Writing Center
The Writing Center offers in-person, drop-in appointments. (hours and location below)
During busy times of the semester -- the week before Writing Portfolios are due and a few weeks before Finals Week -- we offer online appointments for greater accessibility. Please click here to set up an appointment. If there are no times listed, all the appointments are booked. Your tutor will contact you via email at the beginning of your session.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Eckerd College Writing Center is to help all students realize their potential as effective and efficient writers. In one-on-one sessions, we offer a neutral trial run before students submit their work for evaluation; through questioning and active listening, trained peer tutors offer thoughtful suggestions that help students organize and clearly state their thoughts. Of course, students always maintain agency over their work and are free to take or reject our advice. Importantly, we help students at any stage of their writing process: brainstorming, outlining, drafting, and revising. Writing Center services are free to all students currently enrolled at Eckerd College.
Writing Consultants
Student "Writing Consultants" are trained to help guide their classmates through invention strategies, rewriting, self-editing, and careful proofreading. Consultants will not make changes to the writer's draft, nor will they edit or proofread for students; they instead will coach writers by reading drafts carefully and giving the writer feedback on the paper’s focus/thesis, organization and development, voice or tone, handling and documentation of source material, etc. The consultants’ goal is to coax from the writer their best work.
Location and Hours
The Writing Center is located in the Seibert Humanities Building, room 103.
Fall and Spring hours:
Sunday - Thursday, 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Autumn Term hours:
Sunday - Thursday, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Winter Term (January) hours:
Sunday - Thursday, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
For In-Person Tutoring:
Arrive at the Writing Center at least 30 minutes before closing time and at least three days before your paper is due.
Bring the writing assignment as well as any work you've done on the paper so far.
Plan to work on only one paper in a session.
Come with questions about your work and an idea of what you want to work on with a Consultant.
Turn off your cell phone before working with a Writing Consultant.
Come with an open mind and a willingness to work. We can't "fix" your paper for you, but we can give you suggestions, strategies, and tips on improving your work.
Computers
There are ten Mac computers with printing capabilities that are available for use.