» The Writing Center
Chapman’s Writing Center serves both undergraduate and graduate students of all majors. Appointments are all held online and can be either synchronous or asynchronous. We assist writers in the development of the skills and confidence needed to succeed in their chosen fields by identifying diverse writing needs, demystifying writing processes, and developing scholarship for presentation and publication.
The Writing Center fulfills the University’s commitment to nurture intellectual curiosity while ensuring holistic development and success for students. We promote a welcoming learning environment and emphasize educational equity and accompliceship.
Learn more about our services or book an appointment with the Writing Center below.
Sync Sessions, Async Sessions, and Graduate Pulse Checks
Asynchronous Sessions
- No need to attend an appointment (you'll schedule a time slot for a Writing Center consultant to work on your draft but won't attend a meeting).
- Timeslots are 1-2 hrs in length.
- A consultant will respond with written feedback within 24 hours of your submission.
Synchronous Sessions
- Meet with a consultant in real time through Teams
- Appointments are 1 hour long. Use the time to ask questions, get prewriting help, brainstorming, and/or getting consultant feedback on a draft.
Graduate Pulse Checks
- This is for graduate students seeking to understand current communication expectations in their departments and fields (written, oral, visual).
- Meet with a consultant in real time through Teams
- Appointments are 1 hour long. Use this time to schedule your game plan to finish your thesis, capstone, or dissertation or to get feedback on drafts for semester-long (or year-long!) projects.
Our Services
The Writing Center accepts submissions from all levels of education, in all fields of study, at any point in the writing process— from brainstorming to drafting to final edits. Feedback can be provided for academic, professional, and personal work of all kinds.
Academic Writing and Composing
- Standard essays
- Research projects
- Lab reports
- Technical writing
- Creative writing
- Presentations (e.g. Prezi, PowerPoint, etc.)
- Canvas Discussion Forum responses
- Capstone projects, theses, and dissertations
- Etc.
Professional Writing and Composing
- Resumes and CVs
- Cover letters
- Job applications
- Personal statements
- Grad school applications
- Internship applications
- Writing for publication
- Etc.
Resources and Guides
Resources and information can be found on our Canvas for topics such as
- The Writing Process
- Grammar and Writing Mechanisms
- Research, Citations, and Format
- Creative Writing and Screenwriting
- Writing Tools
Opting in to Canvas announcements also provides information on Writing Center updates and events.
Preparing for a Session
When possible, make an appointment well in advance of your paper's due date. This will give you plenty of time to revise your paper in response to your session with the tutor. You may also choose to come to the center before you have your first draft.
Bring:
- A copy of your course syllabus
- A copy of your assignment
- A copy of your paper draft (if applicable)
Most sessions are similarly structured. You will probably spend time in your session:
- Setting your own goals. If possible, determine your goals before your visit. Do you want help with your thesis statement? Are you concerned about run-on sentence? Do you want to brainstorm ideas? Are particular parts of your paper not working? The more specific your request for help, the more focused and productive your Writing Center session will be.
- Describing the assignment and your professor's expectations. This is why it's always a good idea to bring the assignment sheet and the course syllabus! Remember, your tutor cannot attend every class from every professor on campus; your preparation will help the tutor ascertain what the professor may be looking for in your paper.
- Explaining to your tutor what you intend to communicate in your paper. The tutor will ask questions to help clarify your thoughts and determine the best way to express them.
- Listening to the tutor's comments and suggestion about your paper. The tutor will provide feedback on what seems successful in your paper and what might benefit from more work.
- Writing notes on your draft. Although the tutors will offer suggestions and feedback, it is up to you to decide which comments to use and which to ignore. Tutors may take some notes with their questions and suggestions, but you will do the majority of the writing.
- Editing and correcting errors on your draft. Again, you will do this with the help of the tutor, who will notice patterns of error and teach you the necessary tools to correct them.
Contact us
Contact us via email. Instructors can email us to schedule a brief in-class presentation on the Writing Center.
Writing Center
Becket 114
Walk-in hours: Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.