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Welcome to the Alma College Writing Center Wiki!
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We at the ACWC are committed to providing all writers at Alma College with quality, collaborative, one-on-one writing services. We follow practices that align with current writing center and composition theory, such as the idea that writing is socially constructed, process-oriented, and rhetorically situated. Our tutors are trained to work collaboratively with writers in any part of the writing process, from brainstorming and drafting to final editing. We do not promise that those who visit our center will leave with perfect writing; rather, our goal is to work toward developing better writers.

The Pit Stop
Metaphorically speaking, the Writing Center is not like a mechanic where you go to fix what is broken or not working well; rather, we are like a fuel station where you go to fill up, to wipe your windshield so you can see better, to grab a cup of coffee for the long trip ahead. It doesn't matter where you are going or how far along you are on the trip, we are here to help you get to the next stop. Like a fuel station is equipped for any car or driver, we are prepared to work with any writing project for any course. We can also help with non-academic writing like resumes and applications. Whatever writing you are working on, we are here to work on it with you.

What We Do
Our tutors are trained to focus on five areas: 1. Content: that the writing shows evidence of good critical thinking and depth rather than simply scraping the surface and/or stating the obvious, and that the writing follows the assignment and any specifics outlined in the assignment sheet 2. Purpose: that the writing has a clear audience and a clear thesis statement—that the writing clearly has a goal and is meeting that goal 3. Organization: that the writing is presented in a coherent way that allows the reader to follow along without confusion—that the writing is very reader-friendly 4. Support: that all ideas are supported with evidence, from a wide variety of possible sources, and all sources are properly attributed according to the prescribed form of citation for the field 5. Presentation: this includes everything visual about the paper, from formatting, images, and font choices to grammar, usage, spelling and punctuation. We treat these issues just as we do the ones above: we help you discover your problems and work with you to learn how to fix them.

It is important that you understand that the Writing Center WILL NOT edit or correct your paper. We do not believe that doing so helps you learn to be a better writer in any way. We will, however, work on any grammar, punctuation, or spelling problem that you might have. We'll go over rules with you, look at the handbook, figure out your patterns, and help you learn to identify your specific weaknesses. Please keep in mind that this work is done after all other writing concerns are addressed.