First time visitors may find it helpful to review the Frequently Asked Questions (listed below) and our answers. This will help you prepare for the consultations and get the most out of the experience.
Who can come to the Writing and Multiliteracy Center (WMC)? What is it and where?
All CSUCI students, first year to graduate level, are welcome to visit the WMC to discuss and receive feedback on academic or personal writing at any stage of the process. While our current tutors are trained to help students with writing, our long-term goal as a "multiliteracy" center is to support students working with a range of communication forms, including writing, oral, visual, multimedia, and digital communication.
We are located in the Broome Library, 2nd floor Room 2675.
What happens in a tutoring session for writing?
When you come to WMC you can expect a tutor to talk to you about your paper and ask questions. Sometimes tutors will read the paper or ask you to read portions of your papers aloud, so you can hear your work. Tutors can help you understand your prompt, brainstorm ideas, strengthen argument or evidence, understand audience, and revise papers on your own. Tutors most important role, however, is as a reader for your papers.
* Please note, while WMC writing tutors are prepared to help you with your writing, they are not subject specialists, and thus may not be familiar with the material you are covering in your class. If you bring the assignment and the text you are working with, they may be able to help you work with difficult texts, but we recommend that you direct subject-related questions to your professors or instructors.
What should I bring with me?
Bring what you need to work, particularly the assignment prompt and any other material the instructor may have given you that would contribute to a tutor's understanding of the writing task. If you need help summarizing, quoting, or referencing a source, be sure to bring the book or article as well. It's also helpful if you know what style manual you are required to use (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc. ), if you are including sources in your paper. There are laptops in the Center that you can use during your session.
What if I don't have a draft?
That is fine; just bring in the written assignment/syllabus and your ideas. One of the best ways WMC tutors can help writers is by discussing the assignment. This allows you to brainstorm, get some thoughts down on paper, and be sure the demands of the assignment are being addressed.
How long do sessions last?
One tutoring session lasts 30 minutes. This is enough time to go over an average paper, but it is not enough time to go over lengthy essays or multiple papers (eg: a portfolio). You may set up two tutoring sessions back to back for a total of one hour of tutoring. It is also a good idea to consider seeing a tutor more than once for a given paper.
Students can sign up for two session appointments per week (1 hour) and are allowed one 30min drop-in tutoring session per day. Please visit the Make an Appointment page for detailed directions.
Students who are registered with the EAC and are eligible to receive extended time as one of their accommodations in their classes are eligible to receive hour long appointments in the Center. Simply bring in the same paperwork that you present to your professors and present it to the WMC coordinator.