Academic Resource Center
Writing Center:
Director:
Dr. Marvin Katilius-Boydstun
(815) 740-3422
mkatilius@stfrancis.edu
Location:
The Academic Resource Center, L214
Hours:
Sunday: 6 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Monday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., 6 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., 6 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., 6 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Thursday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., 6 p.m. – 9:00 p.m
Friday: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Tutoring service is available on a walk-in basis.
What happens in the Writing Center?
The Writing Center was established to help improve the quality of writing at the University of St. Francis. A director and tutors, who are English Department faculty and trained peer tutors, staff the center.
In one-to-one consultation between writer and tutor, advice focuses on the writer's needs on a particular assignment. Tutors will work with the student at any point of the writing process from brainstorming of ideas and outlining, to development , to final draft. Tutors are happy to consult with students on any writing situation, whether an essay for College Writing I, an outline for a speech in Core I, a senior thesis in biology, a poem, or "writer's block."
Unlike a "fix-it" shop which only repairs mistakes, the Writing Center hopes to work with students to allow their writing to develop and grow. For greatest benefit, students should come in early with their writing project and feel free to come in often as they progress through it.
In addition to the tutors, the facility provides computers connected to the university's server and programs, and a vast library of writing and reading resources to aid the writing process. Information on research papers, documenting references, and styles of writing is available. Information about grammar and mechanics of writing is also available in the center.
The Writing Center also hosts the Annual Sister Surwillo Poetry Contest which is held during the Spring Semester. Winners are announced mid-April. Details will be available February 1.
To Become a Writing Tutor
Peer writing tutors are:
- student workers employed by the university
- selected and trained by the director of the writing center
- required to take English 319 Tutoring Composition
- students in English 319 are probationary tutors.
For more information please contact Dr. Katilius-Boydstun, (815) 740-3422 or email at: mkatilius@stfrancis.edu.