FAQs

Do I need an appointment?

No appointments are necessary to work with a Writing Consultant during the Writing Center's regular hours. You can, however, make an appointment to work with a Consultant outside of those hours by calling the Writing Center during open hours and arranging a mutually convenient time with a Consultant.

How much does the Writing Center charge?

Nothing! The Writing Center services are free to Eckerd College students.

What should I bring with me to a session in the Writing Center?

Bring the paper assignment, all the work you've done on the paper so far, specific questions about the paper, and an open mind.

At what point in writing a paper should I come to the Writing Center?

Don't wait until the night before the paper is due! Writing and revision take time, and we can't help you much if you don't give yourself time to work on the paper after your consultation. The earlier you come to the Writing Center, the more a Writing Consultant can help you.

I know the Writing Center can help me with a rough draft, but what if I'm having trouble getting a draft written?

You can begin working with a Writing Consultant the day you get a paper assignment. We can talk over topic choices with you; we can help you brainstorm and organize ideas; we can help you put together a rough draft. Of course, once you have a rough draft, we can help you revise it.

Will my teacher know I worked with a Writing Consultant?

Yes, we send a consultant report to your professor indicating briefly what you and the Consultant worked on during the session.

Will a Writing Consultant correct my paper for me?

No. Because we want you to learn how to improve your own writing, Writing Consultants will not correct your paper, nor will they write any part of your paper for you. Consultants will respond to problem areas and offer suggestions to help you improve your writing. A Consultant will help you develop your ideas, organize a paper, improve your writing style, and address recurring errors.

Can I drop off/fax/email a paper for you to look over?

No. We require students who want assistance from the Writing Center to bring their papers in with them and to work one-on-one with a Consultant. We believe that you get the most benefit out of this sort of collaboration. Our goal is for students to develop their writing skills in ways that help them on future papers, and that sort of development is fostered by working with a Consultant, not by having a Consultant revise your paper without your input.

Why won't Writing Consultants proofread my writing?

Proofreading is simply looking through a paper to find and correct careless errors, and that's something writers need to learn to do for themselves. Instead of just proofreading, Consultants are trained to help writers improve their papers. We focus on more substantial writing concerns like thesis clarity, organization of ideas, and development of ideas. We will, of course, work with writers on specific grammatical problems.

Can I come to the Writing Center just to use the computers?

Yes. The computers in the Writing Center are available for your use any time that the Center is open. Keep in mind, though, that the Writing Center computers are Macs, not PCs.

Do I need to attach the yellow Consultant Report from the Writing Center to my Writing Portfolio?

No, that report is for your records.