What is the writing center?

The Writing Center offers academic support to any Brookdale student enrolled in any Brookdale course that requires writing. It is staffed by professional writing tutors, many of whom teach English classes. An integral part of ENGL-095, the Writing Center helps with essays and research papers from every academic discipline, including English, psychology, nursing, history, business, computer science, and more. Writing tutors also provide assistance with resumes and college admissions essays. In addition to the main tutoring room, the Writing Center houses a Computer Lab where students may work on their writing and print up to two copies of English papers without charge. They may also print any paper needed for a Writing Center appointment free of charge. Other types of printing are prohibited.

Who uses the Writing Center?

Writing Center users are as diverse as Brookdale’s population. They include the returning adult, the international student, and the recent high school graduate. Writing tutors meet with students who have basic skills, advanced skills, and everything in between.

How does it work?

Students can meet with a writing tutor in a one-hour face-to-face appointment or a one-hour on-line appointment. They schedule these appointments on-line through ThinkingStorm. Students without appointments may attempt to drop-in. Drop-in appointments are taken on a first-come, first-served basis and are not guaranteed. Students with scheduled appointments must arrive on time, as appointments are forfeited after fifteen minutes. Students may use the Computer Lab without an appointment.

What happens during an appointment?

Students come to the Writing Center at various stages of the writing process. Some want help before beginning an assignment, while others want feedback on an early draft or help once an assignment is returned. Appointments usually take place at a table, though sometimes a consultant and student may work in the Computer Lab. Each appointment focuses on one or two main concerns with a student’s paper. Most appointments deal with higher order concerns such as focus, development, and organization, unless an instructor specifically notes otherwise. Lower order concerns such as grammar, usage, and mechanics are tackled once these higher order areas are addressed.

During a Writing Center appointment, students are often asked to read their papers aloud so they can hear their work. Writing tutors often ask open-ended questions that help students evaluate their writing processes and the work before them. Depending upon the appointment, students may take notes, cross out, write in the margins, or even do a little independent writing. Some students find they need additional appointments to achieve their goals for the paper. Students may not always leave their appointments with perfect papers, but they will leave knowing what to do next.

What writing tutors do

Writing tutors work as facilitators, rather than editors. Their goal is to help students become better writers, not to create perfect papers. During an appointment, the writing remains in front of the student, since the student is the one who needs to look at the work. If a student doesn’t understand a concept or how to do something, the tutor may explain it, offer some examples or models, and provide practice within the context of the student’s actual writing.

What writing tutors do not do

Writing tutors do not edit, mark up or write on students’ papers.

How do I schedule an appointment?

Instructions on how to schedule appointments and links to ThinkingStorm are available in the Make an Appointment section.

How should I prepare for an appointment?

Students with scheduled appointments should arrange to arrive a few minutes before their start time. Students with scheduled appointments and students seeking to drop-in should take a seat on the couch and wait for a tutor to speak with them. Any assignment instructions, previous drafts, instructor comments, or relevant research should be available to show the writing tutor.

What if I need more than an hour?

Depending upon the volume in the Writing Center and the schedule of the student and writing tutor, sometimes an appointment may continue beyond the scheduled hour time slot. Often, however, the student will need to schedule additional Writing Center appointments with the same or a different tutor. Occasionally, a tutor will schedule a longer appointment for a student he or she works with on a regular basis or for a student whose specific writing issues require additional time.

Can I schedule an appointment with a specific tutor?

Yes! When scheduling an appointment in ThinkingStorm, you can choose to schedule with whichever tutor you like. If you are new to the Writing Center and don’t know who to choose, or you don’t have a preference, you can select the “No Preference” option when scheduling, and a tutor will be assigned to you.

How will my instructor know I had an appointment?

At the end of each appointment, the writing tutor will complete and give to the student a Writing Center Appointment slip (or digital slip, for online appointments). This written record will indicate the writing issues worked on during the appointment, what the student will do next, and what follow-up appointments are recommended. Some instructors ask students to hand in these slips with the draft of the paper that was worked on in the Writing Center, while others may ask for the slip alone. Students should consult with their instructors.

What should I do if I cannot attend my appointment?

If students are unable to attend their Writing Center appointments, they must cancel them promptly. To do this, students can access ThinkingStorm and click the “Cancel Appointment” next to the upcoming appointment they wish to cancel. Students without access to a computer should call the Writing Center at 732-224-2941 to cancel their appointment. Students who miss three scheduled appointments in a semester without canceling are prevented from accessing ThinkingStorm and are limited to drop-in appointments.

Why am I unable to access ThinkingStorm?

It is possible that you have missed three or more appointments. Students who miss three scheduled Writing Center appointments without canceling are prevented from accessing ThinkingStorm and are limited to drop-in appointments. If this is not the case, contact the Writing Center at 732-224-2941, or writingcenterhelp@brookdalecc.edu.

How do I get off the banned list?

Students who think they are on the banned list in error should contact the Writing Center at 732-224-2941 or email writingcenterhelp@brookdalecc.edu.

May I bring a laptop to my appointment?

Students may bring a laptop to the appointment, but should be prepared to print out a copy of the paper if necessary. This permits the student and writing consultant to see the entire piece at once and makes it easier for the kinds of note taking, scribbling, and highlighting that may occur during an appointment.