FAQ
Q: Who can visit the Writing Center?
A: All Southwestern students of any major are welcome for consultations. The Writing Center is also open as a quiet place to work any time Mood is open, even if the staff isn’t present.
Q: How many times can I visit?
A: There are no limits on how many times you can visit, even for a single paper!
Q: What if I can’t make it during the regular hours?
A: Click on “Schedule an appointment” on the right-hand side of the page and we can set up a consultation that best fits YOUR schedule. Please keep in mind we require 24 hours notice for this service, for the sake of our consultants’ sanity.
Q: Can the Writing Center help me even if it’s not an English paper?
A: Although the Writing Center director is an English professor and a good portion of the consultants are English majors, the training each consultant goes through involves knowing how to look at various types of papers. No matter what class it is for the Writing Center can help. The only exception would be foreign languages.
Q: What should I bring with me to the Writing Center?
A: Please bring the writing prompt for the assignment and a printed copy of your work so far. If you have a specific part of the paper you want the consultant to focus on, please let them know. Also, please arrive with enough time for the consultation to take place - while we don’t close until 10:00, we’d like at least 30 minutes to perform a consultation.
Q: Who works in the Writing Center?
A: All of the Writing Center staff take a full semester class entitled “The Teaching of Writing”. They learn about writing center theory, and receive hands-on experience both in the classroom and as an intern in the Writing Center before they become a full-fledged consultant.
Q: Does using the Writing Center violate the Honor Code?
A: Coming to the DEWC is NOT a violation of the Honor Code. Some professors might prefer you mention it when you turn in a paper, and some may forbid it on take-home exams, but these are the exceptions, not the rule. When in doubt, ask your professor.
Q: Do you tell my professor I visited the Writing Center?
A: Only if you ask us to! While we use data from our sign-in sheets to better improve our outreach, we never contact your professor about your consultation without discussing it with you first. However, please note that having the Writing Center contact your professor might be in your best interest - it shows the professor you’ve made an additional effort on the assignment, which might encourage them to award a higher grade.
Q: Who is Debby Ellis?
A: Professor Ellis
Resources
Please note that the Writing Center has a small library of materials available for your use on a variety of subjects. Come by and check them out any time Mood is open, even if the Writing Center is not. Below are some additional websites you may find useful.
The Purdue OWL - One of the most comprehensive sites for information on citation styles, as well as resources for other facets of academic writing.
APA Style Guide OnlineMLA Style FAQsThe Chicago Manual of Style Online
