What happens during a writing consultation?

During face-to-face and synchronous online sessions, writers meet with a writing consultant to discuss their work at any stage, with or without anything drafted yet. Writers tell us what they want to work on, and together we think through the hard parts. Consultants often offer strategies for developing ideas, organizing and clarifying, interpreting criteria, finding and citing sources, revising after feedback, and editing.

During asynchronous sessions, writers upload an assignment sheet and a draft of their text (up to 5 pages), along with an explanation of their concerns about the draft, at least four hours before the appointment time. Consultants respond with in-text comments and/or endnotes that respond directly to the writer’s concerns and any other issues of note, then email the text to the writer, within thirty minutes of the appointment start time. 

What WC services are for faculty? 

The Syracuse University Writing Center does more than just help students in individual sessions. We can:

1. Visit your class to introduce writers to the Center and the services we offer 
2. Provide instructional workshops based on your requests
3. Support faculty and staff as writers, too: we can work one-on-one with you on presentations, reports, assignments, syllabi, scholarly publications, fellowship and award applications, and more! 

Can I require students to visit the WC?

No. Consultations work best when students choose to come rather than being required to come. But please do recommend our services and share WC information with your students.

How can I encourage my students to come to the WC?

Invite us to visit your class, add a WC statement to your syllabus, put a link to our website in Blackboard, and/or offer extra credit.  

Can the Writing Center verify whether a student used AI or has violated academic integrity norms?

Consultants cannot verify AI use or academic integrity violations in student writing.

How will I know my student attended a session?

Consultants provide to writers a brief summary of their session. Students may choose to share these with faculty.

Who staffs the Writing Center? 

Consultants are faculty and Graduate Student Instructors from the departments of Writing Studies, Rhetoric and Composition and Literature, Languages and Linguistics. 

Additional Resources:

The Syracuse University Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE)

The Syracuse University Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS)