For Faculty
FAQs
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:
- Visit your class to introduce writers to the Center and the services we offer
- Provide instructional workshops based on your requests
- 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?
Although consultants do not report on AI use or evaluate academic integrity cases, we do provide writers with guidance on interpreting course policies and publishers' guidelines regarding AI use, source uses, and other practices that require ethical judgment.
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.
Syllabus Statement
The Writing Center
The Writing Center offers expert consulting to all Syracuse University writers. Consultants can advise you on any writing at any stage. Students come for individualized help understanding assignments, talking through ideas, revising drafts, citing sources, and improving editing strategies. For more information on in-person and online hours and services, please visit https://artsandsciences.syracuse.edu/writing-center/. This is a free resource to all students and highly recommended for any assignment you work on in this class.