Brian Thomson
Brian graduated with a BA in History from UBC and an MA in Interdisciplinary Humanities from TWU. Though his name suggests purely Anglophone origins, Brian was raised in Chile, where he spoke Spanish until he was thirteen! With some experience helping friends with their papers, a little dabbling in some editing courses, and volunteering as an editor in the UBC Journal of Philosophical Enquiries, Brian is well prepared to help you in your writing assignments. (Anything covering the transition from the Medieval to the Modern world is very interesting to Brian, particularly if it relates to the history and philosophy of religion and or science.) His interests include advising a book club inspired by the Inklings, playing gigs with his band, and attempting some worldbuilding here and there.
Specializations: Brainstorming | Argument Development | Thesis Formulation | Essay Structure and Organization | APA | Chicago Manual of Style | Historical Research | Conciseness
Academic Interests: History, Philosophy, English Literature
- Why do you enjoy working as a Writing Coach?
A Writing Coach, like a sports coach, enjoys seeing his trainees enjoys taking part in a student’s growth. The growth takes place in the mind through dialogue. In academia, reading and writing is the most basic exercise of the mind—a daunting task, whether the writer be a seasoned researcher or an inexperienced student.
Only by writing can we hone our reading comprehension and writing skills, and thereby thinking by extension. In university, students are pushed to exercise these abilities to the highest degree, and having a fellow helper comes in handy. As a writing coach, I am contributing to a person’s intellectual development in a small way, which is nonetheless something I find valuable in our society.
- Why should students book an appointment with you?
Some students have doubts whether they are on the right track, while others are excellent writers. In my experience, however, a second pair of eyes is always better than one. Coaches can point to areas the student has overlooked or teach new skills which will make the student a better writer. By not booking an appointment, a student may lose some great benefits. The learning that takes place from a one-on-one basis through conversation and feedback is a great complement to class. It’s also a fun way to avoid procrastination! And who doesn’t want to have free time on the weekend?
