/languagecentre/efl/in-sessionalsupport/essaycheckingservice/
International students are turning to proofreading agencies to get support
http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2014/apr/09/international-students-proofreading-academic-writing-support
Best
G
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