Writing Center

West Chester University

Dr. Karen Fitts
Associate Professor of English
214 Lawrence Center
610-430-5664
kfitts@wcupa.edu


About Us

The mission of the Writing Center at West Chester University is to provide a resource for all members of the University community who are dedicated to the arduous and inspiring work of written communication.

Writing Center Goals

  • serve the university as a resource for all writers
  • mentor writers by focusing on transferrable skills, rather than the polishing or correcting of isolated assignments
  • contribute to students' successful progress toward graduation
  • help students understand and negotiate the university context and expectations for college writing
  • foster tolerance and understanding of diverse backgrounds, experiences, identities, and viewpoints
  • train and mentor graduate-student and undergraduate writing consultants who will be able to use their consultation experience to advantage in future professional roles
  • support the university's Basic Writing and General Education Writing programs

Note: The West Chester University Writing Center adheres to the standards set forth by the International Writing Centers Association, and our writing consultants are trained by writing specialists from the West Chester University English faculty. Extensive information and position papers outlining best practices for peer consulting centers like ours can be found on the web sites of the International Writing Centers Association and the National Council of Teachers of English (see NCTE's Issue Brief on Writing Centers). The Writing Center Director is a West Chester University faculty member who is a specialist in rhetoric and composition, and the center is supported by local, regional and national members of an advisory board.

Basic Writing and General Education Writing Support

The writing center serves all members of the university community. One aspect of the mission of the Writing Center is the support provided to Basic Writing and General Education Writing taught by professors in the West Chester University English department. Consultants in the writing center collaborate closely with the English Department in order to support courses taught by those faculty. In addition, the writing center is available as a resource for Writing Emphasis courses, which are taught on a writing-across-the-curriculum model by faculty throughout the university.