The Indiana State University Writing Center serves ISU students from all courses at any  stage in the writing process. Although the largest group of students comes from the writing courses taught in the English Department, students from approximately 150 different courses other than English visit the Center during an average semester for help with a variety of writing assignments.  

The Center staff, comprised of graduate assistants and undergraduate peers, can help students prepare for writing, review drafts, or edit near-final copies. Whenever possible, the staff's approach is non-directive, encouraging students to do their own work with the guidance of a sympathetic and relatively knowledgeable reader. The staff does not speculate on grades or discuss the merits of the instructor's assignments or policies, guaranteeing only that the student will be closer toward the completion of a polished paper as a result of the visit.  

Instructors are encouraged to promote the services of the Center when making writing assignments in their classes.  Instructors may also request a class visit from a Writing Center staff member, who will inform students of the Center's services. Requiring about ten to fifteen minutes of class time, such visits usually occur early in the semester.  The majority of students come to the Center voluntarily, but instructors may refer students for help.  However, instructors should do so with sensitivity so as not to portray time in the Center as some sort of punishment.  

Instructors of writing courses may also be interested in downloading the many exercise files available at this site, for use with classes or individual students.  In addition, instructors can send copies of assignments and even sample papers from previous semesters to the Center to be placed on file. This way the Center staff gains a better knowledge of the instructor's expectations.                                                                        

In addition to on-site assistance, the Indiana State University Online Writing Center (OWL) has been a valuable part of our writing center since 1998. The OWL provides access to hundreds of lessons, stylebooks, and even an online, interactive consulting environment that utilizes Microsoft's Netmeeting.