Did you know that the College of Communication (COM) has its own dedicated Writing Center? COM students may hear about it from instructors, but in case you’re still wondering what to expect from an appointment, and how it can help, here’s a helpful guide to answer your questions.
COM Writing Center Director, Professor Lisa Becker, explains what the Center is, what students can expect from an appointment, and the resources available for both students and faculty. Professor Becker recently entered the role of Director of the COM Writing Center, but brings seven years of experience as a master lecturer for COM writing courses.
“We’re trying some new things this fall,” says Professor Becker, “but the Writing Center is not a new place for me.”
What is the COM Writing Center?
Located in COM B27A, the COM Writing Center is a free resource for anyone taking a COM class—whether they are a COM student or not.
Staffed by graduate students across all COM majors, the Writing Center offers guidance on a variety of COM coursework. All fellows receive training about common COM assignments like press releases and news stories, so students aren’t boxed into booking appointments with fellows in their major. As part of her work, Professor Becker is also populating a “bank” of common assignments for the writing fellows to reference whenever they need.
Fellows are also trained to support students from different language backgrounds, and the Center has two fellows this semester who are native Mandarin speakers.
Fellows are also trained on supporting students from different language backgrounds, and the Center has two fellows who are native Mandarin speakers this semester.
Writing Center Hours of Operation
The COM Writing Center also has updated hours. On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, the Center is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Wednesdays, the Center offers extended hours, and students can schedule appointments until 8 p.m. On Fridays, the Center closes at 4 p.m.
- Mondays: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Tuesdays: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Wednesdays: 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Thursdays: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Fridays: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Professor Becker hopes this new schedule allows students to visit “who don’t have time to come in during the day, but might have an hour or two in the evening.”
How and when can students make an appointment?
Students can book appointments through an online portal, where they can select a fellow and a time slot. Standard appointments last 30 minutes, but students can book longer durations, too. If you’re looking to schedule in advance of the inevitable crunch near midterms and finals, the portal offers dates as far as Dec. 10, the end of the fall semester. All appointments are in-person.
“If anyone wants to schedule something right before all of their major deadlines,” says Professor Becker, “they’re able to do that.”
Starting this semester, the COM Writing Center is also taking walk-in appointments. Students can come to the Center and see any free fellow (or wait until there is one). This allows more flexibility for students who are unsure of their schedules or don’t have enough time to book an appointment.
What should students expect from a writing appointment?
“We will help students at any stage of the writing process with any COM assignment,” says Professor Becker. “If you have an outline, that’s fine. Or if your assignment is due tonight at midnight, also fine.”
“If we’re fixing student work directly, then it’s no longer the student’s own writing.”
Students generally bring their laptops with writing assignments, but the COM Writing Center also works with hard copies. During a writing appointment, fellows will point out errors and provide guidance about grammar, usage, and style.
However, Professor Becker emphasizes that the Center is not a proofreading service. “If we’re fixing student work directly,” she says, “then it’s no longer the student’s own writing.”
To preserve academic integrity and to increase the student’s writing skills, fellows will work through a few cases of the errors found in the piece, with the hope that students will need the Center less over time, Becker added.
What resources does the COM Writing Center offer to faculty?
The Center has sent fellows into COM writing courses to help instructors run workshops, conduct review sessions, and provide writing tips to students. Fellows are well trained in everything the Center covers for students, so they can provide support in “pretty much anything grammar, usage, or style related,” says Professor Becker, “or if you have a niche need. If your students maybe could use a little bit of review on how to write a summary lede, we can go in and do things like that as needed.”
What other writing resources does the COM Writing Center provide?
Beyond appointments with fellows, the COM Writing Center also offers written and video resources about different aspects of writing.
On its resources page, students can find quick reference guides for “COM Writing Genres,” such as news stories, press releases, advertising headlines, and film & TV scene analyses. There are also guides for grammar and style guides commonly seen in COM assignments.
“We are currently updating those,” says Professor Becker. “I was actually just working on a new quick guide to AP style, so that is brand new.” Along with AP style, students can also find MLA and APA style guides.
If a student has consulted a guide but still has questions, Professor Becker encourages them to email comwrite@bu.edu for clarification.
There are also more complex guides for thesis statements, emails to professors, academic conduct, and brief resume or cover letter help. The COM Writing Center often refers students to COM Career Services, where they can seek in-depth reviews for their professional writing, as part of the COM network of writing support for students.
As the semester progresses, we can expect to see more of the Center on social media, since the staff are working on additional resources in short video form. This, paired with the additional hours and drop-in appointments, are the beginning of the Center’s increasing accessibility for the community.
“My hope is that the students and professors really see the COM Writing Center as a resource to help make their lives better,” says Professor Becker.
Have you visited the COM Writing Center yet? If yes, feel free to share your feedback in the comments section below. If you wish to book an appointment, click here.
Leave a Reply to Heera Shetty Cancel reply