Frequently Asked Questions —Teachers

What are your hours?
How do I find the Writing Center?
What is a Goldenrod, and what is its purpose?
What qualifications do Writing Center tutors have?
What kind of help can you provide my students with?
Will you help my students with their grammar?
Can I meet with a tutor to personally discuss the Writing Center and how my class can make use of it?
How do you teach speed reading?
Do you offer any other mini-classes?
Other Questions?

What are your hours?

Fall 2009 Hours

Main Center – 4026 JKB
M: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

T: 9:00 am – 10:45 am, 12 pm – 6:00 pm

W: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

Th: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

F: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Satellite Centers

(Library Information Commons (No Shhh! Zone)

TWTH: 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

HBLL Writing and Research Lab (2231 HBLL)
TWTh: 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

How do I find the Writing Center?

The Writing Center is located in the east wing of the JKB in room 4026. Once you reach the fourth floor, you will find signs that direct you to the Writing Center. If you need detailed directions, please call us at 422-4306.

What is a Goldenrod, and what is its purpose?

Goldenrods are designed to inform you of a student’s visit to the Writing Center and the issues discussed during the tutorial. These reports are considered confidential between you and tutors and therefore should not be returned to students.

What qualifications do Writing Center tutors have?

Tutors are required to complete a semester-long internship before being hired at the Writing Center. Prior to acceptance into internship, potential tutors have to go through a rigorous selection process that assesses their writing ability, interpersonal skills, and knowledge of writing mechanics. During the internship, they are required to observe more experienced tutors at work, tutor in teams, and be observed and critiqued by other tutors. In combination with hands-on experience, interns also attend classes that cover tutoring methodologies, effective writing styles, and ESL tutoring. For a more thorough description of the internship process, see the internship description and application process.

What kind of help can you provide for my students?

The Writing Center is not an editing service; instead, our goal is to help students become better writers. We do this by focusing our discussion on how to clarify, explicate, and analyze at a college level. We are happy to address concerns students may have about their papers. Overall, we will strive to focus on the writing process and other issues pertinent to their papers. For more information about the tutoring process and how students can prepare for it, see the writing tutorial description and tips for student preparation.

Will you help my students with their grammar?

The Writing Center has a gramma tutors who is specifically trained to teach students to eliminate their most distracting grammatical mistakes. Like writing tutors, grammar tutors do not edit student papers. Rather, they will teach students the principles behind their mistakes and will answer any specific grammatical questions. For more information, see the grammar tutorial description.

Can I meet with a tutor personally to discuss the Writing Center and how my class can make use of it?

Our tutors are eager to discuss how the Writing Center can better help your students with their writing. If you are interested in a class visit, please call the Writing Center at 422-4306 to arrange a time at your convenience.

How do you teach speed reading?

Tutors use a modified version of the speed reading techniques described in Peter Kump's book Break-through Rapid Reading. In Speed Reading 1, students learn to increase their reading rate dramatically through the use of a ReadMate metronome. Speed Reading 2 covers ways students can improve their reading comprehension at their new reading rate.

Do you offer any other mini-classes?

We are always looking for new ways to help students with their writing. As such, we have created mini-classes on MLA, APA, the English 150 rhetorical analysis, Adobe InDesign, and Powerpoint 2007, and can develop others upon request. For information about scheduling, check the mini class schedule.

Other Questions?

Feel free to call or email us if you have additional questions.
Phone: 422-4306
Email: byuwritingcenter@gmail.com