Writing Center

West Chester University

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


 

Online Writing Consultations FAQs

Why can't I just mail in my paper and then get it back, edited?
The WCU Writing Center Online Writing Consultation program is designed to best help students become successful writers, and in a real-time session with a writing consultant, you can learn a lot.

Why can't I get help on my paper at 3:30 in the morning?
We do not have funds to pay writing consultants to work around the clock .

Why can't I get a session during the time I want?
The Writing Center has a limited number of writing consultants available. Sometimes, they may already be scheduled to work with another writer.

I have never used Google Docs. How does that work?
See the Online Writing Consultation page (link at left). The first step is to e-mail the writing center your paper. When it is time for your session, the writing consultant will e-mail you a link that will take you directly to Google Docs. You need no prior experience using the program. When you get to Google Docs, you will see your paper in the center of the screen and a chat window on the right. The writing consultant will start by introducing himself or herself to you using chat and by asking you a few questions to get started. After that, the writing consultant may highlight sections of the paper, and you can do the same. You and the consultant will see anything that the other types or highlights on the paper in real time. This is as close as we can get to a face-to-face session.

Why do I have to sign up for an hour-long session to get an online writing consultation?

Texting back and forth takes more time than speaking. Because of this, we find that an hour-long session works best in the online format.