Writing Center - Colorado College

Who are the tutors?

The Writing Center at CC is staffed by 4 professional tutors and 26 peer tutors. Over half of all sessions last year were conducted by peer tutors—sophomores, juniors and seniors from across the curriculum. The professional staff generally work with those who need extended help with long writing assignments or those who feel they could benefit from regular and intensive work on their writing.

Do I need to make an appointment?

We recommend that you do make an appointment. Barring adequate staffing, though, we can certainly accommodate students who drop by without an appointment. However, we book up fast, so planning ahead will ensure that you will be able to work with a tutor.

How do I make an appointment?

The easiest way to make an appointment is online. You can link to the schedule by clicking “Make an Appointment” on the Writing Center Homepage or by linking to:

http://www.therichco.com/wconline/cc/schedule/schedule.php?scheduleid=

You can also call us at (719) 389-6742, or drop by—we are located at the back of the Learning Commons in Tutt Library.

Do I have to bring a completed draft?

Not at all! In fact, some students find that it’s helpful to sit down with a tutor just to brainstorm before they have even written a word. Regardless, we will meet you wherever you are in your writing process, whether you just have a few ideas, a rough draft, or a final product.

What should I bring?

Generally, it is helpful for students to bring in an assignment sheet, prompt, or general idea of what the professor expects from the paper. Depending on what stage you are at in the process, notes from class, scribbles, outlines, drafts, and class readings would all be appropriate and helpful tools to advance a tutorial.

Can I receive assistance with non-academic writing?

The professional staff is more than willing to discuss resumes, grant applications, Watson Proposals, and other professional or creative pursuits.

Does the Writing Center “edit” papers?

When students use the term “edit,” they often refer to the correction of sentence-level errors, spelling, punctuation, or other grammatical issues. Our tutors will not line-edit each sentence. However, we will be happy to help you identify grammatical errors in your own writing and to show you strategies on how to find and correct them yourself.

Generally speaking, though, tutorials will tend to focus on higher order concerns such as argument, organization, evidence, clarity, and so forth. If you are having issues with grammar or have been directed to seek assistance for sentence-level errors and are coming to the Writing Center for specific help in that regard, you may want to let the tutor know your individual concerns at the beginning of the session.

Does the Writing Center have any available resources in case I am unable to schedule an appointment with a tutor?

Yes. Both the Writing Center and the website have numerous resources available to you. At the Writing Center, we have a wide array of books and handouts on writing strategies, citation styles, and grammar. In addition, under the menu “For Students” on our website, there is a link to“Resources” that lists a plethora of useful websites for college writers. There are also links for “Research Writing,” “ESL,” and “Personal Statements.”