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Northern Arizona UniversityEnglish

928-523-4911

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English
Student Resources
Writing Center

Writing Center

The Writing Center is a free service for all Northern Arizona University students.

Our facility is staffed by graduate students in English who can help you in all phases of the writing process.

Services

Tutors will work with you on any part of the writing process, from pre-writing to revising to working on theses and dissertations.

Our tutors will provide you with immediate, constructive responses and suggest strategies for improvement but will not rewrite or "correct" writing.

We are here to help you learn how to write better; we do not proofread for punctuation, spelling, etc.

Extended campuses/distance learning services

We are currently working on accommodating students who are distance learners.

If you are a current student who does not attend class at the Flagstaff campus and are interested in obtaining Writing Workshop assistance, please e-mail Writing.Workshop@nau.edu with your request.

Location and hours

Location:

We are Located in the North Student Learning Center, University Union, room 254

Hours:

Monday-Thursday from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Making an appointment

You can make an appointment by coming into the Writing Center in person, or you can call our front desk at (928-523-5524)

Mission

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.

Helpful writing links

Writing Center

Services

Extended campuses/distance learning services

Location and hours

Location:

Hours:

Making an appointment

Mission

Helpful writing links

Other writing centers

Books, journals, magazines, newsletters, and publications

Online rhetoric / composition journals

Online book sources

Literature and authors

Academic organizations

General resources

Writing resources

Specialty sites