How do
I make an appointment?
To make a 30-minute appointment: call the Writing Center at
321-3360 OR sign up on the appointment calendar posted
on the Writing Center door. Although appointments are not required,
we strongly recommend students make them in order to receive
help when it is most beneficial. One 30-minute block per visit,
please.
Walk-ins are accepted on a first come, first
served basis if we have consultants available.
Check the due-date for your paper on your syllabus
and think about when you might be ready to talk to a consultant
about your paper. Then call or drop by to make that appointment.
What do I bring
to a Writing Center Session?
For a session, please bring:
- Whatever writing you have done so far
- The assignment, including a description of the assignment
from your textbook or your class notes
- A willingness to learn strategies that will help you be a
more efficient and effective writer
- Your questions, even if you don't have a draft yet
You may want to consider the following:
- List characteristics your paper should have in order to meet
the goals of the assignment
- Mark sections of your draft you're unsure of, and write down
questions about those sections
- Outline what you have written so far
- Think about comments and suggestions that have been made on
other papers you have written
What
happens in a typical Writing Center Session?
In a typical Writing Center session (usually 30 minutes long),
the consultant begins by asking you to fill out a form that
asks for your instructor's name and class, where you can indicate
if you want your professor to know you are attending Writing
Center sessions.
The consultant then will begin working with you
and your paper. After you have read through the paper with the
consultant once, the consultant will engage you in a conversation,
helping you to see what is good about the paper, and what areas
are not as strong and then helping you learn strategies to improve
on those areas that need strengthening. You will focus on audience
awareness, organization, thesis, and development first, and
then sentence-level concerns, grammar, mechanics, word choice,
etc., if there is time.
You as a writer maintain responsibility for your
paper. Much of what the consultants say is their own personal
opinion, based on their own writing styles, so suggestions may
be politely declined.
Who
comes to the Writing Center?
One-to-one writing conferences are not just for professional
writers working with their editors. Nor are such conferences
reserved for remedial writers and their tutors. Writing conferences
can benefit anyone.
Writers can bring papers from courses in
biology, political science, communications, and many other courses
besides English. They can also come in to work on resumes, job
applications, internship reports, or any other writing task
they're working on.
What
services does the Writing Center offer?
The Writing Center consultants will consult with you, one-on-one,
on any stage of the writing process, including:
- Analyzing and understanding an assignment
- Revising and editing a rough draft
- Proofreading a rough draft
Writers can bring
any kind of writing project: College writing papers, research
papers, resumes, business letters, lab reports, poetry, and
fiction.
Writing Center consultants
will work with you one-on-one to help you improve your writing
skills, but there are some things we will not do:
-We will NOT proofread a paper for you
- We will not make you do any grammar worksheets
-We will not venture a guess as to what grade a paper will receive
Should
the paper I bring to the Writing Center be saved in an electronic
format?
You can bring an electronic version of your paper to the Writing
Center, but it is not necessary. You can bring in a typed copy
of your paper, a handwritten draft, or you can save your work
to a disk (floppy-3.5, zip disk, CD-Rom, FTP). Also, each student
has 800 MB of storage available on the CBU server, where you
can save an electronic version of your paper.
Can
I bring a handwritten paper to the Writing Center for editing?
Yes. Just bring in whatever you have at the time of your Writing
Center session, whether it is typewritten, handwritten, or electronic.
Can
I drop a paper off 15 minutes before it is due for a consultant
to "look over?"
NO… You should bring your assignment
(depending on length) at least one hour before it is due.
Is
the Writing Center only for day students?
No, any CBU undergraduate student, evening student, graduate
student, faculty, staff, or alumni may use the Writing Center.
Is
the Writing Center wheelchair accessible?
The Writing Center is located on the ground floor of Plough
Library, which has a ramp on the west side of the building.
What
software is used in the Writing Center?
Microsoft Word 2000 along with the entire Microsoft Office 2000
Suite (Access, PowerPoint, Excel) is available in the Writing
Center. The Writing Center also features Dreamweaver 4, Photoshop,
and InDesign.
Can
I call, send, or fax a paper to the Writing Center?
No, to have your paper looked at by a Writing Center consultant,
you must make an appointment.
What
is the difference between proofreading and editing?
Proofreading is an old term originating in the days when typed
manuscripts were set in type by a typesetter. Proofreading occurs
when the original manuscript is compared to a proof copy of
the typesetting. Corrections are then made to bring the typeset
copy into compliance with the form and content of the original
author's/editor's requirements.
Editing occurs when a manuscript is checked for correctness
in spelling, punctuation, grammar and clarity. Editing is the
last thing undertaken before the document is sent to its intended
audience.
What
is the difference between revision and editing?
Revision is a term indicating a process which examines the organization
of a paper or document. During revision we are challenging the
relationship of the paragraphs to each other, and the conclusion
to the body of the paper, and finally whether the beginning
does in fact anticipate what the paper did. During revision
we are not interested in correctness. Revision is separate from
and comes before editing.
Editing occurs when a manuscript is checked for correctness
in spelling, punctuation, grammar and clarity. Editing is the
last thing undertaken before the document is sent to its intended
audience.
How
can I improve my writing skills?
Read, Read, Read. Reading gives you a better feel for how other
people use words and formulate arguments. Also, every paper
that you write gives you more writing experience and strengthens
your writing abilities.
Can
the Writing Center accommodate non native speakers?
Yes. Every effort is made to work with non native speakers.
Often, our consultants are themselves speakers of English as
a second language.
Where
is the Writing Center located?
The Writing Center is located on the bottom floor of the Plough
Library.
Will
my professor receive any notice that I visited the Writing Center?
The Writing Center does not automatically send word to your
professor, but if you would like, your instructor can be notified
about your visit.
What
is plagiarism, and what happens if I get caught plagiarizing?
For information on plagiarism, see the Plough Library
research guide section on avoiding plagiarism.
