October

Here’s a quick and easy student-retention tip

Help your students survive and thrive this midterm – point them toward the Writing Center.

By Elizabeth Kleinfeld

October 2, 2018

Research indicates that the papers university students write today are longer and more complex than they were 20 years ago, yet there has been no significant increase in the overall rate of writing errors. That’s great news and shows that students have continued to rise to writing challenges. However, there is always room to help student writers improve.

As faculty members contemplate how to help students become stronger writers in the remaining weeks of the semester, please remember to recommend the Writing Center. Faculty and staff are the center’s greatest allies and advocates, and the vast majority of students who use our resources report that they learned of the Writing Center from a faculty member. 

Writing Center staff can help students with every aspect of their writing, including:

• Overcoming writing anxiety
• Understanding assignments
• Integrating source material
• Writing clearly
• Organizing thoughts

However, from now until the end of the semester, the Writing Center will be very busy. Appointments are absolutely necessary.

In the meantime, here is a writing resource you can share directly with students. This helpful list outlines the surface writing errors that are most likely to distract readers — and helps students learn to eliminate them. The Writing Center can also help students identify and eliminate these errors in their writing, though it might take multiple sessions to work through the entire list.

If the Writing Center can support you and your students during the remainder of the semester, reach out and let us know. Visit the center’s Faculty Resources webpage or contact Elizabeth Kleinfeld for more information.