About the Writing Center
What is the Writing Center?
The Writing Center is a free service available to students, faculty, and staff at UNC-Chapel Hill. Our tutors are friendly graduate students from a variety of academic disciplines who are specially trained in teaching writing. We offer both 45-minute face-to-face sessions and an online tutoring system that allows you to submit writing and receive feedback via the web. Our face-to-face sessions take place by appointment. You can submit a draft to the online tutor at any time, but we can respond only during our normal working hours. Undergraduates can use Writing Center services twice a week; graduate students, faculty, and staff can work with us once a week. For more information, see our FAQ.
What happens during a session?
Click Mr. Potato Head for a virtual tour of the Writing Center.
The Writing Center is not a proofreading or editing service, although we are happy to help you learn these skills. Our tutors work collaboratively with you to address your concerns as a writer. After reading through your assignment and paper together, we'll discuss your concerns. We'll spend a lot of our time talking, but it's also likely that you'll do some writing. We may direct you to further resources at the end of a session. Our goal is to support your long-term development as a writer, giving you new skills to use in future writing projects. If you'd like a quick overview of a session, click here.
What kinds of things do writers usually work on?
People visit us at all stages of the writing process. Writers often want to work on understanding an assignment or project, brainstorming some good ideas, or making an outline. They may choose to focus on thesis, organization, or argument, or they may be interested in learning how to proofread or edit their papers. People come to the Writing Center seeking feedback from an experienced, interested reader-someone who can say, "I understood this part, but not this one," or "I'm not sure how this relates to your thesis," or "I was wondering why you put this sentence here-can you tell me more?" The questions our tutors ask will show you how your writing is coming across to one audience; the skills they teach you will help you communicate your ideas more clearly and effectively.