Frequently Asked Questions(F.A.Q.

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Q: A: Q: A: Where is the Writing Center located? The Writing Center is located in Room B111 across from the Business Office. What are the Writing Centers hours of operation? Fall hours are to be determined but will be posted closer to the start of the semester. Writing Center coaches are professional English instructors who can assist with a variety of skills (organization, development, grammar and usage, comprehension, and critical thinking). Coaches help students at all stages of the writing process. Reading specialists and an ESL specialist will also be available. What if I cant get there for any of the hours listed? How do I get help? Call the Writing Center at (302) 453-3707. The Writing Center will try to find a time that works for you. What services does the Writing Center offer? Assistance with paragraphs, essays, research reports and other writing assignments for any DTCC course Assistance at all stages of the writing process: topic selection; finding and evaluating sources; planning a paper; revising for content, clarity, and organization; citing and formatting in APA style; and editing for sentence structure, word choice, and usage Help with word processing, internet research, e-mail operation, and Blackboard Workshops on research writing and other common writing tasks Will I need an appointment? Appointments are strongly encouraged because they guarantee you a time slot without having to wait. You can sign up for appointments at the desk. If you dont have an appointment and a staff member is available, feel free to ask that person for help. What should I bring with me to the Writing Center? Please bring your assignment details and your course information (course title, section, and instructors name) so the writing coach can provide you with more specialized assistance. It is also helpful if you bring two copies of your assignment. Can I just drop an assignment off and pick it up after the Writing Center has edited it for me? No. The Writing Centers goal is to help you learn how to improve your own writing by recognizing strengths and weaknesses in your work and discussing helpful strategies. If you were to drop off a paper for editing, you would not learn these valuable skills! How long does a Writing Center session usually last? Typically, a students session will be no longer than 30 minutes; we also limit appointments to one per day. I have an assignment due at noon. Can I come in at 11am on the same day and get the Writing Center to look at it for me? No. The writing coaches will not always be available due to previously scheduled appointments. Also, waiting until the last minute does not allow you the time necessary for making your revisions since feedback is generally more complex than punctuation and spelling changes. The Writing Center strongly encourages you to plan ahead. I went to the Writing Center for help, but I only got a B on my paper. Why didnt I get an A? The Writing Center coaches will discuss your paper with you and offer you advice; however, you are ultimately responsible for the content of your paper. Thats why the Writing Center cannot guarantee that you will receive an A on an assignment. Our belief, however, is that students who visit the writing center several times with an assignment will probably receive a better grade on that assignment than if they visit only once or not at all. (See reverse side for drafting timeline.) What is the cost of using the Writing Center? Its free!

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For more information, contact Lisa Miller at (302) 453-3707 or lisa.miller@dtcc.edu; Melissa Pheasant at (302) 292-3805 or melissa.pheasant@dtcc.edu; or visit www.dtcc.edu/student-resources/learning-support

The Writing Process In order to maximize the benefits of our services, expect to plan more than one visit to the Writing Center for your assignment. Below is a suggested timeline which can serve as a guide for planning your writing project and scheduling appointments at the Writing Center. Before drafting the paper: Select an appropriate topic for the paper Plan the paper using an effective planning strategy If you are using sources, select the best sources and take notes effectively Target date: __________________________________________________ Three or four weeks before the paper is due: Make sure your thesis is effective. Make sure every paragraph in the paper is necessary to prove your thesis. Make sure paragraphs are unified. Make sure you are proving your thesis; is each point supported with specific details? If details come from sources, make sure you are using source material fairly and accurately. Target date: ____________________________ About two weeks before the paper is due: Make sure ideas are organized logically. Make sure ideas are connected smoothly. If this is a research paper, make sure borrowed material is incorporated smoothly and effectively into your own writing. Target date: __________________________ A week or so before the paper is due: Check for concise and varied sentence structure. Check for appropriate academic word choice. If this is a research paper, check citations and reference list. Target date: __________________________ A day before the paper is due: Conduct final proofreading for careless errors. Check to make sure you are following the instructors formatting criteria (margins, font size, spacing, etc.). Print off the final copy of your paper. Target date: _________________________

Final draft of the paper is due ___________________________

Revised 8/2013