If you feel like you’re drowning every time you must write a paper, the Writing Center may be just the life preserver you need.
At the center, students can find assistance for almost any writing project, from personal statements and research papers to graduate papers and cover letters.
Since it opened, PNW’s Writing Center has been dedicated to helping students improve and refine their writing. It offers assistance at every step of the writing process – brainstorming ideas, researching topics, organizing papers, drafting copy, revising for overall content, or identifying common errors.
“I write a lot of essays as part of my degree,” said Daniel Owen, a junior majoring in English Teaching. “I don’t really trust my own opinion about things because it is inherently biased. It’s always very helpful to get a second opinion.”
The center offers that support.
Celine Parra, a sophomore majoring in Computer Science, said that visiting the center has improved not just her writing, but her outlining as well.
“I think it has improved my writing, especially in how I begin writing and how I outline what I write,” she said. “The more I go to the Writing Center, I realize that it’s important to have an outline, to have a plan of what I’m writing and what I want each part to look like.
“The more I went to the Writing Center, the more skills and tips I picked up that I then transferred over to the research papers I’ve written over the years,” she said.
Steffanie Triller, assistant professor of Practice in Writing and Writing Center director, said an important benefit of using the center is that you get a perspective from someone who is not your teacher.
“A faculty member only has so much time to give feedback on papers and they are not always looking at student’s work from the student’s perspective,” she said. “I think the Writing Center provides this really valuable other way of looking at your work.”
The center tackles all types of writing assignments.
“I think a common misconception is that the Writing Center is for English classes and the tutors are English majors, and neither one of those are true,” said Heather Augustyn, assistant professor of Practice in Writing and coordinator of the Westville Writing Center. “We certainly have some English majors and we do assist with English classes, however, we have tutors that are from all different kinds of majors because they work with students from all different majors. … We help with assignments from every class that involves writing.” Giana Gavaller, a senior majoring in accounting and a senior tutor at the Westville Writing Center, agrees.
“Our slogan is if you can write it, we can help,” she said. “I’ve had students bring me so many things before, from essays to any paper from a class. We also help with resumes and cover letters. Even if it’s not for a class, students will bring in stuff they’ve been working on themselves. As long as you can write it, we can help.”
In addition, the center helps students with other things.
“Because the Writing Center is also open to students who are just looking for a quiet place to study, to relax in between classes,” said Parra, the Computer Science major. “While it is called a Writing Center, it does offer a place where students can work on other things as well.”
Students can visit the Writing Centers at CLO 265 in Hammond or TECH 341 in Westville The center also offers online assistance. For more information, students can email the center at [email protected].
“Come in, check out the space, talk to a tutor and ask them how they can help. Then, go back home and make an appointment if it’s something that you think will help you,” said Triller. “I think that just coming into the space and meeting one of the tutors would be really helpful in alleviating that anxiety and that in and of itself might be an anxious experience, but it’ll make the tutoring experience that much more comfortable.”
