Frequently Asked Questions
Who can the Writing Center help?
We work with writers in all areas of study, at all levels, in all stages of their writing processes, and with all types of writing projects. The Writing Center offers students resources for developing as writers and thinkers, sharing their work and ideas, and receiving thoughtful feedback on work in progress in a practical, friendly, collaborative environment. In our humble opinion, all students would benefit from working with a tutor.
How finished does my paper have to be for me to get help from the Writing Center?
You can come to the Writing Center at any stage of your writing process. We recommend that you come in as soon as you have an assignment but before you’ve started writing. At that point, we can help you break the assignment down into tasks and figure out how much time to allow for each task. We can also help you brainstorm topic ideas or approaches, revise drafts, integrate and document sources, and do all sorts of other things.
Will you fix my grammar and punctuation?
No. We will help you learn to identify and correct the errors you are making, but we do not make corrections to papers.
Can I drop off my paper and pick it up later with comments and corrections?
No, you must meet with a tutor and discuss your assignment and writing.
How long do tutoring sessions last?
Tutoring appointments are 30 minutes in length.
What happens in a Writing Center tutorial?
The tutor will ask you to explain the assignment you are working on and then ask questions about your writing goals and concerns. Depending on the writing situation, tutors may use different strategies at this point. Strategies often used in tutorials include
- Reading the draft aloud so you can hear how it sounds
- Asking you to read the draft aloud so the tutor can hear how it sounds
- Asking questions about your purpose and goals in the piece of writing
- Discussing different strategies and techniques you could use in the writing
- Demonstrating and modeling different strategies and techniques
- Referring to resources such as dictionaries and handbooks
- Cutting a draft into smaller pieces and rearranging them in different ways
Do I need an appointment?
Yes. We strongly recommend that you make appointments to guarantee that you will have 30 minutes of uninterrupted time with a tutor.
How can I make appointments?
You can make appointments by dropping by the Writing Center in King Center 310, calling us at 303-556-6070, or visiting our Website at www.mscd.edu/~writectr.