Frequently Asked Questions

When should I bring a paper to the Writing Center?

You can come in at any point during your writing process; we encourage you to come in early and often in your process.

  • If you have just received an assignment and you’re not sure how to get started, we can talk to you about your ideas and help you brainstorm a list of points to cover or even put together a tentative outline.
  • If you have a draft, we can read through it, talk through your ideas, and give you feedback.
  • If you’re at the end of the process, ready to submit your work for publication or a final grade, we can help you with later order concerns, like grammar and punctuation, but we will not copyedit your work. Instead, we can point out patterns of error and discuss specific rules to help you avoid those errors in the future.

UWC Introduction

The Introduction to the University Writing Center is an overview of the services the UWC offers.

This presentation is often given in conjunction with workshops. Instructors may also bring classes on a “field trip” to the UWC early in the semester for this introduction.

Resources: Facilitators will need access to a computer-connected projector. Workshop can be delivered via Zoom.

Length: 15 minutes

How long does a session last?

A typical session lasts either 45 minutes or an hour and 45 minutes, and always ends at 45 minutes past the hour. During the last 5 minutes of the session, you and your consultant will engage in a brief recap of what you discussed and plan specific next steps for accomplishing your writing goals.

Avoiding Plagiarism

The Avoiding Plagiarism Workshop presents information about the various reasons writers plagiarize, including but not limited to culturally specific expectations for citation, confusion about citation practices, stress, and time management concerns. Then, the facilitator guides participants through strategies to avoid plagiarism. For instance, the facilitator will review the differences between summary, paraphrasing, and quotation and ask participants to practice, ideally with sources they’ve already collected.

Resources: Writers will need to bring their own research and have access to computers. Facilitators will need access to a computer-connected projector. Workshop can be delivered via Zoom.

When to schedule: Writers should already have begun collecting research at the time of this workshop. Please note that avoiding plagiarism is also addressed briefly during the Citation Workshop.

Length: 45-60 minutes

How should I prepare for a session?

Bring your assignment description or any materials relevant to your project. Also, print out your materials or have them ready to access on the computer by the beginning of the session. If you have a draft, bring it in. 

Citation

The Citation Workshop presents a general approach to citation and can focus on the basics of a particular style (e.g. MLA, APA, or Chicago). The workshop briefly addresses the relationship between plagiarism and citations using real life examples and sources. Most importantly, this workshop provides time for students to work on their own citations and introduces them to important resources.

Resources: Writers will need to bring their own research and have access to computers. Facilitators will need access to a computer-connected projector. Workshop can be delivered via Zoom.

When to schedule: Writers should have already collected research and begun the writing process at the time of this workshop.

Length: 45-60 minutes

What do I do if my professor requires proof of my session?

At the end of your session, usually around 40 minutes past the hour, your consultant will wrap up with a recap of what you’ve done and discussed and ask if you have any questions about anything you’ve talked about. Then, the consultant will ask you to write brief reflections on what has been most helpful in the session and what your revision plans are. They will send these to you in an after session report email that will help you when you come back to the writing project later. Then, the consultant will ask if you need evidence of your visit for your instructor; they will need your instructor’s email address if you want proof of a session sent to them.

Notetaking for Research-Driven Writing

The Notetaking for Research-Driven Writing Workshop shares various notetaking strategies with participants, asking them to try several during the workshop. Participants will be asked to practice with both model materials and their own research sources. Methods include annotating reading, creating double-entry journals, and making notecards. Workshop can be delivered via Zoom.

Resources: Facilitators will need access to a computer-connected projector.

When to schedule: Writers should have collected at least a few sources for their research-driven writing before the workshop. They will be asked to take notes from these sources during the workshop. Writers should have access to computers as well as a paper notebook, loose-leaf paper, or notecards.

Length: 45-60 minutes

How often can I schedule sessions?

You can make up to 3 appointments per week, with no more than one per day. We are here to help through all stages of the writing process from beginning to end, so you can bring in the same paper several times before its due date.

Thesis-Driven Writing

The Thesis-Driven Writing Workshop reviews the process of creating a strong argumentative essay using traditional thesis-driven writing. The facilitator reviews components of an argument, focusing on the role of thesis statements. Participants review the ways a thesis is connected to the overall structure of the essay. The facilitator stresses that all thesis statements are “working thesis statements,” recognizing that the focus of an essay may change during the writing process. Participants are given time to draft a thesis statement to guide ongoing writing.

Resources: Facilitators will need access to a computer-connected projector. Workshop can be delivered via Zoom.

When to schedule: Students should have a working knowledge of the assignment they are being asked to create a thesis statement for. At the time of the workshop, the facilitator will ask participants to reference their assignment sheet. Ideally, participants will have narrowed potential topics their thesis-driven essay will focus on.

Length: 45-60 minutes

What happens if I’m late?

If you know you’re going to be late, call us at 317-274-2049 and let us know. If you are more than ten minutes late, your session will be logged as a missed session.

Writing Process

The Writing Process Workshop introduces students to the varied and unique processes writers experience. Our presenters provide different writing processes, then ask students to map their own writing process. The goal of this workshop is to give students an awareness of their own process in the hopes that visualizing them will offer insight into where students struggle, and where they excel.

Resources: Facilitators will need access to a computer-connected projector. Workshop can be delivered via Zoom.

When to schedule: This workshop is valuable at any time during the writing process. Workshop can be delivered via Zoom.

Length: 45-60 minutes

What happens if I miss a session?

We will log a session as missed in our system after ten minutes. If you miss three sessions during a semester, you will not be able to make new appointments until you contact the director of the IUPUI University Writing Center.

How do I schedule an appointment?

Go to the homepage, click the Schedule A Session footer and sign in or create an account. You can schedule an appointment in any time slot containing a white rectangle by clicking on it. In the new window, fill in at least the fields marked by a red asterisk, and then click Create Appointment. You should receive an email confirmation, and the color of the time slot on the schedule will turn to orange.

How do I get to the right Zoom room for my online appointment?

Prior to your appointment please go to zoom.iu.edu to download the necessary software. You can attend your session by clicking on the Zoom link located in your consultant’s bio at the top of your appointment window; please do not attempt to attend your session by clicking the red link in the appointment box as this will not link to Zoom. The Zoom link will be located in your consultant’s bio above.

Who do I contact if I have a serious concern with how my session went?

The University Writing Center is meant to be a safe space for all students and faculty at IUPUI. If you have a concern with anything that happened during your session, please email the Director (mbrooksg@iupui.edu) and Assistant Director (kmcclana@indiana.edu).