The Writing Center provides writers at Northern Arizona University with an opportunity for close contact with a supportive yet critical audience. Because writing is a complex process involving a wide range of thinking skills, the Writing Center's goal is to engage students in a constructive dialogue before, during, and after the composing process.
Writing Center consultants hold over 1700 individual conferences with students at all levels and from all disciplines during each academic year. Writing consultants are available either by signing up for English 100, by appointment or on a walk-in basis. Conferences usually last 30 minutes. Tutors will work with writers on any part of the writing process from pre-writing to revising to working on theses and dissertations.
At the Writing Center, the writer does the work. Consultants provide immediate, constructive responses and suggest strategies for improvement but do not rewrite or "correct" writing. Though this process is at times arduous and time-consuming, it is the approach that allows students to most actively improve their writing. For similar reasons, tutors deal with "higher order" concerns like thesis, development, organization, and voice before "lower order" concerns like punctuation and spelling. When dealing with "lower order" concerns, consultants will not proofread because the Writing Center functions (and is funded by the University) as a teaching unit.
We accept small successes and recognize that each individual's writing process develops over many years. We cannot solve all problems in a single conference and do not attempt to do so. The central goal is for writers to leave each conference with clear ideas on possible ways to improve their writing.