University Writing Center

Note: For a more in-depth look at the writing center, check out Episode 22: Video Tour of the Writing Center.

September 2007

FEMALE STUDENT: My professor gave me all these revisions for my paper; what does she mean I’m simply paraphrasing the text and not analyzing the quotations?

MALE STUDENT: Man are you serious, I have to write eight pages of grammatical rhetorical analysis. What is that?

MEGHAN: Has this ever happened to you? You don’t know how to begin a paper. Or you get a paper back with a lower grade than expected and don’t understand the instructor’s comments? Well if you’re a student at Texas A&M it’s your lucky day because you can visit the University Writing Center.  The friendly tutors at the writing center can help you with any stage of the writing process whether you want help getting started, reading your assignment, doing research or writing footnotes, or just an opinion on your draft, we’re here to help and can answer all of your writing questions.  You can meet tutors on the second floor of Evans library or the West Campus library.  You can also call the write line at 845-2160 during normal business hours and get answers to specific questions such as grammar or citation problems.  For quick questions send us an instant message on aim at UWCTAMU where we will offer responses to student’s questions and when needed direct students to online handouts or websites for additional information. We also now offer an online writing lab or OWL where you can submit a part of your paper, like an introduction that you want looked at and a consultant will read it, give suggestions and have it back to you within 24-48 hours.  Consultants are experienced graduate and undergraduate writers from many disciplines.  They’ll meet with you one to one to help you identify the most important areas you want to work on during a session.  Their goal is to help you grow as a writer not just to improve a specific piece of writing.  Consultants work with many types of writing; research papers, narratives, lab reports, college essays, dissertations and theses, applications for graduate school, proposals, and resumes, and business or personal letters.  They’ll even help you with grammar.  So bring a copy of your paper or whatever you want to discuss and they’ll help you from there.  (TALKING EVEN FASTER) Hours subject to change. Consultations start at the top of the hour and last 45 minutes. Appointments can be made in person on the second floor of Evans Library, over the phone 458-1455, or at our website writingcenter.tamu.edu. Visits are limited to once per day and to availability of consultants. We won’t proofread or edit papers.