As the end of semester approaches, the Emory Writing Center and the Graduate Writing Support Service will expand their hours and increase their presence in the Robert W. Woodruff Library so students can get more help when and where they need it.
Undergraduate writing help
The Emory Writing Center will open its satellite location in the Woodruff Library next to the service desk on Level 2. Writing tutors will be available on a walk-in only basis for the weeks of Dec. 2 and Dec. 9, Monday through Thursday from 7 to 10 p.m.
Students can meet with tutors for 30 minutes to review any piece of writing, five pages or less. The sessions occur on a first-come, first-served basis. Students must bring a hard copy of their paper to the appointment.
"The truth is, we can all use an extra set of eyes on our writing, whether it's August or December. However, by opening up these extra hours during finals season, we hope to provide more students with the writing support they need," says Sean Byrnes, the 2013-14 Woodruff Library Fellow for the Emory Writing Center.
"We're offering this at a time when they most need it and when other sources of writing help – whether from friends, professors or regular Emory Writing Center appointments – are in high demand and harder to come by."
The Writing Center offers assistance throughout the academic year at its regular location in 212 Callaway North.
For graduate students
The Graduate Writing Support Service provides semester-long help to graduate students looking for assistance with dissertation chapters, articles, papers, applications, conference presentations and more.
"I think it's crucial, because a lot of graduate students don't get opportunities to have feedback from a peer who is not in their field or an expert on their subject," says Thomas Fabisiak, writing consultant for the Graduate Writing Support Service. "We have the ability to give them that kind of feedback without necessarily being an expert. We can really read for things like clarity of argument, where an adviser might be more focused on content."
Writing consultants are available Monday through Wednesday from 11 a.m.-8 p.m., and on Thursdays from 2-8 p.m. Appointments are scheduled in two-hour blocks to allow for flexibility, and they can be booked either via the Graduate Writing Support Service website, or by emailing the consultants directly. Once a student books an appointment, the writing consultant can arrange to read material before the in-person session and resolve any scheduling questions or concerns.
Meetings are usually conducted in the Woodruff Library on level 2, but other meeting locations can be negotiated over email once an appointment is made. Graduate Writing Support Service also offers Skype consultations for those who cannot meet in person.