So what is a “Wit”?

Seniors, juniors, and sophomores who know how to write a good paper, like people, and want to help them become better writers. WITs are recommended by their Reflective Tutorial professors.

Every WIT should be able to help you with any paper.

Bring in notes or a draft, and your assignment sheet if possible. You can bring your disk so you can make changes right in the Writing Center. We have printers, too. But allow at least 45 minutes for your session.

If you want you can make appointments to meet with a particular WIT or on a specific day and time by calling 420-4234.

However, if you need help with a paper, you can stop by the center any time. Any WIT on duty will be more than happy to help you.

Why should I go see a WIT?

“Every writer needs a reader.” No matter what your level of ability is, there's always room for improvement. If your writing is weak in organization, unity, sentence structure--what have you--a session in the Writing Center will provide you with a supportive environment in which to develop.

A WIT can guide you through the writing process, assist you with trouble areas, work with you on your weaknesses, and help you improve as a writer.

If, on the other hand, you're a strong and confident writer, a session with a WIT is still worthwhile. A WIT can serve as a test-audience, an impartial reader, a devil’s advocate, a sounding board. After a discussion with a WIT, you might bring up points you hadn't thought of before or catch mistakes you didn’t know you'd made. No matter how much or how little help you need, a trip to the Writing Center can only make it better.

What can I expect from a WIT?

Writing is highly subjective and creative, so open communication is essential. WITs try to draw out the best writing possible. However, every WIT is expected to abide by certain guidelines. Here's what every Wagner student student should expect from a WIT:

* A polite and friendly greeting upon your arrival;

* A professional attitude concerning the session and the paper;

* A quiet working environment. (Sometimes you may find it necessary to move to another section of the library);

* The complete and undivided attention of your WIT during the session;

* Positive suggestions on how to make your work better;

* An explanation of why your WIT thinks you should make any corrections or adjustments to your paper;

* Knowledge of or access to basic rules regarding style and structure for different forms of documentation;

* Complete confidentiality.

How can I get the most out of my session?

A session with a WIT can be as productive or as pointless as you want it to be. The more you put into a session, the more you'll get out of it. Here's a list of things you can do to make sure the time you spend in the Writing Center is as productive as possible:

* Have an open mind when you come in;

* Know what your assignment is and what your professor requires. If you can, bring your assignment sheet with you;

* Make sure to bring whatever material you’ve worked on so far. If you haven’t put anything on paper yet, at least have a basic list of ideas to work with.

* Don’t wait until the night before a paper is due to come to the Writing Center! If you do and your paper needs serious revising, you aren’t allowing yourself enough time to see it through.

* Read your work out loud to the WIT when you get there, to catch your own errors of logic or grammar.

* Ask questions! WITs aren't perfect. If there's a spot in your paper that you’re unsure of and the WIT doesn’t address it, point it out.

* Work with the WITs. We’re here to help you. The best sessions occur when you and the WIT are working together, bouncing ideas back and forth.

* Don’t be afraid to do your share of the talking. After all, it’s your paper.