Who We Are
The Writing Center at UNL is staffed by undergraduate and graduate students who think of themselves as writers and who are committed to teaching and talking well about writing with other writers. Nearly all of our consultants are taking or have taken ENGL 380/880: Writing Center Theory, Practice, and Research. Our staff is committed to ongoing education, and all of our staff members participate in regular staff development meetings.
What We Do
The Writing Center offers free one-on-one consulting to all members of the UNL community. Writing Center consultants work with undergraduate and graduate students on a wide variety of academic and creative projects as well as on resumes, cover letters, application essays for program or graduate school admissions. In addition to supporting faculty writing for publication, we work with instructors on writing assignment design. We also work with faculty to design Writing Center workshops tailored to meet the needs of particular courses where writing is being taught in the disciplines. We work with staff on both professional and personal writing projects.
About Writing Center Consultations
When you come into the Writing Center, you'll be greeted by a consultant or one of our Writing Center Assistants and introduced to your consultant. You'll be invited to join your consultant at a table and will talk together about your writing project for up to 40 minutes. You should bring any writing you have done already, your assignment sheet (if you're working on a class assignment) or writing prompt, any feedback you've already received for this writing project, and any questions or concerns you may have about the project or about your writing in general. Here are some examples of the kinds of matters that writing center conversations take up:
- brainstorming ideas
- clarifying key concepts
- developing and sustaining an argument or position
- organization
- introductions and conclusions
- citations
- revision strategies in response to feedback
- editing strategies
Who Needs the Writing Center?
Although there are plenty of myths about solitary writers closeting themselves away to write, the reality is that writing is a social act and writers need not only readers of their finished work, but other writers who will read and talk about works in progress. It makes sense to us to seek out writers who are experienced and adept at giving meaningful and productive feedback and interested in what other writers have to say. When we encounter these kinds of writers, we hire them to work in the Writing Center. Who needs the Writing Center? Honestly, we can't think of anyone who writes, seriously or for fun, who doesn't.