Writing Center

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 Writing Center
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General Information

Who We Are

What To Expect

Student Resources 

ESL Concerns

What We Do

Tips For Writing Success

Faculty Resources

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.

Faculty Resources

             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

ESL Resources

 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.