The Benefits of The Writing Center
A Psychology major can be very writing intensive, with papers ranging from literature review and research assignments, to observations and diagnostics. The process of putting together a well written paper can often feel daunting no matter the topic of choice; however, you don’t have to go through it alone. If you are currently working on a paper or preparing for one in the future, Towson has a space which provides a variety of resources to assist you in crafting a quality essay. Located at the Liberal Arts building in Room 5330, along with a satellite location in Cook Library, The Writing Center is open Monday through Friday! While many may know of the Writing Center, they might not be fully aware of the services they provide. Described as a writing support program, the Center’s staff welcomes everyone to take advantage of what it can offer. Mairin Barney, Assistant Director of Faculty Outreach, provided a full picture of what to expect when visiting the facility.
“The Towson community can come here for assistance on any writing project at any stage in the process,” she stated. “We have a lot of students coming in with works in progress on which they’re looking for feedback, clarification or another set of eyes.”
Ms. Barney emphasized that you do not need a finished, written paper to make use of the service. You might come in at the end of the drafting stage with a complete paper, but you might also only have an assignment prompt. If you’re having trouble with the beginning stages of your paper, you can speak with a consultant about the expectations for the assignment, topic selection, research questions, and other brainstorming that will help to get you on the right track.
Should you sign up for a Writing Center consultation, you will be given a comprehensive analysis of your work in progress. Ms. Barney clarified that elements of a paper that need attention will be given feedback, but strengths will also be highlighted. “We want to improve students’ confidence as writers and help them understand what it is they’re doing well so they can build on those strengths.” Because of this, she implores all students to use the Writing Center whether you feel you’re having difficulties or not. “Everyone needs feedback on their work. We can have a clear sense in our mind of what we’ve doing, but there might be confusion when read by someone else.”
Ms. Barney stressed the importance of having a trusted reader to strengthen your work and believes the Writing Center is the perfect environment to obtain that. When you make an appointment for a writing consultation, you can select a consultant that is well-suited to assist with your needs. In order to meet the diverse needs of writing across different disciplines, the peer consultants come from varying academic backgrounds and experiences. “We have writing consultants from every program and discipline on campus; if you can major in it then we’ve got it.”
While The Writing Center is a “students helping students” environment, a standard is maintained to make sure all consultants are right for the job. Ms. Barney ensured that those who are consultants have been screened, interviewed, and trained to provide appropriate help. “The thing that we focus on in training our writing consultants is giving student writers concrete, actionable, strategy oriented feedback to help them move forward in their writing process.” While their area of expertise may differ, all consultants are versed in organization of papers, integrating sources, tone, audience, and purpose. “Students can expect a professional experience,” Ms. Barney confirmed.
The Writing Center is used regularly by those in the Psychology Department, and Ms. Barney believes it can be especially helpful for students studying the field: “There’s a very discipline specific style of writing expected in Psychology which is not typically taught in English 102 and TSEM. For people early in their major this may be their first encounter with discipline specific writing.”
Ms. Barney explains that Psych students might have had a lesson about general essay writing in prior classes but may not be fully knowledgeable on how to apply those writing skills within the context of Psychology. For example, there are nuances that might be needed for assignments pertaining to concepts such as study design or research methodology. With there being specialized consultants for each major, there are many psychology students who work at the Writing Center that would be an excellent resource for those needing experience in that style of writing.
Having helped hundreds of students successfully put together papers, Ms. Barney hopes for the Writing Center to continue to help them achieve their full potential as writers this semester. “We really want to support everyone,” she said. “We’re here for the students who are new to this, but we’re also here for the students who want to take their work to the next level.”
If interested in a Writing Center consultation, you can set up a visit by contacting the front desk at 410-704-3426. Receptionists will be on standby to walk you through the steps of making an appointment in their scheduling program. If you would prefer to schedule your appointment online, a video tutorial can be found at www.towson.edu/writingcenter! If you have any additional inquiries, a section for frequently asked questions is also available.