By Tatiana Zavodny
Features Editor
Students looking for help revising academic papers have an amazing resource at the Writing Center on campus.
Located in the library in Kellogg 1103, the Writing Center provides California State University San Marcos students a place to discuss and revise their essays. The Writing Center’s diverse staff includes GEW instructors, as well as undergraduate and graduate students, in various departments at the university.
The large number of writing tutors allows for a wide range of available times to fit nearly any student’s schedule. Appointments usually last 30 minutes and can be scheduled up to two weeks in advance over the phone, via email or even in person.
If scheduling in advance is not your style, stop by on Walk-in Wednesdays. These on-the-spot consultation services are helped on a first-come first-serve basis, so be sure to arrive early.
Don’t have time to come to campus? Send the Writing Center an email through their online consultation system. This system gives students two easy options to receive help with their papers.
The first option allows students to upload a draft of their paper to receive a response from a consultant within three to four business days. The other option, a new feature this semester, allows students to video chat with a consultant face-to-face in real-time from nearly any remote location. All students need is a webcam, microphone and Internet connection to partake in this consultation option.
“Since we are a commuter campus, this is great for students who can’t drive here to make an appointment,” Amy Salisbury, Assistant Director and Workshop Coordinator at the Writing Center, said.
Before attending an appointment, students are encouraged to consider which aspects of their writing they would like to improve.
“Try to think of three to four specific questions about your writing that you have so we can help you in as focused a way as possible,” Salisbury said. “The appointment time should be directed by the student, not the consultant.”
In addition to the one-on-one tutoring, the Writing Center offers numerous other resources for students including the Writing Center Workshop Series. There are 12 workshops in a sequence, designed to reflect the writing process, from preparing a topic, to conducting research and finally putting the finishing touches on a revised essay.
“The workshops further emphasize how [the Writing Center is] looking to help students of all levels, of all disciplines, at any stage of the writing process,” Salisbury said.
These workshops are offered on Tuesdays from noon to 1 p.m.
Through the Writing Center website, students can view entertaining video clips of professors from various departments on campus discussing the college writing process and tips for writing academic papers.
The Writing Center is also equipped with 10 computers that students can use at any time without scheduling an appointment to work on their papers. There is also a convenient printing station.
So how much will all of these services cost students? Writing Center services are funded by a small fee each semester through campus fees, and none of their services require an extra charge.
All tutoring sessions, access to computers and workshops are otherwise free for currently-enrolled students. Printing papers, however, does require a small fee comparable to prices on other floors of the library.
“We’re here to serve you,” Salisbury said. “We want to do everything we can to help you succeed.”
To schedule an appointment or find out more about writing workshops, students can call 760-750-4168 or visit their website at http://www.csusm.edu/writingcenter/.