Mission Statement

The University Writing Center is committed to promoting a positive and encouraging writing culture at St. Thomas. We believe that our writing is a badge for our academic achievement. It is the means through which we disseminate our research and communicate with each other and the world. Our mission is to help students in all fields and at all levels to produce writing that effectively conveys what they know, and who they are.

What We Do

Our tutors can help you with any writing issue, from brainstorming to drafting, revising, editing, research and documentation, and proofreading. We can work with you to improve specific assignments or a general area, such as grammar or organization. We can evaluate your strengths and weaknesses and teach you strategies for better writing. We are an instructional service, not an editorial or proofreading service. We won’t correct papers for you, but we will teach you how to quickly and effectively do it yourself.

You are also invited to stop by during regular hours to work alone on one of the sixteen available computers. The UWC is a space where all writers are welcome to work on their craft in a supportive environment.

Where We Are and When We are Open

We are located in KEN 209-A and are open Monday and Wednesday from 1-8 PM for our evening students and open Tuesday and Thursday from 1-5:30pm.The UWC is open for walk-in sessions during any hour of operation. However, we prioritize appointments and do not guarantee that walk-ins will be able to receive assistance. To make an appointment, please stop by or call the UWC at 305-628-6607.

Information for Students

Here are ways you can make your visit to the UWC more productive:

• If you are coming in to work on a specific assignment, make sure you know the name and number of the class it’s for and the name and e-mail address of the professor. You may request that your professor receive a report that you have visited us and a summary of what we worked on with you.

• Make sure you understand the instructions for the assignment on which you want to work. If the professor has given you written instructions, bring them.

• Unless you want help with brainstorming, bring a printout of your work so far. We can’t print any documents for you, and it is much faster and easier to work with a typed rather than handwritten draft.

• Be specific about the kind of help you want. If you are not sure, we can still help you, but if you know, for example, that you would like to improve a paper’s organization, you and your tutor can focus on that immediately and get you on your way to a better paper faster.

• If you have a research problem, such as needing help with documentation, bring your research with you. If you don’t have your research yet, we can help you plan a research strategy, but we will not conduct research for you. Ask for help finding research at the library.

• Tutors will work with you only up to one hour at a time. If you expect that you might need help with several stages of an assignment, plan to visit the center more than once. (In other words, please come see us more than one day before an assignment is due!)

• Come prepared to take notes. Remember, we do not correct your paper; we teach you how to do it. While we will keep a record of your visit, it’s up to you to write down what you need to do on your own once your tutoring session is complete.

• You are responsible for the ultimate content of your paper. Visiting the UWC does not guarantee you a better grade either in an assignment or in a class. Grading is the job of the professors, and we won’t ever discuss a grade with you. For questions about grades, please ask your professor.

• You can walk in and wait for a tutor to assist you, or you can call for an appointment. Walk-ins are first come, first served. If you would like to see a specific tutor, we recommend you make an appointment by calling at least a day ahead.

Information for Faculty

We are committed to providing a valuable service to both students and faculty. There is a range of services available to you depending on your needs.

• Students can visit us at their discretion. They may request that we send you notification of their visit to the center and a summary of what we worked on together. We will also ask students if they would like us to send you notification.

• If you do not wish for your students to receive assistance, please tell them so. Be assured, however, that we are an instructional service, not an editing or proofreading service. In other words, your student’s paper will still be your student’s, so please do not hesitate to encourage students to seek our assistance.

• Please contact the Writing Center director for information on how to use writing as an effective learning and assessment tool and to schedule classroom visits or workshops on writing issues.

Director’s Contact Information:

Name: Dr. Kevin Dvorak
Office: Kennedy 209-A
Phone: (305) 628-6607
Email: kdvorak@stu.edu