Ever have a writing assignment that required some assistance? How about multiple writing assignments with deadlines that are approaching faster than expected? Well fear not! The Writing Center at Kean University has a staff of graduate and undergraduate students that provide one-on-one coaching in a non-judgmental environment to members of the campus community. The Writing Center is located in room 111-E of the Maxine and Jack Lane Center for Academic Success (CAS), and is open during the Spring, Summer I, Summer II and Fall semesters.
Each semester students have writing assignments that at times can be overwhelming. Aside from the assignments, some students also face challenges from balancing work and their studies or taking classes at night. The Writing Center is an excellent resource that supports a student’s writing process regardless if a student takes classes at night or during the day, or if one is an undergraduate or graduate student.
Maria Miranda, an academic specialist at the Writing Center says, “Everyone is a peer, everyone here wants to help. This is a judgement-free zone that welcomes students during any level or stage of their writing process.”
Dr. Kathryn Inskeep, the director of the Writing Center echoes those sentiments as she states, “Every writer can benefit from feedback on things that work and things that may not. Fresh perspective helps students discover who they are as writers.”
According to Dr. Inskeep, the Writing Center was mostly used by seniors during its first three years of existence, but since then there has been an increase in the number of students who utilize the center ranging from freshmen to graduate students. Every semester, particularly in the fall, there is an influx of freshmen that visit the center to sharpen their writing skills and this fall promises to be no different.
In addition to the services provided on campus, the Writing Center also offers online writing support for students who cannot make it to the center during office hours or those who would like additional coaching and feedback. The online service offers two types of support.
The first type of support offered is a real-time online chat with a writing coach designed to provide feedback on the early stages of a student’s writing process. Students can share an assignment in one panel and chat with a writing coach in a side panel. A quiet study area and stable internet connection are the only requirements to participate in a chat session.
The other type of support offered online is the review of a document uploaded by a student. After uploading a document to an appointment dialogue box, the student will receive feedback from a writing coach which will guide the student on how to revise the assignment. This support service is recommended for drafts that are complete or nearly complete. Upon review the document is returned to the student with feedback from a writing coach, typically within the following time frames:
- 1-8 page documents within 24 hours
- 9-16 page documents within 48 hours
- 17-20 page documents within 4 days
To access the Writing Center’s online services, please visit https://kean.mywconline.com and complete these steps:
- Students must register for an account by using a Kean email address.
- After registering, log in to mywconline.
- To schedule an appointment, select an available date and time.
- All appointment information must be filled out.
- After filling out the appointment information, select "make an appointment" located at the bottom of the page.
- Attach your assignment sheet in the confirmation page. Drafts must be attached for all e-tutoring appointments.
For more information on the Writing Center, please visit www.kean.edu/offices/cas/writing-center.
For information on the Writing Center’s office hours, please visit the center’s website as hours vary throughout the academic year. Students can also contact the Writing Center by phone at 908-737-0317 or by email at writingcenter@kean.edu.
