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Writing Center - Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does the Online Writing Center do?
We’re here to help you as you work to become a more effective writer. We don’t write or edit papers; instead we try to help you learn writing strategies that work for you.
When you get your paper back, you’ll see areas that have been highlighted in yellow, text that has been added in brackets {}, and comments at the end. Your tutor will concentrate on areas that seem to be causing you the most trouble and on areas that you ask for help on. At the end of the critique, you’ll see the Online Writing Center logo.
After you read the comments and suggestions, you can work on revising your paper. As you go through this process, you’ll be strengthening your writing skills and (we hope) developing more confidence in your writing ability.
2. The Online Writing Center doesn't show up in my list of courses; what should I do?
Call us at (623) 935-8150 and give us your name and your Blackboard username. It just takes a few seconds for us to enroll you in the course.
3. I can't figure out how to submit a paper. What should I do?
Once you click on the Online Writing Center course in Blackboard, you’ll see a page with complete instructions. Before you start to submit, make sure your document is saved either in Microsoft Word or Rich Text Format.
You need to click on the Online Critique button, then on Digital Drop Box, then on Send a File. (Make sure you click send a file, not add a file!) Then fill out the form.
- Include your name in the Title section.
- Use the Comments section to tell us about your writing assignment and about the type of help you want or any areas of concern. The more information you give us about the type of writing you are working on and the type of assistance you want, the better we will be able to help you.
4. How can I get the most out of my use of the Online Writing Center?
There are several things you can do to optimize your Online Writing Center experience.
- Include information about your writing assignment (in the Comments section)—it’s much easier for us to give you helpful suggestions and ideas if we know exactly what you are trying to accomplish
- Submit early—revision is an essential part of writing, and you’ll need time to consider the response to your paper and then revise your paper.
- Make sure that you tell us (in the Comments section) exactly what you’d like us to focus our critique on. We can’t cover every issue without overwhelming you, so you can help make sure that your response is useful by directing the tutor to concentrate on certain areas.
- Consider submitting multiple drafts or using the in-person Writing Center too. Since writing is a process, sometimes it helps to get reactions to your paper as you work through the process.
5. How long will it take to get a response to my paper?
We try to return papers within 24 hours—longer on weekends and holidays. During busy periods (before midterms and finals) we might not always get every paper back within 24 hours, so try not to wait until the last minute to submit it.
6. Why does my instructor require me to use the Online Writing Center?
Instructors know that writing is a challenging process and may want to make sure that you take advantage of the free, easy writing support that is available. When you are immersed in the process of writing a paper, it can be hard for you to look at it objectively.
By submitting your paper to the Online Writing Center, you get a fresh perspective on what you’ve written. A trained tutor will be able to help you see ways you can improve your paper through revision. Since effective writers know that revision is an essential part of the writing process, your instructor may be trying to encourage you to spend time revising your work before you turn it in for a grade.
7. I submitted a paper two days ago, but I haven't gotten a response. What should I do?
We usually return papers within 24 hours—longer on weekends and holidays. So, if you think you should have gotten a response already, make sure you are checking correctly. Get into the Online Writing Center course in Blackboard, click on Online Critique, then on Digital Dropbox. Your critique will have a new title (the original title + some additional letters.) Click on the file, save it to your computer, and then open it.
If the paper isn’t there, call the Writing Center at (623) 935-8189. Sometimes technical problems make it impossible to open files, and we can help diagnose and fix the problem.
8. I got a note in my Digital Dropbox saying that my file couldn't be opened and I need to resubmit. What do I need to do?
Most likely, you submitted your paper in a word processing format that we couldn’t access. You can avoid this problem by submitting papers in Microsoft Word. If you don’t have access to Microsoft Word, you’ll need to save your document in Rich Text Format (RTF) before you send it. You can do this by going to Save As, going to the pull-down menu that controls document type, and selecting Rich Text Format or RTF.
9. Is there a limit to the number of times I can use the Online Writing Center?
We are able to offer students unlimited use of the Online Writing Center. In fact, we encourage you to submit different drafts of the same paper if that will help you. Or you can submit as many different papers as you want. The only requirement is that the papers be for an Estrella Mountain course.
10. If I use the Online Writing Center, can I stil use the in-person Writing Center in Estrella Hall?
Certainly! In fact, lots of students like to use both. Some prefer the in-person attention when they are working on early drafts and then use the Online Writing Center for more finished drafts. Try combining the services to see what works best for you.
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