As college students, it’s likely that writing is involved in the academic journey. This task can seem daunting if English is not one’s strong suit.
BYU-Idaho provides a resource that can help students improve their papers while growing their writing skills: the Writing Center.
How can the Writing Center help students?
Michael Gentry, director of the online Writing Center, emphasized that whether it be brainstorming or polishing an essay, any student can benefit from the Writing Center.
“The essence of the Writing Center is to help students in any step of their writing process,” Gentry said.
To better serve students across campus, J.P. Sloop, director of the in-person Writing Center, explained how he and Gentry maintain good relationships with the teaching staff.
“We have pretty close relations with the professors around campus, particularly those that will send their students to us,” Sloop said. “We’re familiar with their expectations, and our tutors are flexible when it comes to working with different standards required for an assignment.”
What is expected of students?
Tutors in the Writing Center encounter varied levels of preparedness in their appointments with students.
Meagan Rogers, assistant director of the in-person Writing Center and student at BYU-I, voiced the significance of a student’s preparedness when coming to a tutoring appointment.
“Tutors expect students to know what they want to work on when they come in for their appointment,” Rogers said. “With only 30-minute slots, we want to make the most of the time we have, so it’s best if a student comes with things in mind to fix or improve.”
Will tutors correct your paper?
A common misconception tied to the Writing Center is that tutoring appointments are solely for a tutor to edit a student’s paper.
“As tutors, our job is to help a student learn,” Rogers said. “We won’t take a student’s paper and correct everything that’s wrong with it; instead, we give them tools, like outlining guides, to build confidence. That way, they can keep working on their weak points.”
Rogers said the main goal of the Writing Center is to nurture lasting improvement in a student’s writing ability. She said if a student can walk away with a better understanding of writing, the Writing Center has done its job.
Can the Writing Center help any major?
The Writing Center can help a range of students, regardless of their major.
“The Writing Center is not singularly geared toward one type of student,” Gentry said. “We have specialized tutors that can assist a variety of students based on their needs. From nursing to history majors, there are options for all.”
How do students access the Writing Center?
The Writing Center is on the second floor of the David O. McKay Library, but walk-in appointments are no longer available.
To sign up for a tutoring appointment, make an appointment on I-Plan and select the time slot that works for you. If additional help is needed, you are free to schedule more than one appointment for the same assignment, but students are only allowed three appointments per week.
“We want to give students time to work on their paper before they come for help again,” Rogers said.
For more information, visit the Writing Center’s website.
