Writing Center
“Coming into the Think Tank was not my idea (it was actually a requirement for my course!)… The tutor and I worked on my concepts, thesis, and organization. She helped me rethink my ideas, and even take a spin off my original ideas. They went from cliché to analytical. [My tutor] was very optimistic and intellectual. Great experience!” —Joy S., Pre-Business
The Writing Center offers free drop-in sessions and fee-based private appointments with trained and certified peer tutors to help you improve your writing. Our tutors offer helpful feedback on any kind of writing at any point in the process—even before there are words on the page. While students often bring in particular assignments, the goal is to make the writer, not just a particular paper better. Tutors can serve as a second set of eyes on personal statements, application essays, lab reports, theses, dissertations, resumes, creative writing, and even professional emails.
Our free 25-minute sessions are conducted both in person and online. During that time, the tutor will get acquainted with the piece of writing you are working on, answer questions, identify patterns, make recommendations, and help you come up with a plan for moving forward.
Drop-In Tutoring
In a 25-minute FREE drop-in session you can expect to:
- Get feedback on a couple of key issues (e.g. better ways to organize your writing & identify major grammatical concerns)
- Discuss the parameters of a writing assignment and come up with a plan for how to get words on the page
- Ask specific questions about writing practices, or about the way that a reader interacts with your work
- Walk away with a better sense of direction and more confidence in your writing process
Online Drop-In Tutoring
We know you’re busy. For your convenience we offer online drop-in tutoring in the evening via Zoom. This video conferencing application allows you to share your document and benefit from the same kind of feedback you would get in person.
Learn More about Online Tutoring
Private Fee-Based Tutoring
If you are looking for writing support beyond our free drop-in services, our professional staff is available to meet with you for a fee. These hour-long sessions offer additional flexibility for scheduling and the opportunity to meet for regular appointments. The fee for each session is $50 and will be charged to your Bursar Account. Our staff can offer helpful feedback to support your overall development as a writer, or can provide targeted feedback on specific writing projects, including class assignments, theses, dissertations, and personal statements.
Workshops
The Writing Center offers free workshops upon request on a variety of writing-related topics. We can come to your classroom or meeting and facilitate one of the workshops on our menu, or put together a workshop that addresses the specific needs of your course or organization. To request a workshop, please follow the link below and provide us with some basic information so we can best serve you.
AVAILABLE WORKSHOPS
(25 minutes) A student-focused guide to the tutoring services and workshops we offer, what we can help with, how to prepare, and how to get the most out of the experience.
(45 minutes) A workshop that challenges students to think of their writing as a holistic practice. It covers how to get started, what to do when stuck, and the importance of revision.
(60 minutes) Planning any writing project can be daunting. Projects with lots of moving parts can present special problems. This workshops offers techniques for breaking up bigger projects into smaller, more manageable pieces.
(45 minutes) Revision is perhaps the most overlooked aspect of the writing process. Seasoned writers, however, know that dramatic improvements can occur during this phase. This workshop offers several techniques that challenge the way students think of revising and re-visioning their drafts.
(60 minutes) Every writer can use a refresher (or an introduction) to some basic elements of sentence structure, paragraph organization, and other fundamental writing conventions. This workshop offers strategies for writing more clearly and concisely.
(45 minutes) Job-related documents aren’t just a way of listing work experience or skills; they are, in part, a written display of a candidate’s identity. This workshop challenges participants to think about word choice, phrasing, and structure as a function of their intended audiences.