The Indiana State University Writing Center takes as its primary mission one-to-one instruction in writing for all ISU students. The conferences between students and Center staff, either face-to-face or online, work to enable students to learn productive habits in pre-writing activities, drafting, revising, and editing.

Using directive and non-directive instructional techniques, the Center staff encourages students to do their own work but to value consultation as a worthwhile part of composing. The ultimate goal of the Center is to advance the skills of student writers and researchers. When a student leaves the Writing Center after an appointment, he or she will be further along in the process of producing a polished piece of writing.

The Center also strives to promote and support writing across the curriculum, serving students from all courses at all levels. The Staff also makes presentations to classes about writing and the Writing Center, while the Director of the Writing Center is available to faculty for consultations about designing assignments and integrating writing in non-English courses. From time to time the Director also conducts workshops for faculty at the University's Center for Teaching and Learning.