The Writing Center
Nancy Wilson, Director
nw05@txstate.edu
Flowers Hall G09
512/245-3018
writingctr@txstate.edu
INDIVIDUALIZED TUTORING: Each year, the Writing Center staff counsel 2,000+ students in 1:1 appointments. The Writing Center’s trained counselors assist students at any level of study, in any discipline, and with any type of writing—essays, research papers, cover letters, essay exams, and resumes. The Writing Center staff do not proofread; instead, counselors work with students to develop long-term writing skills and productive, ethical writing habits. Fall/Spring counseling hours: Monday-Thursday 9-9 and Friday 9-noon.
WEB SITE: A visit to the Writing Center’s web site provides access to handouts and an interactive on-line grammar/spelling/punctuation exam, as well as information on current Writing Center staff and hours of operation. http://writingcenter.english.txstate.edu
WORKSHOPS: Writing Center staff regularly present workshops to help improve students’ writing skills. Past workshops include “Writing with Style,” “Researching the Web,” “Preparing for the Essay Exam,” and “Producing Effective Personal Statements.” In addition, the Writing Center offers a one-hour grammar and punctuation review every Friday from 10:00-11:00 a.m. See attached sheet for a list of available workshops.
CUSTOMIZED WORKSHOPS/LECTURES: Faculty may also request customized workshops/lectures. With small classes, the Writing Center staff can lead drafting and revising workshops.
LIBRARY RESOURCES: The Writing Center library houses hundreds of texts covering all aspects of the writing process, including a special collection of writing-across-
the-curriculum references books. Students and faculty may check out non-reference materials.
PUBLIC RELATIONS: Faculty interested in informing their students of the Writing Center’s services may request the following:
COMPUTER LAB: In Flowers Hall G09, the Writing Center provides twelve computers for student use.
Please let us know how we may further serve you and your students.
Director : Nancy Wilson (nw05@txstate.edu)
Back to top
WRITING CENTER WORKSHOPS
Each semester, the Writing Center offers a variety of workshops intended to provide Texas State University students with additional writing instruction. Writing Center counselors are available to present these workshops to classes. Contact the Writing Center at 245-3018 for arrangements.
After the Thesis Statement: Many writers succeed with thesis statements to then discover they do not know how to organize or close the paper once they reach a final draft stage. This class offers practical techniques for polishing essays.
Beyond the Five Paragraph Essay: So many first-year students have learned the myth of “five paragraphs a paper make.” In this workshop, the participants become the teacher/grader and edit a five paragraph paper together in order to learn how to expand and correctly write an essay that moves beyond the five-paragraph theme.
Close Reading Techniques: This brief overview of approaches to texts is designed to create additional perspectives for writers to consider as they read class assignments and draft essays.
Developing a Strong Thesis: In this workshop, participants learn how to construct strong thesis statements. We will also demonstrate how having strong theses facilitates the drafting process. All participants will bring one thesis statement to work on during the workshop.
Grammar and Mechanics: So many students arrive in an English class only to discover their limitations in grammar and mechanics. Where else can they learn these skills? The Writing Center gives them these basics and shows them continuing resources for self improvement.
How to Read a Poem: This four letter word terrorizes students who feel inadequate, inept or otherwise clueless reading, discussing, and writing about poetry. The workshop instructor will address these concerns and suggest approaches for students to study poetry. Hopefully participants will discover that they enjoy reading poetry beyond class requirements.
How to Read a Short Story: Similarly, this workshop teaches the participants the basic approaches to reading and appreciating this fiction form.
Preparing for the Essay Exams: Although most students fear essay exams, in this workshop we stress that with preparation they can change essay exams from exercises in terror into an opportunity to show their professor how much they've learned.
Producing Effective Personal Statements: When applying to graduate school, many students dread writing the personal statements they must compose as part of the application process. In this workshop, participants will read and evaluate a variety of personal statements before they workshop their own personal statements.
Quotations, Citations, and Plagiarism : The ins and outs of this frustrating but essential writing skill and concern are taught in this workshop, plus a discussion of how to incorporate these supporting facts with the writer’s own ideas.
Researching the Web: As with dating, when using the Internet it pays to be selective. This course shows participants how to evaluate web sites, cite Internet sources, and make the most of the online sources available through the Texas State Alkek Library web site.
Writing with Style: In this workshop, students will learn how to make their papers clear, direct, and interesting by beefing up their writing style.
Back to top
nw05@txstate.edu
Flowers Hall G09
512/245-3018
writingctr@txstate.edu
INDIVIDUALIZED TUTORING: Each year, the Writing Center staff counsel 2,000+ students in 1:1 appointments. The Writing Center’s trained counselors assist students at any level of study, in any discipline, and with any type of writing—essays, research papers, cover letters, essay exams, and resumes. The Writing Center staff do not proofread; instead, counselors work with students to develop long-term writing skills and productive, ethical writing habits. Fall/Spring counseling hours: Monday-Thursday 9-9 and Friday 9-noon.
WEB SITE: A visit to the Writing Center’s web site provides access to handouts and an interactive on-line grammar/spelling/punctuation exam, as well as information on current Writing Center staff and hours of operation. http://writingcenter.english.txstate.edu
WORKSHOPS: Writing Center staff regularly present workshops to help improve students’ writing skills. Past workshops include “Writing with Style,” “Researching the Web,” “Preparing for the Essay Exam,” and “Producing Effective Personal Statements.” In addition, the Writing Center offers a one-hour grammar and punctuation review every Friday from 10:00-11:00 a.m. See attached sheet for a list of available workshops.
CUSTOMIZED WORKSHOPS/LECTURES: Faculty may also request customized workshops/lectures. With small classes, the Writing Center staff can lead drafting and revising workshops.
LIBRARY RESOURCES: The Writing Center library houses hundreds of texts covering all aspects of the writing process, including a special collection of writing-across-
the-curriculum references books. Students and faculty may check out non-reference materials.
PUBLIC RELATIONS: Faculty interested in informing their students of the Writing Center’s services may request the following:
- a classroom visit
- a Writing Center tour
- promotional materials (pens, pencils, brochures, bookmarks)
- customized workshops/lectures
COMPUTER LAB: In Flowers Hall G09, the Writing Center provides twelve computers for student use.
Please let us know how we may further serve you and your students.
Director : Nancy Wilson (nw05@txstate.edu)
Back to top
WRITING CENTER WORKSHOPS
Each semester, the Writing Center offers a variety of workshops intended to provide Texas State University students with additional writing instruction. Writing Center counselors are available to present these workshops to classes. Contact the Writing Center at 245-3018 for arrangements.
After the Thesis Statement: Many writers succeed with thesis statements to then discover they do not know how to organize or close the paper once they reach a final draft stage. This class offers practical techniques for polishing essays.
Beyond the Five Paragraph Essay: So many first-year students have learned the myth of “five paragraphs a paper make.” In this workshop, the participants become the teacher/grader and edit a five paragraph paper together in order to learn how to expand and correctly write an essay that moves beyond the five-paragraph theme.
Close Reading Techniques: This brief overview of approaches to texts is designed to create additional perspectives for writers to consider as they read class assignments and draft essays.
Developing a Strong Thesis: In this workshop, participants learn how to construct strong thesis statements. We will also demonstrate how having strong theses facilitates the drafting process. All participants will bring one thesis statement to work on during the workshop.
Grammar and Mechanics: So many students arrive in an English class only to discover their limitations in grammar and mechanics. Where else can they learn these skills? The Writing Center gives them these basics and shows them continuing resources for self improvement.
How to Read a Poem: This four letter word terrorizes students who feel inadequate, inept or otherwise clueless reading, discussing, and writing about poetry. The workshop instructor will address these concerns and suggest approaches for students to study poetry. Hopefully participants will discover that they enjoy reading poetry beyond class requirements.
How to Read a Short Story: Similarly, this workshop teaches the participants the basic approaches to reading and appreciating this fiction form.
Preparing for the Essay Exams: Although most students fear essay exams, in this workshop we stress that with preparation they can change essay exams from exercises in terror into an opportunity to show their professor how much they've learned.
Producing Effective Personal Statements: When applying to graduate school, many students dread writing the personal statements they must compose as part of the application process. In this workshop, participants will read and evaluate a variety of personal statements before they workshop their own personal statements.
Quotations, Citations, and Plagiarism : The ins and outs of this frustrating but essential writing skill and concern are taught in this workshop, plus a discussion of how to incorporate these supporting facts with the writer’s own ideas.
Researching the Web: As with dating, when using the Internet it pays to be selective. This course shows participants how to evaluate web sites, cite Internet sources, and make the most of the online sources available through the Texas State Alkek Library web site.
Writing with Style: In this workshop, students will learn how to make their papers clear, direct, and interesting by beefing up their writing style.
Back to top
Join the Conversation