The Writing Center

The Writing Center is a resource on campus that is included with your tuition costs. It is a place where undergraduate and graduate students are able to bring their writing and receive feedback on formatting, content, flow, organization, and much more.  The Writing Center can help with shorter expository essays, personal pieces, creative works, analyses, research papers, lab reports, poems, and any other writing piece students may have to write for a class.

The center is open from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. It is located in Smith 113, across from the Living Well Food Pantry. Each appointment is thirty minutes, but additional thirty-minute increments can be added on if the paper is longer.  Writing consultants recommend that students allow thirty minutes for every three pages of writing. This allows the consultants to take the time to go into depth to help strengthen student papers.

Rebekah Pulaski is a current writing consultant at the Writing Center. She says, “Something that everyone should know about the Writing Center is that they should not be nervous about coming in. We are students just like you and we have had our fair share of needing help with academics, so no need to be anxious.”

The door to the Writing Center, drawn by one of the writing consultants.

Appointments for the Writing Center can be made here. Students can select which writing consultant they would like to work with, pick a time, and fill out some information regarding the paper they need feedback on. Appointments can be in person or online, but it will need to be specified at the time the appointment is made. If students make an appointment and do not show up, they will be marked as a ‘no show’. Once students have been marked as a ‘no show’ three times, they will no longer be able to make appointments with the Writing Center.

Rebekah’s advice for students who are making an appointment is, “You should try to turn in whatever work you have done ahead of time, rather than waiting to show us when you come in. Personally, I feel that I can give better quality help when I am able to look at your writing ahead of time.”

Whatever draft or work students have done can be attached when making the appointment or emailed to the Writing Center email: writingcenter@vanguard.edu.

The Writing Center’s goal is to help students strengthen their writing, but also feel more confident in their writing ability. The center wants to provide a judgment free zone that makes students feel comfortable coming in to get feedback on their work.

Rebekah’s final advice to students is, “If you have the opportunity, come in to get help! There’s no harm in having an extra pair of eyes on your paper.”

If you have any other questions regarding the Writing Center, please feel free to contact our Writing Center director, Professor Ona La Motte at: ona.lamotte@vanguard.edu. Students can also email the Writing Center directly at: writingcenter@vanguard.edu.