University Chronicle

Issue date: 9/13/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Jake Fandel Susan Johnson and Kari Martin work together at the Write Place. The Write Place is open Sunday through Friday in Riverview and Monday through Thursday in the Miller Center.

There is an under-appreciated resource at SCSU that less than a third of the student body is utilizing: the Write Place.

"It's a place students can come to if they need help on their papers," Daniel Boe, an undergraduate tutor said. "That can be anywhere from brainstorming to putting the final touches on a draft and making sure everything's all right with documentation, style, whatever."

In the past several decades, writing centers have become dynamic, theory-based centers of discussion and learning about writing. Students from any level of expertise or year in school are encouraged to come for assistance in the writing process.

So what goes on during a tutoring session?

"The Write Place is really relaxed, pretty informal. The tutors look through your paper with you and point you in the right direction," Boe said. "Sessions can be anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour and a half depending on how much help the student needs. It's pretty much just a conversation between two people about the paper."

But Boe issued a word of caution saying, "Some students think that they're able to just drop their papers off and we'll correct it for them and hand it back to them. That's the biggest misconception. We improve the quality of writing that students put out; we try to help them strengthen their own writing, so in the future, they can do it themselves."

Anyone from any major or class is welcome in the Write Place; it is not just for English.

In addition to individual appointments, the Write Place also hosts a variety of workshops about documentation styles, punctuation and grammar for those interested. Books, handouts and a knowledgeable staff are on hand to assist any student with a question.

The tutors themselves are a diverse group of students - undergraduate and graduate from various backgrounds, age groups and majors who must take a special course to be certified to work.

"Anyone can work here, but it's required that you take a preliminary English 353 class," Boe said.

Boe gave students advice on preparing for a visit.

"Students should know what they want to work on. If you kind of have in the back of your mind what you want to get accomplished, things will run a lot more smoothly. And if it's required for a class, know your teacher's e-mail," Boe said.

The Write Place is open Sunday through Friday, with appointments running nearly all day to fit anyone's schedule. Tutoring sessions can be scheduled online at www.stcloudstate.edu/writeplace.com.

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