Writing Center Resources

Graduate students with writing projects are invited to make a 45-minute appointment with one of our consultants to discuss graduate projects, theses, or dissertations. All appointments are 45 minutes; the last 15 minutes are reserved for your consultant to complete necessary paperwork. Please specify whether you are working on coursework or a thesis/dissertation when you schedule to ensure that you are paired with a qualified consultant.

You can work together with one of our faculty consultants on a range of writing issues. Just bring in a question or concern, such as:

• My advisor says my writing is too informal.
• My advisor says my sentence structure is hard to follow.
• My advisor says my sentence structure is hard to follow.
• How do I transition from this section to the next?
• How do I wrap up this section?
• Is my literature review well-organized?

Given the time limit, only relatively short sections of a long project can receive attention. Come to the appointment focused with a plan for what you want to work on.

Our faculty consultants are professors in the English or Linguistics departments and have years of experience working with graduate student writers. You can read their bios and find out about their available hours here.

CSUN’s Thesis/Dissertation/Graduate Project Writing Retreat

• Procrastinating on your Master’s thesis or Doctoral dissertation?
• Want to kick start your writing?
• Need uninterrupted quiet time with a writing expert nearby?
• Looking for some strategies and support for research, writing, and academic habits?
• Interested in joining a writing community?

The Learning Resource Center in partnership with the Office of Graduate Studies offers multi-day intensive writing retreats for graduate students who have a significant start on their thesis/dissertation/project and need something more to get in gear. We provide the space, social support, and writing experts. A limited number of graduate students will be selected by Grad Studies to participate in this writing retreat. Interested students should apply to the Office of Graduate Studies.

Asynchronous Graduate Student Feedback

Usually available during weeks 3–14 of the fall and spring semester. The Asynchronous Graduate Student Feedback service is for graduate-level students working on their thesis or other larger projects (12+ double-spaced pages, not including figures).

Here's how it works:

1. You email us at with a brief description of your work and any specific questions or goals you may have. Attach your work as a single Word document (.docx).
2. If your submission request is approved, we will assign your work to a faculty consultant.
3. Once we are done with your work, your document will be emailed back to you with comments using Word's review function. This takes 3-10 business days, depending on traffic.
4. You may also make an appointment to meet live with one of the consultants to discuss the comments and design a plan for your revisions.

Please note:

• We need explicit permission from your professor if you would like feedback on your comprehensive exam responses.
• If you email us on a Friday afternoon or during a weekend, you may not hear back from us until the following business day (most likely a Monday).
• In order to ensure the most productive experience, please check your email frequently and respond to us in a timely manner.
• In times of heavy traffic, we may take over a week to provide feedback.
• Although our consultants are happy to look at an assignment at any stage, asynchronous tutoring works best on projects that are further along in their development. For help with brainstorming, conceptualizing, and projects that are not fully formed, we recommend coming in to the Writing Center and meeting with consultants in person.
• The consultant will not make any changes to your paper, but instead will make suggestions on how you can improve your work.
• Possible reasons why your request for feedback would not be approved:
  • you are an undergraduate student
  • you are requesting feedback on a document that is not long or finished enough
  • you are not following our other rules and policies outlined above

For questions or to submit a file for asynchronous feedback, please email us at onlinelrc@csun.edu

We look forward to working with you!

DISH is an open support session designed specifically for graduate students working on larger projects.

DISH will be held throughout the semester to provide all interested students an opportunity to build and engage with a graduate-student specific learning community. Each session will allow students a space to work independently on your project with a Faculty Writing Consultant on hand if you need any assistance.

DISH is meant to provide an open space for graduate students to network with others, help keep themselves accountable for completing their projects, and work independently with access to a writing consultant for questions.

How to sign up:

1. Log in to EAB (clicking the registration link will also take you to EAB).
2. Select the blue “Schedule appointment or view drop-in availability” button on the top right.
3. On the next screen, select “Learning Resource Center (LRC)” from the first drop-down menu.
4. Under “Reason for your appointment,” select the desired workshop (DISH). 
5. You may input your desired date. Then, select “Find Available Time.” You will be taken to a screen which displays all currently available workshop dates and times.
6. Select the “appointment” time (the day and time of the workshop, usually displayed within an oval). 
7. Then, read the appointment details for important information, such as the Zoom link for online workshops. In the “Would you like to share anything else?” box, please include the words "proof needed" and your professor's email address if you'd like us to send proof of attendance, and any other important information such as whether you will be joined by an interpreter.
8. Select what type of reminders you'd like to receive and then select "Schedule."
9. You can verify and cancel your workshop registration at any time by clicking "View Appointments."

IMPORTANT: If you need proof of attendance, please put "proof needed" and your instructor's name and email address in the comments box on EAB.

Please call us at (818) 677-2033 or email onlinelrc@csun.edu with any questions or for assistance with registration.

CSUN Graduate Studies Thesis/Dissertation and Graduate Project Information

https://w2.csun.edu/graduate-studies/evaluations/thesis-dissertation

This website from Graduate Studies features important deadlines and resources such as formatting guidelines, tutorials, and information about IRB/human subjects research.

Would you like some extra help during synchronous class meetings or activities, such as workshops or breakout groups? We can send a trained and knowledgeable student tutor to support you in your class. Let us know what you need, and we’ll pair you with the right tutor.

To find out more or to request a tutor, email us at onlinelrc@csun.edu

Please note that we cannot be a substitute for you; professors must be in attendance during visits from a tutor.

Do you assign credit for Writing Center visits? We can provide proof of attendance for your students who come to our appointments and writing workshops!

When students attend a workshop or session with us, instructors will receive a link to an Excel spreadsheet on Box via email that will contain information from the session including notes about the session from the writing consultant. This spreadsheet will be updated on a weekly basis, usually on Monday.

We ask that instructors remind their students that they must ask for proof of attendance for each session they attend, otherwise our staff will not know to send it to you. At this time, we can only provide proof of attendance via email to the professor, not to students directly. Thank you for understanding.

In-class visits and special workshops are paused for the current semester. We may be able to add an additional online, general admission workshop to our calendar upon faculty request, dependent on staff availability. Please email us with inquiries: onlinelrc@csun.edu

To help prepare our writing consultants to prepare to work with your students, we encourage you to submit your prompts, rubrics, examples of strong work, and any other course documents that might help us better serve your students. Having a better understanding of what you expect on these assignments will help our tutors help your students.

You can upload files directly through this form. Files uploaded here will not be shared outside of our tutoring staff, and will be used for training purposes only.

Have questions? Please email us at onlinelrc@csun.edu.

Link to the LRC's webpage: https://www.csun.edu/learning-resource-center

Canvas Module: Import the Writing Center Module! Search "Visit the Writing Center" in Canvas Commons and follow the usual instructions for importing a module.

Feel free to add this information directly into your syllabus or adapt as necessary:

The LRC

The Learning Resource Center (LRC) at CSUN supports holistic student success by offering accessible, high-impact academic support that helps students thrive in and beyond the classroom. Grounded in equity and partnership the LRC builds confidence, belonging, and academic momentum for CSUN students. The LRC is located in the University Library 3rd Floor, East Wing.

The University Writing Center

Housed within the LRC, the Writing Center supports student writers through one-on-one appointments (in-person and online), group workshops, and more! Our writing consultants work with students at all levels and stages of the writing process, from getting started to making final revisions. We're here to help you gain the confidence, skills, and support you need to express yourself clearly and effectively in your writing assignments and projects.

The SMART Lab

The Science, Math, and Related Topics (SMART) Lab offers subject-based tutoring in chemistry, mathematics, physics, and others. The tutors are accomplished undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of university disciplines who are available to assist students on a walk-in and appointment basis. Visit the LRC website to learn more about the SMART Lab: https://www.csun.edu/learning-resource-center/smart-lab.

There are many ways to encourage your students to use the Writing Center. You can recommend our services, mention us in your syllabus, give bonus points for meeting with a tutor, send students to our workshops, or require that all your students come to visit us. We do ask that you try and refrain from targeting particular students, however; tutoring gets a remedial wrap, but in reality, ALL writers benefit from talking through their ideas with others!

You can also make a Writing Center visit part of your assignment. If you decide to send your entire class, please encourage them to make an appointment well before the due date, as we may not be able to see a large number of students in the day or two before a paper is due.

Students may ask for proof of attendance to be sent to their instructors. Students should ask at the beginning of the appointment and be ready to provide the instructor's name and email address.

The most important thing you can do to help your students write better is to explain to them why effective writing matters, both to you and in your field of study. Thank you for your commitment to improving student writing at CSUN.

To make the most of the time:

• Encourage your students to come to see us at least 24 hours before the work is due.
• Let them know that rather than editing or proofreading, writing consultants teach about writing and help students to develop skills and strategies while also being critical readers that allow students to understand how their work is presented on the page or screen, and how it might be improved with further work. Students who visit us will to be asked to involve themselves in the process of strengthening their work.
• Remind students to have the prompt on hand as well as the draft.
• Help students understand that 45 minutes may not be enough time to discuss an entire assignment, especially if it is lengthy, but they can always come back!
• Email any material you would like us to have on file (rubric, prompt, etc.) to onlinelrc@csun.edu.

When an assignment is labeled an "exam," a consultant will ask for written evidence that the student has professor permission to seek help on the paper. If you want your students to go over an exam in the Writing Center, it should be stated in the assignment that students can ask for outside help, or you can email to give permission.

If there is explicit permission, consultants will work together with students to help them read the assignment with understanding, and improve the organization, development, and general clarity of the response. As always, consultants will not edit a paper for students as they sit by, but they can discuss patterns of error and ways to address those. Consultants will not give answers to questions, but may ask questions like, "What do you have in your notes?" or "How would you prove that to be true?" to help students brainstorm and organize a response.

Writing is a complex skill. It takes commitment, hard work, and time. If an individual student has the requisite motivation, they are very welcome to make two appointments in each location per week. In conferences with the same consultant over the course of several weeks, the student can practice strategies for organizing, developing ideas with evidence, and proofreading. Taking time to revise with the help of a Writing Consultant can be a major step in improving writing skills. We have many students who find a consultant they enjoy working with, and take advantage of this opportunity to learn.

We also offer a weekly drop-in writing and support space and drop-in appointments, which are subject to availability and are not guaranteed.

Yes, we recommend that graduate students schedule with our graduate or faculty consultants. They will not proofread for students, but they can work together with grad students on longer projects as well as class papers.

Please see the graduate student resources above for more information!

Consultants work individually with students to help them communicate more clearly and effectively in writing. During the 45-minute appointment, a consultant typically:

• Helps students review the written assignment to be sure they are following instructions.
• Reads over the draft and asks questions to help students see where the work may be challenging to follow, unclear in expression, or in need of deeper development.
• Asks students what area in their paper they want to focus on (e.g., the organization, the clarity, a particularly troublesome part, the use of sources, addressing patterns of error, and so on).
• Instructs students on how different elements of the reading and/or writing process work.
• Works out strategies with the student for addressing concerns.
• Helps to develop a plan for action.
• Writes an appointment summary that is submitted to EAB (and sent to faculty by student request).