WNCC Writing Center
Preparing for Your Writing Consultation
We encourage students to plan ahead when coming to the Writing Center for help.
Some suggestions include:
- Setting your own goals for the writing consultation.
Think about what kind of help you want from the tutor.
- Do you have a specific problem with commas?
- Or maybe a general organization question?
- Do you just need help planning or getting started?
You are in control of the time you spend at the Writing Center, so come with specific questions.
- Bringing the assignment and any work you've done so far. Bring the instructor's assignments sheet and any other directions you have received about the assignment with you so that the tutor has a better idea of what you're trying to accomplish.
- Making notes on specific parts of your paper that you are unsure about and would like to discuss.
Write down any questions you have about your paper so you can discuss them with the tutor. Don't expect the tutor to point out all the problems!
- Thinking about the comments and suggestions made on other papers you have written.
Typically, students tend to make the same grammatical/mechanical mistakes over and over. Make a concerted effort to understand and fix those problems before your writing consultation.
- Proofreading your paper AT LEAST ONCE before bringing it to the Writing Center.
You will make much better use of your writing consultation if you correct as many mistakes as you can before your appointment.
More Information
Services and Policies
Consultation Preparation
R/D Guidelines
Editing Serious Errors
Paragraph Organization
Essay Organization
Final Checklist for Papers
Become a Tutor
