What is the Writing Center?
The Writing Center is a free, easy-to-use resource available for all JCU students, faculty, staff, and alumni. We can work with you on any writing project, no matter the subject.
We meet you where you're at in your writing process, whether you are starting to brainstorm, re-thinking your organization, or making final revisions and edits to your paper. There are many benefits and reasons to visit the Writing Center!
Why Visit the Writing Center?
Gain Writing Confidence
The Writing Center is a place to come when feeling pressured about your work. One of our main goals is to have you walk out feeling confident, collected, and moving the right direction.
In order to help you feel this way, we ask you questions, listen to your goals, spark meaningful conversations, and engage in strategic activities designed to help you understand your work, all so you can get rid of that flustered feeling and be confident!
Get a Second Opinion
Writing can be a task that is easy to get lost in, leaving you with questions such as: Where do I start? Where do I go from here? What can I do with this?
At the Writing Center, we provide reader-response feedback so you can understand how someone not in your head is interpreting and responding to your words and ideas.
Successful People Seek Assistance
Few people find success without the assistance of others. John Carroll University is a treasure trove of professional resources for all students, faculty, staff, and alumni - the Writing Center being one of them!
The people who gain the most from their college experience are the people who make good use of the resources available to them. Make you experience worth it; come to the Writing Center!
Use our online scheduler, https://jcu.mywconline.com, to make an appointment!
Three Types of Appointments:
- Face to Face: In-person appointment with a consultant at the Writing Center (O'Malley Center 207)
- Zoom: Student and consultant meet via Zoom
- Asynchronous: You will upload your assignment sheet and paper through WCONLINE, our online scheduling system. The consultant will review the paper at the scheduled appointment time, but you do not have to be "present" during that time.
Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 9:00am - 5:00pmFriday: 9:00 am - 5:00pm
Be aware that the Writing Center follows the University's schedule with breaks and holidays, as well as with delayed openings or early closures due to weather.
Location:
O'Malley Center 207
Contact Information:
Email: writingcenter@jcu.eduPhone: (216) 397-4529Instagram: @jcuwritingcenter
What Type of Appointment is Best for Me?
Face to Face and Zoom Appointments are good for:
- Appointments early in the writing process (e.g. brainstorming or talking through some confusing parts)
- Establishing a personal connection
- Kinesthetic learners
Asynchronous Appointments are good for:
- Appointments in the later stages of the writing process
- Busy schedules
- Visual learners
Still not sure? Try them both and see what you like better!
To make an appointment, go to our online scheduler: https://jcu.mywconline.com
Be aware that the Writing Center follows the University's schedule with breaks and holidays, as well as with delayed openings or early closures due to weather.
We look forward to working with you!
What to Expect from Your Session
Consultants will:
- Ask about the paper requirements and to see the assignment sheet (if applicable)
- Ask you about your personal goals for the paper
- Ask you if there are specific things you'd like to focus on in the session
- Provide reader-response feedback
- Help maintain ownership of your paper
- Talk about writing and revision strategies
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What kind of writing can I bring to the Writing Center?
You can bring in any kind of writing! Our consultants help students with lab reports, poster presentations, business memos, essays, research papers, creative writing, and much, much more! You can also bring in application materials such as cover letters and personal statements.
Q: Do I have to have a full paper drafted before scheduling an appointment?
No! You can come in to talk through ideas and brainstorm, get help breaking down assignment requirements, or talk about organizing ideas and outlining. We'll meet you wherever you're at in the writing process.
Q: Who staffs the Writing Center?
Other JCU undergraduate students who have been trained to provide helpful, reader-response feedback at any stage of the writing process.
Q: Can I visit the Writing Center multiple times for the same paper?
Absolutely! Students often come in for a brainstorming appointment and then again later when they have more drafted. We are here for you at any stage in the writing process.
Staff Information:
Megan Connor (she/her), Director
Marc C. (he/him), Assistant Director (GA) Rachael W. (she/her), Social Media & Marketing Coordinator
Undergraduate consultants:
Emma A. (she/her) Brody A. (he/him) Tal B. (they/them) Oscar B. (he/him) Dani B. (she/her) Caroline C. (she/her) Logan C. (she/her) Ella F. (she/her) Eric F. (he/him) Sarah F. (she/her) Morgan G. (she/her) Sophia G. (she/her) Preston G. (she/her) Nick H. (he/him) Maddie J. (she/her) Richard L. (he/him) Anna M. (she/her) Kevin O. (he/him) Dylan P. (he/him) Anna S. (she/her) Alexis T. (she/her) Rachael W. (she/her) Sophia W. (she/her)
Benefits of Being a WC Consultant:
- One of the HIGHEST PAID JOBS on campus!
- Great resume builder
- Flexible hours
- Gain professional work experience
- Collaborative work environment
- Looks great for all majors!
Become a WC Consultant:
Sign up for EN 3900 Tutoring Writing Across Contexts.
- Open to all majors
- Strengthen your own writing skills
- Help others improve their writing confidence
- Hands-on consulting experience
- Now an ISJ course!
- Counts towards PJHR major and minor
- Counts towards Professional Writing major and minor
- Counts towards English major and minor
Questions? Email Writing Center Director, Megan Connor (mconnor@jcu.edu)
Brief History of the JCU Writing Center
JCU's Writing Center traces its origins to the early 1990s, when First-year Composition Director, David Kooster, established several informal tutorial sessions where students could seek additional help for their writing. The O'Malley Center opened in 1994, and the Writing Center found a home in 207. For the next ten years, the Writing Center was directed by Sally Joranko. Sydnia DeFranco took over for the 2003-2004 school year, and Drew Morse was the director from the summer of 2004 until the spring of 2010. In March 2010, Maria Soriano Young became the director and led the Writing Center through May 2021. The present director, Megan Connor, assumed the director position in August 2021.
The Writing Center's original informal tutorial sessions have developed into an enterprise that works five days a week, mainly conducting sessions within the Writing Center Monday through Friday. The Writing Center also held after-hours in the study rooms of Pacelli and Murphy Halls. Beginning in the fall of 2010, those after-hours were moved to Seminar A on the Garden Level of Grasselli Library. In the summer of 2005, the Writing Center's physical space and technology were updated, allowing for increased productivity and a more comfortable environment. We received a more colorful renovation over winter break of the 2012-2013 academic year.
Like everything else, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Writing Center to convert completely online in a matter of five days. For an academic resource that thrives on in-person interactions and really had never offered too much online before, the last two months of the spring semester of 2020 were very successful, and that success has continued through the 2020-2021 academic year.
Now, as we move forward in this post pandemic world, we will continue to offer online asynchronous and Zoom appointments as well as in-person appointments. While being forced to convert our services completely online was not an ideal situation, it did show us that we can uphold the same quality of student support in an online format that we have guaranteed in person. By offering students both online and in-person modality options for appointments, we are are able to increase the accessibility of our services for all students across campus.
Writing Center consultants are other JCU students who receive substantial training in Writing Center theory and consulting methodology.
