Departments and Offices

The Writer's Room

     Students can also get help without an appointment if the instructor is not busy. No appointment is needed to use the computers, to take make-up tests, to work on the self-guided grammar review, or to pick up handouts.  Classroom instructors receive record sheets, indicating what their students have done in the Writers’ Room. One-on-one sessions: The sessions can cover any number of topics. A student may tell the instructor  what he or she needs to work on. Many students make return visits to get additional help on one or more  papers. The goal is for students to become better, more confident writers. The staff can help with the following, for example:

• Developing a thesis statement
• Organizing and supporting main ideas
• Locating and correcting surface errors
• Correcting major errors, such as fragments, run-ons, agreement, or verb tense
• Documenting a research paper in either APA or MLA style

Other special kinds of help are offered:
 
Handouts: Students can pick up handouts about many writing related topics, such as using research material, paraphrasing, summarizing, outlining, proofreading, taking essay exams, and using commas correctly. Sometimes, students receive handouts related to material being covered in a one-on-one session.
 
Make-up tests and quizzes: Students may come to complete make-up tests, quizzes, or in-class writing assignments that have been left in the Writers’ Room by classroom instructors. No appointment is necessary to complete make-up work.
 
Documentation workshop: Once or twice a semester, Jane Creason offers a one-hour workshop to help students document a research paper. Students receive handouts about MLA and/or APA style. They learn the basics about using research material in a paper. Many who attend the workshop come in later for more one-on-one help as they work on the paper. The date and time for each workshop is listed on bulletin boards around the campus and publicized in the PBR and the student paper. The workshops are usually in March and October in Clock Tower.
 
Self-guided grammar and usage review: The Writers’ Room’s newest program, which is being funded by Tech Prep, offers students several ways to review grammar and to reduce writing errors. First, a student needs to make one appointment with a Writers’ Room instructor to learn how to use the program that he or she has chosen. After that, the student can work independently anytime during Writers’ Room’s hours. One method uses Blue Pencil, which is on the computers in 205. Another, English 3200 offers a very comprehensive coverage of grammar and usage, using a book, paper, and pen. A third method is on-line, using grammar material connected to the Rhetoric I text.