What I've Learned as a Writing Consultant: Kali

Hi, all,

This semester at the Writing Center has been filled with a variety of students and assignments. Throughout my sessions with different writers, I have been able to pick up many tips and tricks to make the writing process easier. These are all things that I struggled with before getting this experience in the WC. Now that I have made these changes in my own writing, the whole process is a lot less scary:

First, don’t stress out! Your teacher just gave you a 15 page paper over a topic that you don’t know anything about. It’s okay! You have an abundance of resources to help you research and become an expert on any topic you can think of. Take advantage of the online databases provide by the library, and if you’re not sure how to use them to get the best results, we can help you with that here in the Writing Center.

Second, more often than not, there is a way to cite your source. Many students, myself included, come in afraid to use a source because they are unsure of how to cite it. My first stop is always The Everyday Writer. This book breaks the steps down to make citing your sources an easy process. The OWL at Purdue is a great online source that I use frequently for citation help, as well as many other writing tips. If you don’t find exactly what you’re looking for using these two resources, we have complete MLA and APA manuals in the Writing Center that we will gladly help you use to make the perfect citation.

Third, formatting can be frustrating, but it is probably an easy fix. If you are like me, you have probably had trouble formatting your Works Cited or References page correctly. You press tab to indent the second line of your citation, but instead of moving the single line, it moves the whole thing! This trick has made my life so much easier: highlight your entire citation, right click and go to the paragraph settings, then select the hanging indentation style. Who knew it could be so easy?

These are tips that I have learned along the way to enhance my writing process this semester. If you have any questions about the writing process we would love to help you here in the Writing Center. You can set up an appointment over the phone, via e-mail, or by stopping in Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

-Kali

Everyday Thoughts from the Writing Center: Lessons Learned

A common misconception about tutoring services is that they are only for students who have minimal experience in the field (i.e. writing, science, math, etc.). Coming to the Writing Center for tutoring and requesting help can benefit every student from a first-year freshman to a fifth-year senior and beyond. After all, there are professional consulting firms all around the world that get paid the big bucks to assist businesses with major projects. My work thus far in the Writing Center has helped me understand how beneficial seeking advice can really be.

When I was hired to be a writing tutor for Rogers State, I had a general idea of what to expect. I knew I would be helping students with their papers; anything from brainstorming, to producing an outline, to helping with the perfect finishing touches. In many ways, I would be acting as a consultant. I also believed in that misconception that I would mostly be working with the freshman class. I couldn’t have been more wrong, and the variety of students I have encountered has taught me a valuable lesson. Everyone can use some help.

One of the first tutoring sessions I was involved with happened to be a senior working on capstone project. Obviously, this was much different than what I had expected. As it turns out, he was a really good writer. He was organized and had thought out his paper carefully. He said he had always had success with his writing assignments in other classes, but for whatever reason it simply wasn’t working out with this particular teacher. Of course, he was a little discouraged, but here he was seeking advice. It made me think about how I would have reacted if put in the same situation. As a senior myself, I sometimes think that I have everything figured out, and that my way is the right way. It is easy to get defensive of criticism, and I admired the way he was handling himself. He was open to suggestions and advice to make his paper better.

I realized that I can get so caught up in giving advice that I forget all of these resources are available for me too. I hope that after this experience I will utilize the many tutoring and learning services offered at the university more to make my future projects the best that they can be. Never be afraid to ask for help. I’ve learned that even the most experienced writers can benefit from another set of eyes. I can’t imagine a situation when seeking advice would fail to be beneficial. Just remember to go into it with an open mind!

Rogers State offers a variety of  tutoring services on campus and I encourage everyone to look into them. For more information on the Writing Center youcan click on this link. Do you have a busy schedule? We can also assist you online (via email, video chat, or instant messenger).

So, whether you have a hard time writing a grocery list, or are about to publish the next New York Times bestseller, a little help will never hurt!

Good luck!

Kali