If you’re like most students, you may be a little reluctant to visit your writing lab. After all, isn’t that where students who are having trouble go? And if you’re not having, why should you bother? Good question. And here’s the a good answer…and some more good questions, and more good answers. (Write For College, Student Handbook)
Is the writing center just for “remedial” writers?
NO. All the students are welcome in most writing centers. At least twice as many freshmen as upper-class students are likely to use the center regularly. But the mark of a healthy writing environment on campus is widespread use of the writing center: all majors, all class levels, all levels of ability. Some of the most successful students are the quickest to seek adviser.
When should I take my paper to the writing center?
You don’t even have to have a draft yet. You can come in and brainstorm with an adviser about writing ideas, or try out your thesis and talk about ways to research it. The mistake many students make is waiting until it’s too late. They come in breathless, 10 minutes before closing time the night before the paper is due, and say, “Can you fix this?” When you need advice about a draft, give yourself at least several days lead time before the due date.
Is it fair to ask the adviser to fix the paper?
No. A writing center is not a free editing and proofreading service. A well-trained adviser will decline to correct all spelling errors, typos, etc. That’s your job. However, she or he will probably try to point out any systematic type of error and teach you the principles involved in correcting it. The adviser may also show you how to find the answers for yourself in standard reference works.
What if the adviser tells me the paper is fine, and I don’t think it is?
Advisers aren’t perfect, and most papers aren’t either. Don’t settle for that answer. Ask the adviser to spell out the strengths of the paper. Then think together about different possible approaches. Ask how you can get from good to excellent, or from excellent to dynamite!
What’s the difference between a peer adviser and an instructor?
A peer adviser is a collaborator and doesn’t “grade” papers for a living. He or she sits in the same classes you do, does the same assignments, and sees the world from your perspective. A peer adviser probably won’t lecture you and has a better overview of writing “across the campus” than most instructors have time to obtain.
How do most students view the writing center?
At first, many students feel embarrassed or uncertain about going to the center. They think that getting help is a kind of punishment or confession of failure. But afterward, many students are relieved and grateful. Some even come away inspired. And many return again and again.
