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NEED HELP with that paper?
The Writing Center Can
• Help you understand your assignment
• Help you get started
• Help you get finished
• Help you get organized
• Help you learn to proofread
• Help you document your sources
Our professional staff can help you at any stage of the writing process: planning, drafting, and revising.
We don’t write your papers for you, but we can teach you to write more effectively!
Bring your assignment with you.
Call or come in before that paper is due!
Misson Statement
Our mission is to promote a culture of writing, critical thinking, and learning at Penn State Brandywine by supporting students, faculty, and staff in their academic, creative, and personal writing endeavors. Serving both experienced and inexperienced writers, we value meeting the needs of the individual writer, no matter what his or her writing background, and we accomplish our goals by providing one-on-one instruction and by creating a positive environment conducive to a community of writers. We support our campus in its mission to recruit and retain motivated students who will lead productive lives. We welcome and encourage collaboration with faculty to help us meet our goals.
What is the Writing Center?
Serving the University community, Penn State Brandywine’s Writing Center provides help for all students with any writing assignment. Our instructors are professionals who offer one-on-one service to promote educational opportunity and to enhance students’ academic achievement. We provide help with writing for any class. Personalized instruction with resumes, cover letters, and the basics of grammar and punctuation is also available.
Who goes to the Writing Center?
Anyone. Even good writers know the benefits of having another good writer look over their work. Many writers, both experienced and inexperienced, find it useful to talk about what they’re writing and get feedback. The dialogue process helps writers clarify, focus and organize their ideas.
What do I bring?
- Bring your assignment if you have one. Many professors provide students with an assignment sheet. Sometimes students can benefit by talking with another about what is expected.
- Bring a draft if you are at that point in the process. If not, bring ideas.
Will my professor know I visited the Writing Center?
Your professors will receive notification of your attendance at the Writing Center if you work on a course assignment unless you indicate that you wish your visit to remain private. Professors often view attendance at the Writing Center as an indication of your effort and motivation.
How often can I come? How long is my appointment?
Most appointments are 30 minutes. However, you may schedule as many appointments as you or your Writing Center Instructor deem beneficial. In the case of longer papers, you may schedule an hour-long appointment. Standing appointments, which means a student would come once a week at the same time, are also available on a first-come first-served basis.
Do the instructors give grades? Will I get a better grade in my course if I go to the Writing Center?
Writing Center Instructors do NOT assign grades or influence your professors in the grading process. Most students do find that their paper grades improve over time by coming to the Center. Remember, however, that students earn their grades, and students remain the writers of their papers.
After I get an assignment, how soon should I come to the Writing Center?
Come in as soon as possible. Don’t wait until the day before the paper is due unless you are certain the only part of the process you need help with is proofreading.
Can I just drop my paper off so someone can correct my mistakes?
No. The idea of the Writing Center is that you work with another person to improve your writing. We will not write for you, nor will we proofread your papers. We will show you some proofreading techniques and work through the process with you
