WRITING CENTERS AS A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS OF INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARS IN WRITING FOR PUBLICATION

Abstract

Many scholars experience a number of troubles and difficulties in writing for publication processes. The continuous support and help given in writing centers may provide solutions for international scholars in terms of their academic publication problems. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a writing center with regard to meeting the expectations and needs of scholars in academic writing in English for their publication purposes. In the study, a mixed-method research design was adopted, and the study was conducted in a writing and research center of a large scale state university in Ankara, Turkey. The institution was selected via the criterion sampling method. The data were collected using a satisfaction survey form. The findings revealed that almost all of the scholars who participated in the study were satisfied with the services offered in the writing center and would visit the writing center in the future. In addition, they also stated that they received valuable information as to the nature of writing a research paper in English as a result of one-on-one tutoring. However, it was also found that some aspects of the writing center needed improvement. The participants demanded more explanations as to the corrections, supplementary materials, and specialization of the tutors as well as longer sessions. It was concluded that writing centers, especially those focusing on improving English academic texts, may provide help to scholars in overcoming their problems in writing for the publication process