What to Expect, What to Bring
NMSU graduate and undergraduate students from every major and program can receive tutoring at the Writing Center for no cost. Students can come in for help brainstorming ideas, crafting their outline, clarifying their writing for a specific audience, and ensuring their draft responds to the prompt.
The Writing Center is located on the ground floor of Clara Belle Williams Hall in Room 102. We are available from 10am-4pm Monday through Thursday and 10am-2pm on Fridays during the academic school year.
Synchronous Tutoring
Each session is 30 to 60 minutes. Tutors will start by talking with you about your assignment, the requirements, your stage in the writing process, and any particular concerns you want to address.This is a collaborative process. The tutor will go through the draft or outline with you, sentence by sentence if appropriate. They will give their reaction to the writing, comment on the expectations that come with the writing genre, offer suggestions and ideas, and ask questions that will guide your revision process.
Do I Need to Schedule an Appointment?
You do not need to schedule an appointment, but you can if you want to make sure a tutor is available when you come in. In addition to offering scheduled appointments, we are also a drop-in facility, so you are free to drop by for tutoring any time during our hours.To set up an appointment, go to https://nmsu.mywconline.com/ and login or make an account. Then, select an available appointment, indicated on the schedule by the white boxes. You will be prompted to give us some information about your project so we can prepare for the session. Both in person and Zoom sessions are available. Note that tutors who are only available online will be marked with “(Online)” beneath their name.
What should I do if I need to reschedule my appointment?
You can cancel your appointment from the Writing Center Schedule page. You can then schedule a new appointment.
What happens if I don’t show up for my appointment?
Every time you miss an appointment, your name will be automatically entered into a database. Once you have accumulated three missed appointments, your account will be disabled. You will need to talk to the Writing Center Director to reinstate your appointment privileges.
What should I bring to my appointment?
Bring a copy of your writing (electronic or physical) if you have a draft, the prompt, and any brainstorming, outlining, or other information relevant to your work. The Writing Center also has computers which you can use to show us your draft digitally.
My professor is giving extra credit for going to the Writing Center. How can I prove I came?
After your appointment, we will send you a report from the Writing Center website. You can then forward this to your professor to show you came in.
Can I see the same tutor every time I come?
You are welcome to schedule repeat appointments. You can also ask for the same tutor when you drop in, as long as that tutor is available. All of our tutors’ schedules are online at https://nmsu.mywconline.com/ .
I am working on a group project. Can the whole group meet with the tutor?
Yes, our tutors will work with more than one writer if you are all working on the same project. If you are coming in as a group, it can be especially important to think about what you want to get accomplished during the session ahead of time. All members of the group must be present for the group tutoring session.
I am not available during Writing Center hours. How can I get tutoring?
If you are unable to visit the Writing Center during our hours, Asynchronous Tutoring might be a good option for you.
Asynchronous Tutoring
To request an asychronous appointment, go to https://nmsu.mywconline.com/ and, under “Display Options,” select “Online Asynchronous Only” from the pull down menu. Then, select an available appointment, indicated by the white boxes as with a synchronous appointment. You will be prompted to give us some information about your project, what you want to focus on during the tutoring session, and the project itself. During your appointment time, the tutor will review and respond to your submission; you do not need to be available during the session itself.
When will I receive feedback on my assignment?
The tutor will review your submission during the scheduled appointment. Feedback will be emailed to you and posted in your appointment form on nmsu.mywconline.com.
I did not receive feedback on my assignment. What should I do?
First, make sure to check the “other,” “junk,” and/or “trash” folders in your email. If you still cannot find your asynchronous feedback, email consult@nmsu.edu .
What kind of feedback can I expect from asynchronous tutoring?
You will receive an email attachment providing specific feedback on the area or areas of focus you specified when you submitted the project. The more detailed you are about what feedback you want, the more helpful and specific we can be.
Can I request more than one asynchronous tutoring session?
Yes. Students are welcome to request up to two asynchronous sessions per week.
Student Assistance
The Writing Center offers more than just tutoring! For in-need and at-risk students, the Writing Center also operates as an extension of the Aggie Cupboard, providing those in need with pre-packaged meals. Please stop by the Writing Center or email our Director, Dr. Kathleen Weisse ( kdweisse@nmsu.edu) for more information!
Writing Resources
Looking for help with a specific issue? Below, you can find several useful links that assist with frequently asked questions, including questions about citations/formatting (APA, MLA, CMOS), research methods, literature reviews, and more! You can also find links to useful (and free!) software useful for multimedia projects, like video makers and text and photo editors.
Citations/Formatting
APA - Formatting and Style Guide (Purdue Owl)
MLA - Formatting and Style Guide (Purdue Owl)
CMOS - Formatting and Style Guide (Purdue Owl)
Research Methods/Methodologies
What are Research Methods? (University of New Castle Library)
Literature Reviews
How to Write a Literature Review (York College)
Microsoft 365
Students, Faculty, & Staff: How to Download Microsoft 365 (NMSU)
Library Resources
Materials Search (Books, Articles, Databases, etc.) (NMSU)
Request Interlibrary Loan (NMSU)
Places to Study (NMSU)
Where Can I Print?
Project Resources
Grammarly (Grammar Editor)
GIMP (Image + Graphics Editor)
Screencastify (Screen Recorder)
ScreenPal (Screen Recorder + Video Editor)
Audacity (Audio Recorder + Editor)
Kdenlive (Video Editor)
W3Schools Online (Web Coding Tutorials)
Linguee (Language Translator)
