Have you ever had trouble understanding a writing assignment or organizing your sources and thoughts so that you could write a paper? Have you ever finished a paper draft and wondered if the ideas were clear and would make sense to a reader?
You are not alone. Many new college students feel similarly. In fact, in a 2011 College Board survey of high school graduates who went on to college, 54 percent of respondents reported feeling that college courses were more difficult than they expected. Moreover, 26 percent of these students said they wished they had taken more courses that emphasized writing because they felt unprepared for the writing expectations they faced in college.
How can the Writers' Center help me?
The La Roche Writers’ Center offers free one-on-one, individualized consultations focused on questions that students have about their writing, reading, research and presentation skills. In short, the Writers’ Center is a place for writers to come to talk about their work. We meet writers where they are, and we help them get where they want to be.
We regularly help undergraduate and graduate students in all majors and at all levels work on:
- Developing ideas
- Finding, reading and citing academic sources
- Structuring their writing in ways appropriate to audience and purpose
- Writing clear and correct prose
- Identifying and correcting errors
- Assessing their writing in relation to the assignment and the applicable conventions of a discipline
We can help with many types of writing too. We frequently help La Roche students with the following:
- Essays and research papers
- PowerPoint presentations
- Resumes and cover letters
- Personal poetry or short stories
- Scholarship essays
- Statements of purpose for graduate school
There are no grades, no homework and no grammar drills in the Writers’ Center. Instead your consultant can offer objective analysis and advice on the status of your project, your next step, and how you can polish and complete it.
What other things should I know about the Writers' Center?
- The Writers’ Center is staffed by La Roche instructors and students who undergo initial and ongoing staff training
- Appointments are usually 30 to 60 minutes long, starting on the hour and half-hour
- Walk-ins are accepted, but scheduling an appointment in advance is strongly recommended
- La Roche students (undergraduate and graduate), as well as faculty, staff and alumni, are eligible for the services provided by the Writers’ Center
How can I get more information?
Jessica Ganni, Ph.D.
Writers’ Center Director
Writers’ Center Main Phone: 412-536-1230
Director’s Office Phone: 412-536-1227 | Email: jessica.ganni@laroche.edu
Office: Wright Library, Room 206