Writing Center

We are currently offering class visits so that faculty can visit the Studio space with their classes to learn about the support available to student writers. We find that it’s valuable for writers to see the Studio in person, so we encourage faculty to bring students to our physical location. These brief introductions take 10-15 minutes. Afterwards, students may stay in the Undergrad Research & Writing Studio to work on a project or return to your classroom. However, we understand that it’s not always possible to visit the Studio for a variety of reasons, so you may also request that a representative from the Writing Center visit your classroom. Class visits can be scheduled at any time during the term, but we do ask for lead time of at least five days to arrange the visit. Please complete this request form, and we’ll follow up directly with you.  

Our Writing Center Canvas module contains an overview of Writing Center services and information on how to prepare for a successful consultation. You can import the module into your course site by selecting “Canvas Commons” in the global navigation pane, and then searching for “Oregon State University Writing Center.” Results should list the module with author name Marjorie Coffey. Once you import the module, it will appear at the end of your list of modules, and you can drag and drop it to the location that works best on your Canvas course site. This step-by-step guide shows the search and import process.

Please share about Writing Center resources with your students. Sharing a PowerPoint (PPT) slide at the start of class, when talking about writing process, or on a Canvas page or announcement can be a great way to remind students of support resources available to them. Below are PPT slides for Writing Center services:  

Writing Center Overview - three slides 

Undergrad Research & Writing Studio - one slide

Online Writing Suite (OWS) - one slide

Workshops on Writing

Workshops focus on writing-specific topics and invite students to engage in interactive ways with that topic. All workshops are 50-minutes and held via Zoom. Please share about upcoming workshops with students. If you are encouraging students to attend workshops for an assignment or extra credit, when registering, students can request that an attendance confirmation email be sent to them (or directly to you) after the workshop.

Our current offerings are included on our workshops page.

Tips for Assignment Guidelines

The strategies in the above document are adapted from those shared by writing consultants Taylor Buccello, Taylor Jenkins, and Trinity Polk during a WIC panel in spring 2022. The tables in this document convey instructor strategies that consultants have observed as particularly helpful to students working on writing projects.

Extra Credit

We’re excited to have your students visit the Undergrad Research & Writing Studio and submit their writing to the OWS. We hope your students will visit early and often. Prior to requiring a Studio or OWS consultation for an assignment or extra credit, please reach out to the Writing Center ([email protected]), to set up a meeting. In that meeting, we can talk about the assignment and outcomes. Meeting also allows us to share information about what students experience when they visit and prepare Writing Center consultants to provide support.  We are able to provide an emailed confirmation slip for students that confirms their Studio or OWS consultation. Your students can forward the confirmation if their session was required/extra credit.  

If using the Writing Center as part of your assignment, keep these tips and strategies in mind:  

• Encourage students to visit early in the writing process. This will allow them time to receive and incorporate feedback. 
• Explain the process and benefits of using the Writing Center. Students will be more open to using our services if they understand how they fit into the assignment or class goals. If you would like to bring your class for an introduction to the Writing Center, please fill out a request form. 
• Encourage your students to play an active role in their consultation(s). Consultations offer an opportunity to ask questions, brainstorm, and receive feedback. Writers get the most out of sessions if they visit prepared to engage in conversation with a consultant. 
• Emphasize that the Writing Center is a place for all writers. The studio is not a "fix-it shop" for struggling writers. Everyone benefits from feedback on their writing. The Writing Center offers support for all writers, and at any stage in their process.

We understand syllabi include many statements and can be an overwhelming amount of information. This statement is intended to encourage students to use resources that can support their coursework.  

Here is some sample language you might use in a syllabus: 

Writing Center 

Writing consultants help with any kind of writing and at any stage in the writing process. Through one-to-one consultations as well as written feedback via email, writing consultants help writers with any writing-related task: brainstorming and outlining a writing project, locating and using sources, revising a rough draft, using editing and proofreading strategies, and much more!

The Writing Center currently offers three services:

• Drop-in consultations in the Undergrad Research & Writing Studio on the Corvallis campus: Topics discussed in consultations include things like brainstorming, organizing your document, developing ideas, creating a thesis statement, or finding and incorporating sources.
• 50-minute writing and research appointments via Zoom: Similar to a drop-in consultation, 50-minute Zoom appointments provide writing support for a range of topics.
• Written feedback via email through Online Writing Support (OWS): Similar to a 50-minute appointment, OWS provides feedback on a range of topics. Written feedback is typically provided within 24-48 hours following submission of a draft.

Visit the Writing Center website to learn more about services. If you have any questions about services or scheduling, you can use the live chat feature or  email the Writing Center at [email protected].

Writing Across Borders is a 3-year documentary project funded by Oregon State University’s Center for Writing and Learning (now simply known as the Writing Center) and its Writing Intensive Curriculum Program. The documentary's purpose is to help faculty, writing assistants, and other professionals work more productively with international students in writing environments. For more information, visit the "Writing Across Borders" webpage.