Students can bring anything, even love letters, to the Writing Center.

“The center can help anyone that walks in, from freshmen to seniors – even graduate students to faculty – on any matter that concerns them,” said Arwen Tyler, a second-year English graduate student.

Along with help with school assignments, the center also helps students or faculty alike with cover letters, résumés and even, if the student chooses, love letters.

The writing center has 10 tutors available, with seven females and three males. The tutors are English graduate students working on their master’s degrees.

The reason for the higher proportion of females is probably because the major demographic of the English department is female, Tyler said.

Despite being able to bring anything to the Writing Center, not as many students show up to the center at the beginning of the year as at other times of the year.

“We don’t get as many students in the beginning of the semester because they don’t know about the center or haven’t had a lot of assignments yet,” Tyler said. “It gets busiest from mid-terms to the end of the year.”

The center currently averages 2-4 appointments per hour, and the center takes walk-ins appointments as well. Later in the year, when the center is busier, walk-in appointments are less likely because students with regular appointments get priority.

“There is no time when we prohibit walk-ins. However, walk-ins are less likely because students make appointments more often,” said Kristy Van Amerongen, second-year English graduate student.

So far, there have been only 41 students served by the Writing Center this semester.

Last year, 1,101 students’ needs were met.

“In a really busy week, we get around 90-100 students; in a mild week, we get around 60 students; and in really light weeks, like in the beginning of the year, the numbers are around 25-30 students per week,” Tyler said.

The center does not grade papers, and it does not evaluate papers for a class. The center does feature different stylebooks that students can use at their own discretion. The books cover APA and MLA formats. The center will also soon have an Associated Press stylebook.

“Last year, there were 1101 students the entire semester. As the semester goes on, people like coming more and more. This number has repeats in it as well,” Tyler said

Sherica Jefferson, sophomore nursing major, has already visited the Writing Center this semester.

“I thought it would be a good idea (to come to the Writing Center) because my English 1000 course teacher recommended it,” Jefferson said.

Along with the 10 tutors are three undergraduate students who answer phones, check in appointments and do other tasks to help the tutors.

The center does not require students to bring in a hard copy of their assignments. Students can bring in their syllabi or assignment sheets and talk about ideas for their paper. However, for research papers, sources on paper should be brought in.

One tutor said he believes professors should encourage students to utilize the center but should not require students to bring papers into the center as a part of their curriculum.

Students who are required to come to the center could feel resentment, and not much will get done during their session, said Corey Taylor, a second-year English graduate student.

“Students should be encouraged to come in here to get a better grade of their papers,” said Taylor.

Heather Holm can be reached at 581-7945 or at haholm@eiu.edu.

Andy Eichel, graduate assistant in the English department, helps Mitsumi Takei, senior communication studies major, with her paper in the Writing Center on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2008. The Writing Center, on the third floor of Coleman Hall, provides free tuto

(more…)