How to Benefit Most from a
Writing Centre Appointment
Adapted from the resources of Purdue University
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/pp/index.html
The Writing Centre, StFX University 2005
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What is a Writing Centre Appointment?
45-minute one-to-one session with an Academic
Skills Instructor
Purpose
 To help you become a better writer
What Happens?
 You ask questions.
 We try to answer them.
 We also ask you questions to help you approach the
writing task.
The Writing Centre, StFX University 2005
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An Instructor Can Help You at Every Stage
of the Writing Process

Invention (brainstorming, outlining)

Research

Drafting

Revising

Editing (teaching you how to correct your own surface errors)
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One Thing to Remember
An instructor does NOT
correct/proofread your paper
because…
that does not help you become a
better writer.
But the instructor can teach you
HOW to proofread and edit.
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“Dos” & “Don’ts”

Plan ahead: come when you start writing or with a
first draft.

Before you come, set an agenda for the appointment

Do NOT come at the last minute because you will
have little time for revision!

Do NOT expect to work on too many issues in one
appointment.
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Setting an Agenda
What do you want to work on?
Why is agenda-setting important?
 Writing Centre appointments are different from tutorials
in a classroom setting. We do not teach you subject specific material (i.e., how to solve a Chemistry problem
or identify the factors leading to the conflict between the
French and the English in Canada).

You know your own writing best.

Be realistic about what can be done in one appointment
and set priorities.
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HOC and LOC

What are HOC (Higher Order Concerns)?

What are LOC (Lower Order
Concerns)?
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Higher Order Concerns

Focus/Thesis

Purpose

Audience/Readers

Organization

Development
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Lower Order Concerns

Grammar





sentence structure
punctuation
prepositions
articles
verb tense

Word choice

Spelling
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The Need to Prioritize
If you want to work on both HOCs and LOCs
with a writing instructor, we suggest you plan
to work on HOCs first because:



We have limited time in an appointment.
Starting with LOCs may distract you from global
issues (HOCs) you may need to address.
After your work on HOCs, you may delete/add some
parts.
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Five-Topic Agenda-Generator

Instructions for the assignment

Your familiarity with the writing task

Preferred textual patterns in the subject area

Development

Lower Order Concerns
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Instructions for the Assignment

Is there an assignment sheet?

Do you have notes taken in class?

Do you have any questions about
the instructions?
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Lower Order Concerns

Grammar
What are the patterns of grammatical errors I tend to
make?

Word Choice
What are the words I am using but uncertain about?
Actually, there is a 24-7 teacher to help you with
most of your lower order concerns.
The Writing Centre, StFX University 2005
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Your Best 24-7 Teacher
The right dictionary!




Tells you the part of speech of words
Gives you examples of word usage
Provides related/similar words
Provides usage notes
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Recommended Dictionaries for Writers

The Canadian Oxford Dictionary

www.dictionary.com

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary
English

Longman Web Dictionary
www.longmanwebdict.com
The Writing Centre, StFX University 2005
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Dictionary Use Basics

Take the time to browse through
the dictionary.


Learn grammar:


build your vocabulary
parts of speech
Learn usage:



Synonyms
phrasal verbs
usage notes
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Questions to Ask Yourself Regarding
Grammar
What are my grammar questions?
 Can I find the answer in a good dictionary?
If you cannot:
 What exactly is my grammar question? Can I write it
down?
 Can I underline the parts I have questions about?
Then take your questions and your paper with the underlined
sections to your Writing Centre appointment.
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We Have Covered

What a writing centre appointment is

What an instructor can help you with during
your writing process

Dos and Don’ts

A Five-Topic agenda-generator
We hope you have learned more about writing centre
appointments and benefit more from them in the future!
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For More Help with Writing

Call 867-5221 to schedule an appointment

Buy The Writing Guide at the campus
bookstore

Attend the free Writing Centre workshops

Visit the StFX Writing Centre website at:
http://www.stfx.ca/resources/writingcentre

Visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab at:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu
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