Writing Center at Aquinas College

We provide one-on-one writing support so writers can receive immediate feedback on their writing and develop as writers.

During your session the consultant will ask questions to ensure the session is focused on your individual needs as a writer. These questions will be about your writing project or assignment, goals for the project, and other writing-related concerns. Consultants offer the perspective of an interested reader who collaborates with you to find answers to your writing questions and to discover strategies for managing your current writing project. At the end of the session, the consultant will help you determine a plan for "what's next" for your writing project.

Yourself and anything you have already written (in any form). If you haven't written anything yet, that's fine.

We often brainstorm, but examples of some materials people bring with them: partial resume, poetry ideas, notes on conference papers, research questions, and presentation slides. Wherever you are is where we will begin.

If you're working on a course assignment, bring a copy of the assignment directions and any relevant notes.

It helps if you come prepared with some questions or goals to share with your consultant.

No, your participation in the session is required. We look forward to consulting with you!

If you would like to request a remote consultation, email thewritingcenter@aquinas.edu. All online consultations will be synchronous. We only review pieces with writers present.

Consultations last between 30 to 50 minutes. The length of the consultation depends on the size of the project and the needs of the writer.

We may not be able to consult on your entire project if you have multiple pages of written text. Many writers visit the Writing Center several times during their writing process- especially for longer writing projects.

Our appointment schedule is available here. Appointments will be held for five minutes past their scheduled start time; after that, writers waiting for a drop-in consultation will be given preference.

Writers may drop-in for a consultation during any hours that the Writing Center is open, but we cannot guarantee a consultant will be available.

It is easy; look HERE!

No; the number of consultations are limited, and we wish to ensure all writers have access to the Writing Center team. 

Because good writers know that sharing their writing helps them improve as writers.

If you make a practice of visiting the Writing Center, you will, over time, develop as a writer. Consultants are happy to brainstorm ideas with you or work on planning, organization, or polishing your writing. Sometimes, just talking about your writing helps.

The AQ Writing Center is also a great place to build community and begin to understand what makes good academic writing. At the AQ Writing Center, we like to say "Friends don't let friends write alone!"

We ask writers to set only one appointment per week to ensure that the Writing Center is available to as many writers as possible.

We understand this may be frustrating for writers who are working on multiple papers at the same or need extended time. We strongly recommend planning ahead: review your syllabi and your due dates early in the semester, and plan to set appointments at the Writing Center in advance.

As always, you can walk in anytime. Consultations are first-come, first-serve.

Consultants will not proofread or edit your paper for you. If you wish to focus on grammar and mechanics, a consultant will help you locate patterns of error, as well as errors impeding communication. The consultant will help you learn how to identify and amend those errors; our goal is to help you become more familiar and confident with identifying and handling those errors on your own.

No. As experienced writers, readers, and consultants, we have many helpful suggestions and strategies for you to consider when writing and revising your work, but consultants' comments should not be interpreted as "grades" for your writing projects.

We are happy to review any rubrics or assignment descriptions with you and help to ensure you have met any requirements; however, we will never predict or guarantee any grades. 

Consultants will work with writers on take-home exams only in cases where the professor has granted such permission to the AQ Writing Center in advance or indicated on the assignment sheet or syllabus that such help is acceptable.

If you make a request, we will notify a professor of your visit to the Writing Center. At the end of your consultation, your consultant will ask you if you wish for someone to be notified of your visit. It is helpful if you have your instructor's email handy, but we can also look it up for you.

We offer consultations on Spanish compositions! We have a limited number of hours in which consultants are available to consult on Spanish compositions. To request a Spanish-ready consultant, please email thewritingcenter@aquinas.edu. 

And if you are interested in the Spanish language, remember our Café y Conversaciones hour!

All of our consultants are available to meet with any writer! If you are interested in learning about multilingual writing, please contact Nisha van Laar at nav001@aquinas.edu. 

Yes, we work with all writers in our AQ academic community: undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Dissertations are uniquely large writing projects. We do occasionally consult on sections of dissertations-in-progress, but we often refer writers working on dissertations to outside resources.

For more information, email thewritingcenter@aquinas.edu. 

Yes! We warmly welcome return visits from our AQ alumni.

Any current student, Undergraduate or Graduate at Aquinas College, can submit to Magna Verba. For more information, click here.