Students FAQs
What is the writing center?
The Center is a tutoring service located in the Liberal Arts Building, Room 5330. We provide individual writing help at any stage of the writing process.
Who uses the writing center?
The Writing Center is available to Towson鈥檚 undergraduates, graduates, faculty, and staff.
Both experienced and novice writers can benefit for working with a skilled reader.
Can you proofread my paper?
We are happy to sit down with you to work on sentence-level and grammatical concerns. We can explain some of the patterns of errors we see and talk with you about ways to correct or improve those places in the paper. These kinds of sessions not only improve the surface aspects of the paper, but they can help you learn how to better revise your own writing.
What we won't do is edit your work while you wait or rewrite passages in your paper. After all, it is your writing, so you should be actively involved in the process.
Do I need an appointment?
We take walk-in appointments when possible. As the term progresses, however, most of our sessions fill up each day. Therefore, we recommend that you schedule an appointment a day or two in advance. At particularly busy times (such as during midterms and finals), you might call two or three days in advance to make sure you can get an appointment.
How do I make an appointment?
Call the Writing Center at 410-704-3426 or stop by the College of Liberal Arts Building (LA), room 5330.
Who are the tutors?
Writing tutors are undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of disciplines. They are recruited based on their writing skills and their ability to work with writers.
Will my professor know I visited the writing center?
That depends on you. If you would like your professor to know about your session, just ask for a "Session Feedback Form." The tutor will fill out the sheet noting what you discussed in the session and then give it to you.
How long is a writing center conference?
Sessions are usually scheduled for thirty minutes or an hour depending upon your needs, the assignment, and the length of the piece of writing. Generally, if your paper is three pages or less, a half-hour session is sufficient. If your paper is longer than three double-spaced pages, we recommend reserving a full hour.
What materials should I bring?
This is a great question! The most important thing is that you come prepared to think about and work on your writing. Sessions work even better if you bring a printed draft of your paper and your assignment guidelines.
How often can I meet with a tutor?
As fun as it is working with writers and building relationships with them, we know that writers need time to filter through our feedback and revise. Meeting more than three hours per week can be counterproductive to this process.
If you have special needs or want to set up weekly appointments with the same tutor, you should contact the Writing Center Director at wrobertson AT_TOWSON.
What if I need to cancel an appointment?
Please call us as soon as possible at 410-704-3426.
Are computers available at the writing center?
Yes. We have nine computers available for general use. During peak hours, please limit your time on these computers out of consideration for your fellow writers.
Can I print at the writing center?
Students who have appointments scheduled with a tutor are able to use the writing center's printer to print materials necessary for their session, such as a draft of their paper or their assignment sheet.
Otherwise, the WEPA printing station on the fifth floor is available for your printing needs.