The Writing Center
Our Mission
Located in Humanities 231, the Scripps Writing Center helps writers grow. We give students the chance to work on their writing by engaging in collaborative discussions with knowledgeable peer tutors, offering a comfortable space with tea, snacks, and a snazzy couch.
We believe that all writers, however accomplished, benefit from presenting work-in-progress to other skilled readers. We welcome any student at any level, studying any discipline, working on any assignment, at any stage of the writing process, from a first-year student brainstorming on a first essay to a senior finishing a thesis, in sessions averaging about thirty minutes.
To schedule an appointment, go to: https://scrippscollege.mywconline.com/
Or just drop in anytime we’re open!
Hours During the Semester
Monday through Thursday: 4:00-6:00, 7:00-9:00pm
Friday: 10:00am-12:00pm
Sunday: 7:00-9:00pm
Who We Are: The Prose Pros
We Help
- Unpack or interpret assignment prompts
- Brainstorm, test, and sharpen ideas
- Iron out or strengthen arguments
- Restructure essays for maximum clarity and power
- Determine whether a point needs development
- Go over revisions
- Reformulate the presentation and language of a paper
- Teach proper documentation
We can provide instruction in usage, grammar, and punctuation, but we don’t proofread or rewrite papers for students because these efforts don’t help them grow as writers. We won’t tell students what to say, but we’ll help empower them to say it themselves. And we won’t evaluate the quality of writing or estimate a grade, even if asked.
(Alumnae are supported by Career Planning and Resources, which provides feedback on application materials of all types.) https://www.scrippscollege.edu/student-services/career-planning-resources)
Workshops
The center sponsors a number of workshops in writing for Scripps students. Core Night workshops are attached to writing deadlines for Core I, followed by one-on-one tutoring. Other past workshops have included Approaching Your First College Paper, Thesis Development, Understanding the Research Process and Research Documentation, Creative Writing, Writing Essay Examinations, and Composing Resumés, Application Letters, and Fellowship Essays. If you are especially interested in having one of these topics presented again, have an idea for a workshop, or would just like to check when we will be offering workshops, contact the Director of the Writing Center, Glenn Simshaw.
Core Buddies
As part of its mission to support Core students, the Writing Center offers a Core Buddies program, which pairs an interested student with a Center tutor. They work together throughout the semester, typically in 30-minute sessions at the writing center, with time devoted to brainstorming, developing, and composing writing assignments for Core or other courses. Please email Writing Center Director Glenn Simshaw if you are interested in having a Core Buddy.
Senior Thesis Buddies
The Writing Center maintains a special program for seniors working on the thesis. The program pairs a senior with a Tutor, and they work together throughout the semester, meeting either during regular Center hours or at a time arranged by the student and the Tutor. A typical session held at the Writing Center lasts 30-60 minutes, time devoted to organizing, developing, and composing the thesis project.
Multilingual Student Support
Writing Associate Pam Bromley provides individual consultations for students for whom English is an additional language. Her specialized feedback can help students develop a broad range of strategic tools for effective communication in the US academic context, with sessions focusing on any aspect of writing in English, from disambiguating sentence-level language to unpacking organizational choices to developing research strategies or engaging audience expectations. Pam has a CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and more than a decade of experience in writing center pedagogy. If you are interested in meeting with Pam, please email pbromley@scrippcollege.edu to arrange a time to meet.