If I can’t go to the Writing Center, what should I do?

If you’re taking a writing course, the first place to turn for help is your course instructor. Not only is your instructor specially trained to teach you the course material, but teaching that material is her or his primary mission. Here are some ideas about ways to seek your instructor’s help:

• meet with her or him during office hours, or ask to make an appointment — most instructors are eager to answer your questions, help you interpret their comments on your papers, look at a draft, respond to a trial thesis statement, or offer advice about your writing
• call or e-mail your instructor with a question or request for help
• ask your instructor questions before or after class

You can also turn to other sources to augment the help your instructor provides. For instance, you might:

• if you’re writing papers for English 100, check out the tutorial program for that course
• make a list of specific writing issues or concerns to bring to your in-class workshop group
• if your class doesn’t include workshop groups, see if any of your classmates would like to trade rough drafts or set up a writing workshop; use the material on the Writing Center web site to train yourselves to be good peer-reviewers who give accurate feedback on structure, grammar, punctuation, and style
• ask for help through special programs you may belong to: the Academic Advancement Program (AAP), TRIO, Pathways to Excellence Programs and Services (PEPS), and the Athletic Department, for example, all offer tutorial help with writing; the Greater University Tutoring Service (GUTS) offers conversational English help for international students
• talk to your classmates or former students, seeking advice about the ingredients of successful writing in that particular course