Writing Center

Location

McSwain Annex Room 150

Hours

Fall 2020 hours are as follows:

Students are highly encouraged to make an appointment for face-to-face Writing Center sessions. Appointments can be scheduled on the sign-up sheet outside McSwain Annex 150 or by emailing writingcenter@tricountycc.edu.

Masks and social distancing are required during face-to-face tutoring sessions.

Students may request online feedback by emailing the Writing Center at writingcenter@tricountycc.edu.

Our Services

• Assist students with writing assignments, including
  • Brainstorming
  • Selecting appropriate sources for research papers
  • Documenting sources
  • Identifying and correcting major writing errors
  • Selecting appropriate organization strategies for writing assignments
• Assist students with general academic concerns, such as study skills and note-taking strategies

What Can I Expect from a Writing Center Session?

Face-to-Face Sessions

• Plan to spend at least 30 minutes with a tutor for most assignments.
• Bring the course assignment, sources, and any drafts you’ve completed.
• Make a list of questions you have.
• Plan to visit the Writing Center early enough that you have plenty of time to revise prior to the assignment deadline.

Also feel free to drop in to the Writing Center if all you have is a quick question—such as how to document a source or how to fix an error that grammar-check has flagged.

Online Sessions

Students can ask questions of Writing Center tutors by emailing writingcenter@tricountycc.edu. Include the following in your message:

• The course
• A brief description of the assignment
• Which area of the assignment you’re most concerned about (such as organization, content development, documentation of sources, etc.)
• The deadline for the assignment (we recommend contacting the Writing Center a week prior to the deadline to ensure students have time to revise their drafts)
• A Word-format attachment of your draft (if applicable)

Depending on the volume of students the center is helping, your message should receive a response within 1-2 days.

Online Resources

MLA

• MLA Essay Format 
• MLA 8 Works Cited Quick Reference Guide
• MLA 8 In-Text Citations Quick Reference Guide
• SLIDE SHOW – MLA Documentation: Transitioning from MLA 7 to MLA 8

APA

• APA Paper Format
• APA 6 References Guide

Grammar and Usage

Naked Grammar – The Bare Essentials from the Grammar Mechanics Foundation (a nonprofit organization that seeks “to advance the teaching of English grammar and related English language skills through creative use of information technology”).

Evaluating Sources of Information

Evaluating Information and Sources from Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) – After clicking the link, access all pages of the resource by clicking the sublinks under “Evaluating Information and Sources” on the left menu.