What should I do to prepare for a WA conference?
If you’re in a WA embedded class, try to give your WA time to read your draft before the conference by either handing your paper in on time to the professor, turning in the paper to your WA’s inbox in Pardee 319, or uploading it on Moodle. Bring a copy of your assignment to the conference should any questions arise. Come with questions you may have had regarding your draft. You may want to fill out the WA Conference planning form in advance.
What if I need to reschedule a conference?
Please try not to reschedule a WA conference, but if you must, provide your WA with ample time for notification. If you are in a WA embedded course, contact your WA and let them know as soon as you realize you have a conflict in order to reschedule. If you scheduled an appointment on WCOnline, you can cancel your appointment on there.
What should I bring to the drop-in service?
Be prepared for a conference of approximately 30 minutes. Have both your draft and your assignment with you, along with ideas and questions about how you might like to improve your paper.
What if I have a longer paper that needs more than the 30 minute conference?
Try to plan it out so that you can come in on more than one evening/night for drop-in hours and the WAs will be happy to help you out. If drop-in hours aren’t busy, WAs may be able to assist beyond 30 minutes. Just make sure you bring any notes or revisions that happened at the first conference to your second, and so on. Check out the drop-in hour schedule here.
Does it have to be a paper that I bring to drop-in?
No, you can bring in any writing assignment for any class. Although more often than not WAs are asked to conference on essays drafts, WAs are trained to provide feedback on any kind of writing including, but not limited to, lab reports, presentations (Power Point, Prezi, etc.), research posters, thesis statements and outlines, annotated bibliographies, audio essays, digital essays, blog posts, web sites, applications, and cover letters, etc.
What do writing associates (WAs) do?
Writing Associates are trained to read your writing and help you look at what we know as “higher order concerns,” such as content, organization, structure, thesis, analysis, and transitions, and also to develop a plan for revision in written work. Keep in mind that we’re students, just like you!