The Writing Center offers composition assistance to those students who wish to improve their writing skills.  However, a student visiting the Center can prepare for the visit in such a way as to get maximum benefit from the tutoring session.  We've listed ten ways a student can get the most efficient use from the Writing Center.

1. Plan Ahead: The very first thing you need to do for your tutoring session is make an appointment (or drop in) early in the process. If you wait until the day that the paper is due, the ways the tutor can help you are more limited. Depending on the kind of questions you have, you might take a draft to the Writing Center a week or more in advance. You may even want to come before you have a draft so that you can talk with a tutor about focusing your paper. The sooner you visit the Writing Center, the more time you'll have to take advantage of the tutor's comments.

2. Bring Questions With You: Before you meet with a tutor, re-read your paper. As you read, write questions or question marks in the margins where you are unsure of your paper. Some of the questions you might ask yourself as you read are:

  • Does this example work? Do I need to add more details?
  • Is this paragraph too long? Not long enough? Am I using the semi-colon correctly here? Does this sentence make sense?
  • With specific questions written out ahead of time, you won't have to waste time figuring out what you need help on, so your time can be spent finding solutions instead.

3. Reflect: Once you've re-read everything you've written, spend a few minutes thinking about the piece. Make notes concerning questions such as:

  • What part of this draft is the strongest? What part of the draft needs the most work? What are the three most important things I need to do to make this draft better?
  • Along with the questions you've written down, these notes will help your tutor know where to start.

4. Bring Your Resources: You can maximize your tutor's assistance by bringing along the following:

  • The actual assignment (the hand-out or syllabus)
  • the text book
  • any sample essays
  • grading scales
  • any notes or previous drafts.

5. Be Specific! Be clear about what you can do on your own and what you need help with. A general "I need help with this paper" gets the session off to a slow and disorganized start, whereas "I need help in making this introduction more effective" give you and the tutor a specific place to start.

6. Take Notes! Bring paper and write down what you and the tutor discuss! It's much easier to refer to the notes than to try to remember exactly what the tutor said.

7. If Possible, Bring Two Copies: This way, you can jot your own notes on a copy as your tutor reads through the other copy.

8. Make a Simple Reference System: Number the paragraphs in your paper so you and the tutor can refer to specific passages more quickly.

9. Focus and Direct the Session: Limit your tutoring session to a few specific questions, and deal with each one individually. Sometimes, general "help" can overwhelm a student, but addressing some particular issues gives you a clearer picture of accomplishment.

10. Summarize and Review: At the end of the session, look back over your notes and create a series of action steps for yourself. Then follow them!