What Do We Do?
The Writing Center helps students become more effective writers primarily through free one-on-one tutoring. We work with students on writing at any stage, from understanding the prompt to revising final drafts, and in a variety of rhetorical situations, from personal essays to academic publications. Writing Center services come at no additional cost to NMSU students.
The Writing Center offers synchronous face-to-face and online meeting options, as well as an asynchronous online option for students.
Synchronous tutoring is available online at nmsu.mywconline.com or in our main center on the ground floor of Clara Belle Williams Hall in Room 102. We work from 10am-4pm Monday through Thursday and 10am-2pm on Fridays during the academic school year. Sessions are between 30 and 60 minutes. If students need more time, we may ask that they return later for another session so that other students have the opportunity to consult with a tutor. Students can schedule an appointment online or drop in to meet with a tutor.
Asynchronous tutoring is online and by appointment only. When students schedule their appointment online, they will also submit their project and goals for the asynchronous tutoring session. The tutor will review the student’s submission during the appointment time and provide feedback immediately afterward.
Please keep in mind that the Writing Center does not offer copyediting services. Our goal is to help students learn about their own writing styles, which is a collaborative process focused more on effective choices in context than catching “mistakes.” We may, however, be able to connect students with paid editors who can help.
Why Send Students to the Writing Center?
Students can get more out of visiting the Writing Center than just tutoring. Not only does our Writing Center operate as an extension of the Aggie Cupboard by offering meals to in-need and at-risk students, it's also a space that offers students a chance to build community.
For more information, check out some of the research below on the benefits of visiting the Writing Center on campus!
Rafoth, "Why Visit Your Campus Writing Center?"
Salazar, "The Meaningful and Significant Impact of Writing Center Visits"
Rockholz, "Take Advantage of the Writing Center on Your Campus"
Documenting Student Engagement
Often, instructors would like documentation that their students visited the Writing Center, discussed their work, and received feedback from a tutor. After each appointment, our tutors will send the student a report from the Writing Center website, including information about the student’s preparedness and what they worked on specifically. The student can then forward this to their instructor to prove that they visited the Writing Center.
Class Visits
We would love to help your entire class with their writing projects, but we are a small center, and it can be difficult to work with thirty or more students at one time. Please email our Director, Dr. Kathleen Weisse (kdweisse@nmsu.edu), to make a plan for getting your students the writing support they need. We look forward to hearing from you!
