About the Writing Center

The Writing Center is the only academic support unit on campus specifically designed to promote your development and success as a college writer. The consultant team is available to assist you in-person and online with writing projects for any course and any level of instruction. The Writing Center also offers specialized assistance for multimodal compositions or new media projects like digital narratives, blogs, websites, presentations, and even YouTube videos.

We would invite you to utilize Writing Center services at a variety of stages in your writing processes: understanding assignment directions; brainstorming ideas; creating “maps” or outlines; checking to see that your project meets the directions specified by your instructor; exploring practical routes for revision and development; and adhering to format and style guides (e.g., AAA, APA, APSA, CBE, Chicago, and MLA). While tutors avoid “fixing” your writing, they do help you become conscious of, and proactive about, particular error patterns that emerge in your written work. Additionally, we have a library of reference texts and take-home handouts to help you.

Mission

As an academic support service supporting the educational mission of WOU, the Writing Center advances the writerly self-efficacy of every writer that uses the Writing Center.

Goals and Outcomes 

Students who use the Writing Center will read, write, and revise like writers.

After one session at the Writing Center, students will accomplish the following:

• demonstrate an understanding of the function of a session and of the Writing Center
• articulate a next step for the revision of a particular document

After three or more sessions at the Writing Center, students will accomplish the following:​

• identify personal strengths and challenges with regards to their written communication skills
• see an increase in their writerly self-efficacy

Faculty who utilize the Writing Center will read, teach, design, and evaluate like writing teachers.

After an assignment design session or an in-class spotlight workshop, faculty will be able to do the following:

• reconstruct assignment directions in regards to audience, genre conventions, and evaluation criteria (as observed through revision of assignment directions)
• embed the Writing Center as a regular part of their classroom culture (as observed through repeated class presentation, student usage, and syllabus statement)

Tutors who work in the Writing Center will read and respond like compassionate writers.

During a session, tutors will be able to accomplish the following:

• reconstruct assignment directions in regards to audience, genre conventions, and evaluations criteria
• articulate a writer’s strengths and challenges with care