I haven't even picked a paper topic yet. Won't I be wasting a writing consultant's time if I make an appointment?
Writing consultants can help you even if you're in the earliest stages of planning your paper. If you can't decide what to write about, feel free to schedule an appointment in the writing center -- generally, a half-hour is a good amount of time to brainstorm and pre-write. Bring your syllabus and course materials, and we can help you talk through your professor's guidelines and tailor your interests to a particular assignment. We can also help you make an outline before you start drafting your paper.
I have a big research assignment and I'm not sure where or how to start finding research materials. Can a writing consultant help me?
Absolutely! Although there are multiple on-campus resources available to help with the research process -- including the campus librarians -- writing consultants can also help you locate appropriate sources for your paper and teach you how to continue the research process on your own.
I have a paper due for a class that has nothing to do with English -- Nursing, Biology, Marketing, Physical Therapy, HDFS (and the list goes on) -- can a writing consultant help me?
Writing consultants can help you with papers for a variety of disciplines, including but not limited to Nursing, Biology, Physical Therapy, and HDFS. Basic rules of grammar and style still apply in the sciences, and we have resources to help with science-related citation styles like AMA and CSE. Also, sometimes it's helpful to have someone who's NOT in your field read your paper to make sure it's clear and not too jargon-heavy. Again, just bring your syllabus, your draft, and your course and research materials!
The writing process really stresses me out -- I tend to stare at a blank screen or piece of paper and panic! Can a writing consultant help me?
Absolutely! Writing consultant can definitely help you overcome your writer's block and anxieties. We can show you how to break your assignment into more manageable chunks or just talk things out if you've hit a snare in your research or drafting process.
I worked with a writing consultant and still didn't get the grade I wanted. Why didn't they help me get an "A" on my assignment?
Writing consultants are not just editors -- we do as much as we can to assist you in the limited time we have, but we will not just correct your papers for you. Rather, we try to teach you skills that will improve your writing in the long-term. Also, you are ultimately responsible for the paper you turn in. If your expectations didn't align with your grade, it may be helpful to allot more time to your assignments, make multiple appointments in the writing center, or ask your instructor (politely and respectfully!) how you could improve your work.