Writing Center

The Writing Center offers students from all disciplines two types of support to work on their writing: peer-to-peer, drop-in consultations with knowledgeable Writing Advisers and appointments with Faculty Writing Specialists from the Writing and Rhetoric department.

The Writing Center is ONLINE for Fall 2020

Students can make an appointment to work with peer Writing Advisers (available starting 9/06) or Faculty Writing Specialists (available starting 8/26). We offer two appointment options:

sign up for an online video meeting via Zoom with a Writing Adviser or Faculty Specialist
OR upload a document to request written feedback only through a response rubric

Look for our Writing Workshop Series to continue virtually – delivered synchronously and recorded for asynchronous viewing.

Make an appointment How to schedule an appointment

Get to Know Us

Our student and faculty staff members have training and expertise in academic writing, and we share a common aim to help all writers achieve their goals. Our peer Writing Advisers are Oxy students from a range of disciplines and majors/minors who understand the authentic challenges of college writing. Check out our bios for more info about who we are and why we look forward to working with you.

Check Out Our Resources

You have 24/7 access to our resources to help you with the writing process from getting started and prewriting to drafting and revising your work. You can also find recordings of workshops we’ve created on various writing topics. If there is a resource we don’t have and you’d like to see us create, email us to let us know!

Writing is a Social Activity

Our main goal is to build community together as writers. We strive to create an inclusive and collaborative space where we can share our ideas and experiences as we learn from each other. We believe that writing fosters our connections to one another, as we create meaning not only through words but also in the dynamic between writer and reader.

Work With Us Anytime on Anything

You don’t need to have started writing to work with us. We welcome writers at all stages of the writing process from unpacking the prompt to revising your paper. We can also work with you on any type of writing task and assignments in any discipline, such as papers for classes, statements for fellowships and awards, senior comprehensive projects, cover letters, and graduate/professional school materials.

What to Expect When You Work With Us

Writing Center sessions are collaborative and driven by your questions. When you meet with us, we will ask you what you are working on and what type of feedback you will find helpful. We’ll ask you to share your document with us and we’ll set an agenda for your session together. You’ll leave with a plan for next steps in your writing task and strategies for improving your writing process.

A Writing Center Session Makes a Difference

We want you to leave your session having learned something new about writing and with a concrete plan for successfully completing your writing task. Students find that Writing Center visits help keep them motivated, and they notice improvements in their writing process and products. Our goal is to provide you with writing knowledge and strategies you can use in a range of writing situations at Oxy.

Our Mission

Strong writing ability is foundational to a liberal arts education as it allows students to critique and transform their world. The Oxy Writing Center supports the college’s mission by working with students of all disciplines, backgrounds, and abilities to foster a culture of writing. We work to ensure that all students can participate in academic discourse, while cultivating a sense of confidence in their own diverse identities as writers. With a firm belief that all students can gain from the study and practice of writing, we aim to provide an environment that is collaborative, adaptive, and inclusive

Working away in the Writing Center.

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A writing adviser working with a student.

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The Writing Center is located on the ground floor of the Academic Commons building on campus.

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Photos by Marc Campos.