Writing Center
General Information
The Henderson State University Writing Center is located in McBrien Rooms 108-110. The Writing Center includes a computer lab equipped with twenty-five computers programmed with Microsoft Word 2002. The HSU Writing Center's 2004/2005 hours:
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| 8:00am-5:00pm |
8:00 am-12:30 pm / 1:30 -5:00 pm |
8:00am-5:00pm |
8:00 am-12:30 pm / 1:30 -5:00 pm |
8:00am-5:00pm |
English professors may make appointments with Mrs. Martha-Dale Cooley (MB 109 Ext. 5283) to reserve the computer lab for their classes to meet for writing assignments. Please schedule these appointments in advance to avoid double-booking. Teachers must accompany their students to the lab and remain with them for the duration of the visit. A Graduate Assistant or Writing Tutor will also be available.
The Writing Center is also open to students who need assistance with writing assignments or general writing skills. Graduate Assistants or Writing Tutors will be on duty during the Writing Center's open hours to assist students and answer writing questions.
Students may also make appointments with one of the Graduate Assistants or Writing Tutors for private consultations of thirty minutes each. Students who are having recurring problems with writing skills or need help getting started on an essay or research paper may be interested in scheduling an appointment by calling or coming by the Writing Center Office (MB 110 Ext 5357). The Graduate Assistants or Writing Tutors will not proofread, write, or re-write students’ papers. They will, however, help students improve their own writing skills so that they will be able to proofread and edit their own papers more effectively.
For more information on the Graduate Assistants, Writing Tutors, and Director of the Writing Center, visit the Who We Are section of this page.
What We Do
The Henderson Writing Center provides computer access to teachers and students working on writing assignments. We also provide assistance to students with questions or concerns about writing assignments or specific writing skills. Students who are interested in scheduling an appointment with a Graduate Assistant or Writing Tutor for consultation may do so by phone (Ext 5357) or by stopping by the Writing Center Office in person (MB 110). If you call to schedule an appointment, please ask to speak with a Graduate Assistant or Writing Tutor in the Writing Center. For tips on what to expect during a writing center consultation, click here.
Who We Are
Mrs. Martha-Dale Cooley cooley@hsu.edu
Writing Center Director, English Instructor
McBrien Room 109
HSU extension 5283
Office Hours: MWF 8:30- 10 - 11am/12; TTR 8:30-9:30 and by appointment
Ms. Brandi Gullett
MLA Graduate Student in English
English Department Graduate Assistant Basic English instructor/Tutor
McBrien Room 110
HSU extension 5357
Ms. Marjorie Hall
MLA Graduate Student in English
English Department Graduate Assistant Basic English instructor /Tutor
McBrien Room 110
HSU extension 5357
Ms. Cadra Mc Daniel
MLA Graduate Student
English Department Graduate Assistant Writing Center Tutor
McBrien Room 110
HSU extension 5357
Ms. Janice Riddlehoover
MLA Graduate Student
English Department Graduate Assistant Writing Center Tutor
McBrien Room 110
HSU extension 5357
Ms. Dustin Smith
MLA Graduate Assistant
English Department Graduate Assistant Writing Center Tutor
McBrien Room 110
HSU extension 5357
Ms. Jessica Sutton
MLA Graduate Assistant
English Department Graduate Assistant Basic English instructor/ Tutor
McBrien Room 110
HSU extension 5357
Student Resources
Public Use Computers
(Students must show HSU ID and sign in before entering lab.)
Quiet study area to work on writing assignments
Consultations with Graduate Assistants or Writing Tutors
Notes to Professors
If students request, GAs or Writing Tutors will send a note to their professors detailing the
skills worked on during the consultation session. Professors appreciate being
updated on their students’ progress. If a student does not want a notice sent,
one will not be sent.
Check out Purdue University’s Writing Center web site for worksheets and
activities to practice your writing skills.
Check out University of Missouri, Columbia’s Writing Center web site for
more resources for writers.
Links to research web pages, tips for writing papers, and directions for documenting
sources can be found at the web site for the
University of Texas, Austin’s Writing Center.
Computer lab available for class work and instruction time.
(Please make reservations in advance with Mrs. Cooley.)
Notes from GAs or Writing Tutors detailing their consultations with students and the students’
progress.
Referral program
(If you have students who are making recurring writing mistakes and you
think they would benefit from a consultation, please refer them to
the Writing Center Office to set up an appointment.)
Check out Purdue University’s Writing Center web site for handouts and
activities to help your students improve their writing skills.
Check out University of Missouri, Columbia’s Writing Center web site for
more writing skills resources to use in your classroom.
More scholarly and staff resources can be found at the web site for the
University of Texas, Austin’s Writing Center and
Computer Writing and Research Lab
Computer and tutor tapes to help improve your English skills
Graduate Assistant or Writing Tutor consultations
Check out the University of Texas, Austin’s Writing Center web page
for ESL handouts and practice activities in writing English.
Check out the Texas Christian University’s Intensive English Program
web page for more information on ESL assistance.
Purdue University’s Writing Center web page also has some helpful handouts
and practice activities for ESL students.
Tips for Writing Success
Know what you want to say. It is impossible to communicate an idea in writing if it
is unclear in your own mind. It is not necessary to invent new theories for each
subject approached in writing. The important thing is that you explore your own
thoughts and express them clearly to your audience.
Gather your thoughts through various procedures such as brainstorming,
free-writing, and outlining. Everyone is different, so no one technique will be
universally useful. Find the method that is right for you.
Know what your weaknesses are so you are better able to address them in your
writing.
Know your audience. Often times this determines how you approach a subject. A
letter to a friend is an entirely different matter from a formal essay for a class.
Be prepared to make revisions. No first draft is ever perfect.
Reading the well-written works of others often inspires us to be better writers
ourselves.
Write about the things that interest you. The best writing comes from genuine
enthusiasm for the subject.
Approach writing as if it were personal development, rather than simply an
assignment. The skills you learn with each assignment will accompany you into
future assignments.
What To Expect
The HSU Writing Center is available to Henderson students who need assistance with specific writing skills or have questions about how to write a paper. The Graduate Assistants and Writing Tutors in the Writing Center will help students with these concerns but will not proofread, write, or re-write students' papers. We want you to become better writers. Statistics prove that students who take advantage of Writing Centers at their colleges become better writers and make better grades on their papers.
When you arrive at the consultation, you will be working with one of the Graduate Assistants or Writing Tutors. Please bring a copy of your assignment, your instructor’s directions for the assignment, any work you have already done, and your own supplies (paper and pencil). Please do not bring an already completed paper to be proofread. There will not be enough time in your 30 minute consultation period for the Graduate Assistant or Writing Tutor to proofread your completed paper and give you suggestions. It will also be helpful if you bring with you a list of any questions you have concerning your writing, along with any work you have had returned from your teachers with their comments. Paying attention to the mistakes you have previously made on your assignments will help prevent you from making the same mistakes in the future. The Graduate Assistant or Writing Tutor will work with you one-on-one and answer any questions you may have.
After your consultation, the Graduate Assistant or Writing Tutor you worked with will send a notice to your professor detailing what you worked on in your consultation. Professors appreciate this as it lets them know you are working to improve in their classes. If you do not want a notice sent, one will not be sent.
This web site is maintained by Mrs. Martha Dale Cooley . Please e-mail us with any comments or suggestions! Last updated September 4, 2002.