Frequently Asked Questions

"What is the Writing Center?"

The Writing Center is a place where writers can get hep on all aspects of their writing, from developing ideas to revising and polishing their pieces. This free service is available to students, faculty, and staff at the University of South Dakota.

"What happens in a session at the Writing Center?"

Bring your writing and any assignment instructions that your instructor may have been provided. After reading through your writing and viewing the assignment together, we'll discuss your concern. We'll spend a lot of time talking, but it's also likeley that you'll do some writing. We may direct you to further resources at the end of a session. The questions your consultants ask will show you how your writing is coming across to the reader; the skills they teach you will help you to communicate your ideas more clearly and effectively.

"What if I haven't started writing yet? I'm stuck and don't know what to write!"

Even if you haven't begun writing yet, our writing consultants can help you develop a focus and a plan for your writing so that you can get started. Once you've developed a draft (even if the draft isn't done), you are welcome to come back and get additional assistance.

"Do you help with other kinds of writing?"

We assist with all kinds of writing: academic essays; homework that involves writing; MA theses and dissertations; and other kinds of writing, such as short stories, poems, résumés, reports, and business documents. We also help writers with integrating sources and avoiding plagiarism, as well as using documentation styles (APA, MLA, Chicago, and so on).

"Can you fix my grammar, spelling erros, and typos?"

Although the Writing Center doesn't proofread or edit writers' papers, we do help writers develop proofreading and editing skills. In other words, we help you learn how to identify problem areas in your writing and come up with strategies for revising and editing. Our goal is to support your long-term development as a writer, giving you new skills to use in future writing projects.

"How do I make an appointment? Can I just stop in without making an appointment?"

While we welcome walk-ins, we do recommend making an appointment. Just call 605-677-5626, email wcenter@usd.eu, visit the Writing Center (I.D. Weeks Library, room 133, next to the elevator), or for students, go to http://www.usd.edu/writingcenter and select "Schedule an Appointment" (make sure you're logged into the myUSD Portal first). Make a 30-minute or 60-minute appointment (up to an hour a day). USD students taking distances courses can log into D2L and visit the Online Writing Center or request a Skype appointment (email wcenter@usd.edu). Faculty/staff, please email wcenter@usd.edu to request an appointment, call 605-677-5626, or drop in.