Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Do I need an appointment?
• When is the Writing Center open?
• Where is the Writing Center located?
• Who can come to the Writing Center?
• Does the Writing Center cost anything?
• What services does the Writing Center offer?
• What happens in a typical Writing Center session?
• Can the Writing Center accommodate non-native speakers?
• What resources are available in the Writing Center?
• Will my professor receive any notice that I visited the Writing Center?

ABOUT THE WRTITING CENTER

Do I need an appointment?

• The Writing Center operates on a first-come, first-serve basis; no appointment is necessary. It is a good idea to check the due date of your writing assignment, and give yourself plenty of time to come in and work with a tutor.

When is the Writing Center open?

• The Writing Center’s spring hours are Monday-Thursday from 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.  
• Where is the Writing Center located?
• The Writing Center is located inside the Learning Center in the Learning Resource Center (LRC).

Who can come to the Writing Center?

• Any student enrolled in any South Mountain Community College course. The Writing Center can help you with writing in biology, philosophy, communications, and many other courses besides English. Writing conferences will help you at any point in your writing process.

Does the Writing Center cost anything?

• No! The Writing Center is a FREE service for students enrolled in any SMCC course.

What services does the Writing Center offer?

• Writing Center tutors will help you at any stage of the writing process including: 
  • Brainstorming
  • Creating thesis statements
  • Drafting
  • Revising
  • Documenting Sources
    
    
• Tutors will work with you one-on-one to help you improve your writing skills, but there are some things we will not do:
  • We will NOT write your paper for you.
  • We will NOT proofread your paper.
  • We will NOT type your paper for you.
  • We will NOT tell you what grade you will receive.

What happens in a typical Writing Center session?

• In a typical tutoring session (about thirty minutes), a tutor will begin by asking what he/she can do to help you with your writing assignment. From there, he/she will engage you in a dialogue about your writing. Tutoring sessions are student-centered and focus on active learning, meaning that tutors will not tell you what to correct. Instead, they will guide you as you navigate together through the writing process.
  
• You, as a writer, maintain responsibility for your work. However, a Writing Center tutor will help you develop strategies to use outside the classroom in order to promote life-long learning.

Can the Writing Center accommodate non-native speakers?

• Absolutely. One of our newest services are our ESL writing tutors. 

What resources are available in the Writing Center?

• The Writing Center has computers available with the entire Microsoft Office 2010 Suite (Word, Access, PowerPoint, Excel), along with printers for you to print your materials. Please make note of the new SMCC pay-to-print policy:
  
  

Will my professor receive any notice that I visited the Writing Center?

• The Writing Center will give you a receipt at the end of each session, which you may choose to show to your  professor, or if you would like, your instructor can be notified about your visit.