About Undergraduate Writing Consultations
Appointments & Help
SWS will reopen for summer session on June 8th. Check our Hours and Locations for more information.
Email [email protected] for questions about Student Writing Support.
Phone: 612-625-1893
What is a writing consultation?
A writing consultation is a conversation between you and a writing consultant. SWS offers both online and in-person sessions. Each consultation is unique, but most consultations proceed like this: first, you as the writer introduce what you’re working on, where you are in your writing process, and what questions and concerns you have so far. Then we set an agenda for the session, together we read what you have (if anything–you can come without a draft!), and then we talk about the work in progress, keeping your goals for the session in mind.
We can engage in any activity you request, including
- Understanding a writing task or assignment
- Breaking through writer’s block
- Giving insightful, compassionate, and constructive feedback
- Targeting any rhetorical situation (audience, topic, purpose, mode)
- Preparing questions to bring back to your instructor or advisor
- Learning strategies for prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing/proofreading/polishing
- Accessing resources for your writing (the library, subject area tutoring, Media Services, tech help, etc.)
- Getting some concrete writing done in an "accountabilibuddy" session!
- Brainstorming ideas or getting started on a draft
- Reviewing a draft
- Tackling grammatical issues
- Restructuring paragraphs
- Answering citation questions
- Offering reading tips to help you comprehend a source you’re using
You won’t share or send anything ahead of time; instead, your consultant will read anything you share for the first time during the consultation itself.
Come to our drop in hours if you
- Need help with anything listed above
- Can't find an available appointment
- Drop-ins are first-come, first served, and can last up to 45 minutes
- Drop-in consultations are currently only available in-person
- The drop-in queue can only be joined during our drop-in hours
- Come to 216Pills room 15 to join the queue, or sign in on your way by visiting our app at z.umn.edu/swsNOW.
Going to other readers outside SWS is totally fine, but why not expand your support system to SWS where informed readers can give you collaborative feedback that helps you learn to be a more effective writer in the long run? (And you’re already paying for it!)
The kind of feedback SWS offers is compassionate, constructive, specific, and insightful. We don’t judge you; we’re here to support you!
SWS writing consultants are insightful readers and responders to your writing. They are interested and non-evaluative readers who can help you create writing you can be proud of. They specialize in slowing down the process for you to explain assignment instructions and instructor feedback–they really take the time to respond to your specific concerns, and work to resolve them collaboratively with you.
- A digital or print copy of the writing you want to work on, or, if you have nothing written yet, any ideas you have for your project.
- Any materials that will help your consultant understand the context of your writing project. These might include the assignment sheet, rubric, the syllabus, in-class notes, previous drafts or instructor/peer feedback on your writing, sources you used/consulted, or any other materials you think would be helpful to share with the consultant.
- Whatever you need to take notes during the session (laptop, pen/paper, etc.)
Who we are
SWS writing consultants are students and professionals with experience doing their own academic writing as well as reading and responding to the work of other writers. All of our consultants participate in ongoing professional development.
- Help you get started on an assignment: “I have to do a literature review, but I don’t know where to start."
- Discuss organization: “I have ideas for my dissertation chapter, but I’m not sure if they work together.”
- Address questions about clarity in writing: “I am not sure if this paragraph makes sense. Is it clear to you?”
- Model revision and editing strategies: “How can I make my sentences clearer and more direct?”
- Teach you how to proofread: “My instructor said I have a lot of comma splices. How can I fix them?”
Direct you to writing resources: “Is there a website that can teach me how to cite sources?”
What students are saying about SWS
“FANTASTIC! She gave me excellent, pointed feedback that I can easily incorporate into my next paper. Her suggestions were very straightforward, and she was respectful of my own individual writing style and how to make changes the instructor is looking for, but still keep my ‘own voice.’”
“She gave me wonderful comments not only about English expressions but also my cover letter. It is so helpful for me to make my cover letter more organized and effective. THANKS.”
“One of the best aspects of the center is the ability to use it any day and time, especially with the online resource. Thank you for all of the wonderful years and I look forward to a few more as a graduate student.”
“This was a GREAT session! I was so burnt out and I just wanted to talk through ideas. She was a great listener and did a great job of reflecting back to me what I seemed to think was most important. Really helped me focus and get excited again about my writing.”
“The writing consultant addresses my questions in an appropriate manner. His questions further prompt my critical thinking skills and establishment of strong arguments in my paper(s). I am thankful for this resource.”
“[My consultant] did a fantastic job of addressing my concerns on a mathematics lab report! He understood the very technical language in the report and provided well thought out feedback on improvement.”
More resources
The computer lab and study space, funded by a generous grant from the CLA Student Information Technology Fees Committee. For printing, we accept UCards only, charging ten cents per page. You can add money to your Ucard at a cash-to-Gopher-Gold station or online (for a $2.00 fee). Note: If you come to 216 Pillsbury Drive for a consultation, the consultant can print your paper for free.
In addition to writing consultations, we offer a variety of videos, printable handouts, and web resources under Writing Resources.
Please be aware of the Center's important policies related to no-shows and privacy.
Want to work at SWS as a consultant?
If you are interested in applying to be a writing consultant, please find information about openings and application instructions on our job opportunities page.