Writing Support Center

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The mission of the Iowa Wesleyan Writing Center is to assist students in every step of the writing process. Through one-on-one to group conferences and peer-to-peer consultations, we seek to create a strong community of writers across the curriculum. Our purpose is strongly aligned with the university’s mission to be a transformational learning community whose passion is to educate, empower, and inspire students to lead meaningful lives and careers.

Writing Support is available at the Steven and Jill Howe Student Success Center. The Student Success Center offers in-person appointments and drop-in consultations for writers currently enrolled at IW. Writers living on campus and commuting to IW can take advantage of these services. Writers currently enrolled in online classes may email our writing specialist for online assistance or fill out the online form below. Please allow 24-48 hours for feedback. If you are unable to meet this time frame, please call the Student Success Center at 319-385-6419.

David Wendt
David Wendt, Ed.S.

Director of the Writing Center
Chadwick Library; Upper Level, Room 308
319-385-6419

E-mail
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    Assistance

    All Iowa Wesleyan students seeking assistance with their writing will receive free conferences and consultations at the Writing Center located in the Steven and Jill Howe Student Success Center on the top floor of the J. Raymond Chadwick Library.

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    Professionalism

    We will be a welcoming and professional workspace, treating all Iowa Wesleyan students, faculty, and staff with respect. We will also acknowledge the different cultural backgrounds of the student population and be a Safe Space for all learners. We will conduct cooperative and constructive conferences, working with all students to become better writers. All Writing Center staff will be sensitive to students and their writing abilities. We are not a “drop off” proofreading center, nor do we try to predict the grade a student will receive. We do not give students exact details to write in an essay. Instead, we try and focus on strengthening the existing content of student essays through outlining or revision conferences.

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    Accommodation

    We will try to accommodate all students regarding their schedules. The Writing Center does not review projects on the day an assignment is due. Students must have an appointment at least 12-24 hours before the due date. While appointments are preferred, we will do our best to accommodate walk-ins. Each appointment meets for an average of 30 minutes to try and ensure the assistance of as many students as possible on any given day. All staff will be respectful of their time with each student; therefore, it is imperative that students come prepared and on time for their appointments.

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    Confidentiality

    We will respect the confidentiality and personal information of all Iowa Wesleyan students who seek our assistance. Our staff will document each session, and if requested, will forward a session report to the student’s instructor or the student for records. We will continually assess and evaluate the methods employed by our center. We will work to ensure that our practices are innovative and effective for students enrolled at Iowa Wesleyan, being respectful of the changing needs of students.

Writing Resources

Writing Templates

Purdue Online Writing Lab

This comprehensive online writing lab is free to use. All essay writing topics–from generating a thesis statement to writing your bibliography–are discussed in detail.

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/

Microsoft Word Reference Builder

Microsoft Word contains a free Citation Builder within the program under the References tab on the toolbox. You are able to select the current writing style (APA 6th, MLA 7th or 8th, etc.). When you choose Manage Sources you will be able to create, edit, and insert your in-text citations and full citations in the corresponding section of your essay. Follow this Microsoft Support link for more information.

KnightCite: Free Online Citation Builder

Use this free online citation builder to create your bibliography.

Note: KnightCite now only supports MLA 8th edition. Before writing your essay, please check with your instructors to confirm which edition they would prefer because MLA 8 was adopted in early 2016.

http://www.calvin.edu/library/knightcite/

International Writers

The Student Success Center works with international student writers, focusing on tackling second language errors that happen when writing in a new academic style. Appointments can be made to focus on all areas of the writing process, including sessions on language use and grammar. Be sure to take advantage of the free Mango Language software accessed through the Chadwick Library.

The Student Success Center also works with international students by helping with placement when they arrive and continuing to support them with conversation practice, as well as proofreading and editing. Two classes for second language learners are taught through the Student Success Center:

  • ARC 101–English Language Skills allows students who are not native English speakers to develop their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.
  • ARC 102–English Language Skills II allows non-native English speakers to continue to develop their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.

Plagiarism

Do you know what plagiarism is? Do you know how to practice Academic Honesty in your writing? As a student, you are committed to following the guidelines of attribution, according to our institution’s Academic Honesty Policy (page 23 of the 2016-2017 Undergraduate Catalog). Plagiarism can be a tricky subject to understand, especially if you are new to academic writing. The Purdue OWL provides information on defining and avoiding Academic Dishonesty.

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