About
Approachable and Supportive Tutor and Academic Writing Coach Based in Belfast
I am an approachable and supportive tutor and academic writing coach based in Belfast with seven years' experience empowering students to achieve their goals. I hold a PhD in English, MA in English Literary Studies, BA in English Literature, and BSc in Computer Science. I have been awarded Merit Awards by Queen's University in 2021 and 2022 respectively in recognition of my contribution to teaching and was subsequently conferred Fellow Status of the Higher Education Academy. In 2022, I received a SEDA award for my use of digital tools in supporting learning.
I currently support students across a range of disciplines at Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University, tutoring students one-to-one in relation to study skills, lecturing in English Literature, and proofreading academic writing. I have previously developed and delivered teaching for the Belfast City Council, providing interventionist training in a variety of technologies for students at risk of long-term unemployment, with the aim of getting them into roles with industry partners AllState and Citi.
I value fostering a relaxed learning environment in which students are comfortable expressing their needs without embarrassment or fear of judgement. All support I offer is bespoke to the student's individual needs, with lessons adaptable to the student's progress. I have helped students studying a wide variety of subjects, including English, History, Computing, Adult Nursing, Engineering and Product Design, Law, Economics, and Agricultural Technology. My experience includes supporting students with a range of disabilities including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, dyslexia, dyspraxia, deaf/hard of hearing, multiple sclerosis, visual impairments, anxiety.
I am proficient in Java, C#, HTML, SQL, PHP, CSS, JavaScript, Prolog, Pascal, and R.
Qualifications
Qualifications
PhD English
2021
Queen's University, Belfast
MA English Literary Studies
2016
Queen's University, Belfast
BA (Hons) English Literature
2015
The Open University
BSc (Hons) Computer Science
2007
Queen's University, Belfast
Awards
Queen's Merit Award (FHEA)
November 2022
Queen's University, Belfast
Awarded for maintaining professional standards in teaching.
Supporting Learning in a Digital Age
June 2022
Queen's University, Belfast
Awarded for developing new approaches to incorporating digital technology in learning environments. Accredited by Staff and Educational Development Association.
Researcher Plus
July 2021
Queen's University, Belfast
Awarded in recognition of activities undertaken beyond the programme of Academic study, including supporting and mentoring students in various roles across the university.
Queen's Merit Award (AFHEA)
March 2021
Queen's University, Belfast
Awarded for maintaining professional standards in teaching.
Professional Membership
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
2022
Advance HE
In recognition of attainment against the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and learning support in higher education.
Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA)
2021
Advance HE
In recognition of attainment against the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and learning support in higher education.
Tutoring
One-to-One Tuition in English, Computing, and Study Skills
As an experienced university tutor and lecturer with undergraduate degrees in Computer Science and English Literature and advanced degrees in English, I am able to provide high quality one-on-one tuition, either online of in-person, in the below subject areas. All support is bespoke to meet your needs.
English
- English
- English Literature
- Reading
- Spelling, Punctuation, Grammar
- English as a Foreign Language
- IELTS and ESOL
- Conversational English
Computing
- Computing
- Computer Science
- Programming (Java, C#, R, Python)
- Databases (SQL, Access)
- Web development (HTML, PHP, CSS, JavaScript)
- Computer Literacy
- Information Security
- Microsoft Office (Word, Powerpoint, Excel)
Study Skills
- Essay writing
- Dissertation
- Effective note taking
- Research skills
- Referencing
- Discrimination of sources
- Appropriate use of academic sources
- Planning revision
- Organisation and time management
- Editing
- Presentation skills
Lessons £30 per hour. To book a lesson or to make enquiries, please get in touch.
Essay and Dissertation Coaching
Guided Support from Interpreting Assignment Briefs Through to Submission
I have guided undergraduate and postgraduate students through the composition of essays, critical literature reviews, dissertations, reports, and presentations in a diverse range of subjects including Accounting & Finance, Agricultural Technology, Architectural Technology, Biomedical Science, Community Youth Work, Digital Education, English, Fine Art, Games Design, History, LLB Law and Politics, Music, Professional Legal Studies, Psychological Sciences, and Social Policy. In addition, I have coached students through university and employment applications, most recently working with a refugee of the Syrian Civil War, who due to the conflict had been deprived of five years’ education prior to coming to the UK, to guide them through completing their UCAS application. Whatever your discipline or assessment type, I can help you develop your assignments to improve or maintain your grades in the below areas and more.
- effectively structuring arguments
- planning longer pieces of work
- maintaining a consistent academic tone
- developing originality and evidence of critical analysis
- analysing questions
- ensuring you appropriately address assignment briefs
- avoiding plagiarism
- using feedback from previous assignments
- editing to meet word counts
- developing an appropriate study design
- conducting quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods research
- developing a search strategy
- conducting literature reviews, systematic reviews, scoping reviews
Lessons £30 per hour. To book a lesson or to make enquiries, get in touch.
Academic Proofreading
Identifying Issues with Spelling, Puntucation, and Grammar
I have experience proofreading essays, reports, dissertations and theses from a wide range of academic disciplines including Accounting & Finance, Agricultural Technology, Architectural Technology, Biomedical Science, Community Youth Work, English, Fine Art, History, LLB Law and Politics. I can provide marked up scripts identifying issues in spelling, punctuation, grammar, and suggesting to maintain academic rigour and bring assignments within word limits.
Proofreading rates are £20 for up to ten pages (1.5 or 2.0 line-spacing). To make enquiries, please get in touch.
Workshops
Bespoke Academic Writing, English, ICT, and Study Skills Classes for Small, Medium and Large Groups
I have designed and delivered courses for Queen's University Belfast, Ulster University, and Belfast City Council Tech Academy. Classes are designed for your individual department or institution's needs. I can offer support in the following:
- Essential Skills
- Study Skills
- Academic Writing
- Referencing
- Critical Thinking
- Transitioning to Higher Education
- English Literature
- Basic ICT
- Programming (Java, Pyhton, R)
- Databases (SQL, Access, No-SQL)
- Web development (HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript)
Competitive rates. To discuss a bespoke class, please get in touch.
Modifying Educational Materials for Visual Impairments
Bespoke Modifications for Lectures, Worksheets, Textbooks
I have professional experience in the adaptation and modification of a wide variety of materials for students with visual impairments, having received specialist training from Bolton Sensory Support Service. These modifications are bespoke to the students’ specific needs and include handwritten and print documents, text and diagrams. Modification specifications may include rewriting with specific font styles and sizes, producing more clearly defined diagrams, or any other requirement. I can help with the following:
- editing or rewriting documents with specific fonts/font styles
- transcribing handwritten documents to specific requirements
- redrawing simple or complex diagrams
Competitive rates. To discuss a bespoke class, please get in touch.