Help when you need it

The main writing centre is in the Killam Library, but there are also centres on Sexton and Carleton campuses. Here, Paul Hardman meets with undergraduates from the Faculty of Management. (Danny Abriel Photo)

Writing can often be a daunting task. Fortunately, the Dalhousie Writing Centre exists to help students improve and polish their writing. From English literature and journalism, to the sciences and engineering, the writing centre covers all areas of study with tutors from many disciplines.

“When people think of writing, they usually think along the lines of writing in the social sciences or in English Literature,” says Margie Clow-Bohan, manager of the centre. “But it’s not the majority of writing you’ll do in your life. We write to communicate with each other and students often forget that.”

Writing centre tutors don’t provide proofreading or editing services, but rather assist students with their work by helping them to understand thoroughly the assignment guidelines and expectations, develop writing strategies and structuring ideas and content to form a cohesive flow.

“At the start of a session, we sit down with the student and ask what students expect and know about their assignment and we take it from there,” says Melissa Oldreive, a writing centre tutor currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Administration.

One on one

Students make appointments through the main centre in the Killam Library; however, tutors are available to meet students at the Sexton, Kellogg, and Weldon libraries as well as at the Killam. Even though demand is up at the centre—usage is up by 32 per cent this fall—the writing centre aims to accommodate students with one-on-one sessions within 24 to 48 hours.

“A lady came to my Nursing 1000 lecture and gave a quick presentation about the centre and everything it had to offer. She explained it is applicable for all degrees and they will pair you up with a mentor familiar with the class you are studying,” says Shelby Moore, a first year nursing student. “I decided to use this service to help me with my reflective journal. I figured a little extra guidance would benefit me in this gray area.”

Sajjad Hussain, a PhD student in computer science, gets some help from tutor Katie Nation. (Danny Abriel Photo)

“The writing centre supported my thoughts and helped me deliver my message in a concise, academic manner,” adds Ms. Moore. “It was easy to make an appointment with them and they paired me with a student who was in the same field of study. They helped me create a mood/tone that I was trying to portray throughout the paper, and helped me restructure awkward sentences, making them more concise.”

“The best thing you could do when you write is to manage your time,” says Ms. Clow-Bohan. “Most people expect an easy fix or a kind of magic pill, but it takes a long time. Writing is always a struggle and people still have moments of doubt and avoidance towards it. Trying to express yourself on paper is a challenge and if you put it off, you’re not making things better for yourself.”

Dalhousie’s Writing Centre has locations on Studley, Carlton and Sexton campuses. For more information, visit: http://writingcentre.dal.ca/