The Writing Center is here for your writing needs.
Our goals are to:
- Enable you to compose more fluently, with less apprehension and fear.
- Assist you in writing and revising your work.
- Provide support when you are struggling with a writing project.
- Assist you with the further development of your critical thinking skills
- Help you develop “reader-based” prose (writing with the needs of the audience in mind) as opposed to “writer-based prose,” (writing that only the writer understands well), thus better meeting the requirements of academic discourse.
- Acquaint you with the conventions and expectations of academic writing.
- Help you become a stronger and more diverse writer.
Where To Find Us:
The Black Hills State University Writing Center is located on the first floor of the E. Y. Berry Library. The Writing Center is open Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. - 7 a.m., Friday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., and Sunday 3 p.m. - 8 p.m.
When To Make An Appointment:
The consultants at the Writing Center are there to help you at any step in the writing process. Schedule your sessions early and often; you can meet with a consultant as many times as you wish during the course of a project.
A session will be beneficial to you when you are:
- Choosing and narrowing a topic
- Generating ideas for support and development
- Drafting
- Revising
The Writing Center staff can also help you with critical reading and comprehension; schedule a session to discuss course materials and articles.
In addition to these services, the Writing Center can also help you and your group members with group writing projects; please be sure to indicate the number of writers in the group when scheduling a session.
For tips on preparing for a session and what to expect when meeting with a consultant, see "Preparing For a Session"
How To Make an Appointment:
Walk-ins at our library location are welcome, but you may have to wait until a consultant is available. To schedule an appointment, go to WCOnline and register with our online scheduling program. If you have questions about the registration process, please call 605.642.6922 or stop by the WAC for assistance.
We also offer online assistance for distance and commuter students.
Other Services:
- Handouts
The Writing Center also offers links for help with writing questions. Handouts include advice on prewriting, revising, grammar, punctuation, formatting, and more.
- Online Writing Resources
Online writing resources offer links for fun and informative writing tips.
We look forward to working with you. Schedule an appointment today!
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Schedule a session with the Writing Center here. Walk-ins are always welcome, but you may have to wait until a consultant is available.
- Bring your assignment sheet, class notes, and any other materials that will help you and the consultant better understand your assignment.
- Take a moment to compose “writer’s questions” before you arrive; these are specific questions or issues you would like to discuss with the consultant regarding your paper. They will give you a foundation to work from during the session and will also help you prioritize subjects or issues for discussion.
- Arrive on time and ready to work.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
At the Writing Center, we work to create better writers. Rather than offering editing services, we work with you to strengthen all aspects of your writing process to help you gain confidence in writing and in the texts that you produce. With this in mind, you can expect:
To take the lead in the session.
While the consultant will ask you questions to help draw out your ideas and develop your writing more fully, you should not expect the consultant to tell you what to write or what and where to revise; the paper should always remain your property.
To read the paper in full and sometimes out loud.
It helps to have the paper or project fresh in your mind. You can expect to read through the draft in full at least once; sometimes your consultant will ask you to read it out loud so that you can better identify the passages that you feel need revision and development.
To write.
Be prepared to take notes and write on your draft. Your consultant may ask you to use highlighters or different colored pens to mark sections of your draft or to make notes in the margins. You may also wish to record revision ideas for later writing sessions. The more you physically engage with your paper and the writing process, the better writing you will produce.
To try new writing techniques and invention strategies.
If you are stuck on a particular part of the paper or are not quite sure where to go, you can expect the consultant to walk you through writing exercises and invention strategies to generate ideas. This might mean trying a new outline, annotating the draft, listing, or questioning, while other times it might mean dialoguing about the topic.
If looking for assistance with a draft or partial draft, please bring two copies with you to the session.
Handouts:
Source Documentation and Style Guides:
