We recognized that Graduate Students have more demanding projects than typical undergrads. Consultants are trained to work with a variety of assignments and issues, but we cannot guarantee a graduate consultant will respond to your work. If you want to make sure you work with a peer, we recommend a one-to-one or read-ahead appointment. The Writing Center, however, has a couple of specific options for graduate support: 

One-to-One Graduate Consultations

The Writing Center offers 50-minute appointments for graduate students to help you plan a project, revise for submission to a journal, and discuss writing issues of concern to you. Graduate students can also drop in for a 30-minute consultation or make a 50-minute appointment at both the Allendale and downtown locations. Call 331-2922 with questions or to schedule an appointment.

Read-Ahead Appointments

For students working on longer drafts, submitting your paper ahead of time allows more time for feedback and discussion. Available only at our downtown location (DeVos student study area Building C) you can sign up for this service by scheduling online. When selecting your location, choose "Graduate Read Ahead Downtown" and you will be prompted to upload your current draft. We require 48 hours reading time before appointments.

Online & Email Consultations

Graduate students can receive feedback from a consultant via Google Docs by sharing drafts with [email protected]. This will allow synchronous feedback with a consultant through the Google Docs chat feature and document sharing abilities. We provide this service on Mondays-Wednesdays @ 8 p.m.- 12am. If you have questions about accessing Google Docs, click here. 

Graduate students are also privy to our email service, which provides consultant-feedback on drafts after 72 hours post submission. Feel free to submit your papers by filling out a web form. 

For more information about email consultations, click here

Student Writing Groups

What? This semester, the Writing Center is piloting a new program for graduate students: ED 693 writing groups. 

Graduate student writing groups are small cohorts of student writers, working together, focusing their work on committing time and attention to assisting each other with larger/longer writing projects. These writing groups are assembled for a variety of reasons; yet, they work when writers dedicate their perspectives to a group of peers, guided by the assistance of the Writing Center.

Who? Our pilot is exclusive to students enrolled in ED 693.

While working on the master's project, a writing group could be a collection of peers with A) similar topics, B) similar progress made, C) similar advisor, or D) as diverse as desired. The cohort could be assembled by the Writing Center or organically among graduate students. 

Where & When? Writing groups are flexible communities and can take place as frequently and anywhere the groups finds best.

A benefit of assembling a writing group is the level of flexibility for assistance. Making appointments at the Writing Center is meant to be as flexible as possible; however, a writing group could be even more customized to writers' unique needs. Depending on the level of comfort and similarities among individuals in a writing group, the timing and location of the work being done can mold to the group itself (including remote work, coffee shop meetings, after class discussions, etc.). 

Are you interested?

If you're interested in forming a graduate student writing group, and would like assistance from the Writing Center, please contact the writing center director, Patrick Johnson @ 331-2922. 

Have other questions? Stop in and visit! Or call us at 331-2922.