California State University, Chico University Writing Center
California State University, Chico
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Writing Center Information

Location
Peer Tutoring
Hours
How We Operate
What Writing Assistants Do
Who May Benefit
What Students May Expect
What Students May Not Expect
How to Use the Writing Center
How to Get the Most From Tutoring
What to Bring to a Tutoring Session

Location: Taylor Hall 203

Phone: (530) 898-5042

Contact: Mark Hall, Coordinator (Email)

Peer Tutoring
Trained peer Writing Assistants help CSU, Chico students improve as writers in the long term.
Hours

Spring 2007 Hours

Online Hours

Monday - Thursday 9:00am-5:00pm
Friday 9:00am-3:00pm

Monday - Thursday 7:00pm-10:00pm
 

How We Operate
  • The Center is a training facility for writing tutors as well as a teaching resource for student writers
  • We provide on-going training, including a semester-long course, English 431: Theory & Practice of Tutoring Writing, to all tutors, both new and experienced
  • Students and faculty engage in research for the assessment, improvement, and development of the Center
What Writing Assistants Do
  • Aid in understanding and meeting writing assignments
  • Help plan and get started on writing
  • Talk about ideas and help develop them
  • Assist in setting and meeting priorities for revision
  • Teach students to control such surface features of writing as syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling
Who May Benefit
  • Students from any discipline
  • Students from first-year to graduate
  • Confident as well as struggling writers
What Students May Expect
  • Help to improve as a writer
  • Careful attention to written work
  • Active listening and thoughtful responses to ideas
  • Collaborative help with writing problems
  • Knowledgeable assistance in finding resources needed to complete writing assignments
  • Long-term writing instruction
What Students May Not Expect
  • Someone to proofread and edit work for you
  • Someone to do your writing work for you
  • A substitute for writing instruction from your professor
  • A perfect, error-free paper
  • Guaranteed high grades on your writing
  • A quick fix
How to Use the Writing Center
  • Make an appointment—or several—as soon you get a writing assignment
  • Plan to meet with a Writing Assistant several times, if possible, over the course of your entire writing process
  • Don’t wait until the last minute before your assignment is due. Although we may be able to offer limited assistance at that point, there is usually not time to make substantial improvements
How to Get the Most From Tutoring
  • Participate actively in the tutoring session, not as a passive recipient
  • Be willing to revise. Good writing usually requires thinking and re-thinking and multiple drafts to create a complete and successful text
  • Understand writing as an open process that requires writers to use later invention and re-thinking to revise their work
  • Be patient. Remember that Writing Assistants are students like yourself, learning to teach writing
What to Bring to a Tutoring Session
  • Bring your ideas and your questions
  • You need not have a paper written when you come to the Center
  • Bring your assignment instructions, related reading, notes, research—any material to assist in developing your writing
   

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California State University, Chico
University Writing Center
Taylor Hall 203
Chico, CA 95929
530-898-5042
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